Cancel your NFU membership now

[warksfarmer]

There’s loads of threads about Red Tractor and within them loads of moans about various quangos within all the Ag sectors.

Guys and Gals for christ sake just cancel your NFU memberships tonight. Send emails to you local secretary informing them you are cancelling because of the likes of Red Tractor, AIC, ADHB etc etc and how these Ponzi quango schemes are robbing our industry just for the sake of the gravy train it provides its employees.

This is the only way we will get change. There’s 109,000 farmers in the U.K. The NFU only has 65,000 members according to its last letter to me last week asking me to rejoin.

Let’s turn that 65,000 members into 6000 members and see what happens. Best case scenario is RT gets shut down, worse case scenario is what we are all dealing with now.

We’ve literally got nothing to loose.

 

[FarmerBruce]

@Dicky.A come on boy

 

[Steevo]

It would be interesting to have a standard TFF type letter for members to add onto their email also to show a sustained campaign rather than just the odd farmers revolting.

 

[Spencer]

I’ll have to join so I can cancel again

 

[delilah]

I know, 100%, where you are coming from. But we wont be cancelling. Various attempts at representative bodies have come and gone. Very difficult to start from scratch in an expanding industry, never mind a retracting one. The reality is, whether anyone likes it or not, that our best hope of decent representation is to get the NFU to do its job better. Which starts with members kicking off and telling their elected reps what needs to change, not just muttering on here.

 

[steveR]

I know, 100%, where you are coming from. But we wont be cancelling. Various attempts at representative bodies have come and gone. Very difficult to start from scratch in an expanding industry, never mind a retracting one. The reality is, whether anyone likes it or not, that our best hope of decent representation is to get the NFU to do its job better. Which starts with members kicking off and telling their elected reps what needs to change, not just muttering on here.

And that is what withdrawing your membership will do very quickly.

I cancelled my DD for membership, but still enough time to keep my involvement going if we see the changes in attitude from the Leadership.

I actually agree that we need the NFU as a lobbying body and to represent us. BUT not to push the ludicrous ideas that RT are so keen to promote.

 

[Danllan]

There’s loads of threads about Red Tractor and within them loads of moans about various quangos within all the Ag sectors.

Guys and Gals for christ sake just cancel your NFU memberships tonight. Send emails to you local secretary informing them you are cancelling because of the likes of Red Tractor, AIC, ADHB etc etc and how these Ponzi quango schemes are robbing our industry just for the sake of the gravy train it provides its employees.

This is the only way we will get change. There’s 109,000 farmers in the U.K. The NFU only has 65,000 members according to its last letter to me last week asking me to rejoin.

Let’s turn that 65,000 members into 6000 members and see what happens. Best case scenario is RT gets shut down, worse case scenario is what we are all dealing with now.

We’ve literally got nothing to loose.

Quite right; the NFU is a great idea & was once fit for purpose, it needs a total reboot... or replacement.

 

[snarling bee]

How many who wish to cancel have spoken to their elected representatives about how they feel? If all you get back is the official NFU line, then fair enough, but if they are prepared to represent you as members, and give your viewpoint then isn't that the way to get results. If every council member was lobbied by their membership then there would be a huge shakeup. Most members don't attend and even less are prepared to voice their opinion at meetings. My phone/email is silent. I know more about my county members feelings from what they post on here than what they say to me.

 

[FarmerBruce]

How much is NFU membership @Dicky.A

 

[delilah]

I know more about my county members feelings from what they post on here than what they say to me.

I don't see that, in itself, as being a bad thing. Perhaps folks feel they can be more honest in expressing their views when done through a medium such as this.

 

[Wheatonrotty]

How many who wish to cancel have spoken to their elected representatives about how they feel? If all you get back is the official NFU line, then fair enough, but if they are prepared to represent you as members, and give your viewpoint then isn't that the way to get results. If every council member was lobbied by their membership then there would be a huge shakeup. Most members don't attend and even less are prepared to voice their opinion at meetings. My phone/email is silent. I know more about my county members feelings from what they post on here than what they say to me.

I think it's important to do both, hopefully Graham has forwarded my email, I felt sending it to him to forward to branch and county chairmen as well as county advisor etc was the most straightforward way to get my message across as I didn't have email addresses for everyone. It's also useful to see on places like this that you're not alone in thinking a certain way and having the confidence that you're not going to be a lone voice.
I am not one to stir things up and would prefer to keep my head down and get on with the job, there are times when a message needs to be sent to those high up in an organisation about the strength of feeling on a particular subject.
I sincerely hope that there is a visible change in attitudes and policy so that I can remain a member of an organisation that though flawed is best option we have for a voice at a national level.

