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This includes managing the NFU’s lobbying activities with MPs and a range of external organisations from local authorities, the police and government agencies to non-governmental organisations and relevant commercial bodies.

She also actively supports NFU group secretaries to drive NFU membership and works closely with elected farmer representatives including county officeholders and members of regional and national commodity boards.

Helen is the joint regional lead for the North dairy and poultry boards.

Helen was born and bred in Cheshire and runs her family Angus beef suckler farm alongside her role as county adviser.

Helen joined the NFU from a local feed company after completing an agricultural degree at Harper Adams.

Having gained an honours degree in agricultural science from Nottingham University in 1986, he returned to the family farm in Edale, Hope Valley, then a small dairy and sheep farm which he modernised and expanded. He also took on the management of a small upland estate in the valley which included 1,200 acres of moorland on Kinder Scout.

In 2006 Andrew decided to cease full-time farming, sold the dairy herd and embarked on a series of short term contracts, which included advising Defra’s Catchment Sensitive Farming team and delivering advice to farmers on behalf of Business Link and Natural England.

When the county adviser's role became available, Andrew jumped at the opportunity, being familiar the work the NFU does for the industry having been an active member since he was 20, including Derbyshire county chair in 2004-5.

As well as dealing with all things Derbyshire, Andrew is the Midlands NFU Dairy lead and picks up uplands issues for the Peak District area of the Midlands.

Outside of NFU, Andrew still farms, rearing Mule and Masham shearlings from bought-in, six-month-old lambs, plus dairy heifers on a B&B basis in the winter. This, he says, keeps him very grounded and in tune with the realities of what NFU members face. 

Originally from Cheshire, he got into farming by milking for an ICI test farm as a holiday job whilst a teenager. He came to Shropshire to attend Harper Adams over 30 years ago and has remained living in the county ever since. He has worked for the NFU for more than 23 years in various roles.