NFU president faces challenge from Minette Batters

NFU president Meurig Raymond will be challenged for the union leadership by his own deputy president, Minette Batters.

Ms Batters, who has served two years as deputy, will run against Mr Raymond for the NFU presidency when the union’s leadership elections take place next month.

The union should embrace new priorities, said Ms Batters. Defra was a “shrinking department”, she added, and the NFU should work harder to make greater inroads with other parts of government, especially when it came to issues such as health and education.

Ms Batters said: “I want to put a strong marker down for what I want from the NFU and I want to make a difference. This isn’t about doing things differently from Meurig, or saying that Meurig is doing things wrong. I want to be very clear about that – but we have to be more ambitious.”

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Mr Raymond, who confirmed last month that he will seek re-election for a second two-year term as NFU president, said he welcomed any challenge to his leadership of the union.

Mr Raymond said: “The NFU is a democratic organisation and it is good that there are people challenging for positions. It is good for the industry and good for the organisation. But I firmly believe that I have the passion and commitment to serve another term.”

Earlier, NFU vice-president Guy Smith said he would not be taking up a nomination to challenge Mr Raymond for the union’s top job. Mr Smith said he would be standing for the roles of deputy and vice-president, but he would not stand for NFU president this time round.

“I have decided to take up my nominations for my current post of NFU vice-president and for that of deputy president but not for the president post,” he added.

Mr Smith said he would “relish the challenge” of doing another two years as NFU vice-president under Meurig Raymond’s presidency. But he added: “If the deputy post opened up due to a change at the top, then I [would] clearly need to be in the race for that position as well.”

Mr Smith added: “I’m very grateful to my home county of Essex for nominating me for the presidency, but my view is that now is not the right time so I am not going to make that challenge this time.”

Other leadership candidates include Yorkshire farmer Rosey Dunn and Leicestershire farmer Charles Sercombe, who will both stand for the posts of vice-president and deputy president.

Devon farmer Anthony Rew is believed to have accepted nominations to run for vice-president.

The NFU leadership elections will take place in Birmingham following the union’s annual conference on 23-24 February. Further candidates could emerge before nominations close at 5pm on Friday (15 January).