The Pasture-Fed Livestock Association (PFLA) has appointed Dr Steve Webster as its first Chief Executive. He has been tasked with leading the organisation as it scales up production and consumption of certified 100% grass-fed beef, lamb and dairy in the UK.

Established as a not-for-profit community interest company in 2011, the PFLA has developed the registered ‘Pasture for Life’ Certification Mark and built a membership of more than 300 – mostly farmers, to which it provides a range of services.

Dr Webster has more than 25 years experience of working within agriculture, and for the past 12 years has run Delta-innovation, a specialist agri-food consultancy focused on strategy, policy development, communications and knowledge transfer.

Speaking about the appointment, Dr Webster said he is looking forward to working with the enthusiastic people, many of them volunteers, who have driven the organisation from small beginnings to the success it is today.

“The stories and messages surrounding the ‘Pasture for Life’ brand are all so positive and we should be spreading them far and wide. We need consumers to recognise the health, animal welfare and environmental benefits of buying and eating 100% grass-fed meat, with the assurance of the Pasture for Life certification mark.

“By creating more public demand we can encourage more farmers to stop feeding grain to their animals and become certified ‘Pasture for Life’.

Welcoming Dr Webster to the team, PFLA chairman Dr John Meadley said:

“We look forward to working with Steve as we continue to build the identity of ‘Pasture for Life’, the market for both certified meat and dairy products, the farming system which underwrites it and the membership that makes it happen.

“Employing Steve is a significant investment for the PFLA, but we are at a stage where we need a high level, strategic thinker to generate game-changing results.

“Steve’s experience, knowledge, enthusiasm and contacts will be invaluable as we move to the next level. At a time when the search is on to find truly sustainable farm practices, ‘Pasture for Life’ ticks all the boxes – it produces healthy food, which is environmentally and animal-friendly while being financially rewarding for farmers. Now is the time to promote these good things and we are sure that Steve will help us to achieve that.”

Russ Carrington, who has been Executive Secretary of the PFLA since 2011, will continue on the team, with a greater focus on developing the opportunities for certified ‘Pasture for Life’ products.

Dr Webster started on 9 January 2017 and will be based at the PFLA offices at Farm491 adjacent to the Royal Agricultural University at Cirencester, Gloucestershire.