Do the NFU higherarchy look at the TFF webisite?

Pilatus

Member
Location
cotswolds
As above .
I am sure some of you are NFU members paying your sub per acres/ha you farm. Do you think the NFU is fighting your cause or letting you down.
I am sure TFF member Guy Smith will be interested to hear your thoughts.
 

Guy Smith

Member
Location
Essex
I look at TFF occasionally but I don’t think others do much. I don’t see many NFU members posting on here but clearly some do. You just seem to get the same handful of NFU bashers - I expect GUTH and Clive will be on here shortly.

But we are always interested in members views, we are a membership organisation. I spend a good deal of my time listening to members, it’s a key part of the job.
 

Hfd Cattle

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Hereford
Of coarse we’re members, gets us a discount on the insurance.(y)
Surprised to hear that . So far they have never been any where near other quotes.
As regards the OP unfortunately I don't think the NFU are fighting our cause and while I have continually thought about not renewing my membership I think the time has come to stop.
As said before however , I do respect @Guy Smith for taking a look at the forum and putting his point of view across as he is under no obligation to do so on the forum as a NFU board member .
Of course not renewing my membership when it's next due means I will not be entitled to criticise the NFU !
 

Guy Smith

Member
Location
Essex
That’s good of you to say and you are right - slanging matches don’t go anywhere.

But when you are an office holder of an organisation that represents 47,000 farm businesses that are diverse with no two alike and when you represent farmers who rightly have frustrations and aren’t afraid to articulate them - then I expect the odd ‘challenge’ and I take it as part of the job.
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
Of coarse we’re members, gets us a discount on the insurance.(y)

Many years ago when the SNFU also handled the insurance, I had a row with the SNFU establishment.

Then, when I went for a quote for insurance, they refused to quote me! How's that for petty? I promptly resigned, of course. Discussing the incident with other members, I found I was not alone! Frankly, I wouldn't give them the dirt under my finger nails as they only look after themselves.
 

Tomtrac

Member
Location
Penrith cumbria
I have been with them for over fourty years
Ok not as a farmer but as a agri/foresty contractor most of the years and they paid out and gave a good service on insurance side
But i am afraid as a person wanting out off europe and uk standing on our own i feel let down by the nfu
 
Location
Devon
I look at TFF occasionally but I don’t think others do much. I don’t see many NFU members posting on here but clearly some do. You just seem to get the same handful of NFU bashers - I expect GUTH and Clive will be on here shortly.

But we are always interested in members views, we are a membership organisation. I spend a good deal of my time listening to members, it’s a key part of the job.

If you were so keen to listen to members views then how come you are ignoring them on key issues like Eid tagging for cattle/ Farm assurance for example??

The only views you act on are from the small groups of steering committees that you have filled with farmers that you know will always support your views/ aims on issues like RT/ EID tagging, talk to your 46500 grass roots members and nearly all of them that are in the beef/ livestock sectors think Eid tagging is a load of bollox and farm assurance is a complete waste of time and failing the industry badly!

Back to the OP, yes the NFU take a keen intrest in what is said on threads on TFF/ FB etc about the union, they don't like these sort of forums/ pages on FB etc because it gives the grassroots members chance to have their say and be heard and more often than not the grassroots members views are at odds with what the NFU at Stoneleigh want to hear!

But yes fair play to Guy for coming on TFF and engaging!
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
As above .
I am sure some of you are NFU members paying your sub per acres/ha you farm. Do you think the NFU is fighting your cause or letting you down.
I am sure TFF member Guy Smith will be interested to hear your thoughts.

I think the NFU do a lot of good stuff and also have some excellent people and very dedicated farmers all trying very hard

but I’m not a member because I no longer felt that what they did was enough when you consider just how much money is being spent by them and how many staff they have. They seem VERY stuck in the past, the digital world seems a completely alien place to them where they are frankly embarrassing.

I think they screwed up big time on the red tractor and seen unprepared to do anything about it and I do not agree with their policy and views / scaremongering on Brexit which were formed (as seems often the case) without poling members

I dislike the lack of true democracy in an organization that claims to represent and felt the only I had was to withdraw my long-standing membership until that changed

Nothing would make me happier than to renew my membership and get involved to make serious change and get our industry taken seriously and valued as it should be but it will have to undergo long-overdue reform and modernization first

they do not take ANY criticism well, they are VERY defensive and dismissive, an attitude that trickles down through the members who do not question the effectiveness and value enough - these are not characteristics that work well in such organizations if they really want to succeed

the world has changed a lot - the NFU hasn’t and that’s really holding UK Ag back right now sadly
 
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Two Tone

Member
Mixed Farmer
That’s good of you to say and you are right - slanging matches don’t go anywhere.

But when you are an office holder of an organisation that represents 47,000 farm businesses that are diverse with no two alike and when you represent farmers who rightly have frustrations and aren’t afraid to articulate them - then I expect the odd ‘challenge’ and I take it as part of the job.
I have to say I have great admiration for @Guy Smith to come on here, often in response to a great deal of flack. I also admire the Opinion articles he writes in FW far more than any of the other writers.

I understand that the NFU represents a very broad church of farmers, with many different needs and views.
However, the Country voted to leave the EU and though not every farmer is a member of TFF, it is clear that most, but certainly not all of its members also want us out of the EU.

The NFU’s stance seems to me much akin to the Liberal Party’s stance, which does it no favours whatsoever. To my mind it would receive much greater respect from both members and non members if it would change its stance to recognising that were are going to leave and coming up with positive solutions and suggestions rather than being a part of the continuing quagmire!

