Red Tractor has announced the appointment of two new sector chairs: Nick Major as chair of the poultry sector board and Veryan Bliss as chair of the fresh produce sector board.
Both will also join the Red Tractor board of directors and help to shape the strategic direction of the organisation.
Major brings extensive executive and non-executive experience across the agricultural supply industry to his poultry sector role.
He spent 38 years with international animal feed company ForFarmers in sales, marketing and general management roles, and as corporate affairs director led the implementation of the business’s sustainability strategy.
“Farmers are rightly proud of the very high animal welfare and production standards we operate to in the UK, as am I,” said Major. “I believe that maintaining the trust consumers place in Red Tractor is vital in improving the profitability and resilience of the entire food and farming sector and particularly poultry production, in the years ahead.”
He is also a senior advisor at Wild Search and has sat on the Centre for Innovation Excellence’s board prior to the formation of the UK Agri-Tech Centre.
He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Farmers.
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Meanwhile, Bliss brings three decades of experience across global fresh produce supply chains with expertise in growing, packing, technical assurance, innovation and governance for the UK retail sector.
For more than 20 years, she has held senior leadership roles at Suncrop Produce where she oversaw technical and ESG responsibilities from farm to shelf, led commercial and operational developments, managed brand protection and fostered grower and retailer relationships.
In 2022 she launched Food Intelligence Limited, and continues to provide strategic leadership and advisory support across the sector, Red Tractor said.
“This is an opportunity to help shape assurance that is proportionate, progressive, and genuinely supportive of the people who produce our food,” said Bliss. “I see Red Tractor as a shared platform for trust and progress, and I wanted to help ensure it continues to work with growers to deliver assurance that genuinely adds value.”
She has served on the Red Tractor board since 2019 and holds several industry roles including non-executive director of the Fresh Produce Consortium and The Andersons Centre.
“We are delighted to welcome Nick and Veryan to their new roles,” said Alistair Mackintosh, Red Tractor chair. “They bring complementary experience and deep sector knowledge that will strengthen Red Tractor’s ability to support producers and supply chains while maintaining the trust consumers place in our assurance.
“Their leadership will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our standards and deliver value for British farming and food.”
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