GUY SMITH, a former deputy president of England's NFU, has been appointed as Red Tractor’s new Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet sector chair.

Mr Smith, who succeeds Laurence Matthews, joins the food assurance marque after decades of experience as an advocate and leader in British agriculture, with a background in practical farm business management and award-winning conservation.

Red Tractor CEO Jim Moseley said: “British Agriculture is facing some of the greatest challenges of a lifetime. We must show strong leadership to protect the integrity of the food chain and British agricultural standards and I’m sure that Guy’s experience and skills will help us navigate through this time.”

Mr Smith said: “I’ve been Red Tractor Assured since its inception 20 years ago. Their standards have been developed over two decades and are the bedrock of our industry. We must continue to protect and defend 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.”