The Ulster Farmers’ Union, with the support of the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster, has opened the application process for the Next Generation Development Forum.
This has been created for farmers under the age of 40, to encourage them to become more involved with the organisation’s activities. “Our current committees are effective, but often they lack input from those who will be the farmers of the future. This forum will play a key role in shaping the UFU a new generation of farmers,” said UFU president, Barclay Bell.
The forum will have up to 20 representatives and open to both members and non-members. They will meet a maximum of four times a year to discuss topics of their choice and to debate the future shape of the agricultural industry. “The agenda and format will be decided by the group as it progresses, with the option to build in leadership development, educational visits, business skills and anything else forum members feel is important to the future of the industry,” said Mr Bell.
YFCU president, Roberta Simmons added; “I was delighted to launch the Next Generation Development Forum, with the UFU at our recent ‘Inspire’ agricultural conference. In both organisations, we want to encourage farmers under the age of 40 to become more involved in shaping policy. We see this forum as an opportunity for young people to learn more about how the industry works and the importance of effective representation and negotiation,” she said.
If you are interested being a part of the Next Generation Development Forum visit: www.ufuni.org to download an application form. The closing date for submissions is Tuesday 28th February 2017 at 4pm.
