Defra has appointed seven new members to the Advisory Committee on Organic Standards (ACOS).
The new members are: Dr Andrew Butterworth, Mr Ronald Eunson, Mr Richard Jacobs, Mrs Marilyn James, Dr Margi Lennartsson, Dr Susanne Padel and Mr George Starrett.
ACOS comprises a broad range of membership, providing advice on organic standards, research and development and monitoring the work of the nine organic certification bodies which operate in the UK.
Of the new members, Andrew Butterworth is a veterinary research fellow at the University of Bristol Veterinary School, with interest in organic and sustainable farming and animal welfare. Ronald Eunson is an Organic farmer and Independent trustee of Shetland Development Trust, Shetland Islands Council. Ronald Eunson has declared no political activities. Richard Jacobs is Chief Executive of the Organic Farmers and Growers Ltd. Marilyn James is Organic development manager at Quality Welsh Food Certification Ltd. George Starrett is a nutritionist and poultry products manager at John Thompson & Son Ltd (Feed Compounders). Margi Lennartsson is Director of Research and Development at Henry Doubleday Research Association, and Susanne Padel is an Agricultural Research Associate at the University of Wales.
For each meeting they attend, members are entitled to claim a preparation fee of £68 and an attendance fee of £136. Travel and subsistence is also payable within Defra guidelines.