New officer team for Fram Farmers

Fram Farmers, the Suffolk-based input purchasing and crop marketing co-operative, has a new chair and vice chair following its annual general meeting in November.

Wendy Houston moves from vice chairman to become chairman of the company, succeeding Suffolk farmer and haulier Andrew Read who has completed a three-year term. As well as running the family 1,100 acre arable and pig farm, she is a director of MPS Agri, the international electronic sow feeding business.

At the same time, Doug Inglis – a board member since 2020 – becomes vice chairman. A former director of the Velcourt corporate farming business, Mr Inglis now runs his own arable business and agronomy consultancy.

“I aim to ensure the co-operative continues to be best placed to serve members in navigating the challenges both arable and livestock members face, and to prosper in the years to come,” says Ms Houston.

Earlier in the year, Fram Farmers appointed Michael Muncey, former UK managing director of Bayer Crop Science and David Sheppard, former managing director of ADM Agriculture to its board, together with farmer directors Mark Williams and Frans de Boer.

“Farming is undergoing a period of unparalleled change, challenge and opportunity – the new board membership will deliver strong, critical and demanding leadership to Fram Farmers,” adds Fram Farmers chief executive Andrew Knowles.

“This will enable us to continue to evolve and strengthen our performance to members, whilst remaining faithful to the values of the cooperative, and ensure our performance is unparalleled with leading commercial agribusinesses in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”