Pro-GM lobbying body the Crop Protection Association has appointed the NFU’s head of government affairs, Nick von Westenholz, as its new CEO.
His appointment comes after the CPA’s previous chief executive, Dominic Dyer, stepped down in July.
Von Westenholz will take up his new role at the end of January.
He said the bad weather this year had thrown into sharp relief the need for farmers to have access to plant science and crop protection technologies. “The CPA plays a crucial role in communicating clearly with the public, media and policymakers about the importance of plant science and crop protection,” he added. “I look forward to leading it in the years ahead, drawing on the wealth of experience and expertise within the industry, to promote the vital contribution it makes in providing a safe and reliable supply of food in the UK, as well as the wider benefits of plant protection products.”
Von Westenholz is a lawyer by training and joined the NFU in June 2009, having previously managed an arable farming business. A replacement for him at the NFU has yet to be announced.
The CPA lobbies on a number of bio-tech and plant science issues, including the use of GM.
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