The candidates for the offices of NFU Scotland Vice President have been announced today (Tuesday, 20 December) with the news that the existing officeholders will be re-elected unchallenged.
Fife farmers Allan Bowie and John Picken, both from St Andrews, currently hold the two annually elected posts of Vice President. When nominations closed (Friday, 16 December), Allan and John were the only two candidates proposed for election to the position in 2012.
The uncontested election will take place at the NFU Scotland Council meeting on Tuesday, 14 February 2012 at the Fairmont Hotel, St Andrews, following the AGM and Annual Dinner the previous day.
The post of President, currently held by Nigel Miller, is open for election every two years. Nigel was elected to the post in February 2011 so this position was not open for nominations this year.
In the absence of an election for Vice-President, there will be no hustings meetings held in the New Year. Instead, NFU Scotland President Nigel Miller and Union Chief Executive Scott Walker will be attending the round of Regional AGMs in January to provide an update on Union activity planned for the year ahead.
The biographical details of the Vice-Presidential candidates are as follows:
Allan Bowie: Allan is married with 2 sons and a daughter. He farms in North East Fife majoring on growing wheat, barley, potatoes and vegetables. The area farmed extends to about 600 acres on short limited duration tenancy/contract farming agreements. In addition, the business grazes a number of suckled calves each year. He was chairman of the North East Fife branch and served two years as chairman for East Central region. Allan has been Vice-President since February 2009.
John Picken – John farms at Priorletham, St Andrews, Fife: a mixed farm, growing wheat for whisky and oats for his local OatCo producer group of which he is a founding member. He has a suckler cow herd put to an Angus bull and a few pedigree breeding ewes. He has recently acquired planning permission to erect a wind turbine and diversified into tourism providing holiday accommodation. He was chairman of the Combinable Crops committee for five years. John was elected to Vice President in 2011.
NOTES TO EDITORS
The dates and venues of the forthcoming Regional AGMs are as follows:
Date | Region | Venue | Time |
9 January | Lothian and Borders | The Lodge, Carfraemill | 7.30pm |
10 January | Ayrshire | Western House Hotel, Ayr | 7.30pm |
11 January | Highland | Golf View Hotel, Nairn | 7.30pm |
12 January | East Central | Huntingtower Hotel, Perth | 7.30pm |
17 January | North East | Thainstone Centre, Inverurie | 7.30pm |
18 January | Dumfries and Galloway | Douglas Arms, Castle Douglas | 7.30pm |
19 January | Forth & Clyde | Garfield Hotel, Stepps | 7.30pm |
20 January | Argyll & The Islands | Tarbert Village Hall, Tarbert | 2.00pm |
23 January | Orkney | Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall | 7.30pm |
Ends
Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006