Sir Robert Goodwill ex- farming minister & farmer takes the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee chair after a ballot on May 25th.

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He was Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 5 March 2019 to 25 July 2019.

Robert has also been a farmer (since 1979) of 250 acres of land near Malton, which has been in his family since 1850. He has been the managing director of Mowthorpe Ltd since 1995, which offers environmentally friendly burials in the North Yorkshire countryside.

The election for the Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee follows the resignation of Neil Parish as a Member of Parliament on 4 May 2022.

Sir Robert said: “I am delighted to have been elected Chair of this important Committee. I hope my experience as a working farmer and as a former Agriculture Minister will mean I can hit the ground running.”

Commenting on the appointment CLA President Mark Tufnell said: “Sir Robert will bring a wealth of experience to the role.  He takes the chair at a time of unprecedented uncertainty for farmers and rural businesses.  

"With the agricultural transition, rampant inflation, deepening concerns over food security and a rural economy unnecessarily weakened by poor policy-making at times, his in-tray will no doubt be full.  Government needs holding to account, and we wish him well in this important position.”