A YOUNG Eden Valley farmer will represent the North West on the National Farmers Union Next Generation Forum.

Chris Dickinson, who farms in partnership with his parents Alan and Anne at North Netherscales Farm at Hutton End, near Penrith, was elected onto the forum, which consists of a group of 11 farmers between the ages of 26-40.

Chris, who began his Tailored Goat Company enterprise in 2015, says being selected for the role is a huge honour.

The group consists of seven appointed members representing each of the regions in England as well as four co-opted members which address skills and knowledge gaps in the forum.

Together, they bring a host of experience from farming as well as from professions such as teaching, land agency and agri-food supply chain management. The Forum started as the Next Generation Policy

Forum in the later stages of 2011 via an open application system. Forum members are appointed on a two-year period with the current term running from May 2018 - 2020. The Forum offers the next generation’s perspective on current policy developments and has a particular focus on productivity policy support. Forum members regularly meet with MPs and senior representatives from both the government and industry to represent the voice of the next generation of farming.

Chris has recently reinvented the way he markets his goat meat venture, finding a new outlet for his high-quality meat after the sector he previously supplied disappeared due to the coronavirus pandemic.

To enable him to sell straight to the public, Chris has created a new website www.lakelandgoatmeat.co.uk which mirrors his support for all things Cumbrian.