G Taylor, cattle farmer

Interview with Gareth Taylor, cattle farmer (the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript). Mr Taylor has been in the cattle business for around fifty years, and farms around 200 acres near Brandesburton in the East Riding of Yorkshire. He usually attends York Auction Centre twice a week, despite the distance from his farm, finding that it suits him and his livestock better than other Yorkshire markets, such as Malton. He did however get started in cattle by buying at Beverley market then selling on for a higher price at York, later diversifying into machinery as well as livestock once that ceased to be profitable. Mr Taylor refers to tight profit margins and heavy regulation which he feels are forcing farmers out of business whilst the high cost of land makes it difficult for a new generation to get started. Like other interviewees, he comments on a steep decline in numbers attending the York Auction Centre in recent decades. He mentions that he would like to retire and get out of the business, but continues for the sake of his sons, who work alongside him and wish to remain in farming.
Date of interview: 18/09/2023. Length of recording: 00:23:15.

Deposited by the Enterprising York Oral Histories project, School for Business and Society, University of York, October 2023.

Audio recording is only available for consultation at the Borthwick Institute.

No further copying of audio file.

Published