Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2010 | Page 60
life
COUNTRYSIDE, WILDLIFE & FARMING
February/March 2010
Breakfast with
the NFU President
anyone?
The national president of
the NFU (National Farmers
Union), Peter Kendal, visited
the Island this week. Mr
Kendal was invited by the Isle
of Wight County branch to
speak at its AGM and dinner,
held at Albert Cottage on the
13th January. The event was
followed up with a breakfast
and farm visit the following
day.
Mr Kendal requested the
breakfast meeting as an
opportunity to meet up with
a group of Island farmers,
Guests (24) turned up at the Chequers Inn for breakfast with
the NFU President Peter Kendal
including some of the younger
the goods. So I have every confidence that the
“next generation” members. The breakfast,
next generation of farmers and growers has the
attended by 25 members of the farming
ability to produce more food yet impact less on
community, was held at the Chequers Inn,
the environment.”
Rookley and was sponsored by the NFU Mutual.
Following the breakfast it was off to Coppid
“We are pleased to welcome our President to
the Island and the breakfast meeting and farm
Hall Farm, in Havenstreet, home of Wight
visit has given some of our younger farmers a
Milk. The President was shown around the
great opportunity to ask questions directly to
farms dairy unit and processing plant by Harold
the top of the NFU”.
George, who farms in partnership with his
The President asked those at the breakfast
wife, Andrea and son Alan. Coppid Hall Farm
what they felt the NFU should be doing for
runs a milking herd of around 150 Holstein
them and was able to answer the wide range of
Freisian Cows with the milk being sold direct to
questions put to him.
doorsteps as well as to shops and hotels.
Isle of Wight County Chairman, Laurie
Young NFU member, Jack Morris commented
“It’s amazing that we can ask Mr Kendal
Calloway, commented: “There is no doubt
questions today, which he might then bring up
about the importance of attracting and
when he meets with politicians. I didn’t realise
encouraging more young people to work within
what influence the NFU can have in influencing
UK agriculture and horticulture. We need to
the decision makers in the UK and European
recruit 60,000 people at management level
parliament”.
over the next decade because our industry
must meet the challenge of helping to feed the
world’s growing population. British agriculture
has a long and impressive history of providing
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