Looking for a fresh crop to speak up for farmers
I’d like to thank members who met and spoke with their prospective parliamentary candidates ahead of the general election.
This was a wonderful opportunity for the NFU and its members to engage with local politicians and make the case for Shropshire farming.
This work continues and the union’s election manifesto struck an excellent chord and showed what a ‘progressive and go ahead’ industry farming is and intends to be, post-Brexit.
The contacts and relationships that we develop during periods, such as pre-election campaigns, are vital to our work going forward and has long been an excellent means of identifying and connecting with farming allies.
I’d also like to thank members who joined us or helped with our attendance at the county shows. We met thousands of members, the public and of course stakeholders such as MPs, the press and those from local businesses.
Since then we have been gearing up for some of our one day events including Newport Show - it was held on Saturday, July 14 - Oswestry Show (August 5), Burwarton Show (August 3) and Minsterley Show (August 19), to name a few.
At a branch and county level the NFU continues to need engaged, involved members pushing the organisation forward.
As always group and county branch annual open meetings will be held in November and December and we will be looking for people to take the chair, vice chair or other important positions.
Our new director general Terry Jones, who has rejoined the NFU after a number of years with other trade associations, is very clear that the union’s biggest strength is the pairing of well briefed, passionate members as advocates of food and farming, with the best professional staff.
This teamwork has been our formula for more than 100 years, but it relies on the right members stepping forward to fill these important roles.
If Shropshire farmers give a little of their time, considered opinion and support we will multiply that in output and services at a local, regional and national level.
Anyone who is interested or would like further information can contact me at the Telford regional office on 01952 400500.
Rob Newbery, NFU West Midlands regional director
