I recently joined the NFU Horticulture and Potatoes team after a year and a half on the NFU Agricultural Policy Graduate Scheme. As part of this scheme I spent a year with the Food and Farming and Policy Services teams, covering a range of topics including the Farmed Environment Project, researching in vitro meat and organising various events, such as a reception to promote the beer and cheese sectors in the House of Lords. Most recently I was based in the Brussels office of the UK farming unions where I led on the Horticulture and Potatoes brief, food safety and labelling, as well as a range of issues thrown up by Brexit – it was certainly an interesting time to be in the EU hub!
Before joining the NFU I studied a Masters’ degree in English Literature at the University of York, where I also completed my undergraduate degree, including a year studying in South Africa. I grew up in Edinburgh, and my family now live in rural Stirlingshire, where my dad is returning to his farming roots, having kept pigs, with plans for sheep and an orchard in the pipeline.
Having represented the UK Horticulture and Potatoes sector in Brussels I am keen to use this experience to work for the sector as we move towards and beyond Brexit. There are a wide range of domestic and international issues facing the sector, from securing UK production through access to labour and a fair supply chain, to ensuring a positive trading environment in terms of efficiency, biosecurity and economics. Alongside these concerns are the potential opportunities for the sector to have greater involvement in a new domestic agricultural policy and drive innovation in the future.
I look forward to meeting more of you over time and working together to achieve positive results for the sector.