Pulses UK, the trade association representing the processors and users of British-produced pulses, announced its new president and vice president at its annual meeting earlier this month.
James Maguire, sales manager and product manager for SBU special crops at KWS-UK, has been named as the new president having previously served as vice president since 2019. He succeeds Lewis Cottey, pulse trader at ADM Agriculture.
Taking the role of vice president is Micahel Shuldham, commercial assistant at LS Plant Breeding. Barry Reed will remain as treasurer for a further term.
Mr Maguire said: “With demand for plant-based protein rapidly gaining traction and offering the industry sustainable crop options in peas and beans, I am delighted to have been elected as president for Pulses UK during this period and am grateful to be able to represent our members at an important time for British farming.
“Lewis has done a fantastic job acting on behalf of the association’s 51 member companies to secure a brighter future for the industry during a period of intense upheaval and uncertainty.
“The role of Pulses UK over the next two years will be communicating the value of pulses in the rotation and capitalising on increasing demand for domestically-produced protein.
“I firmly believe that pulses play an integral role in realising policy-makers’ environmental ambitions and we will be working to promote pulses as a healthy, high-protein and high-fibre product, made at home within more sustainable agri-food systems.”