The NPA has announced that Rebecca Veale will be joining the association as its new senior policy advisor in May.
Rebecca has worked for the NFU for the past four years, specialising in animal health and welfare – and this will continue to be her focus at the NPA.
During her time at the NFU, she has worked with the Responsible Use of Animal Medicine (RUMA) alliance on reducing antibiotic use in cattle, including formulating strategy and action plans for the sector. She has worked on obtaining RDP funding for tackling sheep scab and helped formulate the NFU’s response to avian flu, for example drafting contingency plans and guidance for farmers.
She also has experience of working in Brussels representing the NFU on the COPA animal health and welfare working group.
Rebecca will replace Georgina Crayford in the role, who left the NPA earlier this year to take join Red Tractor.
She said: “I am thrilled to be joining the NPA and becoming part of the hugely respected team representing British pig producers and the allied industries.
“I can’t wait to get started. It is a really exciting and progressive sector, with enormous opportunities alongside the obvious policy challenges. My previous experience in animal health and welfare policy, including working closely with producers and Government, will stand me in good stead. I am excited to learn more and look forward to getting to know the pig industry when I join in May.”
NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said: “We are thrilled to welcome Rebecca to the NPA. We had some excellent candidates for the post, but Rebecca’s mix of knowledge, experience and passion for the industry made her an obvious choice.
“She joins our hard-working and committed team and will be a great asset to the pig sector.”
Rebecca attended the Royal Agricultural University, cementing her love of agriculture and particularly livestock. Pursuing a strong interest in animal health she continued her studies at Harper Adams University with a masters in Veterinary Pharmacy.
As well as the NFU, Rebecca has also worked for AHDB and sat on a number of industry groups, mostly focusing on animal health and welfare. In these roles, she has been involved in many industry projects to reduce endemic diseases, exotic diseases and to responsibly reduce the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals.
She will take up her new role on May 20.