Andrew Blenkiron

Would you like Andrew Blenkiron sacked from the board of Red Tractor for his insulting comments.

  • Yes

    Votes: 273 94.1%
  • No

    Votes: 17 5.9%

  • Total voters
    290

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Clive, you should DEFINITELY sign up as a focus writer. Dedicate every column to criticising the NFU, AIC and RT, promoting TFF and your affiliated businesses, with a small sentence about DD or CTF to keep it on topic.

I wonder if FW would keep you on for nearly a decade being "sparky, confrontational, diverse and opinionated"?
It would be good for FW sales, I would start buying it again just for the crack :ROFLMAO:
 

Two Tone

Member
Mixed Farmer
The Farmer Focus section is a place where all columnists are free to air their views as they see fit providing they stay on the topic of farming and don't bring FW into disrepute (such as by violating libel law). I know as a careful reader of FW that you're aware we cover both sides of the debate on Red Tractor in print, online and on the podcast. You have even been kind enough to contribute to the debate yourself.

No Farmer Focus writer lasts forever and we are always on the lookout for those who readers will value for their insights and perspectives, whether they find them agreeable or challenging. I have an unshakeable belief that farmers do not want to put down a freshly read copy of FW feeling like they have agreed with every word - how dull! Our industry is sparky, confrontational, diverse, opinionated and working their way through some huge issues at the moment. What fun to be the home of this debate!
Farmer Focus writers are only supposed to do the job for 2 years.
How many years has Blenkiron been doing it?

There was one particular Focus writer who in the mid 2000’s regularly kept the FW solicitors burning the midnight oil.
I’ll not go into what happened to this guy and in whose pleasure he ended up residing.

Writing about any topic is one thing. Using it to cast influence upon another self interest such as Red Tractor and aspersions agains all those that disagree with it is another!

The guy should be utterly ashamed of himself and fall on his own FW sword at least.
Or the men with the long knives from FW need to give him the boot, immediately!

The facts are that somebody (or persons) are not doing their job properly by failing to replace Focus writers on time and unashamedly provide complicity in allowing those that write to gain extra traction on their way up their greasy pole.

If Blenkiron doesn’t go, IMO he and a few complicit others should also maybe suddenly end up being rehoused at Her Majesty’s pleasure!

It’s a disgrace for Blenkiron taking advantage with FW as he has done and just as much so, a disgrace of FW to have allowed and continue to allow it to happen.
 

Two Tone

Member
Mixed Farmer
I subscribe to FW. It’s better than the “free press” that drops through my letterbox eg. Crop Production. I just look at who is saying what, work out their agenda and apply the correct pinch of salt.
I ran out of the salt!

I found it had become such a distressful thing to read, ruining the end of my week with its over-hyped typical media doom spreading that I could stand it no more.

Of course there are problems and challenges within our industry. But there are also things to celebrate and be proud of, few of which get much copy and those that do often risk making others feel inadequate.


Is it any wonder that readership of FW and FG is declining, while TFF membership continues to grow?


I hope that one day, we won’t be bombarded with FW stickers, bags and it flags everywhere at the Cereals Event. To be replaced by a huge TFF marquee, preferably with a large bar serving champagne, within it!
 

snarling bee

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Bedfordshire
There is not one magazine published that does not have plenty of bias in it, mostly paid for one way or another. Sadly even the Direct Driller magazine falls in the same category. Its just a money spinner for Clive and Chris. Some articles don't even show the author - unforgivable and unethical IMO.
 
I recently had a farmer focus type piece that I do for a magazine for pig farmers refused by the editor.
All I wrote was that a certain marketing group (initials MQ) couldn’t stand by their contracts and that I had been badly shafted.
Anyway, the editor and I had a sensible chat about it and I reverted to sending in my usual tripe.
Maybe FW should have had the balls of that editor?
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
I recently had a farmer focus type piece that I do for a magazine for pig farmers refused by the editor.
All I wrote was that a certain marketing group (initials MQ) couldn’t stand by their contracts and that I had been badly shafted.
Anyway, the editor and I had a sensible chat about it and I reverted to sending in my usual tripe.
Maybe FW should have had the balls of that editor?
I think the pig editor should have had the balls to let you publish the original opinion piece you'd written TBH
 
I recently had a farmer focus type piece that I do for a magazine for pig farmers refused by the editor.
All I wrote was that a certain marketing group (initials MQ) couldn’t stand by their contracts and that I had been badly shafted.
Anyway, the editor and I had a sensible chat about it and I reverted to sending in my usual tripe.
Maybe FW should have had the balls of that editor?

You are basically the Ernest Hemingway of the pig world!
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Clive, you should DEFINITELY sign up as a focus writer. Dedicate every column to criticising the NFU, AIC and RT, promoting TFF and your affiliated businesses, with a small sentence about DD or CTF to keep it on topic.

