Deputy president race - Paul Temple

Age: 48

Farm location/type: East Yorkshire, 330ha Mixed cereals, vegetables and Beef 500 head suckler and fattening.

NFU positions held: Former vice president. Also branch and county chairman, council delegate, vice chairman crops board, chairman COPA COGECA cereals group, vice chairman oilseeds and proteins group, vice chairman EU Commission advisory group for crops.

Other relevant positions held: Member of BBSRC Sustainable Agriculture Panel, Non exec director of the National Non Food Crop Centre and farm co-op Farmway, past member of Defra Climate Change Forum, past chairman of Agri Skills Forum.

Main interests outside farming: Music.

Tell us something surprising about you:  Serious baler accident when 16 has allowed me to take every day, ever since, as something to be enjoyed somehow!

Who is your hero? David Attenborough, passion undimmed and effortless ability to communicate.

Why are you the best person for the job?

Ability to see problems from a member’s perspective, knowing the whole food chain and the wider global economic aspects. Willing to lead through difficult issues of change and having a vision that places the Industry as a vital country resource, whatever the landscape, with its people valued.

Driving European policies that see us in the centre of the CAP rather than disadvantaged, by leading change rather than reacting to it. Understanding the need to present and communicate a vibrant positive Industry vision at all times to the outside world.  To connect with the internet generation and provide them with a future, recognition for their commitment and the science to progress farming.

What would you change within the NFU to improve it?

Policy and communication to come closer together as time often doesn’t allow the luxury of lengthy explanations with our members on every issue.

What farming issue(s) would be your priority? 

New Government responsibility to immediately tackle TB and be measured against constant reduction targets.

Making sense of food security and the calls for more productive farming.  The basic fact being, as a net importer with a balance payments deficit and weak currency what we produce from the land, farming and horticulture is more important than ever before. With declining resource it will provide all landscape with a future in more ways than ever before. Leading that change is my priority.

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