New Chairman of Hants NFU says industry turning a corner
The new chairman of Hampshire NFU believes that UK agriculture is on the cusp of a recovery.
Father-of-two Chris Cook, who manages 950 acres of land on the Wintershill Estate at Durley and Twyford, says that farmers will become increasingly important to society in the future.
"I have just returned from the NFU's centenary conference and I believe that there is quiet confidence in the future. The numbers of people in farming continue to decline because it is an ageing industry. But the young people I met are enthusiastic about farming and excited by the opportunities that lie ahead," said Mr Cook.
He explained: "The world's population continues to expand and therefore farmers will become all the more important in the future. The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, mentioned the importance of food security in his address to the NFU conference, recognising the key role that farmers and growers play.
"As people in countries such as China grow more affluent they are adopting western diets, eating more meat and dairy products. We have already seen sharp increases in the price of wheat and farmers should expect to see rising prices for meat too," he said.
Mr Cook added: "The battle for the NFU is the quest for a sustainable farmgate price to the farmer. The NFU continues to press retailers to look after their supplier base - UK farmers meet world-class production standards and they deserve a sustainable price for their products if they are to stay in business."
Besides being an estate manager, Mr Cook also works as a consultant. He advises fellow farmers on environmental and livestock issues and operates as a farm assurance inspector within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. He is a committee member of Surrey & Hampshire FWAG (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group) and chairs the Hampshire Farming Partnership. In addition, Mr Cook is a member of the Hampshire Local Access Forum, representing farmers' interests.
The enterprise on the Wintershill Estate includes arable crops, a free range poultry unit let to young farming tenants, woodland, grassland and beef suckler herds of North Devon (red ruby) cattle and Belted Galloway cattle. The aim is to supply more high quality beef to local people, in line with demand for quality local produce.
A wealth of wildlife thrives here including otters, barn owls, kingfishers, brown trout, orchids and rare butterflies. On the Itchen flood plain at Twyford, cattle graze beside a Site of Special Scientific Interest that incorporates an ancient watermeadow and reedbed. The watermeadow is being restored under a Natural England conservation scheme known as Higher Level Stewardship.
