THE man who has helped steer Britain's agricultural industry through some of its most troubled times has decided to step down.

Sir Ben Gill, who farms at Hawkhills, near Easingwold, in North Yorkshire, became president of the National Farmers' Union in 1998.

He has now decided to step down and will not be putting himself forward for re-election when members cast their votes next February.

Sir Ben, who was knighted in the Queen Birthday Honours for services to agriculture, has spent his working life in the industry.

Before taking the reins at the NFU, he served as the union's deputy president, vice- president and livestock chairman.

During his time in charge he has had to deal with the disasters of BSE and foot-and-mouth as well as one of the most economically testing times the industry has had to face.

However, he said he feels the time has come for someone else to make their mark on the industry's future.

"I have been enormously proud to have served as president. It has been a testing and demanding time," he said yesterday.

"But I believe we are now reaching a watershed. The hard-won reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy should soon start to deliver benefits. The weakening of the pound is bringing relief to some sectors.

"The NFU itself has undergone the radical changes necessary to make it an organisation fit to fight for farmers' interests into the 21st Century.

"There are still enormous challenges ahead, but I believe it is now time for me to stand aside and allow council to select a new person to stamp his or her mark on the future."

Sir Ben, who is 53, runs a 360-acre mixed farm at Hawkhills which has been farmed by his family for three generations.