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[Clive]

What is even more sad is that they won't worry !

they won’t worry because they are extremely wealthy, with massive reserves

they worry far more about lack of members giving them credibility as representative of Uk Ag than they do money …….their numbers are already rather exaggerated and swollen by none farmIng members

I know from talking to a few nfu officers recently they re seriously concerned over the rt issue upon membership, if it wasn’t for people leaving they wouldn’t give a dam about all this

 

[BrianV]

the reason they don't worry is that the NFU man is there to sell insurance he doesn't give a toss about the union he is very often the secretary but this is an honorary role he doesn't get paid for I think the idea was the insurance paid his wages as secretary but most of them don't see it like that the other problem is the committee it is usually formed by a group of people that are very often related and it becomes like a private club with little or no fresh input, where I come from the NFU committee was like a bowls club most meetings were taken up by who scored what and where the next match was

Believe me if the NFU insurance company start losing a lot of business because of Red Tractor they will soon let the NFU know all about it, nothing brings something to attention quicker than losing lots of money!

 

[NLF]

This is from Delilah's document which is pretty damning:

When we consider their inflated membership claims in relation to the whole UK industry we see just how
unrepresentative the NFU council actually is. There are, in fact, some 212,000 UK holdings. NFU membership is only
26% of these. The truly astounding misrepresentation is that the NFU claim the number of holdings to be the number of
farmers. The NFU’s membership is only 19% of the 294,000 registered commercial British farmers and a mere 11% of
the recorded 476,000 farming workforce. A far cry from the "more than 70% of farmers".
... What is certain is the NFU is not anywhere close to representing the two thirds of farmers it implies – less than a fifth
at best.
Sustainable food campaigns are also concerned that corporate or other associate category members – being undisclosed
– could contain powerful corporate interests such as pesticide manufacturer Syngenta. Apparently "all the main milk
processors are members of NFU, as are supermarkets.

Non farmers union.

There's some dodgy statistics in that report...

For a start, the NFU only operates in England and Wales. According to UK gov stats, in 2017 there were 140,000 "active farmers" in England and Wales. However only 105,000 applied for BPS in England and Wales in 2017. Even this probably overstates the numbers - think of all those "farmers" who contract out their land or operate through multiple businesses (I receive three payments and I don't call myself a farmer).

The top 11% receive 50% of all subsidies, and the top 50% receive 90% of subsidies. With a few exceptions (e.g. specialist pig / poultry), the other 50% are at best part time farmers. I would guess that the NFU is better represented amongst the larger commercial farmers. So while it doesn't speak for the majority of farmers it may represent the majority of farm output.

 

[NLF]

don’t get me started on that - what do you expect from a “mutual “ that lost >£143m pounds, 2 years after it lost >£290m yet still paid its CEO over 2 million salary bonus last year !

You sound jealous. It beats spiving around in property. Or even selling land for housing. But those people are not highly paid compared with their peers.

 

[BrianV]

There's some dodgy statistics in that report...

For a start, the NFU only operates in England and Wales. According to UK gov stats, in 2017 there were 140,000 "active farmers" in England and Wales. However only 105,000 applied for BPS in England and Wales in 2017. Even this probably overstates the numbers - think of all those "farmers" who contract out their land or operate through multiple businesses (I receive three payments and I don't call myself a farmer).

The top 11% receive 50% of all subsidies, and the top 50% receive 90% of subsidies. With a few exceptions (e.g. specialist pig / poultry), the other 50% are at best part time farmers. I would guess that the NFU is better represented amongst the larger commercial farmers. So while it doesn't speak for the majority of farmers it may represent the majority of farm output.

The NFU morphed into the Country Landowners Association a long time ago & is only really interested in looking after that cliental who it has to be said pays most of their fees.

 

[D14]

Had a chat with a farmer yesterday who's still in the nfu and apparently the local branch he is in has lost 300 members this year alone.

 

[delilah]

Had a chat with a farmer yesterday who's still in the nfu and apparently the local branch he is in has lost 300 members this year alone.

