NFU elects Minette Batters as president
She replaces Meurig Raymond, who was elected in 2014 and decided to stand down from the role at the end of last year.
Batters, a beef farmer from Wiltshire, has been elected for a two-year term, beating Guy Smith to the presidency. Smith was elected to the position as deputy president, with Stuart Roberts elected as vice-president.
The vote took place after the AGM of the NFU Council, a representative body made up of its elected members, following its annual conference.
“I am delighted to have been elected as president of the NFU and I am grateful to all the members who have given me the opportunity to lead our industry through Brexit and beyond,” said Batters.
In the spotlight
“At the heart of the NFU are its members and I would like the organisation to aim even higher on their behalf. British farming is in the spotlight like never before and this is a great opportunity to reposition the sector in the eyes of the nation.
“Together, as a new officeholder team, we will hit the ground running and I look forward to sharing our new vision for farming at the earliest opportunity.”
Batters, who also co-founded Ladies in Beef and the Great British Beef Week, was elected on a manifesto where she pledged four priorities for the organisation.
NFU relevant
These included: ensuring that the NFU be relevant to its entire membership across England and Wales; empowering a “new era of activist campaigners”, and building new alliances; strengthening farmers’ and growers’ routes-to-market; and prioritising a British Agriculture Trade Policy Manifesto, as well as policies on trade, labour, regulation and agricultural policy.
Batters grew up living and working on-farm and, in 1998, secured a long-term Farm Business Tenancy. She built the business from nothing to over 300 head of stock, with a herd of pedigree Hereford cattle running alongside a herd of 100 Simmental-cross suckler cows.
Smith said: “It is a great privilege to serve the NFU as an officeholder and I am delighted to be given the opportunity to begin a new role as deputy president.”
Roberts added: “British agriculture is facing both exciting and challenging times, and I am looking forward to offering Minette and Guy my full support for the years ahead.”
