British Farming Union on TFF

Grass And Grain said:

Well said, and well done to those who represented themselves at the TGGG.

I only skimmed through what you guys had done, but it proves the concept works.

I'm guessing you didn't feel represented by NFU policy, or they were missing key points? Then you discussed what points were important, and formed thoughts from that online discussion.

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snarling bee said:

On a serious note. WTF is the BFU going to do with a tenner membership. It obviously is going to run with a donated office and donated time from any officers, who will donate their travel expenses. Even if you get 10,000 members, £100,000 will go nowhere.
If you are going to do this - do it properly

PS I have never and will never claim back any expenses from the NFU.

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Treg said:

So I see BFU as expanding on that idea, it will be harder as a bigger group will have more variation in input but I think as long as everyone is listened to it should work.
Also I see nothing wrong in taking polls on subjects and going to government saying 64% of our members think X is a brilliant idea 16% are unsure 20% are dead against X, or even dividing it down further, our livestock members agree with Y but 70% of Arable farmers don't , it would give a clearer picture of what the industry is thinking rather than saying our union things Q is brilliant when

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warksfarmer said:

I think a bit of different thinking is needed. You do not need fancy offices, an annual wage budget of £21 million, or to travel the country talking to members or have a high membership fee.

It’s all about numbers. If there’s a membership of 50,000 farmers then that’s power in its own right. It the year 2022 and a farming union does not need to operate or look like the Nfu.

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Grass And Grain said:

Perfect, thanks. You've solved that one

Common sense solutions achieved by pooling brain power.

Decent grain prices required for arable producer, and let's work to help the livestock producers pass their costs on up the chain and leave a margin.

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glasshouse said:

Key demands;
Bps restricted to £50,000 per farmer claimant, no companies or NGO to get a penny.
Means tested
Rt scrapped
Fbt tenancies converted to AHA overnight to combat coming famine.
MAFF reinstated

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glasshouse said:

Key demands;
Bps restricted to £50,000 per farmer claimant, no companies or NGO to get a penny.
Means tested
Rt scrapped
Fbt tenancies converted to AHA overnight to combat coming famine.
MAFF reinstated

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snarling bee said:

Well I disagree with 1,2 and 4.

Plenty of farmers operate under a company structure.
So those that have diversified or saved get penalised?
Why would converting FBT to AHA combat famine?

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Henarar said:

If you and @glasshouse were members he could put forward those policy's and you could vote against them.

well that's the way I see it from discussion so far ? anyone ?

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snarling bee said:

Well I disagree with 1,2 and 4.

Plenty of farmers operate under a company structure.
So those that have diversified or saved get penalised?
Why would converting FBT to AHA combat famine?

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puntabrava said:

The dream is to alleviate the supermarket’s of their now profit levels on food sourced in the UK? You do understand that 25 year olds are responsible for buying everything and are driven to top out the job. You start holding them to ransom with demands and you may find they will source from other countries until they kill your challenge, even if it costs them in the short term they know it will pan out more profitable. In reality you may be starting the decimation of farming.

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Humble Village Farmer said:

I don't think what you describe would be any change at all in the supermarket s' behaviour.

Anyone for a horse sandwich?

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puntabrava said:

The dream is to alleviate the supermarket’s of their now profit levels on food sourced in the UK? You do understand that 25 year olds are responsible for buying everything and are driven to top out the job. You start holding them to ransom with demands and you may find they will source from other countries until they kill your challenge, even if it costs them in the short term they know it will pan out more profitable. In reality you may be starting the decimation of farming.

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Grass And Grain said:

Putting it like that, yes it's ridiculous.

Why not just a digital grain passport with your NSTS number and expiry date, your Mycotoxin risk assessment value, your operator PA1/2 numbers, declaration grain grown to legal standards and stored appropriately. Computer can check some of those things. RT then superfluous.

...and NFU's latest policy seems to be to support free trade deals, then there's reduction in BPS. Even AHDB recognise how BPS reductions will decimate profitability.

We need to be able to compete. If non-assured imports can access our markets, then we need to be on an equal footing

Well said, and well done to those who represented themselves at the TGGG.

I only skimmed through what you guys had done, but it proves the concept works.

I'm guessing you didn't feel represented by NFU policy, or they were missing key points? Then you discussed what points were important, and formed thoughts from that online discussion.

An online platform can accommodate lots of people and opinions, and produce some good points, which leads to a furthering of the thinking process, then hopefully produces the best answers/policies.

@snarling bee I note your earlier comments that £10 isn't enough cash. Point taken. Constructive criticism/advice.

Maybe BFU doesn't work like traditional organisations with lots of full time paid staff, creating policy, lobbying, meetings, conferences, etc

Maybe BFU has the discussion, has a vote, decided, then a summary of the thinking/policy/discussion is produced. Then we invite the appropriate organisations - ministers, Environment Agency, feed mills, abattoirs, etc. as appropriate. They read our thoughts.

One or two BFU people will become the experts in grain contracts, or TB, or bird flu, or green energy, or FYM nitrate leaching or pig crisis, etc. They can represent BFU solely on those issues, to spread the workload.
Then there isn't a president being jack of all trades, but master of none.

Opposing policies from the BFU is a problem to avoid. I guess that's simar with NFU. Grain price springs to mind, with arable producers wanting prices high, and livestock producers wanting low prices, but there's got to be a sensible middle ground on that issue. Grain producers probably want a successful livestock industry

Maybe there's a more efficient way to work. Maybe, after a policy is summarised, a minister has a phone call with the BFU rep, or even a quick online discussion.

Does my memory serve me correctly, that NFU can't really get involved in setting up things like producer groups? Maybe BFU can. E.g. I'd like to see all Tesco Milk Producers have a private group at BFU, where they can all talk to Tesco as one united voice. Has that sort of thing ever been done effectively in the past? Does NFUC do it? If not, why not? If not, let's make it happen.

Let's never again be played by the big processors or supermarkets. We need to be bigger and more united than the processor is. We need to be organised. That's what we've never had, organisation and working together in one large cooperating union of growers.

Don't know much about the legals, but imagine it's illegal to set prices, but not illegal to be part of a cooperative. A cooperating union of growers that helps members negotiate terms with customers.

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snarling bee said:

Well I disagree with 1,2 and 4.

Plenty of farmers operate under a company structure.
So those that have diversified or saved get penalised?
Why would converting FBT to AHA combat famine?

Click to expand...

glasshouse said:

Key demands;
Bps restricted to £50,000 per farmer claimant, no companies or NGO to get a penny.
Means tested
Rt scrapped
Fbt tenancies converted to AHA overnight to combat coming famine.
MAFF reinstated

Click to expand...