NFU: Shed Talks

Welcome to NFU Shed Talks

In this week’s episode, hosts Bizza Walters and Luke Cox are joined by David Wheatley, founder of Petit Peonies, and Cambridgeshire potato grower Luke Abblitt from Farmer Luke Potatoes to explore how social media and direct-to-consumer sales are helping farmers reconnect with customers and take greater control of their businesses.

David shares how the disruption of Covid, combined with a devastating farm fire, forced him to rethink his business model, ultimately leading to the creation of a thriving direct-to-consumer peony business now selling around 100,000 stems every year.

Inspired by David’s success, Luke explains how he adopted a similar approach with potatoes, building a loyal customer base through postal deliveries and local sales while reducing reliance on volatile wholesale markets.

The conversation explores whether direct sales are becoming more than just a niche opportunity, and what this shift could mean for the long-term resilience and future of UK farming businesses.

Looking beyond the UK, the episode also features Helena Lawi, Gender Specialist at Farm Africa, who discusses the organisation’s work supporting women farmers in Tanzania. Helena explains how improving access to finance, training and agricultural inputs is helping women move from subsistence farming into the cash economy through crops such as sunflower and sorghum.

She also highlights why meaningful empowerment depends on involving men and wider communities in the conversation, helping to shift attitudes, support women into leadership roles and create lasting change at farm level.

In the Westminster section, Neeve McGinty and Ruairi Hodges reflect on the fallout from the local elections and what the political changes could mean for rural communities and farming policy. They also break down Parliament’s prorogation ahead of the King’s Speech, the rush to pass legislation before the session ended, and two significant NFU lobbying wins linked to the Devolution Bill and the Crime and Policing Bill.

Members can save up to 50% on tickets to Farm-Fest – NFUonline - log in required: https://www.nfuonline.com/account/login?returnUrl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.nfuonline.com%2fnews%2ffarm-fest-2026%2f

For more information on today’s episode, head to the links below:

To stay up to date with all things NFU, please head to https://www.nfuonline.com/
Petit Peonies website: https://www.petitepeonys.co.uk/
Petit Peonies Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petitepeonys/
Farmer Luke Potatoes: https://farmerluke.co.uk/
Farmer Luke Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farmerluke.co.uk/
Farm Africa: https://www.farmafrica.org/
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Welcome to NFU Shed Talks

With the latest developments in the Middle East continuing to impact UK farming, this episode opens with Jack Watts unpacking what it all means for farmers on the ground, right now.

Hosts Jacks Weaver and Mike Greenwood-Wilkins catch up with Ellie Maguire and James Florey, two farmers who have swapped the yard for the spotlight as part of the Hawkstone Farmers Choir. From recording auditions on their phones to earning a golden buzzer on Britain’s Got Talent, they reflect on their journey so far, the challenge of preparing for the semi-finals with limited rehearsal time, and the reaction from the farming community.

The episode also features Tom Beach, founder of Autonomous Agri Solutions and a Warwickshire-based NFU member working at the cutting edge of agricultural robotics. Tom explains how his Robotti system is already being used commercially to drill and weed crops without a tractor, and shares insights from deploying the technology across the UK and beyond. The conversation explores the gap between innovation and adoption, the commercial realities of robotics, and what still needs to change before more farmers can justify making the leap.

In the Westminster section, Ruairi Hodges and Neeve McGinty discuss the NFU’s recent Food and Farming Fellowship visit to Bromstead Farm with ABP, offering insight into how the scheme is helping to connect policymakers with the realities of modern farming. They also cover the NFU’s lobbying efforts in response to the conflict in the Middle East, including key policy asks of the government as the situation continues to affect markets and input costs.

Finally, they break down what prorogation means in practice following the local elections, and what members can expect next, without getting lost in procedural detail.

For more information on today’s episode, head to the links below:

Watch the Hawkstone Farmers Choir Golden Buzzer moment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IExSagWpe0 - Hawkstone Choir clip courtesy of Britain's Got Talent/Syco Entertainment
FarmFest: Members can save up to 50% on tickets to Farm-Fest – NFUonline
To stay up to date with all things NFU, please head to https://www.nfuonline.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to NFU Shed Talks

With Great British Beef Week just around the corner, Shed Talks takes a look beyond the farm gate and into the less visible parts of the supply chain that underpin the beef sector.

