Sophie Throup has been appointed as the next Director General of the NFU and will succeed Terry Jones when he steps down in the spring.
Throup will join the NFU from Myton Food Group, where she has held the position of Senior Director since 2023. Her background includes experience across manufacturing, processing and retail supply chains. She previously served as Head of Agriculture at Morrisons and has also worked in non-executive and advisory roles, including with Defra through the Trade and Agriculture Commission.
Her career began in the veterinary sector, where she spent around a decade before moving into roles linked to food production and agricultural policy. Throup comes from a mixed farm in Yorkshire producing milk, arable crops and free-range eggs, which has informed her professional involvement in agriculture.
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In recent years, Throup was involved in the establishment of the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University. The initiative was developed in partnership with Morrisons, the NFU and McDonald's and focuses on research, training and practical support linked to sustainable farming systems.
Commenting on her appointment, Throup said: "It is an honour and a privilege to have the opportunity to lead the NFU and take this great organisation forward with energy, commitment and a clear vision for its future. With our family farming back home in Yorkshire, my roots have always been in agriculture, and I know how important this period of change is for the sector. I am a great believer in strength in unity, something the NFU has at its core, and I'm looking forward to working with and listening to our members to help make a positive difference for farming in England and Wales."
NFU President Tom Bradshaw confirmed the appointment and thanked outgoing Director General Terry Jones for his service. Jones has held the role for the past ten years and will step down in the coming months.
Bradshaw said Throup's experience across the food supply chain and animal health sector would be relevant as the organisation enters a new phase. He also acknowledged Jones's role in leading the NFU during a period that included policy change, market disruption, and shifting trade conditions.
Further details on the timing of the transition are expected to be confirmed ahead of Jones's departure.
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