Farming Wales Editor Daniel Johns interviews Naomi...
How did you feel when you were asked to be a host on the podcast?
When I joined the NFU’s Student & Young Farmer Ambassador Programme (SYFAP) I went into it with the mindset that I was going to say ‘Yes’ to every opportunity. I know there was a shortlist of people who they were looking at to be part of the hosting team and I was a little worried that it might be like an X-Factor audition or something, but thankfully it didn’t come to that. I was trying not to get my hopes up too much, but either way I thought it was going to be something really positive for the union.
It’s the kind of thing I’ve wanted the NFU to do for a while. It’s something that people can put on while they’re doing the farm work and they are able to easily get reliable, digestible information in a modern format directly from the NFU. I’m really, really excited to be a part of it.
"My highlight of the first episode was listening to the Californian cattle rancher, Mary. It was fascinating - and horrifying - hearing about the challenges she faces with the wolves attacking her cattle. It's a subject that's particularly interesting given the considerations around species reintroduction here in the UK."
Naomi
Is doing something like this an idea that’s always interested you?
I’ve always thought farmers are such interesting people – it’s a passion. We’re like a stick of rock, if you cut through the middle of us we’re farming all the way through. So the idea of being able to be part of something where we’re celebrating the industry and discussing its trials and tribulations has always appealed to me.
How would you describe your style as a presenter?
I’d like to think I come across as being warm, humorous (hopefully!) and relatable. I would hope that after a few episodes people are able to say ‘Naomi tries to find an upbeat, positive spin on things, but equally she doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of the issues we sometimes face’.
I also think the fact that I’m Welsh… we have a different way of saying things, sometimes. We’re a very pleasant country and I don’t think I’ve ever met a Welsh person that I didn’t like! I do feel very proud to be representing Wales as the Welsh voice on the podcast.
What training have you undertaken before the recordings started?
Well, you could say that Young Farmers has been a part of my training as I’ve always really enjoyed public speaking competitions. We also did some media training as part of the SYFAP programme, and I think that has helped. We’ve done some specific podcast training at the NFU office in Stoneleigh in the last few weeks and that has been really useful, particularly the advice given to us about how best to project your voice, the resonance and having suitable pauses to help with the editing.
What did you think to the first episode?
There was always going to be a lot of pressure with it being the first episode, but I think Bizza [Walters] and Luke [Cox] did a great job of hosting. The bar is set very high!
My highlight of the first episode was listening to the Californian cattle rancher, Mary. It was fascinating - and horrifying - hearing about the challenges she faces with the wolves attacking her cattle. It's a subject that's particularly interesting given the considerations around species reintroduction here in the UK.
I’m sure the podcast is going to develop as we get into it. As with most things, we need feedback from the listeners to know that they are getting value from what we’re doing. Secondly, we need to know that we’re putting our efforts into the right areas. But I do hope it’s something that people look forward to hearing every two weeks.
What are the other hosts like?
I think we’re all very different and we bring lots of different experiences. Mike [Greenwood-Wilkins] has been on the Great British Bake Off! Bizza has already done lots of presenting. The NFU staff team – Jacks [Weaver], Josh [Redford] and Luke - live and breathe the NFU every day. There’s a lot of talented, interesting people there, so in some ways I feel like a bit of an underdog – I’ve certainly got the fewest Instagram followers! But the thing that we all have in common is that we’re really passionate about what we do.
Mike and Jacks’ episodes are going to be like having a chat over a piece of cake and a cup of tea; they’re very warm and very giggly. I thought Bizza and Luke were really slick and professional. In terms of me and Josh, I think we’re somewhere in between. We haven’t actually recorded our episode yet, so I don’t want to give away any spoilers about what we’ll be discussing!
What to expect from Shed Talks
Each 30-40 minute episode will take listeners behind the scenes of farming and growing in Britain. Episodes will feature conversations with NFU experts, farmers, growers and industry voices, exploring the issues shaping the future of agriculture and the work the NFU is doing on behalf of its members.
Whether it is national lobbying wins, regional priorities or the everyday realities of life on farm, Shed Talks is about real people and real stories – with a farmer first approach at its heart.
Episodes will follow a consistent structure, including:
- A welcome and news update from the presenters.
- One or two in-depth features on timely topics.
- A lighter ‘and finally’ story to round off the episode.
How to listen
A new episode of Shed Talks will be released every two weeks (the next one is out on the 14 October).
You can listen by:
- Downloading the NFU App:
- Subscribing on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Meet the speakers
Bizza Walters
NFU Student & Young Farmer Alumni
She farms pedigree Greyface Dartmoor sheep alongside a small flock of commercial Romneys, sharing her love for British farming and rural life on social media.
Luke Cox
NFU combinable crops senior policy adviser
Mike Greenwood-Wilkins
NFU Combinable Crops Board appointee, South
Mike is also manager of CP Farming ltd, a 4,000 acre mixed estate in Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
Previously, he studied Agriculture & Business Management at The Royal Agricultural University and also spent an additional year there as chair of the Students' Union.
His main passion in agriculture is a transition to more environmentally conscious farming, whilst maintaining food production.
Having taken great inspiration from the regenerative movement, he is reducing tillage, increasing cover cropping and incorporating livestock and herbal leys.
He is looking to understand impacts on soil carbon from varying cropping and establishment techniques to optimise rotations to maximise and retain soil carbon. He is also increasing low input cropping, growing miscanthus and exploring agroforestry.
He strongly supports the NFU’s net zero target, but to achieve this he believes that in the need to focus on neutralising farming's internal emission and in-setting within our supply chains before selling our good work out of the industry.
Naomi Williams-Roberts
NFU Student & Young Farmer Alumni | NFU Cymru
Hailing from South East Wales, a self-proclaimed late comer, it wasn’t obvious she was ‘allowed’ to join the industry, however after joining YFC her feet are firmly under the table. Establishing her farm in 2018 with her husband, Josh, Naomi hopes to help others realise their farming dreams can come true!
Josh Redford
East Sussex and West Sussex County Adviser and Surrey County Adviser
He is originally from Sussex and caught the farming bug as a teenager, when he helped on a local dairy farm.
After undertaking an Agriculture BSc at Cirencester he worked on an arable farm in Cambridgeshire, and with Farmcare as a trainee agronomist before he joined Greens of Soham.
Away from work, he is a qualified water sports instructor and an infantry reservist.
Visit Josh's East Sussex county page
Visit Josh's West Sussex county page
Visit Josh's Surrey county page
Jacks Weaver
Regional Policy Manager (South)
Jacks previously worked in rural surveying and farm business management.
She lives on a family farm in South Gloucestershire, and has a passion for agriculture, and rural businesses.