Cancel your NFU membership now

[steveR]

I remember them announcing this net zero thing at their conference a couple years ago when it was announced. I pointed out that the massive CF fertilisers sponsorship advert at the time behind Miette Batters was somewhat confusing and didn’t make sense. Got loads of sh!t for it online!

Never let a good sponsorship deal get in the way of some solid virtue signalling....

 

[ajd132]

I think it was at the OFC as well. I don't think there was much discussion at all about it, it felt very much to me that Minette made the call and lead from the front on net-zero. It was the right call imo - farming needed to be on the front foot when we are being blamed so much from all angles. From the outside its one of the reasons I like her so much, but I can see internally that the lack of consultation must be frustrating.

Yeh you are right it was OFC. The irony of it was laughable.

 

[warksfarmer]

A little bit of realism is required here I feel, we have all benefited from the NFUs work, farming has never been in the public eye for the right reasons as much as it has in the last 5yrs thanks to the NFU (though there is much more they could/should do) do a few thousand disgruntled farmers all paying a £100 really think they can make real change in a short period of time as the future of Ag is in the balance now! The NFU has status off the back of years of work and money, I’m not saying it’s perfect but I really can’t see a brand new union with no office,staff,reputation,connections,media team,advisors and very limited budget getting a word in with Defra,Liz Truss and senior government.
I do worry that there’s lots of “old school” farmers out there that really think protesting and pissing off the general public will help us move forward!!

The NFU does not have any status at all. It’s a laughing stock quite frankly and seen as weak. The British farmer has no voice via it as it only represents 39,000 farmers out of 109,000 in the country.

It’s just a glorified rural discount club for none farming people living in idilic rural surroundings.

 

[steveR]

The NFU does not have any status at all. It’s a laughing stock quite frankly and seen as weak. The British farmer has no voice via it as it only represents 39,000 farmers out of 109,000 in the country.

It’s just a glorified rural discount club for none farming people living in idilic rural surroundings.

Dunno about the above, but I think it is telling when one sees the numerous adverts for NFUM on telly these days, their old farming core business is disappearing I would imagine. I was told years ago, that the NFUM was not keen to move away from Ag, but times have changed.

 

[Sid]

Dunno about the above, but I think it is telling when one sees the numerous adverts for NFUM on telly these days, their old farming core business is disappearing I would imagine. I was told years ago, that the NFUM was not keen to move away from Ag, but times have changed.

I think that's what farmers like to call diversification.

 

[Clive]

I’m getting old and my memory isn’t what is was but I think the announcement was made at Oxford Farming Conference. It almost appeared as if Minette was bounced into it. It most certainly WAS NOT discussed across membership before being announced. I was unhappy with that. But it’s typical of politicians and senior execs; make a promise on something with a delivery date so far in the future that those who made the decision will not be in post to meet the consequences.
Rather like Government politicians that announce new policies with a date well past the current parliament.
This is a clear example where big policy sections are made at the top and passed down rather than engaging in debate with all members and fine tuning the policy after membership consultation before announcing it.
I can understand the need sometimes for quick decisions that may preclude full consultation but on issues like this which is very long term policy there is no excuse for not engaging in proper consultation with members BEFORE the announcement.

and in a nutshell, this is the issue - who is the NFU REALLY representing if they don't put such big and fundamental decisions to the vote? Brexit, GM, and now gene editing ............... have they ever asked members to vote on which direction they want to be represented?

it's really not hard these days to poll the opinion of membership is it? so why don't they? I think they have developed a "we know best" culture?

 

[steveR]

I think that's what farmers like to call diversification.

Aye, fair summary

 

[colhonk]

a carbon tax is introduced.

AND there it is in a nutshell.
A whole load of sh&te just to get more tax in and control the little people with all these lies.
If you care to look for it, the carbon we are supposed to be killing the planet with is the LOWEST it has been in the last 250 MILLION years.

 

[Midlands Farmer]

The NFU does not have any status at all. It’s a laughing stock quite frankly and seen as weak. The British farmer has no voice via it as it only represents 39,000 farmers out of 109,000 in the country.

It’s just a glorified rural discount club for none farming people living in idilic rural surroundings.

Really!? It’s ok once you’ve started your Union for £50-100, I’m sure that you can give Liz Truss, George Eustice and Keir a quick ring to do some meaningful lobbying. Plus I’m sure no10 will let you in for a direct meeting with BoJo.
I’ll repeat, I’m not defending everything the NFU does but farming would be thrown under a bus without it lobbying government/defra, particularly at the moment whilst major policies are being formed. It would take years to set up another union and whilst that was happening RSPB,NT and all the other powerful charities would continue lobbying and the final product would be terrible for farming! The best way to bring about change is from within, though I know this can be extremely frustrating at times. I feel as farmers we spend hours complaining/gossiping and generally putting things down, then if asked to step up and try and change something we’re far too busy.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Really!? It’s ok once you’ve started your Union for £50-100, I’m sure that you can give Liz Truss, George Eustice and Keir a quick ring to do some meaningful lobbying. Plus I’m sure no10 will let you in for a direct meeting with BoJo.
I’ll repeat, I’m not defending everything the NFU does but farming would be thrown under a bus without it lobbying government/defra, particularly at the moment whilst major policies are being formed. It would take years to set up another union and whilst that was happening RSPB,NT and all the other powerful charities would continue lobbying and the final product would be terrible for farming! The best way to bring about change is from within, though I know this can be extremely frustrating at times. I feel as farmers we spend hours complaining/gossiping and generally putting things down, then if asked to step up and try and change something we’re far too busy.

