FARMING Heroes was the theme of The Pershore Conference when a top line-up of speakers told how they managed their businesses.

The conference at the Frank Parkinson Centre was chaired by Dr David Hall, a former principal at the Pershore College, who said the conference, now in its 13th year, had established itself as an important event in the regional farming calendar, always topical and attracting top speakers.

Ray Foster-Morison, NFU group secretary at Pershore, said: “I was very pleased with the high quality speakers and the good attendance we had.”

Meurig Raymond, NFU deputy president, detailed how he had left school at 16 to join the family 300 acre mixed farm in Pembrokeshire and now, in partnership with his twin brother, had grown to nearly 3,000 acres, including 1,600 acres of combinable crops, 130 acres of potatoes, 600 dairy cows, 600 head of beef cattle and 2,500 store lambs.

“I am positive about the future and our next generation is positive as well,” he said.

Heather Gorringe, of the award-winning Wiggly Wigglers in Herefordshire, spoke of the importance of networking and reaching the public through Podcasts, Facebook and Twitter. “This is how we can make our voices heard,” she said.

Herefordshire fruit grower Anthony Snell, 2008 soft fruit Grower of the Year, said a £1m investment in a packhouse was the driving force behind the business with year-round supply to major supermarkets.

James Price, farmers Weekly Young farmer of the Year, explained how he ran an arable, composting and precision farming operation of 1,600 acres of Cotswold brash near Woodstock and his plans to diversify further and look at new ventures.