'Honoured' new Yorkshire Agricultural Society president 'nervous' about Brexit

North Yorkshire landowner Sir William Worsley has taken on the role.

Sir William, who runs and lives at his family’s award-winning Hovingham Estate in the Howardian Hills, is a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies and of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and is a Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire.

He said: “I am hugely privileged to become President of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. For a Yorkshire landowner, it is probably the greatest honour you can be given.”

Asked about how he feels about the Brexit process - after which the UK will depart from the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy - he said “nervous, but it would be naive not to be nervous, bearing in mind that every country supports its agriculture and if British agriculture is not adequately supported, we could really suffer.

“We must make sure that imports coming into this country are to our own high standards."

Concerns about a no-deal scenario were mounting earlier this month as negotiations between the Government and Brussels appeared to stall but an agreement before the end of next month would be needed in order to be fully ratified by the transition period’s end on December 31.

The Government previously pledged not sign a trade deal that will compromise high environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards.

Sir William also said: “Agriculture and Forestry are really important industries in Yorkshire and we need to ensure that they are celebrated, that new support schemes are right and that their introduction is properly managed.”

Earlier this year, Sir William was appointed as chairman of the Forestry Commission.

He is also Lay Canon of York Minster and chairman of the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Joint Advisory Committee.

Sir William serves on the North Yorkshire Rural Commission. and has previously served as the Government’s Tree Champion and has chaired the National Forest Company.

He has also held office as president of the CLA, the Country Land and Business Association and as a member of the North York Moors National Park Authority.

Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sir William as our new President and look forward to working with him as we plan for the Great Yorkshire Show’s return in 2021.”

Sir William succeeds Charlotte Bromet, who handed over the President’s Crook in a short and socially distanced ceremony held at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate.

The handover marked the finale of the Great Yorkshire Virtual Show earlier this summer, an online first for the Society which attracted viewers from more than 40 countries.

The Society’s new president elect is Margaret Chapman, the Great Yorkshire Show’s long-serving Chief Cattle Steward.