By Johann’ ‘A rural chartered surveyor wha has had 100 leters published in The Times has revealed the secret of his success ~ and is urging {growers and livestock producers to help get the farming message e105 00. Rob Yorke, of Abergavenny, seared writing leers the news paper in 1999. Dating the past 1G yeas, bis letters have covered dozens of farming clated topics fn sues ranging ftom badges ell jg and bovine TB to family fam- jing and the howemeat scandal. Tote my fst letter longhand and seat iti via snail mall,” he said, “To my suprise ~ and tenor 2 the time ~ the letters editon, oF someone on the lever: desk, rang me up and sid they were minded to publish it” ‘Me Yorke has been waiting et ters ever since ~ even if today he does 0 by email rather than pen | and paper. lis important that | faumes wit lets, he said ~ not least because newspapers ate more likely to publish leters fiom ind 10 tips to write |. Make pertinent. Find te book ‘make cure yourleter relates ‘2 topical issue that people are talking about~even Fitis responding to anorherleteron the same cubject. 2. Make it pithy. Tink about the ‘ime pressed reade: Naximise your cortent by usingthe shortest numberof words. Strip outany eeraneous,floweryphrases. 3.Mako it peculiar Say something diferent dontjust repeat wnat bveryone else i sayingoris expected te say. 4, Stik to your subject. You are the exper on farming soe bout your experience and what {you know. Dont go offat tangent 5. Keep ali on your emotions. IRs ine to wie that"Me Smiths wrong because..." but do'tbe rude or starting insu. 5.Arm yourself with the fats, Backup your argument by refering research, pols [not 14 pammensweeny « 252015 Get farm message across, urges author of 100 letters to The Times a People are more likely to take notice of a letter from an individual farmer phased in, based on enbancing the environment. This, in turn, could be beneficial in the provie sion of land and habitat for Furure scientifi studies.” ‘Other letters have tackled issues such as “Nimbys bent on stopping development” in the countryside, the need to continue supporting farmers in the sustainable inten: fication of food production and wildlife management, and super ville rather than organisations, “There is one group that conser market pressure on livestock pro- “If a message comes out from vationists always enjoy knocking ducers big organisation, people have a and of which the public have litle Mr Yorke notched up his 100th, jaundiced view, especially when understanding: farmers. When — leter this summer. “I've probably that organisation is involved in will eveyone stop blaming inten- become mildly obsessive,” he told lobbying. But when they read a sive farming forthe loss of biodi- Farmers Welly. “But itis impor- Rob Yorke started wrtingleters to The Times in 1986. letter written by an individual versity?” tant to air your views = there is farmer, they are more likely to. Putting catics fizmly in their always another way of looking take notice.” place, he added: “Agriculture is at an issue and itis important to In one letter, headlined “Lay going through a massive shift, highlight points tha other people ff the farmers”, Mr Yorke wrote: with a new farming regime being often haven't considered.” letters that get published obscure] and one ortwo statistics. But dont go oo overboard 2Made in Editors wanttheir readetstobeprovocstive. Be bravelynformed and bold with {your evisence and epinions. 8. Dont get defensive Getingangyy and toting uted arguments wont help. Suggest postive ways fonmaré -andoutineisaves seldom or never publicly aie, ws 9. Don'tramble. “Ihave made this leterlongerthan usual, because Hlackthetime 0 rmakeitshor” Fndthattime, 2 otherwise itwllneverbe published, 10, Make your point. 'f confident considerfringo fi occ See vowchisypummedselyes © | eerie |iecimttdcte, | tcpae inca Dengtie abies ting sy "A Raeene (Goaniasy | vives elnyactonbe vain thelnstpossdle ner al ater 2 ee of words, oe Goer | eet cee d es