YFC cash crisis

Hfd Cattle

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Hereford
We had a copy of 'The 'Farmer' through the post today
Headlines read
YFC is facing a£1m cash crisis.
When I look at the YFC clubs around HFDS I struggle to see a cash crisis . All the members seem to be dressed up in the latest 'country wear ' which wouldn't have been purchased in Primark (other stores are available) . At any function you will only see top range pickups, cars etc. Am I the only one thinking 'hang on a minute, there are far more important issues facing the public than the YFC, with a membership far more affluent , than many deserving and needing charities and organisations
Tin Hat Firmly On !!
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
We had a copy of 'The 'Farmer' through the post today
Headlines read
YFC is facing a£1m cash crisis.
When I look at the YFC clubs around HFDS I struggle to see a cash crisis . All the members seem to be dressed up in the latest 'country wear ' which wouldn't have been purchased in Primark (other stores are available) . At any function you will only see top range pickups, cars etc. Am I the only one thinking 'hang on a minute, there are far more important issues facing the public than the YFC, with a membership far more affluent , than many deserving and needing charities and organisations
Tin Hat Firmly On !!

Herefordshire is SUCH an affluent farming county ;)
 
Just guessing that with no YFC activities going on, no members would have paid there annual membership, usually due in September? Missing on on a year's subs may pressure county/national finances a touch too far? With a long break in YFC activities a lot of members may drift off and not return when/if things return to normal, putting pressure on smaller/weaker clubs. The same goes for other rural society's.
 

Mc115reed

Member
Livestock Farmer
At club, county or national level?
Clubs are run by members, county and national have paid staff, I’d guess that’s where the problems lie.

IMO yfc has forgotten its roots and became too commercial they’ve turned a club into a corporation the fun isn’t the same as it once was now it’s all competitive and clicks/ argumentative .. it’s dying and it’s maybe not a bad thing something that is more like yfc used to be might replace it...
 

Timbo

Member
Location
Gods County
We had a copy of 'The 'Farmer' through the post today
Headlines read
YFC is facing a£1m cash crisis.
When I look at the YFC clubs around HFDS I struggle to see a cash crisis . All the members seem to be dressed up in the latest 'country wear ' which wouldn't have been purchased in Primark (other stores are available) . At any function you will only see top range pickups, cars etc. Am I the only one thinking 'hang on a minute, there are far more important issues facing the public than the YFC, with a membership far more affluent , than many deserving and needing charities and organisations
Tin Hat Firmly On !!


That will be National YFC - and I am not at all surprised. They have become more commercialised and more and more distanced away from the true meaning of YFC and the needs of their members year on year. The cancellation of the AGM followed by Covid surely has been afew more nails in their coffin.

Members have become reluctant to pay their ever increasing fee - they don't feel they're getting much value out of national for doing so.

I say this with a heavy heart as 15 yrs of my life was heavily orientated by YFC (Shropshire) both at club level, county level and west mid area levels . Nationals red tape, and disinterest in members has just increased. The moto of 'run by members for members' has gone now.
 

Yale

Member
Livestock Farmer
I’ve mixed feelings on YFC.

I was a member of a local club for a few years,got to know the members well.

However it was always niche,always struggled and just seemed a lot of bother.

Yes it was enjoyable but even thirty years ago it didn’t seem sustainable.

In the way of a countryside dating organisation i met my wife outside YFC even though she also was a member but across in the next county.

Our kids don’t go as they do Karate twice a week and that’s a good life skill to have. Maybe with farms becoming few and far between YFC has run its course.
 

hally

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
cumbria
That will be National YFC - and I am not at all surprised. They have become more commercialised and more and more distanced away from the true meaning of YFC and the needs of their members year on year. The cancellation of the AGM followed by Covid surely has been afew more nails in their coffin.

Members have become reluctant to pay their ever increasing fee - they don't feel they're getting much value out of national for doing so.

I say this with a heavy heart as 15 yrs of my life was heavily orientated by YFC (Shropshire) both at club level, county level and west mid area levels . Nationals red tape, and disinterest in members has just increased. The moto of 'run by members for members' has gone now.
Cancelling the agm was the issue, members will do all the competitions but the reward was the agm p**s up, after all it has to be fun or why would you bother. The arrogance at national level, penalising all for the actions of a minority, was a disgrace. Let’s be honest it’s no worse now than when I was there but there wasn’t camera phones recording the evidence.
 

BM2016

Member
Livestock Farmer
They were facing a £350k shortfall last year from not running nationals anymore so it's likely a repeat of that plus like said above with Covid causing a steep decline of members its no wonder they are £1m+ in the red.
 

Johnnyboxer

Member
Location
Yorkshire
That will be National YFC - and I am not at all surprised. They have become more commercialised and more and more distanced away from the true meaning of YFC and the needs of their members year on year. The cancellation of the AGM followed by Covid surely has been afew more nails in their coffin.

Members have become reluctant to pay their ever increasing fee - they don't feel they're getting much value out of national for doing so.

I say this with a heavy heart as 15 yrs of my life was heavily orientated by YFC (Shropshire) both at club level, county level and west mid area levels . Nationals red tape, and disinterest in members has just increased. The moto of 'run by members for members' has gone now.

I will echo that
 

uztrac

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
fakenham-norfolk
Excellent organization,I was a member for as long as I was allowed to be.Even back then we drove Mini pickups & Austin Healey Sprites,whilst the more prosperous members had Sunbeam Alpines & Triumph TR's.
But that was nearly 60 years ago,things probably have not changed much since then !!!
 

The Son

Member
Location
Herefordshire
I get your point that YFC is not really that deserving as we are relatively affluent compared to say an inner city youth club, but I would hate to see the organisation disappear.
Personally it taught me skills, and gave me confidence, that stand me in good stead even today, as well as contacts over the county and the wider area. The social aspect is very important too, especially in the more rural areas, so I think the clubs will become even more important in the future, they just need to ensure they stay relevant, and change where needed to keep the membership up.
 

upnortheast

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Northumberland
Excellent organization,I was a member for as long as I was allowed to be.Even back then we drove Mini pickups & Austin Healey Sprites,whilst the more prosperous members had Sunbeam Alpines & Triumph TR's.
But that was nearly 60 years ago,things probably have not changed much since then !!!
Concur with this. Changed my life, got involved in everything that was going & still have friends over a wide area I met in YFC
Just a pity the local clubs no longer have proper formal meetings. Those are skills that are useful throughout your life.
Feeling sorry for eldest Grandson, he is 18, was just getting into everything YFC last winter. Had no social life all summer
 

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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