Why doesn’t the NFU press office take part onTFF?

[BrianV]

There's a few people I'm friends with on Facebook who've been- all farmers. All complained about the prices, but posted pics of their kids posing with JC/Kaleb etc.

There's literally a couple of thousand every weekend. Bit like a Newport County game....

A uni pal, who's a solicitor commuting to London, and lives nearby has no idea what the fuss is about.

Think we can agree that Clarkson is getting more attention & understanding of the public of what farmers do than anything the NFU have ever done or will do so to me there seems no down side to the show!

 

[john 650]

Think we can agree that Clarkson is getting more attention & understanding of the public of what farmers do than anything the NFU have ever done or will do so to me there seems no down side to the show!

Yup- The NFU have been Useless again, despite the fact he even has NFU staff on the show, and the most recent publicity he's had, has come about solely on the back of an NFU press event....

There will be a down side. A sizable proportion of the population think he's a toff who faffs around in £250k cars showing off how rich he is, and sees no problem with hitting his staff if the wrong steak arrives, so see him as a negative.

This JC, much like the other JC, is not the messiah to all!

 

[Henarar]

I don't think the press office should but the NFU in some way could after all DEFRA have, or they could have their own forum to engage with members that's if they wanted to which they don't seem to.

Social media can be a useful tool, but also a mouthpiece for an army of keyboard warriors that can’t even be arsed to get involved at NFU branch level

why not use social media so members can get involved much easier at branch, county or national level ? not talking about TFF as above they could have their own with names/membership numbers, they are a big enough organization, would have thought it would be easy enough for them.

 

[BrianV]

Yup- The NFU have been Useless again, despite the fact he even has NFU staff on the show, and the most recent publicity he's had, has come about solely on the back of an NFU press event....

There will be a down side. A sizable proportion of the population think he's a toff who faffs around in £250k cars showing off how rich he is, and sees no problem with hitting his staff if the wrong steak arrives, so see him as a negative.

This JC, much like the other JC, is not the messiah to all!

Not sure seeing Adam Henson faffing around in his quarter million pound new combine, tractors & equipment is any better of advert for farmings true situation, at least Clarkson buys second hand machinery & is more in tune with a lot of us!

 

[Mc115reed]

There's a few people I'm friends with on Facebook who've been- all farmers. All complained about the prices, but posted pics of their kids posing with JC/Kaleb etc.

There's literally a couple of thousand every weekend. Bit like a Newport County game....

A uni pal, who's a solicitor commuting to London, and lives nearby has no idea what the fuss is about.

Have you ever been too a farm shop and not complained about the prices? I know I haven’t bloody expensive places

 

[Robt]

The NFU press office does a very good job in what is often a difficult world out there.

What would be the point in expending time and energy on this forum which is mostly agriculturally based and often biased anyway.

The message they are trying to get out is to the politicians, the press and social media influencers to ensure the consumers of our products understand what it is the members of the NFU are doing and how much better the food produced here is, and why British farmers should be treated fairly.
They do monitor the engagement every week of what goes out in all forms of media and can calculate the value of this in what would be "advertising" but is "free".

Where does the media go for any comment on food stories? Certainly not TFF or CLA or TFA!!
If the media want a story with pictures then the first call is to the NFU press office which will always be able to find a farmer on the ground who is able to clearly explain the case and do it in all regions if required.
They will also produce briefings on a daily basis for the media who don't have the time or inclination to do research these days.

It is one of the great strengths of the NFU and I for one would not want to see them wasting time on here.

'''''They do monitor the engagement every week of what goes out in all forms of media and can calculate the value of this in what would be "advertising" but is "free".'''''
Thats an interesting sentence. Would be interested in how or what they calculate!

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

'''''They do monitor the engagement every week of what goes out in all forms of media and can calculate the value of this in what would be "advertising" but is "free".'''''
Thats an interesting sentence. Would be interested in how or what they calculate!

This is done by all PR companies to ensure they are reaching the correct target audience.
Much easier these days than when you used to have a company that was paid to get all the press clippings from every publication.

Now there are ways of doing it on line by using key words and phrases as well of course as the NFU or National Farmers Union.
A mention in a national Daily even the Guardian scores high as does Radio 4. Then there are local Radio and local papers as well.

