Richard Haddock was 99 winner…
Richard Haddock was 99 winner…
TENACIOUS, committed to farming and not frightened to speak his mind. The verdict on the winner of last years Farm Personality of the Year award was unanimous.
Typical of many writing in praise of Richard Haddock was Mrs Parsons of Trebullet, Cornwall.
"Richard Haddock deserves to win because he has a big mouth and an even bigger heart when it concerns the grass-roots farmer."
Mr Haddock first attracted media attention in August 1994 when he spoke out against MAFFs BSE rules. Two years later, he penned cull cows outside MAFFs south-west office to highlight the OTMS backlog.
In May 1997 he took on NFU President Sir David Naish who slammed militant protests as "crass stupidity." He stood for NFU deputy president in Jan 1999 and jointly led a lobby of MEPs in Strasbourg about the beef ban.
A close second for the prestigious title was Terry Bayliss then chairman of Farmers Ferry. Grateful farmers praised Mr Baylisss success in translating his vision for high welfare live sheep exports into a reality and opening up new Continental markets.
Typical of the praise afforded Mr Bayliss was that from Lloyd Williams of Rhuddlan, Sir Ddinbych. "He has shown the initiative to plan and put into action the mass export of lambs and ewes, therefore taking the strain off the home market," wrote Mr Williams.
Winner:SWfarmer Richard Haddock