Blenky resigns?

[Renaultman]

If NFU and RT don't shape themselves I think they will be challenged by the setting up of alternatives. Probably not just yet, but getting ever closer imho.

NFU can't be all things to all people, but they can improve with RT. They're losing members left right and centre over this. More pressure being applied over coming weeks. We're sick of it all, and not prepared to take "no" for an answer. If they think we're going to go away and forget about it, then they've got another thing coming. We're just limbering up atm.

Edit. And we're sick of the NFU, AHDB, RT, AIC SQC cosy club.

Here here

 

[cb387]

NFU don’t seem to give a toss about disquiet amongst farmers.

I can’t decide if they are too stupid / arrogant to listen to what the grass roots are saying, or they know that the bulk of their income comes from non farmers, hence losing a few more of the plebs won’t make much difference.

( or all of the above)

 

[le bon paysan]

is that finished stock ? as part of the membership do you get insurance cover on them as in the case of an abattoir/buyer going bust ? aamoi ?

All my suckled calves go to Italy , export quality ( the best) except retained heifer replacements. Only have cull cows go to the abattoir. Last was 16 years old and made over 1500 euros. Yes we're insured through the groupement.

 

[tullah]

NFU don’t seem to give a toss about disquiet amongst farmers.

I can’t decide if they are too stupid / arrogant to listen to what the grass roots are saying, or they know that the bulk of their income comes from non farmers, hence losing a few more of the plebs won’t make much difference.

( or all of the above)

There'll be more than a few of the plebs leaving. I think they are already concerned and about the bad press too.

 

[neilo]

All you guys that are advocating setting up the ‘New Farmers Union’, which presumably will need to be large enough to represent ALL farmers from all over the country, with the necessary network of local representation that that entails. Will you all be willing to put in the time to attend meetings and contribute? Or will you all just abdicate that responsibility to others, as has always happened within the NFU branch structure? How many of you have ever contributed in such a manner within the NFU, and how many continue to do so now?
Or do you advocate an ‘online’ structure to the organisation, effectively disenfranchising all those farmers that don’t wish to, or are unable to, use such tools? Even within the TFF membership, there is a large proportion that ‘lurk’, and never/rarely actually post, for whatever reason.

Or will those jumping up and down just support such an organisation being set up, then leave it to the usual few that seem to thrive on sitting in committee rooms, thus ending up with the same set up as we have now?

Genuine questions, from someone that is an NFU member but has never been to a branch meeting.
Just how do you all envisage a rival/replacement organisation operating on sufficient scale to represent farmers better, or at least as well, as what we have currently?

 

[Renaultman]

All you guys that are advocating setting up the ‘New Farmers Union’, which presumably will need to be large enough to represent ALL farmers from all over the country, with the necessary network of local representation that that entails. Will you all be willing to put in the time to attend meetings and contribute? Or will you all just abdicate that responsibility to others, as has always happened within the NFU branch structure? How many of you have ever contributed in such a manner within the NFU, and how many continue to do so now?
Or do you advocate an ‘online’ structure to the organisation, effectively disenfranchising all those farmers that don’t wish to, or are unable to, use such tools? Even within the TFF membership, there is a large proportion that ‘lurk’, and never/rarely actually post, for whatever reason.

Or will those jumping up and down just support such an organisation being set up, then leave it to the usual few that seem to thrive on sitting in committee rooms, thus ending up with the same set up as we have now?

Genuine questions, from someone that is an NFU member but has never been to a branch meeting.
Just how do you all envisage a rival/replacement organisation operating on sufficient scale to represent farmers better, or at least as well, as what we have currently?

TBH I can see your point and I think Clive does, hence his decision to support but not run or instigate. I must say that I am more of an assister than an instigator, I would support, vocally and financially anyone who gets this running. The pandemic, or something, has seen a far greater unity in my near neighbours than I can remember, and I believe/hope the sentiment is there to take this nationally or even internationally. We all have a love of the land and need to take an income from it whilst protecting and preserving it for future generations.

 

[hally]

All you guys that are advocating setting up the ‘New Farmers Union’, which presumably will need to be large enough to represent ALL farmers from all over the country, with the necessary network of local representation that that entails. Will you all be willing to put in the time to attend meetings and contribute? Or will you all just abdicate that responsibility to others, as has always happened within the NFU branch structure? How many of you have ever contributed in such a manner within the NFU, and how many continue to do so now?
Or do you advocate an ‘online’ structure to the organisation, effectively disenfranchising all those farmers that don’t wish to, or are unable to, use such tools? Even within the TFF membership, there is a large proportion that ‘lurk’, and never/rarely actually post, for whatever reason.

Or will those jumping up and down just support such an organisation being set up, then leave it to the usual few that seem to thrive on sitting in committee rooms, thus ending up with the same set up as we have now?

Genuine questions, from someone that is an NFU member but has never been to a branch meeting.
Just how do you all envisage a rival/replacement organisation operating on sufficient scale to represent farmers better, or at least as well, as what we have currently?

