Tesco hires NFU boss as director of agriculture
Tesco appointed National Farmers Union (NFU) corporate affairs director Tom Hind to the newly created role of group director of agriculture this month.
The retailer had pledged to recruit a director of agriculture back in February at the NFU conference, in a bid to strengthen relationships with farmers and to source more British food after the horsemeat crisis.
Hind has held a number of roles during his 15-year career with the NFU, including chief dairy advisor, when he drafted plans that led to the Voluntary Code of Practice for the dairy industry.
Tesco’s commercial director Kevin Grace said: “Tom is a respected figure in British agriculture and will bring with him a huge amount of hands-on farming experience. His relationship with farmers will ensure their views continue to be heard throughout Tesco.”
NFU’s director general Andy Robertson said while the union was sorry to see Hind go, it was delighted that Hind’s new role at Tesco would allow him to continue to work with the NFU.