Raymond stood down due to the pressure of his commitments to the National Farmers Union (NFU), Red Tractor said. He is currently in the running to be named the new president of NFU, following Peter Kendall’s decision to stand down from the role after eight years.
Blenkiron, who is currently estate director on the Euston Estate in Suffolk, has been a member of the Assured Food Standards Beef and Lamb Sector board for the last four years.
Before this, he held roles within the NFU, Staffordshire Business Hub and West Midlands Confederation of Business Industry and Business Council.
Independent director
Meanwhile, Claire Nicholson has been appointed as the new independent director of Red Tractor to represent consumer interests.
The former Sainsbury director replaces Diane McCrea, who retired after completing the maximum six-year term.
She is a member of the Food Standards Agency’s Consumer Advisory Panel and Advisory Committee on Consumer Engagement as well as its Current and Future Meat Controls Stakeholder Group.
David Clarke, ceo of Red Tractor, said: “I am delighted to welcome Blenkiron and Nicholson to the board. Both are highly experienced individuals who will bring great depth of knowledge and experience to the team. I would also like to thank Raymond and McCrea for their invaluable contributions, advice and insight during their tenures.”
Meanwhile, earlier this month, Clarke told FoodManufacture.co.uk he expected a number of branded ready meal manufacturers and retailers to adopt the ‘made with’ Red Tractor logo to show that the ingredients in their products adhered with the scheme over the next couple of months.