I wonder if FW would keep you on for nearly a decade being "sparky, confrontational, diverse and opinionated"?

the TFF LOL emoji feels not enough for this post
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Farmer Focus writers are only supposed to do the job for 2 years.
How many years has Blenkiron been doing it?

There was one particular Focus writer who in the mid 2000’s regularly kept the FW solicitors burning the midnight oil.
I’ll not go into what happened to this guy and in whose pleasure he ended up residing.

Writing about any topic is one thing. Using it to cast influence upon another self interest such as Red Tractor and aspersions agains all those that disagree with it is another!

The guy should be utterly ashamed of himself and fall on his own FW sword at least.
Or the men with the long knives from FW need to give him the boot, immediately!

The facts are that somebody (or persons) are not doing their job properly by failing to replace Focus writers on time and unashamedly provide complicity in allowing those that write to gain extra traction on their way up their greasy pole.

If Blenkiron doesn’t go, IMO he and a few complicit others should also maybe suddenly end up being rehoused at Her Majesty’s pleasure!

It’s a disgrace for Blenkiron taking advantage with FW as he has done and just as much so, a disgrace of FW to have allowed and continue to allow it to happen.


was that the chap that turned out to be a Peado ?

I guess at least FW can say they are improving quailty
 
Last edited:

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
There is not one magazine published that does not have plenty of bias in it, mostly paid for one way or another. Sadly even the Direct Driller magazine falls in the same category. Its just a money spinner for Clive and Chris. Some articles don't even show the author - unforgivable and unethical IMO.


I wish it was a money-spinner ! There are just 25 pages ex 100 that carry adverts / paid content................ by FAR the lowest in print ag publication (some are as high as 90% !) and its free for readers unlike some others that charge yo to advertise to you

Sadly I can't do any better than that without it costing us personally, DD mag washes its face pretty much, little more, we didn't do it to make money quite honesty although I wouldn't complain if it did!
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
Farmer Focus writers are only supposed to do the job for 2 years.
How many years has Blenkiron been doing it?

There was one particular Focus writer who in the mid 2000’s regularly kept the FW solicitors burning the midnight oil.
I’ll not go into what happened to this guy and in whose pleasure he ended up residing.

Writing about any topic is one thing. Using it to cast influence upon another self interest such as Red Tractor and aspersions agains all those that disagree with it is another!

The guy should be utterly ashamed of himself and fall on his own FW sword at least.
Or the men with the long knives from FW need to give him the boot, immediately!

The facts are that somebody (or persons) are not doing their job properly by failing to replace Focus writers on time and unashamedly provide complicity in allowing those that write to gain extra traction on their way up their greasy pole.

If Blenkiron doesn’t go, IMO he and a few complicit others should also maybe suddenly end up being rehoused at Her Majesty’s pleasure!

It’s a disgrace for Blenkiron taking advantage with FW as he has done and just as much so, a disgrace of FW to have allowed and continue to allow it to happen.

I know exactly who you are talking about. I once sat on a committe that he was also part of 🤦
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
I ran out of the salt!

I found it had become such a distressful thing to read, ruining the end of my week with its over-hyped typical media doom spreading that I could stand it no more.

Of course there are problems and challenges within our industry. But there are also things to celebrate and be proud of, few of which get much copy and those that do often risk making others feel inadequate.


Is it any wonder that readership of FW and FG is declining, while TFF membership continues to grow?


I hope that one day, we won’t be bombarded with FW stickers, bags and it flags everywhere at the Cereals Event. To be replaced by a huge TFF marquee, preferably with a large bar serving champagne, within it!

You used to be a Focus contributor... :unsure:
 

Two Tone

Member
Mixed Farmer
You used to be a Focus contributor... :unsure:
Thank God I’m not any more.
FW’s legal fees would put it out of business.

We had to write 350 words that would be edited down to 250 to fit the page.
If I was still writing for it now, they’d struggle to get more than a paragraph in it by the time their legal boys had further cut out what they might consider too risky to their own business, let alone the blasphemy.
It is a shame though when a trade magazine that supposedly represent your own industry puts you off wanting to read it, by turning itself into something akin to the doom-sayer, over-hyped, tabloid, sensationalist press.
I know exactly who you are talking about. I once sat on a committe that he was also part of 🤦
Ha-ha. Are you sure you don’t want to edit this post and remove the 2nd sentence!
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
Thank God I’m not any more.
FW’s legal fees would put it out of business.

We had to write 350 words that would be edited down to 250 to fit the page.
If I was still writing for it now, they’d struggle to get more than a paragraph in it by the time their legal boys had further cut out what they might consider too risky to their own business, let alone the blasphemy.
It is a shame though when a trade magazine that supposedly represent your own industry puts you off wanting to read it, by turning itself into something akin to the doom-sayer, over-hyped, tabloid, sensationalist press.

Ha-ha. Are you sure you don’t want to edit this post and remove the 2nd sentence!

Am I right in thinking he was also an ex Policeman?
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,292
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top