Fair point but another genuine question, as a member are you happy way the NFU is handling things at the moment and do you communicate with the local guys about your concerns or are you just happy to say nothing and let them carry on?
I am not having a go but genuinely interested why the NFU seemingly think they are on the right course. Are they getting significant complaints about RT etc or is it just a vocal minority on here that are dissatisfied?

 

[Grass And Grain]

All you guys that are advocating setting up the ‘New Farmers Union’, which presumably will need to be large enough to represent ALL farmers from all over the country, with the necessary network of local representation that that entails. Will you all be willing to put in the time to attend meetings and contribute? Or will you all just abdicate that responsibility to others, as has always happened within the NFU branch structure? How many of you have ever contributed in such a manner within the NFU, and how many continue to do so now?
Or do you advocate an ‘online’ structure to the organisation, effectively disenfranchising all those farmers that don’t wish to, or are unable to, use such tools? Even within the TFF membership, there is a large proportion that ‘lurk’, and never/rarely actually post, for whatever reason.

Or will those jumping up and down just support such an organisation being set up, then leave it to the usual few that seem to thrive on sitting in committee rooms, thus ending up with the same set up as we have now?

Genuine questions, from someone that is an NFU member but has never been to a branch meeting.
Just how do you all envisage a rival/replacement organisation operating on sufficient scale to represent farmers better, or at least as well, as what we have currently?

I won't join NFU until they do something about RT.

If they do implement a RT solution, then getting behind NFU is the easiesr way.

As you point out, many of us would join an alternative, but hardly anyone would have time or be prepared to hep run it. Difficult to get off the ground. Probably more legs in joining an existing organisation such as CLA or FSB.

An more achievable goal would be a farmer owned assurance scheme which competes head on against RT.

 

[neilo]

Fair point but another genuine question, as a member are you happy way the NFU is handling things at the moment and do you communicate with the local guys about your concerns or are you just happy to say nothing and let them carry on?
I am not having a go but genuinely interested why the NFU seemingly think they are on the right course. Are they getting significant complaints about RT etc or is it just a vocal minority on here that are dissatisfied?

No, I’m not particularly happy with their perceived stance on RT, or on several other issues (such as this ‘net zero’ nonsense). However, I am also aware that, as I can’t be arsed enough to get involved at branch level, I have abdicated my responsibility to those that do so, to a point.
A bit like those that don’t bother voting in a General Election, who don’t really have a right to complain about the government we end up with?

I have attended several NFU Cymru meetings regarding the Welsh ‘sustainable farming’ proposals, and have been impressed with the approach of those at the top table in Wales. I have also spoken with one of the NFU Cymru (salaried) policy advisers, who lives locally, and know the amount of work that goes on ‘on our behalf’.

I too would be genuinely interested to know if they are getting significant complaints, and resignations, about RT. Or whether, as I suspect, there are a vocal minority shouting aloud, many of which weren’t NFU members (for whatever reason) anyway.
Personally, while I agree that RT (particularly for combinables) has become a nonsense, it’s a reason to get involved and influence from within, not to attempt to trash the NFU entirely. But hey, we seem to live in a world of single issue politics these days, mores the pity.

I do appreciate that others will have a very different opinion, and I will likely be lambasted for expressing mine.

 

[neilo]

An more achievable goal would be a farmer owned assurance scheme which competes head on against RT.

I would have thought that such an organisation would be far easier to organise, and would receive much wider industry support, than attempting splitting farmer representation further.

As long as buyers recognise it, I would have thought RT would be dead in the water if there was an alternative scheme, with control kept in the hands of a farmer board. Of course, those board members would have to have the farming industry’s interests at heart, not their own.

Or of course, just push for industry acceptance that legislative requirements are all that’s necessary (and parity from imports of course), scrap the extra nonsense supposedly delivered by a RT sticker, and leave supermarkets etc to administer their own extra requirements from contracted suppliers, as they do already anyway.

 

[Steevo]

As Greta put it in her interview today when asked if she would become a Swedish MP.

“It is more efficient to campaign from the outside”


Plenty of people who don’t vote in a GE may be in a “safe seat” where their vote would not carry any weight at all.
Same as replying to government consultations that are just a paper exercise as the direction of travel is already decided.

I think many farmers have their work cut out defending against all of this stuff they are drowning in at farm level that they haven’t much time or energy left to head any further regulation off.

 

[Steevo]

I won't join NFU until they do something about RT.

If they do implement a RT solution, then getting behind NFU is the easiesr way.

As you point out, many of us would join an alternative, but hardly anyone would have time or be prepared to hep run it. Difficult to get off the ground. Probably more legs in joining an existing organisation such as CLA or FSB.

An more achievable goal would be a farmer owned assurance scheme which competes head on against RT.

Worth getting CLA or TFA to join the campaign, or even mount a joint campaign between them? The majority of farmers are surely either landowner or tenant? Might attract a surge of new members if they represented the true views of British farmers…..