 

[Clive]

I did this 6 years ago, it was clear to me then where we were heading with assurance and it’s disadvantaging nature to my business was not something I was going to support any longer

I will rejoin when they sort out red tractor

This is the only significant direct vote an individual NFU member has, Resignation doesn’t have to be forever but a clear message needs to be sent about red tracto

 

[HolzKopf]

Difficult decision - I agree the 'NFU' is not fit for purpose - we cashed in our membership four or five years ago.
However all our insurances; tractors, buildings, house, vehicles are still with NFU Mutual and we get on well with the agents. Competitive when you factor in terms of cover, excess, claims service etc

What a pity they're under the same umbrella....

 

[Clive]

How many who wish to cancel have spoken to their elected representatives about how they feel? If all you get back is the official NFU line, then fair enough, but if they are prepared to represent you as members, and give your viewpoint then isn't that the way to get results. If every council member was lobbied by their membership then there would be a huge shakeup. Most members don't attend and even less are prepared to voice their opinion at meetings. My phone/email is silent. I know more about my county members feelings from what they post on here than what they say to me.

in my experience they will do nothing on this particular issue, just look at the attitude demonstrated by leadership this last month, there is a massive conflict of interest over this RT issue and they will support Red tractor to moon and back

your membership is your only direct vote on this ....... if / when they do as the majority clearly want then simply rejoin, if they don’t they are no longer fit for purpose

 

[warksfarmer]

Quite right; the NFU is a great idea & was once fit for purpose, it needs a total reboot... or replacement.

It needs dispensing with. Past it’s sell by date by 10 years.

 

[Breckland Boy]

How many who wish to cancel have spoken to their elected representatives about how they feel? If all you get back is the official NFU line, then fair enough, but if they are prepared to represent you as members, and give your viewpoint then isn't that the way to get results. If every council member was lobbied by their membership then there would be a huge shakeup. Most members don't attend and even less are prepared to voice their opinion at meetings. My phone/email is silent. I know more about my county members feelings from what they post on here than what they say to me.

I have emailed my regional branch today. I have expressed my concerns regarding rt and how the nfu are failing to represent me as a paid up member (£700/yr).
I await their reply

 

[Steevo]

How many who wish to cancel have spoken to their elected representatives about how they feel? If all you get back is the official NFU line, then fair enough, but if they are prepared to represent you as members, and give your viewpoint then isn't that the way to get results. If every council member was lobbied by their membership then there would be a huge shakeup. Most members don't attend and even less are prepared to voice their opinion at meetings. My phone/email is silent. I know more about my county members feelings from what they post on here than what they say to me.

Sadly the NFU has become a bit of an echo chamber and stifled opinions of those that don’t agree with their pre-determined direction. As is seen by the replies from many NFU post holders (not all!) members views have been rubbished, discredited or ignored. People at the top of the tree have shown they are not interested in listening to the views of the underlings so it’s difficult for many members to feel speaking up is worthwhile.

 

[warksfarmer]

Sadly the NFU has become a bit of an echo chamber and stifled opinions of those that don’t agree with their pre-determined direction. As is seen by the replies from many NFU post holders (not all!) members views have been rubbished, discredited or ignored. People at the top of the tree have shown they are not interested in listening to the views of the underlings so it’s difficult for many members to feel speaking up is worthwhile.

All that happens is a complaint goes into the local branch. I’m fairly sure they will pass it on, but whenever it goes after that bins it.

Why would they take it seriously? Think about it, because ultimately it puts their gravy train job at risk.

The NFU has no clout at all as I’ve been told directly by an MP. Members are throwing money down the toilet by subscribing.

 

[zero]

Cancelled ours a few months ago. Never even got a phone call asking if I was sure it was what we wanted to do. Just a pre formatted, photocopied letter a few weeks later.
I think when it was first invented it probably worked well for farmers but now it needs completely re building from scratch so it helps and represents farmers rather than adding layers of expense and bureaucracy to our daily lives without any benefit to us.

 

[teslacoils]

Like crop assurance, surely easier to jump ship.....if there was another ship?