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Zoe鈥檚 passion is to ensure that members are properly represented and supported by the NFU, and in turn that they understand the significant benefits that being a member of such an incredible organisation brings.

Prior to joining the NFU, she worked for the National Pig Association from 2008 to 2022. She took on the role of Chief Executive Officer in 2014 and led the organisation through some very turbulent times.

This followed five years working in the Livestock Science Unit within Defra where she managed the research and development portfolio on livestock production.

Previous to that she ran a large pig rearing unit and trials facility for the integrated pig production company in Suffolk. She gained a PhD in outdoor sow management and welfare with Cambac JMR Research in 1998.

Zoe has been awarded the OBE in the first King鈥檚 Birthday honours list. She was granted the honour in recognition of her services to the pig industry.

Charles took over as regional policy manager after three years as NFU Suffolk county adviser.

He grew up in rural Yorkshire near Harrogate and first fell in love with farming at 15, when he began working on a nearby family friend鈥檚 organic farm during weekends and holidays.

After completing a four-year business and economics degree at the University of Liverpool, he joined the MDS fresh produce graduate student scheme. This included placements as technical management for a tomato nursery and planning the import of various vegetables to supply the ready meal market.

Before joining the NFU, he worked in the seed potato industry for five years, coordinating planting, allocations and forward planning in East Anglia and further afield.

The regional policy manager role includes championing farming in the East and supporting colleagues and members with a wide range of policy issues.

Hannah is already a familiar face to many members, joining the NFU in 2005 as assistant business development manager, after previously working as county development officer for Essex Young Farmers.

She grew up on her parents鈥� farm in west Essex, near Bishops Stortford, graduating from Reading University in 1993 and obtaining an MSc in rural and regional resources planning from Aberdeen University in 1996. She was business development manager for East Anglia before taking on the county adviser role in 2012.

Hannah manages the NFU鈥檚 eight-strong county adviser team and leads NFU growth and engagement strategies across the region.

Mark has joined the NFU from the Church of England where he was providing advice to the church in the House of Lords and national church institutions on public policy issues relating to rural affairs, environmental science, land and heritage.

He has a background supporting agriculture as regional director for the Farming Community Network in the South East and with water research working for Adas as a consultant.

Mark has also been involved volunteering with educational work promoting agriculture in schools and supporting students at land based colleges with the South of England Agricultural Society.

He is now based in Northamptonshire with his family where he has an active involvement in local village life.

Rob grew up on his family鈥檚 arable farm in Cavendish, Suffolk and studied agriculture at Newcastle University, before completing an MSc in agricultural economics at Michigan State University.

Before joining the NFU his career included five years of policy work in Washington DC, where he helped to draft the 1990 Farm Bill, and time as UK adviser to the Director General at UKASTA, now AIC. He also worked as regional adviser for the CLA and served as chairman of the NFU鈥檚 Stowmarket and Sudbury branch.

Polly grew up on a mixed farm in Cambridgeshire before completing a geography degree at the University of St Andrews and going on to complete the MDS graduate scheme.

Before joining the NFU, Polly worked for seven years in BASF鈥檚 crop protection team. As a campaign manager, she was responsible for providing seasonal information for growers on a range of agronomic issues.

While at BASF, Polly developed a keen interest in the environmental aspects of arable farming, including improved handling of crop protection products and establishing a sustainability award that celebrates farmers' successes in environmental stewardship, alongside food production.

Before joining the NFU in August 2023, Adam worked as a journalist in East Anglia for nearly 20 years, starting out in Ely and the Fens before moving to Norfolk and working for the Eastern Daily Press (EDP).

He has been chief reporter, district team editor, news editor and print editor for the EDP. He has also been the editor of the North Norfolk News, Dereham Times and Fakenham and Wells Times newspapers.

Adam is keen to hear from members who are developing their businesses and have interesting stories to tell.

He is a former journalist whose career has included working on weekly and daily newspapers in Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Australia. He was Chief Reporter for the Morning Advertiser, the trade newspaper for the brewing and pub retailing industry, before moving into public relations.

Brian joined the NFU in October 1999 as regional public relations officer. As well as editing the regional pages of British Farmer & Grower, he organises campaigns to promote a positive image of farming and advises members on communication issues.

鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to getting involved and helping members, bringing my experience as an NFU member to the county adviser role,鈥� she said.

Rory grew up on a mixed arable and beef farm in Essex and graduated from Harper Adams University in 2022 with a degree in agriculture with crop management. 

After graduating, he worked for a large contractor in New Zealand and then went travelling. Before joining the NFU, he worked for a large arable enterprise in Norfolk.

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He grew up on a small family farm just outside of Finchingfield in North Essex and attended Writtle College, studying for a diploma in agriculture.

He worked for several farms in the region before becoming a partner on the family farm five years ago. 

Hamish said: 鈥淚鈥檓 really passionate about farming and am looking forward to joining the NFU and supporting farmers across the region.鈥�

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She also leads the East Region Sugar Forum, a role she particularly enjoys, drawing on her previous experience with the BRRO (British Beet Research Organisation).

Prior to joining the NFU, she worked at Grainseed, where she managed official maize trials and later expanded into on-farm trials for a range of crops, including oilseed rape and grass. She also took on a sales role with a focus on forage crops.

Raised on an arable farm in Norfolk, she played a key role in establishing a diversified farm business 鈥� a riding school and livery yard. In her spare time, she enjoys show jumping with her two horses and is a passionate runner, having completed the London Marathon in 2024.

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She is not from a farming family but has always lived in Suffolk. She started helping out on farms during lambing and went on to study for a BSc in agriculture at Harper Adams. This included a placement with BASF in its trials team at Woolpit, assisting the development agronomists and helping with the trial seed department.

Prior to joining the NFU she was innovation crops product manager at Agrii, sourcing, developing, contracting, and marketing niche crops, including naked oats, naked barley, haricot beans, and chickpeas. Ella also plays an active role with Suffolk Young Farmers.

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She is a second generation farmer on a small mixed livestock farm. Growing up there gave Harriet her passion for wanting to help and support local farmers and the industry.

In 2014 she graduated from the Royal Agricultural University with a BSc (Hons) in agriculture and animal management.

As the county adviser for Surrey her job is to support members with any issues they might face, engage with local stakeholders like the police and environmental groups and make sure members in the area know about what is going on in their county. 

Harriet also provides the secretariate for the East livestock board. In particular, the board are focusing on highlighting the issues around the lack of small abattoirs in the area and are working with several groups to help maintain and grow the opportunity for private kill in the area.

With an increase in new diseases such as BTV (bluetongue virus) we also look to make sure members have the best and most up to date knowledge on the situation and how to best protect their livestock and their business. 

Her spare time is mostly taken up with farming but she also has two green houses and polytunnels where she grows vegetables and cut flowers for the local florist, as well as some tropical plants.

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He is originally from Sussex and caught the farming bug as a teenager, when he helped on a local dairy farm.

After undertaking an Agriculture BSc at Cirencester he worked on an arable farm in Cambridgeshire, and with Farmcare as a trainee agronomist before he joined Greens of Soham.

Away from work, he is a qualified water sports instructor and an infantry reservist.

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In her spare time, Karena enjoys horse riding, gardening and running.