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Batters is one of the best Nfu presidents we've had,

You may well be correct, but that would be a very poor indictment of her predecessors.

The NFU undoubtedly has a lot of good staff and does a lot of good work that often goes unnoticed.
Given the diverse nature of agriculture, they will never please all farmers. The pages of TFF prove that there is little we can all completely agree on.

However, the situation with RT is unique and rather telling.
As usual , the staff issued the brilliant principles of how an assurance scheme works but it is the top team that happily ignore it to give their full support to RT which doesn't meet most of those principles.
When asked to create a rival scheme, they say they can't as they own RT.
When asked to reform RT, they say they can't as they have no influence.

They were largely responsible for the creation of RT so they have either been negligent in assuaging their influence or have been negligent in allowing RT to become something they admit is not fit for purpose.

They have the power to remedy this situation but not the appetite.

 

[neilo]

I think many farmers have their work cut out defending against all of this stuff they are drowning in at farm level that they haven’t much time or energy left to head any further regulation off.

I agree, but it’s ever been thus. It’s always been the same types that get involved, the ones that love to sit on committees. It always has been.

How will that change just because a vocal minority want to try to come up with an alternative ‘Union’? You will still end up with a small number of those committee men, purporting to represent everyone else’s views. It might be a different group of committee men, but they will be the same types, albeit with different names.
The majority of farmers will still fail to get involved, and still moan about those committee men being out of touch.

Ultimately it’s time to step up and get involved, if you want to see change. I doubt it will happen though, and we will all have our excuses.

 

[Renaultman]

I agree, but it’s ever been thus. It’s always been the same types that get involved, the ones that love to sit on committees. It always has been.

How will that change just because a vocal minority want to try to come up with an alternative ‘Union’? You will still end up with a small number of those committee men, purporting to represent everyone else’s views. It might be a different group of committee men, but they will be the same types, albeit with different names.
The majority of farmers will still fail to get involved, and still moan about those committee men being out of touch.

Ultimately it’s time to step up and get involved, if you want to see change. I doubt it will happen though, and we will all have our excuses.

Maybe it's time the silent majority spoke up then?

 

[neilo]

Maybe it's time the silent majority spoke up then?

Absolutely, but in the real world, not just mithering on on a social media platform.

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Maybe it's time the silent majority spoke up then?

It is time but it's a very difficult task .
I joined the NFU ....but soon realised it was a closed shop
I joined the CLA .... but soon realised it was a closed shop .

At both organisations most decisions were made prior to any meeting .
I got fed up of turning up at meetings and hearing the same old 'aren't we doing well' tripe and woe betide anyone that questioned it .
Then some speaker would get up and mumble about something or other which hardly anyone could hear and then sit down with a Thankyou and a rapturous clap and then the majority would rush off home cos its way past cocoa time and a few would remain for a couple at the bar and the same things were said like ....well I never heard such tosh or did you hear what the speaker was saying ...cos I didn't, or well that another evening wasted !
I soon realised that I was too small a farmer to be included in the 'elite'club and that my opinion didn't fit the agenda so it wasn't wanted ........along with many around here !
The only vote I could make was with my feet !

 

[Grass And Grain]

@neilo I agree with pretty much everything you've said on this thread.

I think that leaves me thinking we're stonger together, a rival NFU is near impossible to set up - but existing alternatives could gain momentum, particularly if they had a specific RT policy.

NFU do lots and lots of lobbying, although maybe they should be a little firmer.

I do wish the top table would listen more to grassroots members. There is clearly a "we know what's best for you" attitude, and I think that annoys people.

A reformed NFU is the way forward, but will it ever happen?

I would have my membership money ready to sign up, but I'm currently having to waste it on RT assurance costs. Shame, as it would be better employed at a united NFU.

 

[spin cycle]

Absolutely, but in the real world, not just mithering on on a social media platform.

OR....it's 'lobbying'.....which you could argue has been very effective,,,,,,for example the actual rt cereal rule changes were a shadow of the proposals

social media gives a quick, easy platform for ppl to communicate and lobby....a resource not available before

 

[Hfd Cattle]

@neilo I agree with pretty much everything you've said on this thread.

I think that leaves me thinking we're stonger together, a rival NFU is near impossible to set up - but existing alternatives could gain momentum, particularly if they had a specific RT policy.

NFU do lots and lots of lobbying, although maybe they should be a little firmer.

I do wish the top table would listen more to grassroots members. There is clearly a "we know what's best for you" attitude, and I think that annoys people.

A reformed NFU is the way forward, but will it ever happen?

I would have my membership money ready to sign up, but I'm currently having to waste it on RT assurance costs. Shame, as it would be better employed at a united NFU.

I agree . Reform within the NFU would be best and I would rejoin ....but they just won't listen .
The ones on the top table at grassroots level are to intent on climbing up and the ones on the top table at 'senior' level are too afraid of slipping down .
So we have a problem ...
@spin cycle makes a very valid point about 'social media' lobbying and the NFU have a lot to learn in that area .