Former NFU deputy president Guy Smith has been appointed the new crops sector chair for Red Tractor, the UK’s largest food standards scheme.
Guy Smith will succeed Laurence Matthews - who completes his second term in November 2020 - for the combinable crops and sugar beet sector chair.
He joins Red Tractor after decades of experience as an advocate for British farming, and a background in practical farm business management and award-winning conservation.
His roles have included serving as the deputy president of the NFU, an NFU governance board member and an AHDB crops board member.
Jim Moseley, Red Tractor CEO said 'strong leadership' was needed as British agriculture faced the 'great challenges of a lifetime'.
"We must show leadership to protect the integrity of the food chain and British agricultural standards, and I’m sure that Guy’s experience will help us navigate through this time.”
Mr Smith has been Red Tractor Assured since its inception 20 years ago. He said: "Their standards have been developed over two decades and are the bedrock of our industry.
"We must continue to protect these standards, and work to win the hearts and minds of government, consumers and the industry so we don’t witness an influx of imported food produced to standards that are lower than the UK.”
Red Tractor is the UK’s largest food standards scheme, covering animal welfare, food safety, traceability and environmental protection.
