Your Devon county NFU update

Sophie Herd and Grace Stokes

Sophie Herd and Grace Stokes

Devon County Adviser Team

As the summer draws to a close, so too does another successful local show season.

Having attended more than 12 shows across Devon, we’ve had a fantastic few months travelling to all corners of the county, meeting members and enjoying some great conversations along the way.

A huge thank you goes to our local NFU group secretaries for their hard work, support and outstanding hospitality throughout the summer. Their efforts helped make each event a real success and provided a wonderful welcome for members at every show.

As we look ahead to autumn, we are preparing for another busy and exciting period. This includes our annual stakeholder farm visit, where we will welcome councillors and key local stakeholders onto farm to showcase both the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. The event will provide a valuable opportunity to discuss how we can work together to support our members and the industry going forward.

Alongside this, we will once again be attending Farmwise 2026 at Westpoint Arena, a fantastic event that welcomes hundreds of primary school children from across the County. The event offers a unique opportunity to educate young people about farming, where their food comes from, and the vital role agriculture plays in producing the food they eat.

Dates for your Diary:

EA Winter Readiness and Remote Sensing Event: Wednesday 21 October.  Join local Environment Agency Agricultural Officers and the Remote Sensing Team to learn more about the on farm and remote sensing work taking place across the Taw catchment. Please look our on emails as invites to register will be dropping soon!

Annual NFU Devon Winter Conference: 18 November, Westpoint arena, Exeter. More details coming soon.

Return of NFU Devon's Big Bash: Friday 29 January. Tickets are NOW ON SALE, click here to buy yours. Warning, they are selling fast, so grab them now!

Local news

Be on the alert for bluetounge

Unfortunately, we continue to see the impact of the Bluetongue outbreak across the county.

As of 11 September, Defra has confirmed that government-funded blood testing is no longer required to confirm BTV-3 cases in England, with private veterinary surgeons now able to confirm infection on farm through clinical assessment.

NFU Vice-president Robyn Munt said: “These changes to testing in England should help farmers get answers more quickly when bluetongue is suspected, enabling them to make informed decisions and take action to protect their livestock sooner.

“However, as private vets take on greater responsibility for diagnosing and reporting bluetongue cases, it’s vital that the burden of disease control is not disproportionately shifted onto veterinary practices.”

The latest updates, guidance and information are on the NFU website. 

Alternatively, if you would like to discuss the situation or require advice and support, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. As your county advisers, we are here to help.

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Local news

New briefing to help farmers become beaver ready

We’d like to share a new briefing from The Wildlife Trusts that members may find useful, particularly those farming alongside beavers.

The document focuses on how farmers can prepare for beaver presence, with practical guidance and considerations to support planning and decision making.

If this is relevant, you can access the briefing below

Click Here For Briefing