FOR only the second time in a 100 year history – a female has been appointed the new chairman of YoungsRPS Northumbria and Cumbria Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) branch.

Newly-appointed chairman Emma Smith has worked with YoungsRPS since 2010 as Rural Chartered Surveyor with the company, along with taking on the role of vice-chairman in 2018.

She will take the position of chairman for the next 12 months.

Emma grew up on her family farm near Alnwick, before studying at rural enterprise and land management at Harper Adams University.

“For the agricultural industry especially, the next 12 months is going to be a time of uncertainty and change.” Emma said. “It is going to be vital therefore that our members are briefed on developments to ensure that we can continue to give our clients the most appropriate advice for their circumstances.

“It has been a while since there was a woman as chairman – I am the only second female to take up this mantle.

“I am very much looking forward to my term, and my aim is to support our members to help to guarantee that they are kept informed through helping to organise our members’ events.

“I very strongly believe that the CAAV is an extremely important organisation for the rural industry at all levels. Not only is it very supportive and accessible to us as valuers, it is heavily involved from a lobbying and legislative perspective with Brexit, the NFU and the Government at the very highest of levels.

“In providing a supportive, networking and informative platform for its members, and the intelligence which it supplies us with from the government, we ourselves can then utilise, to offer timely advice to our own clients.”