TWO local agricultural experts have been appointed to serve on the Independent Agricultural Appeals Panel.

Alongside 34 other new recruits, they will supplement 14 existing members whose terms have been extended for a further year.

New members John Lee and Christine Malseed have both been appointed for a three-year period from 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2017.

John Lee is a self-employed farmer and chairman of the Devon County Agricultural Association. He is a past chairman of SW Sustainable Farming & Food Strategy, member of European Commission Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Advisory Committee and High Sheriff of Devon in 2013/14.

Christine Malseed has farmed with her husband on a tenanted hill farm on Dartmoor for the last 30 years. She also runs her own rural business advisory service and is chairman of the local National Farmers Union (NFU) group.

Appeals panels meet to consider appeals from farmers and traders against decisions made by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) in administering the schemes that it operates. Farming Minister George Eustice then makes a final decision on each appeal taking account of the panel’s recommendations.

RPA Customer Director Justin Chamberlain said of the 36 new members: “These appointments strengthen our pool of panel members with a broad range of skills and backgrounds, so we are in the best place possible to consider appeals with due impartiality. “The Rural Payments Agency does its best to resolve complaints and appeals at an early stage, but inevitably there are some cases where we cannot agree with the complainant, who may well not accept our decision.

“The Independent Agricultural Appeals Panel provides an important avenue for these cases, bringing external independent expert consideration to cases.”