So, the heating has kicked in, the jumpers are out of the cupboard and everyone on the team has some kind of lurgy, so it’s officially autumn.
The NFU has been busy taking the message of farming to the political party conferences, as part of our call for a fair deal in the agricultural budget.
You can add your voice to this work by emailing your MP and impressing upon them the importance of agriculture to food security, the environment and the economy. See page 7 for details.
Many farmers and growers have still not recovered from last year’s wet weather and record levels of rainfall were coming down as I wrote this piece.
It all adds up to more stress right after harvest, a time of year which can exhaust the physical and mental reserves of most people in the industry. That is why we have chosen to focus on your health and wellbeing in this issue.
We cover mental health, ATV safety and there are some tips on DIY health checks from our affinity partner BUPA. Some people might ask why they are just for men. Well, not wishing to court controversy, but I have a greater confidence in the willingness of women farmers to get themselves to the GP when they spot something amiss.
But the overall message of the November BF&G is ‘take care of yourself’. You are your business and for it to thrive you have to be in fine fettle too.
Don’t forget – you can access the magazine via our NFU app.
If you haven’t yet received your copy of the BF&G November edition, please contact our CallFirst team.
Regions
For NFU East members:
- NFU East regional director Dr Zoe Leach updates on BTV-3 and Back British Farming Day.
For NFU Midlands members:
- NFU Midlands regional director Robert Newberry updates on how we are developing members in their NFU careers and what's happening in Westminster.
For NFU North members:
- NFU North regional director David Hall updates on Back British Farming Day and looks at why it's an important date in the political calendar.
For NFU South members:
- NFU South regional director Melanie Squires’ updates on Back British Farming Day and looks at our political engagement.