A NEW county adviser for NFU York East has been appointed.

Rebecca Hesketh will cover the East Riding of Yorkshire and most of the North York Moors.

She joins at a crucial time for the industry, with local farmers taking part in a major consultation being carried out by the NFU on the future of farming following the referendum decision to leave the European Union.

Growing up on her family’s mixed farm in West Lancashire, Rebecca studied agriculture at Newcastle University before joining G’s – a horticultural supply company based in Cambridgeshire – as a trainee on their farm management scheme. She went on to train as a crop manager for the company.

Taking up her new role, her horticultural experience will be useful in an area that’s home to many horticultural growers producing everything from poinsettias to peas.

However York East is also home to a diverse farming mix of arable, livestock and dairy businesses, with hill farming issues coming to the fore in moorland areas.

Rebecca said she was pleased to have joined the NFU at such a pivotal time.

“Given the current political issues we face, this is no time to shy away from difficult discussions about the direction that farmers want the industry to take," she said.

“It is a great opportunity to be part of this debate and to ensure that the views of farmers in my patch are well represented. My challenge initially is to pursue every opportunity to meet our local members and discuss the aspirations they have for the industry.”

Rebecca takes over from previous county adviser Lucinda Douglas who has now joined the NFU team in Scarborough as a group secretary.