Brechin farmer and SoilEssentials managing director Jim Wilson says a “massive reform piece” is needed for NFU Scotland as he claims the organisation’s membership is dropping year on year due to a lack in confidence.
Speaking at a recent NFUS north-east region matter of opinion panel evening near Oldmeldrum, Mr Wilson said farmers in the country have become frustrated with the organisation because it “hasn’t moved with the times”.
As a non-member of NFUS, he says the majority of his friends are not members of the organisation as many people see NFUS as part of the problem and not the solution when it comes to lobbying for the industry.
NFUS is part of the problem and not the solution, says arable farmer Jim Wilson
“I would love to be an NFUS member but I’m not going to join an organisation which I feel is actively working against farmers’ interests in a lot of cases,” said Mr Wilson.
“NFUS cannot be regarded ‘national’ because it only has a minority of farmers who are members, and it can’t be called a ‘union’ because it’s legally a business association, not a trade union. If it was a true trade union, it would be expected to have one man, one vote.
“Unless NFUS reforms in some way to make it more accessible, we’ll be sitting here in 10 years time with half the amount of members again.”
‘I’m not going to join an organisation which I feel is actively working against farmers’ interests’
According to NFUS head of member services James Buchanan, from 8,315 recorded members in 2018, NFUS membership now stands at more than 9,000, with fresh plans for member engagement, recruitment and retention already in place.
“We have a very loyal membership with an annual retention rate of more than 95% which demonstrates the confidence our members have in the work we are doing on their behalf,” said Mr Buchanan.
“Today (June 4), all members received a copy of NFU Scotland’s Business Plan and Operational Strategy for the years ahead, alongside a copy of our recent Member Survey.
More than 9,000 NFUS members, up from 8,315 in 2018
“The documents clearly recognise that our members are, and always will be, the most important part of our organisation.
“Everything the organisation does will continue to have our members’ best interests at heart and that ethos will continue. We will keep striving to provide exceptional support and advice to all our members.
“In the years ahead, we will seek to find even more ways to ensure we are listening to members, provide them with even better support, and broaden our reach to attract more new members which will help further strengthen our influence and resilience as a business.”
NFUS launches Business Plan and Operational Strategy for years ahead
Mr Wilson also referred to the fiasco surrounding assurance bodies, particularly Red Tractor’s controversial Greener Farms Commitment (GFC) module which was due to go live in April before being axed due to heavy backlash from the industry.
The module was developed to help farmers, processors and retailers meet the growing need for all to demonstrate sustainability, but in a single, practical and consistent way.
As founding members and part-owners of the assurance body, many farmers questioned the involvement from the UK farming unions in the GFC proposals.
“It’s appalling what’s been happening with these assurance bodies – in many people’s eyes they are completely out of control,” said Mr Wilson.
“As part-owners of Red Tractor, NFUS has been closing their eyes to the whole thing and they should be ashamed of themselves. If you own something, you have responsibility to manage it and NFUS hasn’t been.”
‘NFUS has been closing their eyes to assurance bodies’
Andrew Connon, NFUS vice-chairman, was in the audience and argued that NFUS had nothing to do with GFC and were totally” blindsided” when it came to the module which was announced without sufficient industry consultation.
He claimed NFUS “kicked up a stink” over the announcement of GFC.
“I personally highlighted to Red Tractor the disgust by Scotland’s farmers and NFUS members and non-members on the way they were going about their business,” said Mr Connon.
NFUS vice-president Andrew Connon says union was “blindsided” over GFC module
“There are people sitting on committees making decisions for agriculture and they haven’t a clue about our industry or have no common sense.”
NFUS Scotland chief executive John Davidson, who represents NFUS on the Red Tractor ownership body said: “NFU Scotland was at the forefront of the decision that saw Red Tractor’s proposed Greener Farm Commitment abandoned and the ball start rolling on a fundamental look at Red Tractor’s operations and governance.
“The recommendations from the independent governance review, undertaken by consultants Campbell Tickell, outlined the work needed to be undertaken by Red Tractor to rebuild trust with farming members.
Chief executive of NFUS says union was at the forefront of the decision to abandon GFC
“We are scheduled to meet with Red Tractor and its new interim chair Alistair Macintosh soon and will reiterate the need for the organisation to make trust its top priority.
“We are also directly involved in the wider independent UK Farm Assurance Review which is underway and will be completed before the end of the year and we will ensure our members are actively engaged in the process.”