Hugh Crabtree of Farmex has been elected the new chairman of the NPA’s Allied Industry Group (AIG). He succeeds Peter Rollings, who stood down at the recent election.
Mr Rollings was chairman of the AIG for nine years, during which time he was also vice-chairman of the NPA board. Key among his achievements during this period was the renegotiation of NPA’s financial relationship with NFU, which required goodwill and sensitive handling on both sides.
For Hugh Crabtree (pictured above), the AIG chairmanship is old territory as he was the original chairman of the group when the NPA was founded in 1999.
“I firmly believe the AIG has an important role to play in NPA and I hope I can help develop that role based on my experience of the association, the people involved and the industry as a whole,” he said.
“The group needs to be recognised as a principle source of technical and commercial expertise within NPA. To bring benefit to allied industry members it is important the committee does everything it can to facilitate communications between producers and their member suppliers.
“All agricultural sectors are facing the huge challenge of rapidly increasing output with a decreasing impact on the environment. Being a small industry in the UK, there’s an opportunity for the pig sector to demonstrate what an efficient, professional, profitable and conscientious livestock industry looks like.”
Dan Day of A-One Feed Supplements has been voted vice-chairman of the AIG. Like Hugh Crabtree, he’s a long-standing member of the group and believes that for the industry to thrive the allied trades and producers must work together at every opportunity.
“As a member of the AIG, I see that we have a responsibility to help communicate information about industry issues throughout the membership, for the benefit of all. Members should be able to rely on us for good solid and sound guidance at any time.”