Tributes paid to 'highly influential' NFU leader Sir Ben Gill
Shropshire's business and farming communities have paid tribute to a "hugely influential" former NFU leader who died this week.
Sir Ben Gill, who was president of the NFU during the BSE crisis in the late 1990s and at the beginning of the new century, died after a long illness.
More recently, while based in Herefordshire, he had also played a founding role in the development of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, the body set up to develop trade in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Herefordshire.
He was vice-chairman of the board until stepping down at the end of last year.
Chairman Graham Wynn said: "Ben's insight and deep understanding of the farming and agriculture sector and visitor economy was of great value to the LEP and he made an enormous contribution to these causes.
"I very much valued his wise counsel. Never backwards in coming forwards, Ben was a champion for rural communities across the Marches and they, and we, will miss him greatly. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time."
John Mercer, NFU West Midlands regional director, also paid tribute, adding: "Sir Ben Gill was a hugely influential and respected figure within British agriculture and made a lasting contribution to our industry.
"He served agriculture through a number of influential positions, culminating in his time as NFU president and his legacy will be felt for generations.
"Shropshire farmers and those across the West Midlands will remember him with great fondness and he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
"Our thoughts and condolences go to his family at this difficult time."
Mr Gill was president during the BSE and foot and mouth crises of the late 1990s and early 2000s, and called for reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy in 2003. He was appointed a CBE in 1996 and knighted in 2004.
He was also president of the Confederation of European Agriculture from 2000 to 2004 and a member of the executive committee of the World Body: International Federation of Agricultural Producers.
In 2005 he chaired the government's biomass task force, and he was chairman of Visit Herefordshire.
