A FORMER county chairman of Worcestershire NFU has been elected vice chairman of the organisation's national dairy board. Michael Oakes, who farms at Rednal, was county chairman in 2002 and has been NFU West Midlands dairy board chairman since 2011. He will work closely with Gloucestershire farmer Rob Harrison of Blockley, near Moreton in Marsh, who was elected board chairman.

Mr Oakes said: "There are pressing issues facing the dairy industry, including the recent retail milk price cuts and price war. We will seek urgent meetings with processors in the coming weeks to look for ways of addressing these challenges as a supply chain. Our industry faces an exciting future of growth and my focus will be ensuring that our members get every possible opportunity in that growing market.

Mr Oakes was a leading member of the #SOS Dairy campaign in 2012 which helped rescind proposed farm gate price cuts and pushed for a better sector deal.