Chairman leads younger generation in shaping the future of farming (From Western Telegraph)

Chairman leads younger generation in shaping the future of farming

A list labelled important numbers is pinned to Brian Ratcliffes kitchen wall.

They include, not necessarily in order of priority, hot-lines to his vet, the National Farmers Union and the Intervention Board.

The NFUs number is one he will learn off by heart in the coming weeks as he settles into his new role as its county chairman in Pembrokeshire. At 33, he is the countys youngest ever NFU chairman and is joined by an equally youthful executive committee - a key to the survival and growth of the union in Pembrokeshire.

There is now an opportunity, with changes in agriculture, to get the younger generation shaping their own future, he said.

Brian is a man who has been shaping his business future since he was 19. He took on the tenancy at Ridgeway Farm, Llawhaden, and bought his first block of land adjoining this holding four years later.

He has built up a successful beef, sheep and arable enterprise which he runs in partnership with his wife, Alison. He cites the upbringing he was given by his parents, George and Margaret, as the key to his success. I am very grateful to my parents for making me stand on my own feet at a young age, he said.

Brian specialises in fattening cattle and sheep for local butchers and abattoirs. He admits he could earn more by hauling his cattle to the larger abattoirs across the Welsh border, but he views supporting the local market as investing in his future.

The only way forward in Wales is to brand our own meat, in Wales, and to market it as a prestige product. The birth of the Welsh Meat Company is developing vital links between farmers and purchasers, he said.

His vision is for Welsh beef to match the premium prices commanded by Scotch beef - a difference of £100 an animal on current prices.

Last month, the launch of the Welsh Meat Companys own brand, Celtic Pride, was a major step towards achieving that goal.

It is a massive opportunity in Wales, especially in Pembrokeshire, to create a world-wide demand for our lamb and beef, he predicted.

By using Oriel Jones and Sons, our closest mainstream abattoir, we can hopefully get more for our product and save ourselves a lot of money in added haulage costs. We could also gain by a better killing-out percentage.

Brian is upbeat about the future of agriculture. He views himself as a positive person who has always gravitated towards equal optimists. The farming industry will survive with leaner and meaner units but not necessarily bigger ones, he believes. These will be run by farmers who are more efficient and tougher marketeers.

Meat and Livestock Commission figures forecast that, by 2002, Britains beef market will only be 65% self sufficient. Beef would have to be imported for 20 million people and other figures suggest that ten million people would be reliant on imports of sheep and dairy products.

He suggests Pembrokeshires farmers are disadvantaged by the current 21-day livestock movement licences, an absence of livestock markets and no restrictions on imports from non-EU countries.

These disadvantages need to be addressed as a matter of priority. We are suffering on the back of foot and mouth disease, said Brian.

Brian, the NFUs youngest ever county chairman in Pembrokeshire, pictured with his wife and business partner, Alison, and their three children, William, George and Ellen.

Picture: Western Telegraph.