Meet the NFU Livestock Board

He has 2000 acres of moorland in a HLS agreement and the farm is stocked with mainly Easycare ewes as well as pedigree flocks of Beltex and Suffolks.

He is director of the “7 Hill Farmers Ltd” producer group and has been NFU Livestock Board chair since March 2018.

David is the NFU South West Livestock Board chair and has also worked with AHDB as a strategic farm to improve profitability and efficiency.

He is currently part of the TB Partnership.

The enterprise consists of 1200 head of sheep, including 450 traditional Welsh Mountain ewes; the business produces its own replacements, only buying in tups. The cattle enterprise consists of 60 Limousin and British Blue suckler cows which to go a Limousin bull. Calves are finished on farm.

Robert is a lamb buying agent for Randall Parker Farms and chair of the Rhayader Smithfield Trust from where Rhayader Livestock Sales trade. He has also judged livestock at many shows including the Royal Welsh Agricultural Winter Fair.

The farm has over 600 ewes, based on Lleyn put to high index Meatlinc and Charolais, and a small flock of pedigree Shropshires.

Richard is also chair of British Wool Central Region Committee, and is managing director of Sheep Fairs Ltd, a group of enthusiastic volunteers who came together in 2015 to organise a sheep fair on an annual basis in two local market towns to promote all things derived from sheep.

"I am driven by words said to me on the journey to my first regional meeting: 'We must never forget the farmer trying to make a living from 30 suckler cows on the moors.'

"We are here to represent all farmers at all levels of the industry."

The farm also sells Christmas trees, and does grass and fodder crop sales from its 65 hectares. Ros is keen on marketing and promotion and has some board experience of that from her time as an AHDB Beef and Lamb board member between 2013 and 2019. 

She took over the business when her father retired in 2005 but has been helping to farm it for over 30 years. 

“I’m pleased to represent East Midlands livestock farmers. It is a unique area with the range of farming systems and landscapes encompassing the Lincolnshire Fens to the uplands of the Derbyshire Peak District. I am keen to ensure a future profitable industry for all farmers in the area and promoting a sustainable future.”

The farm is predominately beef and runs a 130-cow spring calving suckler herd, alongside a 400-head beef finishing unit, all stock is sold on a dead weight basis.

He works with neighbouring arable farmers to utilise cover crops in their rotations as well as providing livestock to graze land in wildlife schemes and his sheep graze local vineyards in the winter months.

Ben buys in milk calves and rears them for 12-18 months when they are sold as store cattle. He also relief milks for local dairy farmers. Ben has recently come up through the Young Farmers movement, serving as chair of South East Area Young Farmers, Hampshire YFC chair and also sitting on the National Board.

He also runs a flock of mule sheep and small herd of Limousins. John is currently county vice chair of Cumbria NFU and is a director of Ulverston Auction Mart.

Andrew was formerly Agriculture Manager at Wm Morrison Supermarkets, and has worked with numerous retailers and processors in his career as a consultant. He is currently a Director of SellmyLivestock, Graindex (UK) Ltd, and an independent board member of Meat and Livestock Commercial Services Ltd (MLCSL).

Dan has previously worked as a lecturer at Plumpton College, a soil scientist and for the RPA. He was an original member of AHDB's national progressive beef group and his key interests involve using estimated breeding values (EBVs) and genomics along with composite breeding to produce a beef system that has a low environmental impact while producing a high quality fit for market product.

The farm runs 100 spring calving Hereford x Friesian suckler cows alongside a finishing unit for all home-grown stock. The finishing unit produces young bulls sold deadweight between 12 and 15 months alongside heifers finished for a local catering butcher.

Mark also sits as a farmer member on the COWS (Control of Worms Sustainably) steering group and as a working farmer on the Veterinary Products Committee at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

He previously ran the neighbouring organic beef, sheep and arable estate and has previous experience as a Meat and Livestock Commission industry analyst and farm business consultant.

Oli strives to bridge the divide between organic and non-organic production systems and is aware that future farming may change significantly from how we recognise it now. He is optimistic that we will thrive as an industry and is keen to be a part of that as an appointee on the NFU Livestock Board.

Clare has a particular interest in animal health and welfare, using Agri tech and soil management to maximise livestock productivity. She is also an keen early adopter of new technologies on farm, always eager to give new opportunities a try.

Concerning all things net zero, Clare is determined to ensure farmers can maximise their productivity and financial rewards through this, especially in securing our unique place on supermarket shelves against imports.

She is very keen to preserve and value traditional stockmanship skills and ensure these work alongside new innovation and are valued.

Clare is also actively volunteering with the NFU Education Farmers for Schools programme and regularly visits schools to promote farming and food to the next generation of consumers.

Clare hopes to use her role on the Livestock board to provide support to livestock farmers in the post subsidy world, ensuring they are rewarded and valued for their hard work and unique skill set, and that government policy supports farming to be a profitable and enjoyable career.

The farm is situated in the Bowland AONB in Lancashire. It has 2500 breeding ewes consisting of Swaledales and Mules. Lambs are both sold finished and for breeding. Grazing cattle are also summered. The farm currently participates in Environmental Stewardship.

He says: “Brexit has the potential to impact most severely on livestock farmers. I am very conscious that keeping food at the heart of new policy changes must be our priority.”

The farm finishes 1000 cattle a year, around 1200 lambs over winter and has 130 suckler cows.

A practical farmer who is passionate about British meat, Dave represents the NFU Livestock Board's view on the Red Tractor beef and lamb board.

He also works for Pickstocks procuring cattle for their processing unit. This gives him a good insight into the supply chain. His work also focuses on data collection and utilising it to improve productivity and efficiency on farm.

Gareth thinks upcoming innovations within the livestock sector will create a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate the high standards of traceability, food safety and animal welfare and being on the board puts him at the forefront of this.

They have also diversified by running a campsite on farm as well as launching Meonside Meats, which supplies lamb direct to people's doors.

Will also has experience within the supply chain from working with Randall Parker Foods where he worked on new product development to find innovating products to maintain consumer interest in lamb. He is keen to use his background and position on the board to increase traceability within the sector.

Amanda is passionate about improving efficiency in the livestock industry and hopes to learn more about how to drive this by meeting new people from a range of backgrounds.