Thomas Binns was today elected as chair of the NFU livestock board. Malcolm Corbett was voted in as vice chair.
Thomas Binns farms 1,600 acres in Downham, near Clitheroe, in Lancashire. He has 2,500 breeding ewes and 100 suckler cows. He said: "I am delighted to be appointed as board chair. During my time in this post I will be focusing on the market place, because that is where the returns for the future lie for all livestock farmers. I believe that red meat needs better product differentiation and that we must continue to build on consumer confidence in the product.
"As livestock chairman I also want to support farmers to enable them meet environmental demands whilst building a sustainable livestock sector. That work needs to be communicated to our customers. All this is in addition to the day to day issues that all livestock farmers face – it's a big agenda."
Mr. Binns was previously Lancashire county chairman and the livestock board chairman for the North West. He is an NFU council member.
Malcolm Corbett has a 500 acre hill farm in the Cheviot Hills in Northumberland with 650 ewes and 50 cows. He was previously on the LFA (Less Favoured Areas) committee and has been regional livestock board chairman for the North East for the past two years.
He said: "I am determined to focus on marketing as a prime issue for the future, long term livestock farmers must receive a proper return for their produce."
