WITH the National Farmers' Union about to undergo the biggest cost-cutting and rejuvenation exercise in its history, Herefordshire farmers are leading the way in drawing up a plan to ensure the county maintains a strong voice in the future.

Herefordshire is the first in the West Midlands to prepare a plan to create a link between the members and their regional representatives and, at a meeting in Hereford, it received unanimous approval.

County office holders Ian Howie and Hugh Black were appointed interim co-ordinators to draw up the blueprint and make it work.

Said Ian: "To a large extent the new union structure starts at regional level but leaves a void at county level so the decision was made to fill that void."

He explained that under the NFU review, the old-style commodity meetings would be reduced to about one a year.

Regional staff-cuts and the abolition of policy advisors were also on the cards, which made it all the more important that Herefordshire should ensure communication was improved between members and their county representatives on the regional commodity boards.

An open meeting to elect representatives to regional commodity boards, nominate the county chairman and headquarters' council delegate for next year is being held at Agriculture House, in Hereford, next Tuesday at 7.30pm.