Drive to support next generation

He joined more than 60 farmers at the Shropshire NFU annual general meeting, at the Wroxeter Hotel, at Shrewsbury, last night (2 December) to elect officeholders, discuss NFU business and cover a variety of other sector news.

A nomination was also made from the county for current NFU President Meurig Raymond ahead of officeholder elections.

County members said they would have further discussions about candidates for the three senior NFU national posts at a future meeting, ahead of an election in February.

At the meeting Mr Yates said: "I have accepted my responsibilities as county chairman and thank Shropshire members for their guidance and support over the past 12 months.

"I hope for a more sustainable 2016 following what has been a difficult year in many sectors and while there are significant challenges ahead, be assured we will be there making the case for farm businesses.

"We have strong county membership, even in these tough times, but we also need to engage further with the next generation of farmers.

"I have attended eight branch annual general meetings in the past few weeks and was delighted to see a healthy and enthusiastic crop of younger farmers there.

"We have some new faces coming into branch officeholder posts and I think there are more potential leaders of the NFU among us, they need to be encouraged as there are many excellent opportunities available for them within the union.

"We all know the pressure on farm gate prices and the huge burdens on cash flows but I will continue to promote, challenge and defend our industry.

"Shropshire NFU and the regional team will strive to make sure that agriculture and horticulture in the county is properly represented and will fight on the issues that matter."

Mr Yates has traditional British Friesians, milking 100 cows, at Middleton Scriven, near Bridgnorth, and the family business also has around 800 sheep, Charolais and Suffolk breeding rams, and arable and cereal interests growing wheat, barley, beans, maize and fodder beet.

At the meeting delegates were elected to regional commodity boards and Oswestry livestock farmer Malcolm Roberts was voted in as NFU Council delegate for a second term.

Mr Roberts said: "I am happy to support the county chairman in his second year and Andrew Pillow as deputy chairman.

"I would like to thank Shropshire members for their backing and I would like to congratulate Richard and Andrew for successful championing our industry and leading the county during what has been a really difficult year."

South Shropshire NFU was also awarded the county award for best group based on performance, membership growth and their continued excellent service to county farmers and growers.

Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock NFU, Oswestry NFU and East Shropshire NFU were also congratulated by regional director Robert Newbery for growth and their efforts during the membership year.

He said: "We have achieved all regional membership targets in terms of growth and that is down to the hard work of officeholders, members, West Midlands' staff and the team of group secretaries across the region.

"That is a real achievement in a challenging year and is vital to ensure we remain an effective lobbying force for agriculture and horticulture."

After the meeting a dinner was held and guests heard from speakers Ian Marshall, Ulster Farmers' Union President, and Chris Osborne, the union's senior policy advisor.

Mr Osborne discussed the dairy sector in Northern Ireland and how changes in production levels have compared globally; changes in milk price, cost of production, the high volume of exports and the typical dairy set up in the country.

While Mr Marshall discussed the UFU's lobbying work, joint meetings with the NFU and said he believed there was a bright future despite the downturn across all sectors.

He discussed Northern Ireland's agri-food strategy board, which he sits on, and its vision to grow a sustainable, profitable and integrated agri-food supply chain focused on the needs of the market.