William Cockbain

Biography

William Cockbain farms a large hill farm in the Lake District as part of a family partnership. He was the National Farmers’ Union’s National Uplands spokesman from 2004 until March 2012 when he stood down after 8 years.

In 2006 he was appointed as Defra’s North West Sustainable Food and Farming Champion, a position held until the end of March 2011. He chairs the new Rural and Farming Networks, for Cumbria, North and East Lancashire, and was made an Associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2008 for services to hill farming. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies in 2014.

Will has been appointed to the Natural England board until 31 March 2018.

Previous roles in government

  • Non-executive board member