Chairman’s Comments

WITH the halfway point of my year as Chairman now passed, time has certainly flown, with an extremely well supported programme of Club events, which I believe our members have enjoyed.

One of the great privileges of chairing the Club is to visit some of the many agricultural shows around the United Kingdom, which might not normally be on the agenda – or at least not all in one year! It has been an honour to host receptions or dinners at each, giving Andrei and I the opportunity to meet and discuss agricultural issues with a cross-section of our membership.

Kicking the season off was Balmoral with a preshow dinner in the former Titanic Offices, where the great ship was designed. It was an honour to welcome Lady Mary Peters LG CH DEB, former Olympic athlete, as our guest.

Our Royal Navy through the ages visit to Portsmouth is reported elsewhere (p16), but my sincere thanks go to Captain Steve Higham for hosting us on the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and explaining in detail the impressive capabilities of this massive vessel.

The Royal Bath and West, Royal Cornwall and Royal Three Counties shows followed, where David Cotton, Jim McLaren MBE, Chairman of NFU Mutual, and Cllr Roger Philips respectively addressed Club members.

At the Royal Highland Show our pre-show dinner was at the New Club, where we were entertained by Cammy Wilson, a new entrant sheep farmer, whose simple grass-based system allows him time to work away as a contract shearer, social media influencer and part time policeman.

At my home show in Devon, I was delighted to welcome the Rt Hon George Eustice, DEFRA Secretary of State, to address members and we look forward to him joining us again at the Club on October 31. With only the Royal Welsh Show to go, Andrei and I are grateful to all the agricultural show societies who have hosted us, and for their warm welcome and hospitality.

The following week we held a Club lecture given by another Club member, DEFRA Minister of State, Victoria Prentis. A packed audience in the Farmers Suite took part in a lively Q and A session, particularly focusing on the current shift in agricultural policy.

The next day, for the first time since 2019, we hosted 22 past Club Chairmen to lunch. Sadly, since last gathering, we had lost Club stalwarts John Nicholson, Roddy Loder-Symonds and Norman Shaw, who are greatly missed. But those present enjoyed a delicious lunch – and relayed some useful advice!

The next day I was extremely impressed with the students we interviewed in the Pinnacle Awards. If they and their entrepreneurial attitude is anything to go by, we have little to fear for our industry in the future.

The summer season really kicked off at the Club with a visit to Chelsea to marvel at some fantastic garden designs before returning to Whitehall Court for dinner and a speech by Matthew Naylor, Managing Director of Naylor Flowers, who annually grow over 50 million cut flower stems for the retail market.

Soon after Chelsea came the Jubilee weekend and the wider celebrations and thanks for the seventy years of service to the Country and Commonwealth by our Patron, HM The Queen. The Club was packed with members and their families enjoying the many spectacles around London.

The very next day I was delighted and honoured to welcome members to Devon for my Chairman’s visit (p8). I was relieved that the weather was kind, and our many hosts pulled out the stops to welcome visitors from across the country.

As we all watch with horror the events unfold in Ukraine, and as we gear up for harvest here, all our thoughts must surely be with those involved in agriculture there, whose efforts have hitherto been so vital in feeding many parts of the world.

While individually we are often powerless to make much difference, collectively we can only hope the coming months will bring peace and stability, and that closer to home we have an easy and good harvest, as we adapt to the significant changes ahead.