Five candidates confirmed for 2011 NFUS elections

Five candidates are vying for the position of president or vice president of NFU Scotland at the forthcoming elections in February 2011.

The current president, Jim McLaren, will retire from the position at the 2011 annual meeting after serving a maximum of four years.

The current NFUS vice-presidents, Nigel Miller and Allan Bowie, have both been nominated for president.

In addition, Mr Bowie will also contest the position of vice-president alongside Alan Crichton, John Picken and Ian Wilson.

Dumfries farmer Mr Crichton has been chairman of the Environment and Land Use Committee for three and a half years.

Fife farmer Mr Picken has served nearly five years as chairman of the Combinable Crops Committee, while Inverness farmer Mr Wilson has been NFUS Highland Regional Manager since 2007.

 “They are standing for office at a hugely important time for the industry with CAP reform rapidly approaching and global developments that will have a real impact at home,” said James Withers, NFUS chief executive.

Elections for both positions will take place at the NFUS’ council meeting on 15 February, 2011, at the Fairmont Hotel, St Andrews, following the annual meeting and dinner the previous day.

NFUS council members, made up from representatives of each of the union’s 71 branches, will select the successful candidates.

Hustings meetings will take place in each of the union’s nine regions – with separate events for Orkney and Shetland – in January, at which NFUS members will have an opportunity to hear from all the candidates.