Leading figures linked to the British food and farming industry have been recognised in the King's 2025 New Year's Honours List.
Former NFU Dairy Board chair Michael Oakes has been recognised for his services to British dairy farming.
Mr Oakes has held various roles at the NFU, serving as Worcestershire county chair, West Midlands Regional Board chair and NFU Council delegate.
At a national level, he sat on the NFU Dairy Board for nearly 14 years, two as vice chair and eight as chair.
Current Dairy Board chair Paul Tompkins said Mr Oakes was a long-term advocate for British dairy, helping to ensure the sector had a strong, resilient future.
He added that Mr Oakes was a key driving force behind a number of high-profile issues impacting the sector.
"None more so than helping to get legislation laid in parliament to ensure fair and transparent contracts for all UK dairy farmers," Mr Tompkins said.
“Michael also worked tirelessly on the Dairy Roadmap, helped set up the Dairy Export Taskforce, fought for support funding for dairy producers during Covid and has always been instrumental in raising awareness of mental health.”
Meanwhile, a Northamptonshire farmer who established the UK's first seed-to-bottle cold-pressed rapeseed oil has also been named in the New Year Honours list.
Duncan Farrington from Wellingborough, has been appointed MBE for services to agriculture and the food and drink industry.
Mr Farrington created Mellow Yellow in 2005 and in 2020 it became the first food product to be certified by the UN as plastic- and carbon-neutral.
Other leading industry figures on the New Year Honours list include Amanda Carson, who was the former leader of the small ruminant expert group at the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
And Kate Clifford, director of the Rural Community Network, has been awarded an MBE for services to rural communities.
