Changes among the top team at SQC

There are changes afoot which will see a new leadership team at standard setting body Scottish Quality Cereals (SQC).

Ian Hain, long-serving company secretary, has stepped down to be replaced on a part-time basis by Alistair Ewan who will also continue in his present post as chief executive of Cupar-based vegetable group East of Scotland Growers.

There are further changes at board level with East Lothian farmer and former NFU Scotland cereal chairman Douglas Morrison announcing that he will step down as SQC chairman in January.

Laurencekirk farmer Andrew Moir, also a former NFUS cereals chairman and currently chairman of the Voluntary Initiative and an AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds board member, was elected to the SQC board on June 1.

It is expected that he will take over from Mr Morrison in January.

There are also changes at the head of SQC’s technical advisory committee. Former SAC Consulting cereals expert Dr David Cranstoun is standing down as chairman to be replaced by grain merchant Archi Lamont.

A recent chairman of supply industry body Agricultural Industries Confederation Scotland, Mr Lamont is an expert on contracts and dispute resolution.

SQC is to have a presence on the Acoura stand at the Royal Highland Show this week.

Acoura may be an unfamiliar name but it replaces Scottish Quality Farm Certification as the certifying body for Red Tractor Assurance, Freedom Foods and Safe Haven.

It also offers customers assessments for all of the Quality Meat Scotland and Scottish Quality Crops schemes.

Andrew Moir.