FARMWAY Ltd has appointed a new director. He is John Reynolds (pictured right) who is believed to be its first non-executive board member not directly involved in farming.

An agricultural graduate of Harper Adams College, he joined the ICI agricultural division and became a business director in the petrochemicals division.

Mr Reynolds, who lives in Thornton le Moor, Northallerton, also played a leading role in negotiating the transfer of the fertiliser and industrial chemicals business to overseas buyers.

He is involved in a number of commercial and charitable activities, the main one being his chairmanship of First 4 Farming, an agriculture-based e-commerce company supported by many of the country's leading agri-businesses.

In welcoming Mr Reynolds to the board, John Hutchinson, Farmway chairman, said the prolonged depression in agriculture had put enormous pressure on the ancillary industries with many businesses struggling to survive.

"John's in-depth knowledge of the farm supplies industry, coupled with his current involvement in agriculture-related information technology will be a great asset," he said