Hosts Josh Redford and Naomi Williams-Roberts sit down with Dave Stringer, the Butchery Apprenticeship Trainer at Dovecote Park, which provides British beef, veal, and venison to Waitrose nationwide. Dave talks about Dovecote Park’s fully funded and bespoke training programme, designed to tackle the challenge of sourcing and retaining skilled labour in specialist areas such as butchery. He also discusses how strong uptake from women is helping to broaden participation in a part of the industry that has historically been male-dominated.

The hosts also speak with Rob Lewis, a beef and sheep farmer in Wales who bought his local pub, the Triangle Inn, in 2022. Rob explains how he uses the pub as a direct route to the beef market, from rearing cattle and working with trusted local abattoirs and butchers, to serving the finished product in his pub, giving customers a clear line of sight from field to plate.

Josh then connects to Sweden to speak with Jörgen Eriksson, a dairy farmer taking part in an event called Kosläpp, or ‘cow release’, in May. After videos of cows being let outside for the first time in spring went viral on social media in recent years, farmers in Sweden have started hosting events where visitors can watch their cows being released onto pasture in person, with the largest events welcoming around 10,000 people. Jörgen explains how a Kosläpp event works and why people enjoy them so much.
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Welcome to NFU Shed Talks

Shed Talks becomes Bed Talks as hosts Bizza Walters and Luke Cox sit down with Harry Thompson, head of brand development and marketing for the Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co – the first company to offer a full wool mattress that is traceable back to the farm and certified by Made in Britain. Harry reveals why the company decided to create this mattress and their relationship with the farmers who supply the wool.

But before that, Bizza and Luke open by discussing the recent amendment to livestock worrying laws. They chat about the new and stronger powers the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act has given police to stamp down on the crime and the impact livestock worrying has had on farmers across the country. Farmer William Dawe joins them to share his experience
of a devastating attack on his farm in Devon and his reaction to the law change.

In Westminster, the team shares insights from a Core Standards Event in Parliament before moving on to discuss a Rural Funding Roundtable held in Westminster. The importance of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is covered, as is the National Rural Crime Network. Finally, this section closes with an update on the NFU’s lobbying concerning the ongoing situation in Iran on behalf of members.

To learn more about the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act and the NFU’s efforts to secure changes, please follow this link:
https://www.nfuonline.com/news/private-members-bill-on-livestock-worrying/

The National Rural Crime Network website is here: https://nationalruralcrimenetwork.net/

And for everything you need to know about the Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co’s British wool mattresses, go here: https://www.wroughtironandbrassbed.co.uk/
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Welcome to Shed Talks

In this episode of Shed Talks, hosts Jacks Weaver and Mike Greenwood‑Wilkins open with re‑elected NFU President Tom Bradshaw. Tom reflects on the election process, how the new officeholder team is settling in, and why he wants the NFU to take a proactive rather than reactive approach in the months ahead. He sets out his priorities for the new term, highlighting the need for resilient food systems at a time when global conflict continues to expose supply chain vulnerabilities. Tom also touches on international developments such as the USDA loan scheme, the value of the NFU’s BAB office in shaping decisions in Brussels, and offers listeners a brief insight into life beyond the role as he shares more about himself as a person.

The Westminster team then look at a shifting political landscape. They discuss the Gorton and Denton by‑election and what the Green Party gain may signal for voter
sentiment. They share insights from the recent NFU Fellowship visit to Arla, where members explored innovation, processing capacity and future supply chain
pressures. The section closes with an update on planning reforms as the NPPF consultation closed on 10 March.

To round off the episode, Jacks and Mike speak with Joshua Robinson, Assistant Director and Head of Contract Sales at NFU Energy, for a brief look at how rising tensions in the Middle East are influencing global energy markets. Joshua outlines the immediate knock‑on effects for UK farmers, the recent swings in prices, and why some volatility is likely to continue. He gives clear, practical guidance on what farmers can do now, from reviewing contract options to keeping a close eye on on‑farm energy use, and touches on the wider impact on fertiliser supply chains. Joshua also explains the rise in standing charges and what businesses can do to limit the impact on their bills.

To find out more, please head to the below links:

NFU Energy Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urecjVS4Yd0&t=379s

NFU Energy: https://nfuenergy.co.uk/

Key themes and takeaways
Strong leadership and clear priorities will be vital as farming navigates another uncertain year
Political shifts and planning reforms are shaping the policy environment for rural communities
Global conflict is creating uncertainty across energy and fertiliser markets
Price volatility is likely to continue, with further rises possible in the short term
Reviewing contracts and on‑farm energy use can help manage risk
Standing charges are increasing due to wider system costs and infrastructure pressures
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