Janet Thorogood

AN Essex teacher and farmer's wife has taken over as president of the Women's Food and Farming Union (WFU) and plans to modernise the 30-year old organisation.

AN Essex teacher and farmer's wife has taken over as president of the Women's Food and Farming Union (WFU) and plans to modernise the 30-year old organisation.

Janet Thorogood, who has strong food, farming and education credentials, won a close-fought election campaign against current president Ionwen Lewis. The result was announced at WFU's National Conference at Cirencester's Royal Agricultural College and Mrs Thorogood took over the role with immediate effect.

Mrs Thorogood, a teacher by profession, was brought up on a dairy farm and moved into horticulture and livestock when she married. The family farm near Dengie in Essex is now mainly arable, but also grows asparagus for farmers markets and farm shops.

Mrs Thorogood argues that the WFU needs to review its key messages to suit changing circumstances in the agri-food industry. She says it needs to enhance communications, attract new and younger members, and look to the future in order to influence government policies locally and nationally.

“WFU still has an incredibly important role to fill within the agri-food industry. We are in a unique position representing women's views, skills, and knowledge of food, farming and the environment - something that cannot be ignored,” she said.

Mrs Thorogood thanked Mrs Lewis, who has led the organisation for the past three years.

“Ionwen has worked tirelessly on behalf of WFU and is well-respected throughout the industry for her support of British food and farming.”