THE new chairman of the Worcestershire branch of the National Farmers' Union is planning to use the internet to gauge the views of busy members.

Michael Oakes, who at the age of 36 is one of the youngest in the country to hold such a prominent position, is keen to put the fun back into farming.

The award-winning dairy farmer is also hoping to encourage more young people to become involved in the NFU.

"I'm very much looking forward to my year as chairman and hopefully we've seen the last of foot-and-mouth disease and things can only get better," said Mr Oakes, who succeeds Richard Jordan.

"There's a lot of pressure from all directions to change and we need a strong NFU to make sure we aren't pushed down any avenues we don't want to go down. Farmers have got to improve their marketing and the NFU has to lead that.

"I'd like to get more young people involved in the NFU in Worcestershire. I see that as vitally important.

"I'd like in the next 12 months to promote use of the internet and e-mails to as many farmers as possible.

"Going to meetings for meetings' sake isn't always the best use of our time and e-mail can be a fantastic way of getting a farmer's opinions. "We need to get the profit and fun back into farming. It's never been a get-rich-quick scheme but farmers always used to enjoy what they do and we need to try and rekindle that."

Mr Oakes has lived at Brecon Farm, between Bromsgrove and Alvechurch, for the past 18 years.

He runs the farm in partnership with his father, Trevor, who is the former chairman of the NFU's Bromsgrove branch.

Mr Oakes lives with his wife Mandy and between them they have four children, Sam, 18, Lorna, 16, Tom, 18, and nine-year-old Josh.