Employment on the land

Environmental and land-based industries account for a large proportion of jobs and wealth generation in the national and global economy. In the UK, the sector is worth more than £8.9 billion per annum. It comprises more than 230,000 businesses, with over 1 million employeesand 500,000 volunteers, with a large and increasing number of migrant workers. Over half the workforce runs its own business, and the sector has a major impact on other parts of the economy in such areas as bio-fuels, food and drink, leisure and tourism, and energy and utilities. This extremely diverse sector encompasses 17 industries in the three key areas of:

1. land management and production
2. animal health and welfare
3. environmental industries.

The sector’s contribution to national gross domestic product is 5.67%, and it has a need for management and leadership, marketing and business development training to cope with the ever changing commercial environment. With an average age of business owners of 55, it is vital that younger people enter the sector to ensure its survival. The industries in question are:

• agricultural crops
• agricultural livestock
• animal care
• animal technology
• aquaculture
• environmental conservation
• equine
• farriery
• fencing
• fisheries management
• floristry
• game and wildlife management
• land-based engineering
• landscaping
• production horticulture
• trees and timber
• veterinary nursing.

Recent studies show that:

• the workforce is made up of 23% full-time males, 9% full-time females, 4% part-time males, 5% part-time females and 51% voluntary/casual staff
• 43% of staff are between the ages of 35 and 54
• two-thirds of managers or their family members had undertaken business-related training
• 35% of land managers had undertaken no staff training in the last year.

The agricultural crops industry produces and manages primary food groups including vegetables, cereals and root crops, and includes the environmental management of land. Farm products vary according to size, soil type and weather conditions. Some farms mix crops with livestock. There are 23,000 agricultural crop businesses in the UK, covering 74% of the land surface and employing 129,400 people.

The agricultural livestock industry produces and manages primary food groups including dairy, beef, sheep, pigs and poultry. Again, product and farm type vary. There are 75,000 livestock farm businesses in the UK, employing 304,200 people. Livestock is a more manpower-intensive business than crops. Over the last 25 years, livestock production has increased by 22%, with the production of poultry doubling.

Animal care comprises many different types of business, the majority being small and medium-sized enterprises. The 13,300 UK businesses employ 47,500 people, and include pet shops, boarding kennels and catteries, pet breeders, dog training and grooming, animal welfare charities, zoos and wildlife parks, performing animals in film and television, and public services. Pet ownership has increased.

Animal technology includes the provision and maintenance of animals to be used in scientific research. Most laboratory animals are used for understanding disease, and testing new medicines and treatments. Around 285 businesses employ 3,400 people.

Aquaculture is the breeding and rearing of shellfish and finfish for food, and restocking lakes and rivers. Work is varied and calls for a wide range of skills, including equipment maintenance and the health and welfare of the fish stock. Some 3,500 people are employed in 1,000 businesses, most in Scotland.

Environmental conservation involves a range of activities using scientific knowledge to produce a sustainable environment. It includes the protection of rural and urban landscapes, plants and animals, countryside recreation, rivers, coastal zones and waterways. There are 4,900 organisations in the UK environmental conservation industry, employing 56,100 people alongside 200,000 volunteers.

The equine industry covers the welfare, supervision and riding of horses, and includes 8,000 equine businesses employing over 54,000 people. These are riding schools, livery yards, racing yards, breeders, trainers and other equine-related activities. Racing, eventing and show jumping are increasing in popularity, and attract £2 billion each year, on 900,000 horses and ponies and 2 million riders.

Farriery is the shoeing of horses and similar animals by a skilled craftsperson, who makes shoes according to the needs and welfare of the animal. Around 2,455 people are qualified farriers, with another 467 in training and 100 apprentices taken on every year.

Fences can be simple or incredibly high-tech, functional or decorative, and made of wire, wood, concrete or metal. Around 4,000 UK fencing businesses employ 25,000 people. The industry includes specialist fencing contractors, multi-skilled operators and small self-employed contractors. Fences are used:

• as motorway barriers
• as barriers to protect workers on roads or construction sites
• as prison perimeter fencing
• for zoos and animal sanctuary enclosures
• in agriculture and forestry
• as garden boundary fences
• for public safety fencing
• for protecting people and property from vandalism
• for reducing sound levels.

