Providing practical examples of problems on the ground is the key to successful lobbying in Whitehall and Brussels, according to the newly elected chairwoman of the Wiltshire branch of the CLA, Caroline Wheatley-Hubbard.

Caroline, who runs a family Estate at Boyton in the Wylye Valley, says she believes the CLA fulfils a vital role, defending the right for landowners to run often complex businesses on their own land, free of excess regulation and with an ability to hand on the property and the business without dilution by taxation.

“It does this by using the flow of information from our members on the ground to inform our lobbying about the needs of rural businesses and to supply practical examples of the challenges and difficulties confronting people trying to run a rural business for profit,” she said.

During her term as chairwoman, she hopes to increase and improve this flow of information and will be calling on CLA members across Wiltshire to pass their hands-on experiences back up through the CLA Wiltshire Committee.

“I will take the feed-back forward through our regional and national committees but the whole organisation needs the support of our ordinary members on the ground and their views on the key issues that need to be addressed.”

Caroline is well known for her herd of Tamworth pigs and the Sussex cows and Hampshire Down-cross sheep, which are extensively reared on the downland and water meadows at Boyton.

The meat from the livestock is sold through the Boyton Farm Shop at The Ginger Piggery.

This local food and art centre, with its café and restaurant known as ‘The Trough’ has been created out of the old pig buildings and has won numerous awards over the last seven years for creating and enabling rural businesses in the studios.

Caroline’s son Christopher looks after what the family consider the central gem to Boyton, their private shoot and the woodland and runs a clay pigeon shooting company, the Four Feathers, where he offers instruction and tuition as well as corporate hospitality.

Caroline says she is known to have the occasional lesson to improve her swing for shooting in the field, but is just as happy watching the action as long as she has her flat coated retriever by her side.

Christopher also helps Caroline on the estate, keeping the show on the road as Caroline’s other commitments - like being a magistrate, Chairman of the Parish Council, President of the Tamworth Breeders Club and, now, Chairman of Wiltshire CLA - take her away from the day-to-day management.