If that is true then it's just further evidence that they need to amend the constitution such that only active primary producers can be members, and quickly.

 

[Tarw Coch]

Had a chat with a farmer yesterday who's still in the nfu and apparently the local branch he is in has lost 300 members this year alone.

It’s a big number, but any idea how many members they had before to put it in some sort of context

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

If that is true then it's just further evidence that they need to amend the constitution such that only active primary producers can be members, and quickly.

Has anyone actually asked them if they'll do that?

 

[spin cycle]

It’s a big number, but any idea how many members they had before to put it in some sort of context

bit surprised a local branch has 300 members to start with

 

[delilah]

Has anyone actually asked them if they'll do that?

Dunno but as i've said on here i've a seconder to put a motion to that effect to the AGM.

 

[Tarw Coch]

bit surprised a local branch has 300 members to start with

I’ve been out for a few years now but our local branch is close to the intersection of 3 counties and from memory had in excess of 300 in one county, in excess of 200 in the other two, although I also seem to recall it being considered a large branch

 

[texelburger]

I rang our local contractor,who covers rather a large area,about baling a little silage should the weather improve and the conversation turned to livestock, RT and the NFU.He told me there is a lot of anger out there,amongst his customers,over the RT/NFU and their tax on farmers.He knew all about unassured grain being mixed with assured and he reckons some long standing NFU members had given up their membership.

 

[warksfarmer]

The Nfu hierarchy need to take a close look at themselves next time they meet up because they’ve a mole, leaking info. They don’t know who to trust and the senior management team are not unified.
There infamous marketing and media department keep telling them to ignore the negative social media posts because they’ll go away or get pushed to the bottom.

THEY WONT.

 

[ajd132]

The Nfu hierarchy need to take a close look at themselves next time they meet up because they’ve a mole, leaking info. They don’t know who to trust and the senior management team are not unified.
There infamous marketing and media department keep telling them to ignore the negative social media posts because they’ll go away or get pushed to the bottom.

THEY WONT.

I don’t get the impression any of the top 3 are anywhere near the same page as each other

 

[bumkin]

I don’t get the impression any of the top 3 are anywhere near the same page as each other

we are only a two-man outfit, perhaps only one and a half as I am a pensioner, we are A C C AND F O W L my son is a member of N R O SO and has to attend meetings to gain points we also have to have the sprayer tested with the costs and time off to attend the stupid meeting it is costly as I pointed out at the time this was brought in who would not keep their sprayer up to scratch with the cost of chemicals

 

[steveR]

Had a chat with a farmer yesterday who's still in the nfu and apparently the local branch he is in has lost 300 members this year alone.

Must be one hell of a sized Branch to have that sort of number...?

I will be having my Insurance review early next month, and will ask the question.

We will also be discussing whether I will continue giving him my business next year, if they continue to give a discount to NFU members only, as I do not intend renewing my membership in October after cancelling the DD early this year....

 

[steveR]

The Nfu hierarchy need to take a close look at themselves next time they meet up because they’ve a mole, leaking info. They don’t know who to trust and the senior management team are not unified.
There infamous marketing and media department keep telling them to ignore the negative social media posts because they’ll go away or get pushed to the bottom.

THEY WONT.

I am very aware that not every farmer is a TFF inmate*, or even looks at TFF. So how much anti-NFU/RT is seen or heard on FW or FG? My impression from an occasional purchase, is that there is very little attention being taken of the negative stuff here... and eleswhere?







* My presence here has been noted by a couple of neighbours mind...

 

[Tarw Coch]

I am very aware that not evry farmer is a TFF inmate, or even looks at TFF. So how much anti-NFU/RT is seen or heard on FW or FG? My impression from an occasional purchase, is that there is very little attention being taken of the negative stuff here... and eleswhere?

I’ve seen quite a few letters in the farming press critical of RT, wether or not they’re also on here I wouldn’t have a clue.

 

[steveR]

Dunno but as i've said on here i've a seconder to put a motion to that effect to the AGM.

What is the wording of the motion?