The Crop Protection Association has appointed a new chief executive.

Nick von Westenholz - who previously served as head of government affairs at the NFU - will take up the position from January 2013.

The new CPA chief executive believes this season’s poor weather has underlined the importance of plant science.

Von Westenholz said: “The extraordinary weather we’ve experienced in recent months has made this one of the most trying years for harvest, cultivations and drilling in recent memory.

'This serves as a reminder of the fundamental importance of plant science in ensuring farmers can continue to produce crops and contribute to food security in the face of the severe challenges with which nature sometimes confronts us.'

The appointment has been welcomed by CPA chairman Stephen Henning who said that von Westenholz, who managed a family-owned arable farming business in east Hertfordshire before joining the NFU in 2009, will bring a “wealth of experience” to the role.