A NEW Food Policy and Campaigns Officer has been appointed by NFU Scotland.

Lindsey Macdonald, from Crieff, took up the role after completing a MA (Hons) in International Relations at the University of Edinburgh, before taking part in a leadership graduate scheme coordinated by Waitrose.

Commenting on her appointment, Lindsey said: “Having grown up in rural Perthshire, many of my family and friends are from the farming community and this gave me exposure from a young age to the challenges and opportunities facing farmers in an ever-changing world.

“Being part of the Waitrose graduate scheme was an incredible opportunity to learn about how supermarkets work and see the other the side of the coin. I now have a good understanding of the industry and how farmers and crofters might go about better positioning themselves to be more competitive in an arena where all too often they are made to feel powerless.

“I feel extremely lucky to have been offered the Food Policy and Campaigns Officer post within NFU Scotland and it is great to be started. It’s already proving to be an exciting role that can deliver real and lasting change for farmers and crofters.”

Union deputy director of policy, Andrew Bauer, said: “With the turbulence of Brexit and current market conditions, it is essential that NFU Scotland is equipped to help its members navigate to a more secure and prosperous future.

“The food policy and campaigns role is an important part of how NFU Scotland will tackle this, and we are delighted to have secured such a capable and enthusiastic person for the role. Lindsey will be spending her early months getting around Scotland to meet farmers, processors, retailers and other key players in the supply chain.

“She’ll be getting to grips with some of the issues and campaigns that NFU Scotland has been making progress on in recent years, and in due course, tackling the new ones that will undoubtedly be thrown up in the future. We are certain that she’ll make her mark and that members will clearly see the benefits of her appointment in the years to come.”