NFYF elect broadcaster Charlotte Smith as President

Young Farmers will be represented by radio and TV presenter Charlotte Smith as she takes on the role of President of The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) next month (Apri)l. 

Charlotte, a freelance journalist who presents BBC radio 4’s Farming Today programme and is also a regular presenter on BBC1’s Countryfile, has been confirmed as the Federation’s President Elect. She will be officially elected as President at the Federation’s Annual General Meeting on 23 April in Torquay at the International Riviera Centre, during NFYFC’s Annual Convention weekend. 

Born in Leicestershire village of Quorn, Charlotte is keen to raise awareness of the issues surrounding rural isolation and the impact this can have on young people. 

After working in local radio, regional TV and as a news journalist for BBC TV and radio, a conversation in a lift led her into rural affairs. 

Charlotte Smith said:

“NFYFC is an organisation I have always been really impressed with – especially as it teaches young people how to talk! Pretty much the youth service in rural Britain is YFCs. It is the local youth club for lots of people and it’s really important – especially for combating isolation issues.  

“I’m not young and I’m not a farmer but I am someone who is involved in agriculture on a day-to-day basis. As President, I hope to bring a fresh pair of eyes, my experience and a bit of a sense of humour to the organisation. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun!”

Charlotte is married with two children, aged 10 and 12 and lives in London but regularly escapes to the countryside with her work commitments. 

NFYFC Chairman Ed Ford said:

“We are so excited that Charlotte Smith has agreed to be our next President. Many of us are avid listeners to Farming Today and so are already familiar with Charlotte’s fabulous work reporting on agriculture and rural issues. 

“It’s an exciting time to be part of our Federation as we are keen to make our voices heard about rural and agricultural issues that affect young people. I think we have a lot to learn from Charlotte on how we can best do this and we’re looking forward to having such a prominent person from the industry at the Federation’s helm.”

Poul Christensen has served as President of NFYFC for the past four years and will hand over his role to Charlotte Smith at the Annual General Meeting in Torquay. 

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