Its onwards and upwards for the Next Generation Dairy Board

An NFU initiative designed to engage with the next generation of dairy farmers has been hailed a success and could lead to the creation of a new cross-sector young farmer national board.

The Next Generation Dairy Board (NGDB) was originally set up as a one-year pilot scheme to introduce younger farmers to the NFU and involve them in lobbying and political activity. The board, consisting of twelve enthusiastic, high calibre individuals, took ownership of a number of key dairy policy issues including skills and training, succession and the public perception of dairying.

NFU Vice President Gwyn Jones, who set up the board during his tenure as dairy board chairman, said: ’When the plans were first unveiled I never thought we’d be inundated with so many applications from top quality dairy farmers. This shows that the next generation is keen to engage and learn more about the NFU. It also bodes well for the future of the organisation as a whole. I’m keen to emulate the achievements of the NGDB with a cross-sector young farmer board and ensure that the next generation’s views are heard within the NFU both regionally and nationally.’

Current dairy board chairman Mansel Raymond said: ’In the year I’ve worked with the NGDB I’ve been encouraged and impressed by the level of enthusiasm and understanding shown by these young farmers in all areas of NFU dairy policy. The main dairy board has joined forces with the NGDB twice - at my farm in Pembrokeshire and at Stoneleigh last month - to discuss future NFU dairy strategy. The board members have shown that they’re keen to influence what’s going on in the sector and to get involved with the NFU. Most are already managing complex dairy businesses and will be the workforce of the future.’

Roger Lewis, NGDB chairman, is keen that the work started by the group does not stop now that the board has officially ended. ’We started out as twelve virtually unknown farmers in the dairy industry, yet through this experience we’ve achieved a huge amount within a short period of time’, he said. ’The initial aim was to introduce young farmers to the inner workings of the NFU and help them understand how policy is formed, yet we’ve gone much further than this. Within the group we now have a DairyCo board member, two Nuffield scholars, the 2010 Young Farmer of the Year and a number of regional NFU board members.

’It has been a hugely rewarding and insightful experience, which I’m proud to have been a part of. It’s certainly left us all hungry for more’.