Guy Smith has been appointed as Red Tractor’s new Combinable Crops and Sugar Beet Sector Chair and will succeed Laurence Matthews, who completes his second term in November 2020. Charlotte Cunningham reports.Guy joins Red Tractor after decades of noteworthy experience as an advocate and leader in the British agricultural industry, and a background in practical farm business management and award-winning conservation.

His roles have included serving as the Deputy President of the National Farmers’ Union, an NFU Governance Board Member and an AHDB Crops Board Member.

“British Agriculture is facing some of the greatest challenges of a lifetime,” said Jim Moseley, Red Tractor CEO. “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.”

Guy added: “I’m delighted to join Red Tractor at such a critical time for British Agriculture. 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.”