Newly elected president of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers is Lady Hazel Byford, shadow spokesman for food, farming and rural affairs in the House of Lords.

Lady Hazel Byford

She brings a comprehensive wealth of knowledge and experience to the organisation having studied agriculture prior to managing a poultry enterprise producing parent stock. She now has interests in her family’s Suffolk based farming business. Lady Byford holds a number of positions within the sector; she is president of the FACE strategy group, LEAF and Concordia, and an honorary associate member of the British Veterinary Association and of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. She is also a patron of several rural organisations including the Rural Stress Network, the Village Retail Services Association, and the Institute of Agricultural Secretaries and Administrators.

“I am delighted to be elected president of RABDF, and during my term of office I will be focused on helping to raise public awareness of the difficulties faced by dairy farmers as a direct result of low farm gate milk prices, and keeping those issues to the fore,” she says. “Similarly, I plan to help promote British food and its source of origin through the forthcoming Year of Farming and Food initiative designed to enable each school child to visit a farm and get a better understanding of the sector.”

“We are looking forward to Lady Byford’s input,” says RABDF chief executive, Nick Everington. “Her keen interest in the dairy sector combined with her enthusiastic support for our continuing campaign for a fair milk price will help drive forward the organisation strategically and benefit all producers.” He adds: “Farmers will have the opportunity to meet and talk with her at the forthcoming Dairy Event on 19 and 20 September.”

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