Aberdeenshire farmer Andrew Connon will stand unchallenged for the position of Vice-President of NFU Scotland at the Union’s Council meeting being held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow on Friday 9 February 2024.
Andrew has served as a Vice-President since being elected in February 2021 and if approved by the Union’s Council, he will be elected to the post of Vice-President for another one-year term. No other nominations for position of Vice-President were received by the deadline of 5pm on Tuesday 5 December.
Commenting on being unchallenged for the Vice-President position, Mr Connon said: “It has been a privilege to represent NFU Scotland as Vice-President since February 2021, a role I have enjoyed immensely. I hope to be re-elected Vice-President by NFU Scotland’s Council in the New Year.
“It will be a huge honour to serve the membership for another year, especially when the changes, challenges and opportunities facing Scottish farmers and crofters are immense. If successfully re-elected, I will remain fully committed to driving forward the work NFU Scotland is doing on behalf its 9000 members across Scotland.”
The Council meeting will take place during NFU Scotland’s annual conference being held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 February 2024. Ahead of this event, NFU Scotland regions will each be holding their Regional AGM. These members only events will provide NFU Scotland’s membership with the ideal opportunity to discuss regional business and elect regional officeholders.
The list of Regional AGMs are as follows to which all NFU Scotland members are invited.
- Dumfries and Galloway – Tues 9 January - Ernespie House Hotel, Castle Douglas (AGM at 5pm followed by supper and open meeting).
- Ayrshire – Wed 10 Jan - The Hub, Crossroads 7.30pm
- Forth and Clyde – Thurs 11 Jan – To be confirmed.
- Argyll & Islands – Fri 12 Jan – Tarbert Bowling Club
- Lothian and Borders – Mon 15 Jan – Carfraemill (AGM at 4pm followed by supper and open meeting)
- Highland – Tues 16 Jan – Dingwall Mart
- North East – Wed 17 Jan – Lochter, Oldmeldrum (AGM at 3pm followed by supper).
- Orkney – Wed 17 Jan – by Zoom
- Shetland – Wed 17 Jan – by Zoom
- East Central – Mon 22 Jan – To be confirmed.
Notes to Editors
- Booking forms for the 2024 annual conference, AGM and dinner have been included in the December/January edition of NFU Scotland’s membership magazine ‘Scottish Farming Leader’ and are available online at: https://www.nfus.org.uk/about-nfus/agm-2024.aspx
- The Annual General Meeting of the members of NFU Scotland will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, 301 Argyle Street, Glasgow G2 8DL on Thursday 8 February 2024 at 10.15am until 11.30pm. The normal business to be conducted will be the consideration of the Directors’ report; the Auditors’ report and the Financial Accounts for the year ended 31 October 2023.
- Biography and image of Vice-President Andrew Connon;
Andrew Connon, North Quilquox, Ythanbank, Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
Andrew farms near Ellon in Aberdeenshire, running a sheep flock whilst also doing some commercial contract work. He is married to Pauline. Son Andrew (25) and daughter Sarah (21) are employed on neighbouring farms. His father, uncle and cousin run the neighbouring family business focused on finishing cattle, sheep, and barley.
After graduating from Aberdeen University with an honours degree in General Agriculture, he joined Velcourt as a trainee farm manager in South East England before returning to a farm management position in Aberdeenshire.
Andrew then embarked on a commercial career in agricultural finance with NWS Bank and then JCB Finance. In 1999 he joined the family-owned machinery business of A M Phillip initially as a Branch Manager before becoming a director and then Dealer Principal until the business was sold in 2018. He then worked with the online market places SellMyLivestock and Graindex for 4 years.
He is a long-standing member of NFU Scotland New Deer Branch and a former Branch Chair. He represented the North East Regional Board for several years, elected Vice-Chair (2017) and Chair (2020).
In February 2021, Andrew was elected NFU Scotland Vice-President. He was re- elected in February 2023 and currently sits on the following committees: Combinable Crops, Potatoes, LFA, Livestock, Poultry, Next Generation, Finance and Remuneration.
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Contact Diana McGowan on 0131 472 4108