The NFU has triumphed at the CBI Trade Association Best Practice Awards - the trade association industry’s equivalent of the Oscars.
At a ceremony held at London’s Park Lane InterContinental hotel, the organisation was named Trade Association of the Year 2008 as well as picking up awards for best Environment Initiative and Magazine of the Year for British Farmer and Grower.
In their summary, the judges said the NFU was a worthy recipient of the award after rising to the challenges of last summer’s flooding, avian flu, an outbreak of foot and mouth and the arrival of bluetongue, and reinventing itself by driving its roots down into its core constituency. The judges said the NFU responded with leadership to crisis after crisis, both as a voice and lobbyist for the industry and in very practical ways as well.
NFU director of communications Liz Falkingham said: “The NFU is delighted to have won these awards. This is recognition of the superb work and dedication of our staff and members and it is particularly special to win in this our centenary year.”
The awards, launched in 2002, recognise and reward the achievements of Trade Association Forum members and are the only awards of their kind in the UK. This year, member organisations submitted nearly 170 entries for the 13 categories.