Fisheries management includes freshwater angling, managing freshwater fish and habitats, and securing freshwater fisheries. Angling generates an annual expenditure of £3.3 billion, and the Environment Agency is the largest single employer.

Floristry is the design and assembly of floral displays for sale. The industry is mostly made up of small businesses, often linked together by large relay organisations. The market is worth over £1.5 billion, with 8,200 floristry businesses in the UK employing 26,200 people.

Game and wildlife management includes the management of populations of wild birds and animals, wildfowling and coastal and estuary habitats, and breeding and rearing stocks of game birds and, in some cases, deer. Gamekeepers manage habitats, buildings, equipment and pens, and pest and predator control. There are 3,000 employers in the UK, employing 6,000 people on farms and estates.

Land-based engineering uses scientific, technical and engineering knowledge to help the agricultural industry. The 5,800 businesses (manufacturers, dealerships, golf courses, sports fields, grounds maintenance contractors, farms, mobile engineers, machinery hire companies and mechanics) employ 23,000 people in agricultural, ground care, forestry, fixed and construction machinery.

Landscape is the design, planning, creation and maintenance of designed landscapes, including sports turf, golf courses, parks and historic gardens, domestic gardens, leisure facilities, motorway construction and paving. The industry contains 8,000 businesses employing 140,000 people in a range of organisations, including local authorities, parks and gardens, landscape companies and small businesses.

Production horticulture involves growing vegetables, fruit, herbs and plants for local, national and international markets. There are 9,646 businesses in the UK, employing 95,166 full- and part-time workers, as well as tens of thousands of casual workers.

Within the trees and timber industry, 10,000 businesses employ 30,000 people in the care and management of trees, woodlands and forests, and the production of wood and timber products. It includes many different types of business, including arboricultural firms, forestry establishments, forestry harvesting and timber processing. Arboriculture involves planting and maintaining trees and woodlands.

Veterinary nurses work with vets in the care and treatment of domestic and farm animals. They carry out diagnostic tests, medical treatments and minor surgical procedures. There are currently 7,419 veterinary nurses and 3,781 enrolled students.

Land-based employment in the Services

Apart from a few specialists (like mechanics and veterinary nurses) there are no Service trades that read across directly to land-based employment. However, many personal skills and experiences may well prepare Service leavers for careers in this very diverse sector. Examples include the ability to work at height, the use of machinery, safety consciousness, the ability to succeed in all weathers and environments, and team-working. There is also a need for skilled managers and entrepreneurs to enable the sector to maintain and expand its activities.

Qualifications and training

National Occupational Standards have been developed in the following subjects:

• Agriculture
• Agricultural Crop Production
• Agricultural Management
• Amenity Horticulture
• Amenity Horticulture Management
• Animal Care
• Animal Care and Management
• Animal Technology
• Aquaculture
• Aquaculture Management
• Environmental Conservation
• Environmental Conservation Management
• Equine Business Management
• Farriery
• Fencing
• Fencing Business Management
• Fisheries Management
• Fisheries Business Management Standards
• Floristry
• Floristry Business Management
• Gamekeeping and Wildlife Management
• Game and Wildlife Business Management Standards
• Green Wood Trades and Coppicing
• Horse Care and Management
• Introductory Horse Care
• Horse Care
• Horticulture
• Land-based Machinery Operations
• Land-based Management
• Land-based Operations
• Land-based Service Engineering
• Livestock Production
• Mixed Farming
• Production Horticulture
• Production Horticulture Management
• Racehorse Care
• Racehorse Care and Management
• Treework
• Trees and Timber Management
• Veterinary Nursing.

Contact details

Lantra (Sector Skills Council), Lantra House, StoneleighPark, Coventry, Warwickshire CV8 2LG Tel: 0845 707 8007 Website: www.lantra.co.uk