Ex-farming union president dies
FORMER NFU president Sir Richard Butler died at the weekend, at the age of 83.
Sir Richard became a farmer on his family farm in Essex.
He was deputy to NFU president Henry (now Lord) Plumb from 1970 until he became president himself in 1979, remaining in the post at the UK’s largest independent farming organisation until 1986. Current NFU president Peter Kendall said yesterday: “Sir Richard piloted the NFU through one of the most turbulent periods in its history.