NFU Norfolk county adviser John Newton is retiring after an extensive career that has involved helping farmers in the county on a huge range of issues, as well as leading on poultry across the region.
He started as an NFU group secretary in south Essex, looking after the insurance needs of policy holders and helping them resolve farming-related problems. He soon realised he was more interested in the farming-side of the role, so took on the post of assistant county secretary to NFU Norfolk.
John said: “A few years later the NFU decided to move to a regional rather than country structure and so I transferred to the East Anglia regional team at Newmarket. One of my new roles was secretary to the region’s two poultry committees.
“I developed a keen interest in the poultry sector and took on a number of national roles relating to the poultry sector, culminating in becoming the NFU’s national egg specialist.”
When that national role relocated to Stoneleigh, John left in 2003 to join ADAS as a senior poultry consultant. He stayed there for 11 years before returning to the NFU as Norfolk county adviser, completing the circle he started 30 years earlier.
John said: “I have enjoyed my NFU career, particularly the time spent helping farmers in the UK’s most important farming county! Probably the most rewarding part of my job has been getting a successful resolution to a problem that has been troubling a member.
Farming continues to face challenges
“Farming continues to face many challenges and there remains a need for a strong NFU in the years ahead. It is the only organisation representing British farmers that has the size and expertise to cover-off all these current and future issues.”
NFU regional board chair, and NFU county representative, Tony Bambridge, praised John for his professionalism, his level headedness and, above all, his dogged determination to ensure members’ views were recognised.
“John has served Norfolk’s farmers extremely well over two periods, working tirelessly on their behalf on many issues, including rural crime. He’s also served the poultry farmers of East Anglia with distinction, including supporting them during the current avian influenza outbreak,” he said.
A stalwart of the NFU and champion of members
Derek Kelly of Kelly Turkeys said: “I have had the good fortune to know, and work with John, since his advisory days. When he joined the NFU we were lucky to get him, and now we have the misfortune to lose him. Softly spoken but always listened to, he will be missed.”
NFU regional director Zoe Leach added: “John has been a stalwart of the NFU, and champion for members, for many years.
“He will be sorely missed by the entire team here at Newmarket. However, we’re excited for his new adventures ahead and look forward to hearing about his escapades once he retires.”
John describes himself as a ‘real petrol head’ and he is looking forward to having more time to watch motorsports, especially speedway and motorcycle grass track racing, and to restore old speedway bikes. He also enjoys walking in the Norfolk countryside.
He will be replaced by Flora Archer, who is currently working as county adviser for Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire.