Meat Management is saddened to report that National Farmers’ Union (NFU) livestock board chair David Barton has passed away.
David was born and raised on his family farm near Cirencester in the Cotswolds, where he farmed a beef suckler herd. The farm has been in his family for five generations.
He was first elected as chair of the NFU livestock board in 2024 after being vice chair from 2022-24 and was re-elected chair in the spring of 2026 for another two-year post.
David reportedly passed away unexpectedly on his Gloucestershire farm on Thursday 16th July.
In a video message to NFU members, NFU president Tom Bradshaw said that David had been a “brilliant and passionate advocate” for the farming industry, highlighting his work on an eradication strategy for bovine tuberculosis and his ability to represent NFU members with “complete conviction”.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw stated: “The family of David Barton have shared the tragic news of his unexpected death.
“David was an incredibly passionate advocate for the farming sector, and his loss will be felt across the industry and beyond.
“Our thoughts are with the family and we are doing all we can to support them at this truly sad time. The family have asked for people to respect their privacy and give them the space they need.”
Most recently, David championed the Beef and Lamb Environmental Roadmap, which he said would make the sector more profitable by being more efficient and using best practice in order to improve productivity. He also urged Government to work with the sector to support the delivery of the Roadmap.
Tributes to David Barton and condolences can be shared on the Tribute to David Barton page.
