NFYFC elected John Lee OBE DL as its President at the Annual General Meeting in April 2024.
John has been involved with Young Farmers’ Clubs since he was 16 years old, starting out as a member of Newton St Cyres YFC in Devon.
He progressed through the organisation in club and county roles before chairing the Agriculture and Finance committees of NFYFC before becoming Chair of NFYFC’s Council.
John grew up on the family’s beef, sheep and cereals farm in Devon and enjoyed the Public Speaking competitions when he was a member of YFC.
After roles in club, county and at area levels, John went on to be NFYFC’s Chair of Council.
Later it was Lord Henry Plumb, a former President of NFYFC and the European Parliament that encouraged and mentored him to get involved in European agri-politics. He was later elected as the first (and only) President of the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) from England and Wales.
John has also been Chairman of the European Exchange Programme on behalf of the European Commission and a member of the Common Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee too. This is in addition to many roles in the South West and nationally, including Chair of the Rural Youth Trust, former chair and now Trustee of The Farmers Club and an NFYFC Trustee.
John said:
"This is the only organisation I have been involved in where the power comes upwards – it is the Young Farmers’ Clubs that are the foundation of the organisation and that is the great strength of YFC. It is an organisation that develops people’s skills or gives them opportunities to develop them, and I am looking forward to helping champion that as well as supporting our NFYFC officers.”
