Withers quits NFU to head Scotland Food & Drink

In a surprise move, NFU Scotland chief executive James Withers yesterday announced that he was stepping down in order to take up a new position as chief executive at Scotland Food & Drink.

Commenting on the move after 12 years with the union, the last three as chief executive, Withers said: "I am hugely excited about the opportunity at Scotland Food & Drink, an organisation that can spearhead the growth of the industry in the coming years.

"I have spent a long time working on behalf of food producers and I can now take that experience and broaden it across the whole food and drink sector."

Union president Nigel Miller confirmed that, while the chief executive will not leave until September, the union would start looking for a replacement immediately.

Chairman of Scotland Food & Drink, Ray Jones, referred to the target of growing the value of the country's food and drink sector to 12.5 billion by 2017 and the fact Scottish farmers and crofters, as food producers, would be at the core of that vision as well as sharing benefits.