 

[Clive]

As above ????
Shows a sign of weakness to me as the NFU is representing farmers.

put simply the truth of unmoderated free speech does not suit their narrative and farmers representIng themselves makes organisations that claim to do so obsolete

more FARMERS use this forum DAILY than are NFU members now ……. thats become rather inconvenient

the forum does not aim to be what the NFU is (or should be) it is neutral and hold no opinion, it’s simply a platform for individuals to represent themselves

 

[Clive]

This is done by all PR companies to ensure they are reaching the correct target audience.
Much easier these days than when you used to have a company that was paid to get all the press clippings from every publication.

Now there are ways of doing it on line by using key words and phrases as well of course as the NFU or National Farmers Union.
A mention in a national Daily even the Guardian scores high as does Radio 4. Then there are local Radio and local papers as well.

sadly the NFU comms team are very much 9-5 5 days a week ……… in a world dominated by 24/7/365 news

success is measured in results which have been lacking for a long time now, NFU officers and members should question and hold to account paid individuals much more, 21 million a year of members money is spent on salaries alone, it’s not unreasonable to expect serious results for that ……. Guy Smith was always very defensive on the basis that they were “nice people” …….. sorry, not good enough

 

[Lowland1]

The NFU isn’t working for all farmers it’s working for its members it really is quite simple.

 

[roscoe erf]

The NFU isn’t working for farmers it’s working for its members it really is quite simple.

Except they are not what they do effects non members

 

[Clive]

The NFU isn’t working for farmers it’s working for its members it really is quite simple.

and just who all those members are seems to be a big secret

 

[Lowland1]

Except they are not what they do effects non members

Added an all. But they’ve always been considered by Governments to be be the voice of the farming community.

and just who all those members are seems to be a big secret

Once upon a time we used to get a nice tea at the royal show and a magazine (every month?). And even though it was really run by the larger farmers who had the time to go to the meetings we knew that we’d usually all benefit from what they were doing for farmers. Now policies are being pushed that don’t benefit all so i’d say whilst it may not be public knowledge as who are members and who aren’t i’d say it’s pretty easy to work out who.

 

[capfits]

Why would any member of any executive board come on here in name or a way that identifies them?
Just look at the abuse a number have had when they used to post on here.
Simply not worth the bother.
To many talk a talk but are simply bags of wind, with no ideas about the realities of government or consumer facing business out there. Simply a cheap shot to blame others.
I am sure they can and do keep a watching brief on here and may reflect on it when necessary.

 

[warksfarmer]

Why would any member of any executive board come on here in name or a way that identifies them?
Just look at the abuse a number have had when they used to post on here.
Simply not worth the bother.
To many talk a talk but are simply bags of wind, with no ideas about the realities of government or consumer facing business out there. Simply a cheap shot to blame others.
I am sure they can and do keep a watching brief on here and may reflect on it when necessary.

One of the many problems with the Nfu is that they don’t engage with it’s members. They think they know best which is why 4/5 of the members are not actually farming, because they want to be the union of the countryside not the union of farmers which is why today it’s widely known as the None Farming Union.

 

[M-J-G]

Why would one need a group visit or to show one's accounts to prove it they were good at their job or not?
RT is a private company that controls 95% of the grain market backed by the NFU and others, my accounts and indeed my yard is my business, it has sweet FA to do with them.

You've missed my point.

I mean, of the anonymous posters on here, who's prepared to identify themselves and their business and then come on here to be criticised by the masses of anonymous posters on TFF.

I'm guessing not many

 

[Lowland1]

You've missed my point.

I mean, of the anonymous posters on here, who's prepared to identify themselves and their business and then come on here to be criticised by the masses of anonymous posters on TFF.

I'm guessing not many

Actually I would. I used a username when I joined because I thought that's what everyone did but maybe everyone should front up and say who they are and what they do.

 

[warksfarmer]

You've missed my point.

I mean, of the anonymous posters on here, who's prepared to identify themselves and their business and then come on here to be criticised by the masses of anonymous posters on TFF.

I'm guessing not many

Nobody is paying them an extortionate annual membership fee though for doing absolutely Jack s**t.

The none farming unions annual staff costs is £23 million ……..

 

[delilah]

One of the many problems with the Nfu is that they don’t engage with it’s members.

tbf I would imagine that they talk to their affiliate members on a daily basis.

 

[M-J-G]

Nobody is paying them an extortionate annual membership fee though for doing absolutely Jack s**t.

The none farming unions annual staff costs is £23 million ……..

I don't debate any of that, I'm simply suggesting why they might not come on here for a gutting.

Like I say, very few farmers are prepared to come on here to open themselves and their lives and jobs come under scrutiny so why would we expect them to volunteer to be gutted by a bunch of folks, most of whom don't even post under their own names.