“In the main, our mission is to sell to our farmers. We are keen that wherever possible we can achieve that continuity,” Morris explained.
“For many of our farmers, it’s a generational aspiration to own their farm. A few people have said it to me: ‘My grandfather wanted to buy his farm. My father wanted to buy the farm. And now I’ve got the opportunity and it’s an amazing outcome’.
“That’s kind of what’s driving me through what, at times, has been a little bit of turbulence.”
The Duchy – which was established in 1337 – currently has around 700 agricultural lettings, with around 300 whole farm holdings made up of a farmhouse, land and buildings.
Farmers are on a mix of contracts ranging from time-limited to lifelong, with an option to pass the tenancy down through a family.
George Dunn, TFA chief executive, said the organisation was in “deep discussions” with the Duchy and that poor communication had led to tenants “facing prolonged uncertainty over valuations, timing and the options available to them”.
“Once a family is told that its long-term relationship with the Duchy may change permanently, that uncertainty lives with them 24/7,” he told the BBC.
He added that while he welcomed the Duchy’s assurance that “nobody will be made homeless” not every tenant “will be able or want to buy the farms that they operate and fair alternatives must be explored for those for whom ownership is unaffordable”.
A spokeswoman for the Duchy said: “We are engaging with people directly and supporting them through the process with care and respect.
“We recognise that each of our tenant’s circumstances are different, and we are taking a careful, case-by-case approach.”
