The personalities who will lead the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE) in the East Midlands have been announced.

At the launch event, held at the Olde Barn Hotel in Grantham, the three chairmen who will lead the local liaison groups and the four campaign co-ordinators were announced.

Regional CFE co-ordinator Richard Loynes will join the regional National Farmers’ Union and Country Land & Business Association teams to co-ordinate the three local group’s activities and undertake administration and promotion on a regional scale.

Loynes said: “We’re beginning a three-year journey to promote this exciting but challenging farmer-led initiative. Using a combination of practical demonstrations and advice from many different partner organisations in the East Midlands, we will help farmers to find their niche in the CFE. Not all the options fit everyone, so finding what is right for your farm and doing just that bit extra for the environment will help us to achieve our campaign aims.”

There are three local liaison groups: Lincolnshire; Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland; and Nottinghamshire and Lowland Derbyshire. Each will each be chaired by a farmer and be co-ordinated by a professional adviser.

In Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, the chairman is arable farmer Alf Oliver from Upton near Nuneaton. In Lincolnshire the chairman of the local liaison group will be Blankney Estates’ general manager, Graham Harding, and the Nottinghamshire and Lowland Derbyshire’s chairman is Michael Arlington.

Loynes added: “Our three teams will be able to draw on local expertise and use practical events on the CFE “beacon farms” to demonstrate how the CFE options can be successful in different situations. As the spring days lengthen and farmers turn their thoughts, perhaps to their ELS renewals and to next year’s cropping, we will be getting information and advice to them to help them integrate the CFE into their farming plans.”