Sir Robert Goodwill has been elected the new chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) following Neil Parish's resignation.
Sir Robert, who had a brief stint as farming minister in 2019, will take up the new position with immediate effect and serve to the end of the current parliament.
It follows the resignation of EFRA's previous chair Neil Parish, who resigned as an MP after admitting he watched pornography twice in parliament.
Sir Robert, who is MP for Scarborough and Whitby, fought off challenges from Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Dr Neil Hudson, Anthony Mangnall and Derek Thomas.
MPs voted by ranking candidates in order of preference and votes were counted under the alternative vote system.
A working farmer, Sir Robert farms 250-acres at Terrington near Malton, where his family have farmed since 1850.
He describes himself as a 'staunch Eurosceptic', and even served as a Yorkshire Conservative Member of the European Parliament between 1999 and 2004.
More recently, in March 2019, he was appointed farming minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
"I am delighted to have been elected Chair of this important committee," Sir Robert said.
"I hope my experience as a working farmer and as a former agriculture minister will mean I can hit the ground running.”
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) welcomed the new appointment, saying Sir Robert would 'bring a wealth of experience to the role'.
"He takes the chair at a time of unprecedented uncertainty for farmers and rural businesses," said CLA president Mark Tufnell.
"With the agricultural transition, rampant inflation, deepening concerns over food security and a rural economy unnecessarily weakened by poor policy-making at times, his in-tray will no doubt be full.
"Government needs holding to account, and we wish him well in this important position.”
