It seems to have come around quickly to this next update and we have had so much happen in this time! From major events to important meetings and training opportunities, it has been another busy and productive month across the region.
Northumberland Show Success
The Northumberland Show was a real highlight and a great success. It provided an excellent opportunity to connect with a wide range of stakeholders and members. Throughout the event, we met with key individuals including the Police and Crime Commissioner, Joe Morris Hexham MP, members of Northumberland County Council, and the Dean of Newcastle. These conversations were invaluable in strengthening relationships and raising awareness of the issues facing our sector.
A key theme for the day was promoting British Farming and showcasing the very best of Northumberland through our Members’ Market Stall. This proved to be a fantastic way to celebrate local produce and demonstrate the quality and diversity of what our members deliver. Most importantly, it enabled strong member interaction, with plenty of positive engagement and conversations throughout the day. A huge thank you to all of our members for donating the produce.
Major NFU Legal Win
We have also seen an important national success for the NFU and the wider farming sector.
In a judgment handed down this week, AIMS and the NFU have won a High Court legal challenge against the FSA (Food Standards Agency) in a battle over its charging rates. The judge ruled that the FSA’s main rate and enforcement rate are unlawful and that its costs data slides – the breakdown of its charging rates – did not contain enough detail to assess whether the charges were lawful.
This is a huge victory for all abattoirs, but particularly those small and medium sized businesses and the livestock farmers that supply them. It marks a significant step forward in ensuring fairness and transparency, helping to protect vital infrastructure within the livestock sector.
MP meetings
One of the most important roles of the NFU locally is to lobby our MPs on your behalf. Last week, we met with Hexham MP Joe Morris, who was joined by former Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP. We are always keen to engage with both rural and urban MPs, so it was a valuable opportunity to raise key issues facing farmers, alongside sharing a broader understanding of modern agriculture.
Meeting on Dave Stanners’ farm, NFU North Uplands Chair, allowed us to highlight first-hand the challenges around scheme availability, the importance of long-term planning in agriculture, and the need for guaranteed support for food production and environmental delivery. We also showcased the vital role British agriculture plays in sustaining rural livelihoods. Discussions covered the lack of adequate support schemes, the impacts of Inheritance Tax (IHT), and the wider knock-on effects these pressures have not only on farm businesses, but on the whole rural community and local economy.
What’s been going on this month…
SFI meetings
These sessions provided valuable updates on the new and updated SFI 2026 offer, supported by NFU policy insight. The inclusion of guest speakers from local land agents added real value to the discussions. They were able to clearly summarise the available options within the scheme and, importantly, provide practical examples of how these could be incorporated into farm rotations. This helped bring the scheme to life for members and supported a better understanding of how SFI could work in practice on farm.
Glendale Children’s Day
This was a fantastic opportunity to engage with the wider community and showcase the importance of agriculture. The event saw interaction with around 1,700 children from schools across the county, helping to raise awareness of farming and food production. It was also a great occasion to meet more members and stakeholders within Northumberland. I also met the High Sheriff, which proved to be a very useful and valuable connection to make.
These activities continue to strengthen knowledge, confidence and connection across our membership and the wider community.
Looking ahead
We will be hosting a Pre-harvest Health & Safety Breakfast Briefing at North East Grains on 2 July. This is an excellent opportunity to prepare for the busy harvest period and ensure best practice is in place, please read more below for further details.
Thank you to everyone who has attended events, supported our work, and continues to engage so positively. We look forward to building on this momentum in the coming weeks.