Ongoing engagement with local MPs
Bookending this month’s activity has been MP engagement from across Berks, Bucks and Oxon. In late April we held one of our joint roundtables in partnership with the CLA for members in West Berkshire to meet with Lee Dillon, MP for Newbury.
The meeting covered a wide range of concerns, including red diesel supply and pricing, inheritance tax, and the availability of business support schemes such as SFI and ELMS. Members also raised significant concerns about livestock management, particularly the limited availability of local abattoirs.
Planning challenges were discussed in depth, with attendees highlighting inconsistencies within the local planning system. Another major topic was the rising cost of improving energy efficiency in rental properties. Some farm businesses reported spending over huge sums to meet EPC requirements, despite uncertainty around future government policy. Overall a productive meeting for both members and our local member of parliament.
In early May members from Deddington branch had the chance to meet with Sean Woodcock - MP for Banbury and also the DEFRA Back Bench Departmental Chair to DEFRA at the time. Again, this was another great opportunity for members to put their concerns directly to their local MP.
Issues raised included farm profitability, concerns around the rollout of the new SFI scheme for those who are in existing schemes and the lack of abattoirs across the country, increasing the distance travelled by animals and farmers alike. A robust but a useful meeting for all.
With more roundtables and Q&A sessions at shows planned over the summer, do take the opportunity to engage with your local MP’s.
Media training
Some management team members had the opportunity to get brushed up on media skills at our Wantage office in early May. With Charlotte and David, our media guru’s from our regional team, the group spend the day learning techniques, and working though different styles for radio and TV interviews, ending with several mock interviews watched back.
It can always be worrying to do TV or radio interviews, but with the right training it can be almost a pleasure! If you are interested in getting trained or brushing up on technique then do reach out.
YFC/TVP safety event
Earlier in May, Wantage Group Secretary Hannah Dorling and I were invited to support an event run by Oxfordshire Young Farmers with Thames Valley Rural Crime and Roads Policing Units.
This was organised by a local farmer, David Clayton, who has been involved in supporting the Rural Crime taskforce. It was a great opportunity for YFC members and others to see the effects of drink, drug and distraction driving with a real safe space for questions and concerns to be raised. Thanks to Marlow Branch Chair Nick Manderfield for supplying the hog roast for the evening, some real cross county support from the NFU.
Badger Vaccination coming to Oxfordshire
The Badger Vaccination Field Force are aware Bovine TB continues to impact cattle farmers across England. Defra has recently awarded a contract to Farmcare Solutions to deliver badger vaccination across three cluster areas, including parts of Oxfordshire, building on the successful model delivered by farmers in East Sussex.
Recently I attended a briefing on the rollout and would highly recommend finding out more if you are in South Oxfordshire.
A meeting is being held on Thursday 21 May at 7pm in Nettlebed Hall, if you are interested in finding out more or want to go along please do email the team at [email protected].
Alongside the above on behalf of members I have had meetings on a wide range of issues in the last month with: Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxfordshire Citizens Advice and Your NFU South Regional Crops Board at their May meeting.
And finally
I write this month's update from Lister Wilder’s Bibury depot parts office as we have just finished up our health and safety day we have pulled together for members in partnership with NFU Gloucestershire.
Today we heard from speakers on farm safety including:
- SSE on overhead lines and farm safety – what to do if it goes wrong
- Hedges Law on farm health and safety and why workplace policies are key
- Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue on dealing with harvest fires and options for fire suppression
- NFU Farm Safety and Transport adviser Sarah Stephens on the rules of farm vehicles
- FireWard on combine suppression and fire suppression systems
Thanks to the support from Lister Wilder and their suppliers who have hosted us today at Bibury. More events will be coming up in BBO over the next few months, so do look out for email updates on health and safety events.