Farming is already under the bus

 

[teslacoils]

It’s just a glorified rural discount club for none farming people living in idilic rural surroundings.

That's the launch of their new advertising campaign leaked. £12m that would have cost in consultancy fees.

 

[warksfarmer]

Really!? It’s ok once you’ve started your Union for £50-100, I’m sure that you can give Liz Truss, George Eustice and Keir a quick ring to do some meaningful lobbying. Plus I’m sure no10 will let you in for a direct meeting with BoJo.
I’ll repeat, I’m not defending everything the NFU does but farming would be thrown under a bus without it lobbying government/defra, particularly at the moment whilst major policies are being formed. It would take years to set up another union and whilst that was happening RSPB,NT and all the other powerful charities would continue lobbying and the final product would be terrible for farming! The best way to bring about change is from within, though I know this can be extremely frustrating at times. I feel as farmers we spend hours complaining/gossiping and generally putting things down, then if asked to step up and try and change something we’re far too busy.

The NFU have been promising change for 20 years. It never happens.

As for ‘change within’ then by all means vote me in and I’ll sack the lot of them as first job. Change within never happens because they’re all on the gravy train stealing money off their membership for doing Jack S**t.

There’s only one reason for me to ever consider a NFU membership again and that’s if Olly Harrison became president because he’s the only one who I truly believe wants to sort things out and better this industry. Ever single other one is just in it for their salaries. I mean come on 21 million a year in wages alone. Who are they trying to kid !! It’s fraudulent.

 

[Spencer]

The NFU have been promising change for 20 years. It never happens.

As for ‘change within’ then by all means vote me in and I’ll sack the lot of them as first job. Change within never happens because they’re all on the gravy train stealing money off their membership for doing Jack S**t.

There’s only one reason for me to ever consider a NFU membership again and that’s if Olly Harrison became president because he’s the only one who I truly believe wants to sort things out and better this industry. Ever single other one is just in it for their salaries. I mean come on 21 million a year in wages alone. Who are they trying to kid !! It’s fraudulent.

Double LIKE!!

 

[Hampton]

I have been told by someone high up in the NFU that lockdown has meant that farmer engagement in the NFU has never been higher, and their is currently a high level of optimism sweeping across farmers across the nation.
Is this true?
I don’t think it is. Things are slightly optimistic currently purely on the back of prices. I don’t think their is any other factor.

 

[MrNoo]

If you can call being shafted from all angles a high level of optimism then they may just be right, but somehow I doubt it. Everyone I have spoken to including myself seems pretty pee'd off with the whole thing currently, talk of grassing down, certainly in the arable side, sheep boys are happy but then they always seem to be.
I suspect it's been the year, lockdown, cooped up all winter, false Spring, am sure people will feel better once out working on the land and the clocks change. Swallows will be back in a matter of weeks

 

[warksfarmer]

I have been told by someone high up in the NFU that lockdown has meant that farmer engagement in the NFU has never been higher, and their is currently a high level of optimism sweeping across farmers across the nation.
Is this true?
I don’t think it is. Things are slightly optimistic currently purely on the back of prices. I don’t think their is any other factor.

That just shows how out of touch and deluded they are.

BPS going. Uncertainty of ELMS and multiple trade agreements for importing food on the horizon and they think things are on the up!

Jesus H Christ

 

[Hampton]

When I call the knacker to collect a dead calf they now ask me what it died of. My stock answer now is “stopped breathing”.

Lack of breath

 

[tullah]

I have been told by someone high up in the NFU that lockdown has meant that farmer engagement in the NFU has never been higher, and their is currently a high level of optimism sweeping across farmers across the nation.
Is this true?
I don’t think it is. Things are slightly optimistic currently purely on the back of prices. I don’t think their is any other factor.

Yes I think they have it the wrong way round.

 

[Bury the Trash]

It would take a fair bit for me to rejoin.
It wouldn't help when i really needed it unfortunately, i wont forget that in a hurry.
and don't call the btb card on me either as i don't keep cattle and have still helped them .
A generalisation but from what I've seen or see the Nfu does seem to help those that have enough anyway.
I don't use that much diesel or roundup or can buy a new pickup etc but if they had done really useful other things for me like lobbied successfully for continued CCA treated timber for use in Agriculture then i might be more impressed for a rejoin ....maybe.
and this red tractor thing, well that's a disgrace, that has not loyalty to farmers at all, its been mentioned about 'self assurance' well actually you do , and always have done farm assurance of no kind takes any responsibilty if theres something wrong with your produce its back to you im afraid as ever,.
and about that, To my mind red tractor or farm 'assurance' is an inappropriately (and misleading ) used word as they dont actually 'assure' anything for you.

 

[warksfarmer]

It would take a fair bit for me to rejoin.
It wouldn't help when i really needed it unfortunately, i wont forget that in a hurry.
and don't call the btb card on me either as i don't keep cattle and have still helped them .
A generalisation but from what I've seen or see the Nfu does seem to help those that have enough anyway.
I don't use that much diesel or roundup or can buy a new pickup etc but if they had done really useful other things for me like lobbied successfully for continued CCA treated timber for use in Agriculture then i might be more impressed for a rejoin ....maybe.
and this red tractor thing, well that's a disgrace, that has not loyalty to farmers at all, its been mentioned about 'self assurance' well actually you do , and always have done farm assurance of no kind takes any responsibilty if theres something wrong with your produce its back to you im afraid as ever,.
and about that, To my mind red tractor or farm 'assurance' is an inappropriately (and misleading ) used word as they dont actually 'assure' anything for you.

I’d consider it if Olly Harrison was president. He’s the only one I’d trust to actually put the members and industry first.