THE new president of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society is Mr Peter Smith, a society member for more than 40 years.

He received his staff of office from Lord Gisborough, retiring president, in an informal ceremony at the Great Yorkshire showground in Harrogate.

Mr Smith farms at Barnburgh Grange, High Melton, near Doncaster, and joined the society when he was 18. He was first elected to the society's council, representing South Yorkshire, in 1979. Two years later he became a member of the executive committee, then vice-chairman in 1998.

A former West Riding County NFU chairman, he is the present county treasurer and a local director of the NFU Mutual insurance company. He is also chairman of the Askham Bryan college corporation.

Mr Smith was delighted with his new position, particularly as farmers were going through such a traumatic time.

"In the short term, there is a definite need for us to act as a catalyst and an enabler within the industry, primarily to help bring together the many interests within the countryside," he said. "There is a tremendous repair job which needs to be done and I would like to see the society taking an active part in this."

He believed the society was well placed to take on such a role. "We have excellent facilities at the showground, we have a good reputation within the region and have many contacts in the industry," Mr Smith said.

In the past the YAS had supported initiatives, such as machinery rings, in their early stages and they had proved successful and of great value to the rural community.

l The 2002 Great Yorkshire Show takes place between July 9 and 11