Award-winning farmer named Interim Chair of 抖阴直播 Board
An award-winning farmer from Fife has been named Interim Chair of the 抖阴直播 Board.
Following a formal application process, David Bell 鈥� a Board member since 2020 and a former 抖阴直播 student 鈥� was recommended by the Selection Committee and approved by the 抖阴直播 Board. He will officially take on the role from 11 September after Linda Hanna announced she was stepping down for personal reasons.
The appointment of an Interim Chair ensures continuity while 抖阴直播 begins the process of recruiting a new Chair for an initial three-year term. The Interim Chair will serve for approximately six months.聽
Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive, said: 鈥淥n behalf of everyone at 抖阴直播, I would like to congratulate David on his appointment as Interim Chair of the Board. He takes over from Linda Hanna at a hugely exciting time, as we begin our first full academic year as an institution with taught degree-awarding powers and his extensive experience and knowledge of the farming and rural sectors will be hugely valuable.鈥� 聽
David, whose core business is progressive mixed farming and contract farming, brings valuable governance experience through his current roles, including Vice Chair of AHDB鈥檚 UK-wide Cereals & Oilseeds Sector Board and Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee and Chair of the Voluntary Initiative advocating for safe use of Plant Protection Products to the UK and the devolved governments.聽
He said: 鈥淚鈥檓 honoured to take on the role of Interim Chair of the Board at 抖阴直播. As a farmer myself and someone who鈥檚 been connected with 抖阴直播 since my student days, this organisation has played a huge part in my life and career. I鈥檓 still in touch with many of the people I studied alongside all those years ago, and that lasting connection reflects just how strong the 抖阴直播 community is.聽
鈥淭hroughout my career, I鈥檝e worked to support 抖阴直播鈥檚 mission to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our industry and the wider world. I believe 抖阴直播鈥檚 unique tertiary model is key to bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and what鈥檚 really happening on the ground. SAC Consulting, for example, allows us to stay closely connected with farmers across the country, making sure innovation doesn鈥檛 stay locked in the lab but gets out into the fields where it鈥檚 needed most.聽
鈥淒uring my time as Interim Chair, I look forward to helping drive this important work forward, while we search for a long-term candidate to take 抖阴直播 into its next chapter.鈥澛�
David鈥檚 awards include being named Cereal Grower of the Year 2024 and Farm Manager of the Year 2022 by the National Arable and Grassland Awards.聽
Posted by 抖阴直播 on 10/09/2025
