Ed Dungait, who is standing in the Northumberland County Council election as a Conservative Candidate for the Longhirst Ward, said: "YFC taught me that if you are not happy with the way things are going, you better stand up and be counted."
Young Farmers' Clubs
Can you pursue a secondary career without compromising the farm business at home? I hope so.
In a way, I have already had a taster, as I have committed large parts of the last 10 years of my life to Young Farmers' Clubs (YFC), often travelling away from home for days on end.
Thanks to incredibly hard working and understanding parents, I have managed to avoid getting the sack. But there is still time.
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We farm 263 hectares of arable land as tenants of Blagdon Estate near Morpeth in Northumberland.
It is almost all heavy clay, and a portion is recently restored opencast land from Shotton Surface Mine, one of the last coal mines in the UK.
Sustainable Farming Incentive
We have a Mid-Tier and Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme in place, with winter bird food and legume fallow.
The majority of our operation is still a standard arable rotation involving wheat, winter and spring barley, OSR and spring beans.
Our methods are fairly conventional, which is not fashionable these days, but I think we do a half decent job.
Dad and I do most of it, with some help at harvest, while mum keeps us on our toes with the accounts.
A wedding venue in an old barn keeps us nicely stressed out during summer, particularly as it sits in the middle of the farmyard, but every extra revenue stream is essential in the current climate.
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Listening to a few interviews in the tractor last year assured me that the new Labour front bench were unimaginative and fairly incompetent.
I had not fully appreciated how unfit for high office they would actually be.
Rachel Reeves
I think Chancellor Rachel Reeves' attempt to boost growth by hammering businesses is bewildering and suggests a lack of economic nous.
But on the farming agenda, I worry more as time goes on that something darker is at play.
Is this Labour Government deliberately attempting to destroy farming businesses in order to free up land for other uses?
Their complete refusal to reconsider policy options and engage co-operatively suggests to me that they actually planned this battle against our whole industry.
Sir Keir Starmer
At NFU Conference 2023, I watched Sir Keir Starmer give an incredibly positive and supportive speech towards us all.
He came across as genuinely caring for the future of British Farming and food production.
On the day, he outshone the short video from former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
What a talented act the whole thing was.
NHS
His recent absurd games of playing us off against the NHS show his true contempt towards us all.
During my short lifetime, Labour have repeatedly ignored or deliberately harmed the wishes of rural Britain. It should be no surprise that they continue to do so now.
Young Farmers (YFC) taught me that if you are not happy with the way things are going, you had better stand up and be counted.
I have been interested in politics for a long time but was not quite sure on the best way to get involved while maintaining the farm business at home.
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For 10 years, I committed most of my spare time to YFC.
Originally for my beloved club Tritlington, but eventually for Northumberland and the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs (NFYFC), and I feel it was ultimately a bit of an introduction to politics.
Holding together a national federation of 20,000+ members of incredibly committed, competent, competitive, strong-willed young people is quite a task for the officers and staff team.
It was a challenge and a privilege and taught me a great deal.
Brexit
In 2016, I was a keen Brexiteer.
I was very persuaded by the case made for the noble principles of sovereignty and democracy.
But essentially, it was a vote to remove ourselves from a collective union.
Yet in 2022, as NFYFC chair, I found myself travelling to various counties across England and Wales fervently promoting the benefits of all Young Farmers being part of a collective federal body that looks after the interests of all members, and why separatism is not progress.
It was incredibly thought provoking and often got me questioning my own previous beliefs. I started to realise that politics is not an abstract thing for politicians, it is present in everything we do.
I am now standing as a candidate in the Northumberland County Council election taking place on May 1.
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I have always tended to vote Tory, but would not have said I was dyed in the wool. I would like to think I was very open minded.
But the actions of various parties in recent months have persuaded me that I am more of a Conservative than I would ever realise.
I am delighted to have been selected as one of their candidates.
Turning up, listening and trying to understand were the most important traits in starting to deal with any YFC issue.
I expect that to hold just as true in this role, and will do my utmost to serve the people of this great county of Northumberland if given the chance.
