19 Jan Lord Taylor named President of Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
Lord Taylor of Holbeach
The head of one of the UK’s leading horticultural companies has been named as the new President of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society.
The Lord Taylor of Holbeach, CBE, who is now serving as a Government minister for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, follows in the footsteps of other distinguished Presidents, who have included HRH Princess Anne, the Earl of Yarborough and most recently Professor David Chiddick, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lincoln.
In the presidential role, Lord Taylor will represent the Society at the annual Lincolnshire Show in June, when over 60,000 people come to learn about the importance of agriculture in the life of the county.
Lord Taylor’s involvement in horticulture and farming dates back to his teens, when he joined the family business and started work on the family farm in Holbeach. The peer, who stood down as chairman of the company, Taylors Bulbs, following his appointment said: “It’s a great honour to be invited to act as President. I applaud the Society for the way in which they have kept the agricultural focus of the Lincolnshire Show; in so doing they have ensured that it remains the high point of the farming year in the county.
“The Society plays an important part in the economic life of Lincolnshire as well as performing a great task as advocate for the agricultural and horticultural industry, in what is the country’s premier agricultural county.”
Lincolnshire Agricultural Society operates the Lincolnshire Events Centre, which brings together agricultural, educational and conferencing activities. Research has shown that a massive £44m is being injected into the national economy thanks to the Lincolnshire Events Centre, which attracts over 215,000 visitors a year.
Lord Taylor added: “The biggest challenge facing farming is to make best use of modern technology and remain competitive in the global marketplace. Keeping up to date is vital. “
Lord Taylor entered the House of Lords in 2006, having been made a life peer as Baron Taylor of Holbeach, of South Holland in the County of Lincolnshire. He was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in September 2011.
He was previously Government spokesperson for the Cabinet Office, Energy and Climate Change, and Work and Pensions. He also served as opposition spokesman from 2006-2010 and as a Whip in the House of Lords. He was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1992 for political service, and served as Chairman of the National Conservative Convention and Deputy Chairman of the Party from 2000 to 2003.
Taylors Bulbs is one of the largest bulb producers in the UK, farming 317 acres of daffodils and 1860 acres of other crops including vegetables, cereals, potatoes and sugar beet.
Also leading the Society during 2012 is John Lockwood, who continues in his role as Chairman for a third year. Master of the Burton Hunt and a former High Sheriff of Lincolnshire, he runs the family property company, Castle Square Developments, alongside the family farm.
The £7m EPIC Centre at the Lincolnshire Showground was opened three years ago, providing a conference and events facility, capable of hosting conferences, balls and seminars, and is designed also as an educational resource and state-of-the-art events centre for up to 1,900 people.
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Karen Malpass at Lincolnshire Events Centre in Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
kmalpass@lincs-events.co.uk – 01522 585504
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.