When the General Election comes, I believe it is likely that the Tory party, possibly in coalition with the Brexit Party will win. To my mind, the NFU may have blotted its copybook with Government so much as to be regarded as a “Letwin “ or “Benn” type organisation, with resulting lack of future respect.

I would wager Guy, that most of your farming neighbours are actually Leavers rather than remainers. Which must make it difficult for you, when NFU policy has always been Remain.

However, assuming that you are heading to get the Top job in NFU next, I’d say that you and your style will bring a refreshing new approach that may well encourage me to rejoin as a member.



You need to be a “Boris” rather than a “Letwin” and I see far more of the former than the latter in you.
I just hope the rest of NFU hasn’t screwed it all up before you get your chance!
 
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jendan

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Northumberland
I have to say I have great admiration for @Guy Smith to come on here, often in response to a great deal of flack. I also admire the Opinion articles he writes in FW far more than any of the other writers.

I understand that the NFU represents a very broad church of farmers, with many different needs and views.
However, the Country voted to leave the EU and though not every farmer is a member of TFF, it is clear that most, but certainly not all of its members also want us out of the EU.

The NFU’s stance seems to me much akin to the Liberal Party’s stance, which does it no favours whatsoever. To my mind it would receive much greater respect from both members and non members if it would change its stance to recognising that were are going to leave and coming up with positive solutions and suggestions rather than being a part of the continuing quagmire!

When the General Election comes, I believe it is likely that the Tory party, possibly in coalition with the Brexit Party will win. To my mind, the NFU may have blotted its copybook with Government so much as to be regarded as a “Letwin “ or “Benn” type organisation, with resulting lack of future respect.

I would wager Guy, that most of your farming neighbours are actually Leavers rather than remainers. Which must make it difficult for you, when NFU policy has always been Remain.

However, assuming that you are heading to get the Top job in NFU next, I’d say that you and your style will bring a refreshing new approach that may well encourage me to rejoin as a member.



You need to be a “Boris” rather than a “Letwin” and I see far more of the former than the latter in you.
I just hope the rest of NFU hasn’t screwed it all up before you get your chance!
Minnette Batters was a leaver,and said as much before she got the top job.Most of my farming neighbours are remainers,same as me. We continually scratch our heads and try and think of any upside or benefits from brexit for farmers.We just cant think of any.
 

egbert

Member
Livestock Farmer
Firstly, I don't expect the NFU to be able to change the world.
It'd be nice, but I can't see it happening.
They do a lot, some of which is very much to my benefit.

However...
One of the things I'd rather see ...
would be that they were trying their hardest to stop some of the papertrail (or techno papertrail as it now is becoming) which has made such a misery of stock farming (and doubtless every other area).
Instead, they seem to be happy to jump into bed with outside/gov bodies and commercial operations.

On EID....where was the last ditch attempt to stop the current EID for sheep - which is simply a complete nonsense and waste of time- ?
And why the desperate rush to gallop into a new cattle - and everything else- EID system now?

Minette lives in some dreamy world where it will all be lovely and flowery....whereas out in the mud it'll just be another pain in the stern.
She will hear no criticism of it....she knows best.

Guy rightly points out its not in his brief
Stuart is a nice enough chap, and has seen my place first hand, but lives and works in a very different world to mine.

On advice....I phoned my local livestock reps
One is apparently selling land for gazillions worth of housing, and will likely only be a 'farmer' in future for tax reasons.
He's a nice chap, took the call, but poo poohed my concerns -repeating the same baloney about export markets and EU rules- while (ironically) evidently handling a berserk bullock in his chute/crush. Not sure how the electro-gadgets will like that'un.
The other has no cows. (and frankly is not a mental giant)
He didn't recognise my name, which I found interesting, as at that time it had been splattered over his NFU comic every month for about 10 years.
(it doesn't bother me, but I'd have thought he ought to glance at it occasionally....)
When challenged about lack of mobile signal/appropriate techno abilities, he simply said people like me shouldn't be farming.

I never attend local meetings, and have to accept that I get the representation I deserve!
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
I look at TFF occasionally but I don’t think others do much. I don’t see many NFU members posting on here but clearly some do. You just seem to get the same handful of NFU bashers - I expect GUTH and Clive will be on here shortly.

But we are always interested in members views, we are a membership organisation. I spend a good deal of my time listening to members, it’s a key part of the job.
Are you backing the Deal that was not voted on yesterday. The NFU have made a lot of noise about wanting one
 

jendan

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Northumberland
That’s good of you to say and you are right - slanging matches don’t go anywhere.

But when you are an office holder of an organisation that represents 47,000 farm businesses that are diverse with no two alike and when you represent farmers who rightly have frustrations and aren’t afraid to articulate them - then I expect the odd ‘challenge’ and I take it as part of the job.
You need to write some more funny pieces like you used to write in Arable Farmer magazine a few years ago:).The membership would go up 50% in no time.Humour opens and unlocks doors that are always shut.Just look at how Johnson has got on in Brussels,compared to the humourless dour May.(Are you ever embarrassed by articles you have written years ago,or does anyone ever bring them up?)
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
However, assuming that you are heading to get the Top job in NFU next
Nothing against Guy but for goodness that just about says it, talk about old boys club, folk go on about boris but even he had to face the con party membership to get the top job in that club
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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

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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/
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