Your East Sussex county NFU update

Romy Gue

Romy Gue

Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex County Adviser

We bid farewell to Josh.

I am delighted to be back from maternity leave and have been very fortunate to have a comprehensive handover with Josh Redford who has done a sterling job looking after members. We are so grateful to Josh for all his work with group secretaries, stakeholders, farmers and growers. Most importantly we wish him well on his next chapter outside the NFU. 

This month we saw our Health and Safety event at Clayton Farm, by kind permission of Steve Reeve. There was a great range of speakers and representatives from Sussex Police and Sussex Fire and Rescue also supported the event. 

East Sussex County Chair Martin Hole hosted a community celebration evening, launching two new short films produced by Nigel Akehurst. The films will be available to stream on Nigel's channels very soon. The event was brilliantly organised by the teams from the NFU Mutual Ashford, Tenterden & Whitfield offices and the NFU Mutual Uckfield & Brighton offices.

In early June we enjoyed meeting all our Group Secretaries together for an update from our Regional Director Zoe Leach and our Regional Network Manager, Hannah Padfield. These sessions are useful to touch base and ensure everyone is up to speed on the latest issues affecting members and how the NFU is operating. 

Before harvest got fully under way members squeezed in a number of events: In the first week of July members gathered at Oak Bank Farm, East Sussex for a farm walk, very kindly hosted by Gillian Van Der Meer. A fascinating insight into their family business, very much enjoyed by those who were able to attend. 

The West Sussex farm walk was originally postponed due to extreme weather but went ahead on Tuesday 7th July by kind permission of Clive Stickland and family. Incorporating a tour of his brother Mark's farm, the evening provided a fascinating insight into Clive's recent transition from dairy to beef and shone a spotlight on neighbouring businesses successfully working in harmony.

As we move into harvest, we wish everyone a safe and bountiful few months and will be busy working away on events for the Autumn, including the AGM. If you have events you would like to see the NFU deliver in Sussex or speakers you would like to hear from, please do get in touch! 

Local news

Local Nature Recovery Strategies for Sussex published

The Local Nature Recovery Strategies for East and West Sussex have been published. These are spatial strategies which set out priority areas for nature recovery. 

They do not dictate what should happen where, but highlight areas where nature recovery could have the biggest impact. 

Thank you to all members who have engaged in the process of forming these strategies and responded to consultations. 

Read the strategies.

Local news

Beaver enclosure walks and talks

Members are invited to visit various beaver enclosures over the coming months to learn more about beavers and what their potential reintroduction could mean for farmers and landowners. 

These visits offer an opportunity to voice your questions and concerns with members of the Western Rother Beaver Group, as well as other members. 

Places are limited. To book, please click on the Eventbrite link below: 

NFU information about species reintroduction

Local news

Fire Safety Reminder – a message from East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service

Most fires in rural areas, and around this time of year, are preventable and East Sussex Fire and Rescue, along with NFU, are urging all farmers and landowners to take steps to reduce the risk of fire on farms and in the countryside.

Remember to:

  • Undertake and regularly review your fire risk assessments.
  • Keep machinery clean and well-maintained. Chaff dust buildup can provide an ignition source.
  • Only bale when hay/straw is fully dry.
  • Remove bales from fields quickly.
  • Store hay/straw away from buildings and power lines.
  • Maintain firebreaks, especially during harvest.  
  • Where possible combine from high areas to low and into the wind to where possible (fire travels uphill and with the wind more quickly).   
  •  Keep water and fire extinguishers nearby. 
  • Always carry a mobile phone when working alone.
  • Have a plan for livestock evacuation.
  • Know and share the best access point (What3Words) for emergency services.
  • If a fire does break out on your property, call 999, let fire crews know if you have fuel, gas cylinders or chemicals in the area affected when they arrive.

These actions can protect lives, livestock, property and your livelihood. 

Useful links 
ESFRS full fire safety advice can be found below. If you’d like a free fire safety visit or more advice, please contact us. 

The NFU also has advice on tackling farm fires.

Come and see us
We will be attending the NFU annual health and safety event on 11 June in Rye so please come and see us to talk more about how you can minimise the risk of fire to your business and the wider community.

Full advice on fire safety