President of NFU Scotland

Jim McLaren: Age 40 and married with two sons, two daughters and two step- daughters, Jim is a mixed arable and dairy farmer, with 130 Holstein Friesian cows. All young stock are kept for replacements or finished on farm. 

His arable unit, growing winter wheat, winter oilseed rape, spring barley and land let out annually for potatoes, extends to 1000 acres over four units in Perthshire.  The business is a mix of full tenancy, limited partnership, owner-occupier and contract farming.

Jim served on the NFUS Milk Committee from 1999, holding the position of Chairman in 2003.   He has also been Chairman of NFUS Crieff Branch.  He held the post of NFUS Vice-President for the year 2006/2007 and on 23 February 2007, Jim was elected President of NFU Scotland for a term of two years and can stand for re-election in 2009 to serve for a further two-year term of office.

AGM 2008 Address

Vice-Presidents of NFU Scotland

Nigel Miller: Married with four children, Nigel farms 1200 acres in the Borders.  The upland hill farm supports 150 cows and 800 breeding ewes.   Traditional beef breeds are the basis of the beef enterprise. Aberdeen Angus cross steers are sold through the auction ring with heifers being marketed privately for bulling. The sheep flock is founded on Lairg type Cheviots.  Nigel, a former vet, started his NFU Scotland career as Chairman of the West Berwick Branch.  Prior to being elected as Vice President, he was Chairman of the Livestock Committee.

Stewart Wood: Married with two sons, Stewart runs Garson Farms, as a family partnership. Prior to being elected as Vice President, Stewart was chairman of the Orkney and Shetland region of the NFUS.   Stewart’s unit extends to 209 hectares. The farm is predominantly in grassland, with around 40 hectares of spring barley grown each year.  All of the grain and straw are used on farm.  Stocking comprises a herd of 170 suckler cows (including a small pedigree Charolais herd).  All progeny are finished on farm.  A sheep flock of 200 ewes is also carried on the farm, with a further 150-200 store lambs bought annually.

Other Directors of NFU Scotland

• Willie Wilson – Chairman, Forth and Clyde Regional Board
• James Logan – Chairman, Lothian and Borders Regional Board
• Alan Bowie – Chairman, East Central Regional Board
• Bert Leitch – Chairman, Argyll and the Islands Regional Board
• Colin Manson – Chairman, Highland Regional Board
• Robin Spence – Chairman, Dumfries and Galloway Regional Board
• Philip Sleigh – Chairman, North East Regional Board
• Michael Stevenson – Chairman, Orkney and Shetland Regional Board
• Jimmy Ireland – Chairman, Ayrshire Regional Board
• George Lawrie - Treasurer
• James Withers - Chief Executive
• Sandy Tulloch – Chairman, Less Favoured Areas Committee
• John Picken – Chairman, Combinable Crops Committee
• Willie Lamont – Chairman, Milk Committee
• Alan Crichton – Chairman, Environment and Land Use Committee
• Kelvin Pate – Chairman, Livestock Committee
• Jamie Smart – Chairman, Legal and Technical Committee
• Douglas Boatman – Chairman, Glasshouse & Nurseries Working Group
• Russell Brown - Chairman, Potatoes Working Group
• Mike Darrah - Chairman, Poultry Working Group
• Jo Durno - Chairman, Crofting Highland and Islands Committee
• William Hamilton - Chairman, Tenants Working Group
• Peter Thomson - Chairman, Soft Fruit and Field Vegetables Working Group
   

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