NFU veteran Kevin Pearce has been appointed as the union’s new head of food and farming.

Based at the NFU’s headquarters in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, Pearce will manage its commodity work as well as its work in the food chain, effective from October 2.

Pearce has a wealth of experience within the farming industry and the NFU.

He was brought up on a small farm in Glamorgan, South Wales and worked on a local farm until he joined the NFU in1985 as a group secretary in Glamorgan.

In 1992 he moved to the NFU’s north-east region to cover the posts of field manager and senior policy adviser.

Pearce moved to the NFU’s London headquarters in 1998 as beef and sheep adviser and then beef, sheep and Less Favoured Areas adviser.

In 2004, he was appointed chief livestock adviser and last year he took on the position of head of food chain and farm policy.

Commenting on the appointment, Pearce said: “I’m really looking forward to this role and tackling some of the challenges which face the industry.”

Martin Haworth, NFU director of policy, added: “Kevin is widely known and respected in the farming community, government and the food chain - he is just the right person to take on this challenging post.”