Oneholmes Farm
66311 - StokesleyVets - QUTR.pdf 1 26/09/2017 15:27:49
C
as replacements and are
using Angus and Hereford bulls
on them. We’ve gone to native
breeds in the last five years
because of the premium. We’re
moving towards a grass fed
system partly because that’s the
way the market is heading and
because we have permanent
grass areas around here. We’re
now finishing around 200 cattle
from our farm in Scotland all fed
on silage.’
Understanding farming
and speaking on behalf of it,
has played a central role in
Robert’s career. He received
the MBE for services to
agriculture, has been county
chairman of the NFU North
Riding & County Durham,
chairman of LEAF and of the
co-operative Farmway, as well
as many other roles.
M
Y
CM
MY
An independent mixed practice
who take great pride in the quality of
care given to our clients.
CY
CMY
K
We are happy to have had the privilege of
Mr Campbell’s herd for many years we
wish him all the best for the future.
www.stokesleyvets.co.uk
Tel. 01642 710234
E. [email protected]
Stokesley Veterinary Practice, Bridge View,
9 East End, Stokesley, TS9 5DP
56 Autumn 2017 www.farmers-mart.co.uk
‘We harvest
sunshine - as I’ve
been doing for
the past 50 years
- and convert that
into fibres, fuel
and food amongst
other things’
‘I’ve never actually been
elected to any elected post.
There has always been no-one
standing against me. But it
should be noted that, in the
case of the two positions for
which I actually applied - and
had been encouraged to go for
- I wasn’t successful!
‘The one thing I decided very
early on when getting involved
in the various positions I’ve
held was that I didn’t want to
end up as some old cove telling
the young what they should
do. That’s why I’m no longer
chairman of anything.’
This doesn’t mean Robert is
short of views and his opinions
on Europe and Brexit are surely
worth the ear of politicians,
such as agriculture minister
George Eustice.
‘I voted to come out of
Europe. I would have loved the
situation to have been gripped
by all sides and for us to have
stayed in but to me the whole
European train is driving off the
end of the bridge. Europe has
demonstrated for me that it isn’t
for changing and if it is not, then
I seriously believe it is going to
collapse. A very senior French
banker told me many years ago
that the Euro will disappear and
I thought no, I want to be out of
Europe before it collapses.
‘The critical thing is to
educate the general public
about farming and ask
what they think will happen
if agriculture ends up
unsupported. I have lived all my
life with agricultural subsidy and
although there isn’t as much
talk of ‘feather-bedded farmers’
and ‘you never see one without
a Range Rover’ as there used
to be, that attitude is still there.
Allegedly, the UK population
loves the countryside. We need
to ask ‘what do you want?’
We produce 16 million tonnes
of wheat a year. We produce
food. I personally believe they
don’t want the countryside to
look much different to the way
it does now and that they have
grasped, and are grasping
more the idea of buying British,
but it could all go if we are
unsupported.
‘We harvest sunshine – as
I’ve been doing for the past 50
years – and convert that into
fibres, fuel and food amongst
other things. Long may that
remain so!’
Robert and Jane have
one son – James – and
two daughters – Fiona and
Rohan. They have three
grandchildren.
Robert is very much a man
of much experience, vision and
with some inspiring views about
the future of the industry.