Pettitt became the youngest ever NFU horticulture chair last year

Pettitt became the youngest ever NFU horticulture chair last year

National Farmers’ Union (NFU) horticulture board chairman Sarah Pettitt has been named the NFU’s new county chairman in Holland (Lincs).

The Boston vegetable grower takes over as Holland (Lincs) NFU chairman from Bourne farmer Tony Reynolds. For the next two years, Pettitt will take on the responsibilities of representing farmers and growers in the south Holland, Bourne and Boston and Wainfleet branches that make up the county.

Pettitt said: “With a general election timed for May, we have an ideal opportunity to convince the new administration that our farmers and growers can be competitive given the right tools, and therefore able to thrive in a challenging marketplace. Our industry produces some of the highest quality and best value for money food in the world, but if we’re tied up in red tape or become uncompetitive because we lag behind the rest of the word in research and development, there is little future for us. Food production is going to become the most important issue for the whole world in the next few years, so our farmers and growers must have the tools to produce our food and look after their farms in a sustainable and profitable way.

“British produce is probably the highest quality and safest grown in the world - we can trace our fruit and vegetables from farm to fork. Look for the Red Tractor marque in the supermarket and you will know your food has been grown on a British farm.

“Another of today’s issues that really concerns me is waste. I’ve worked in the fresh produce business for many years and I think it’s time that the retailers, processors and packers, the government and farmers and growers, got their heads together to reduce the amount of waste food in the whole food chain, whether that’s on farm or in the home. Also, I think we need to look at novel ways to make best use of the over-sized or misshapen, but otherwise healthy and nutritious, waste - perhaps through charity organisations.”

Her vice-chairman is Ian Stancer, who farms with his father at Dowsdale near Crowland.

On taking up the chair of the national Horticulture and Potatoes Board, last year, Pettitt became the first female board chairman, and the youngest.

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