An arable farmer with 20 years' experience in agriculture has joined the top team at the Suffolk branch of the National Farmers' Union (NFU).
Oliver Pratt, 35, has become vice chairman of the branch, working alongside chairman Tim Pratt. He said he was "delighted to be asked". "I'm excited," he said.
The team also includes NFU East Regional Board vice chairman George Gittus and Katharine Salisbury and Denise Thomas who represent the branch on national dairy and livestock boards respectively.
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The fourth generation farmer -who is managing director of Brett Vale Farming at Semer, near Hadleigh - manages 5,000 acres.
His family farm is AJ Pratt & Son at Nedging, a 700-acre operation.
Three neighbouring farmers came together to form Brett Vale Farming - including his own family farm run which Olly ran with his father, Martin, Paul Chapman's farm at Nedging and James Buckle's farm at Manor Farm, Semer.
James Buckle runs a number of businesses under his Heathpatch umbrella.
"I left school at 16 and went to work for Heathpatch, where I spent about 18 months working on the farm," explains Olly.
"I then came back to work on the family farm, working alongside my dad and learning from him.
"As I got older I gradually became more involved in making decisions and also helped to grow the contracting side of the business."
After starting the Brett Vale Farming Company in 2021 as a joint venture between the family farm and Heathpatch, and he became MD.
"Since then the business has grown to include a third shareholder and we now farm around 5,000 acres.
"We grow mainly combinable crops, sugar beet and maize, as well as having land in various environmental schemes."
Olly joined the NFU East Regional Combinable Crops Board in 2023 - a role he now combines with county vice chair.
He lives in Naughton with his wife and their three daughters.
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