and the Countryside
Yorkshire Food Farming & Rural Network
The Yorkshire Food, Farming & Rural Network is part of a nationwide Rural and Farming Network which is made up of local groups representing different areas of England, to identify and feedback local issues and concerns straight to the heart of Government, in order to make policies more rural-friendly.
The Networks bring together people from rural communities, rural businesses and the food and farming industries. They will make a direct link between rural areas and the Government, creating new opportunities to develop better and more targeted policy.
Each group will be a point of contact providing feedback to Defra on the impact of local emergencies – such as flooding – so that the right kind of assistance can be provided to keep businesses running.
The article below demonstrates how the Yorkshire Food, Farming & Rural Support Network works with the countrywide networks.
The network is focussing on the following issues –
Brexit / Business support for smaller businesses / Broadband / New Entrants
The Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Support Network was successful in its bid to join the new national Network.
The Chair, an honours graduate in Botany, Madge began her career as a hybrid wheat breeder for Nickersons in Lincolnshire before she and her husband moved to his family farm in New Zealand. There she helped manage the mixed arable and livestock farm looking after 2,000+ breeding Romney sheep and mohair goats whilst developing various export initiatives, including evening primrose, grass seed and out of season plant multiplications for UK breeding firms.
On their return to the UK, Madge worked firstly for the Agricultural Training Board in Yorkshire and then Lantra. For the last two decades her national role has included working at senior levels with government, regional development agencies, trade, education and professional organisations, charities, as well as with employers in the agriculture and horticulture sectors.
Chair: Madge Moore
Email: Mooremargery@gmail.com
Mob: 07951 153 238
The Network is hosted by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and the Project Manager is Holly Jones – Tel: 01423 546251 or yffrn@yas.co.uk.
The Executive Committee is made up of the following:
| Ben Barnett | Yorkshire Agricultural Society |
| Nigel Pulling | Yorkshire Agricultural Society |
| Adam Bedford | National Farmers Union |
| Lucinda Douglas | Country Land and Business Association |
| Helen Wright | East Riding of Yorkshire Council and East Riding Partnership |
| Lee Viney | Innovate UK |
| Janet Thornton | Community First Yorkshire and ACRE |
| Jane Colthup | Community First Yorkshire |
| Carolyn Frank | Federation of Small Businesses |
| Kate Dale | Yorkshire Rural Support Network |
| Graham Coultish | East Peak Innovation Partnership, Sheffield Rural Board |
| Richard Morley | Farmer |
| Dr Graham Bottley | Farmer |
| Rachael Charmbury | Craven College |
| Mark Blakeston | Grow Yorkshire / York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership |
Brexit and Agriculture
The impact of Britain’s exit from the EU (Brexit) on UK Agriculture.
