Tom joined York East County Chair Andrew Sewell, Council Delegate Angela Kirkwood, County Adviser Poppy Smith and NFU North Regional Director David Hall on stand to greet guests, alongside Group Secretaries from Driffield, Howden, Pocklington, Beverley and Holderness and Yorkshire Coast NFU branches.聽
The stand was busy throughout the day, providing teas, coffees, beer, wine, snacks to visitors who stopped by for a chat.聽
The President鈥檚 morning was spent touring the show and cattle lines, meeting and chatting to members and Humberside Police before heading to a packed stand for a member Q&A session.
Tom鈥檚 presence sparked attention from local media, with BBC Radio Humberside and Driffield and Wolds Weekly interviewing him on stand.聽
Stand visitors included Shadow Farming Minister Robbie Moore MP, Bridlington and The Wolds MP Charlie Dewhirst and Sergeant Kevin Jones from the Humberside Police Rural Crime team.
Show attendees stopped by throughout the day to write to their MP using the NFU鈥檚 Stop the Family Farm Tax postcards.聽
Continue to write to your MPs
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: 鈥淭he topic that has dominated conversation here has been very much around Inheritance Tax; we鈥檝e had more and more examples of how it鈥檚 going to impact different individuals here. It鈥檚 all the stuff that we know - it restricts investment, it鈥檚 unaffordable and it鈥檚 going to rip these farms apart. It鈥檚 those stories that keep on providing the motivation that this is just so wrong and we have to keep fighting it. Once again, those members that are in Labour constituencies please do continue to write to your MPs because that is how we can try and force change to policy. Those letters really do have impact and that鈥檚 how we drive this message forward.聽
鈥淥utside that, here in Driffield the local wheat market will have been one that鈥檚 been heavily influenced by the bioethanol plants, particularly Vivergo but also Ensus. The very real risk here at the show is that those plants might be about to shut on the back of the US trade deal. The repercussions are for the demand for wheat, we lose a home for that, but then the knock-on impacts of animal feed coming out the other side, but also carbon dioxide. That鈥檚 been a really hot topic of conversation here. This part of the country is one of the areas that Red Tractor has been a real sore point and again there鈥檚 been a few conversations about that. It鈥檚 still a topic that is clearly quite close to members鈥� hearts.
A fantastic show
Tom added: 鈥淚鈥檝e had a really good day at Driffield Show. The great thing about the cattle lines is that you see all the different generations of the farming industry there, taking pride in showing their cattle - you鈥檝e got grandparents and grandchildren - it was great to meet some of them. The farming community is out in force but there鈥檚 a lot of public here aswell. It鈥檚 a really busy show and it鈥檚 been great to have the opportunity to speak to so many members.鈥�
Andrew Sewell, York East County Chair, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a fantastic show. Driffield Show is a vital show our county, it鈥檚 the county show for East Yorkshire. It is well attended by farmers and the supply chain as well.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had MPs and the Shadow Farming Minister on stand. We鈥檝e had engagement on topics such as Inheritance Tax, water quality, the land use framework directive, planning and the general state of agriculture. It鈥檚 been a very good productive show.鈥