Farmer Focus: Tim Gue

THE PROBLEM with modern communication is that you can never really escape.

We take our main family holiday in the February half term, usually somewhere snowy. Every year while half way up a ski-lift I get a call from an AI rep – the February bull proofs are out. This year I had another call from farmers weekly asking for a Farmer Focus, difficult to refuse when drinking hot wine.

One of the first things in the diary when we return is a meeting of the family with the parish council. They have invited us to give them an understanding of the needs of the rural community. It will be interesting to hear our boys” views.

Steyning is supposedly a rural town, but few people earn their living from food production. Although, should the South Downs National Park ever come into being, there might be a rise in recreational employment. But I doubt this will have a big positive effect on faming businesses.

Having said that, some do take an interest in the countryside, although their knowledge is limited. But there does seem to be a shift in the way people perceive the value of food.

While most will always do most of their shopping at the supermarket, some are beginning to search for something special, even when it is only for a couple of meals a week. Not so long ago they would have insisted on organic, hardly surprising considering how much EU and government money has been poured into that sector.

Many now perceive local produce to be at least important; I hope the story of food miles is beginning to get through. This is great news to producers who sell direct through farmers” markets or local stores.

While this does not directly help our business, I believe that re-establishing the connection between field and plate and identifying with the people who produce their food is a great step forward.