Tim, who farms 240 hectares of potatoes, also grows crops on 400 hectares of his farm.
He said: “I’m delighted to have been elected as the chair of the Potato Forum and I look forward to working with the rest of the Forum on key issues facing the sector.
"Like other sectors, potato growers are facing significantly rising costs and it’s essential we continue to work within the NFU and with government to ensure these are recognised in government and across the supply chain.
"Potato growers are facing significantly rising costs and it’s essential we continue to work within the NFU and with government to ensure these are recognised in government and across the supply chain."
Tim Rooke, NFU Potato Forum chair
Edward Backhouse elected vice chair
Edward Backhouse, a Yorkshire potato and arable grower, has been elected as vice chair.
He mainly grows 80 hectares of main crop potatoes to sell through a number of merchants to fish and chip shops, and grows on a combination of owned land, permanent rented, contract farmed and single crop rented land.
Following his election Edward commented: “Having already been on the Potato Policy Group for four years, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to represent the potato sector and the chipping trade in particular, and so I’m delighted to have been appointed as vice chair.
“With so many challenges and opportunities facing potato growers I am looking forward to helping steer the direction of the group for a sustainable and resilient future for growers.”
More about the NFU Potato Forum
The NFU Potato Forum meets every six months and has regular email and video call contact throughout the year.
It addresses key policy priority areas and reacts quickly to issues affecting the potato sector.
Links with the NFU's Horticulture and Potatoes Board
The NFU Potato Forum works alongside the NFU's national Horticulture and Potatoes Board and has a critical role in shaping NFU policies that impact on potato growers.
Whether it is crop protection or Brexit changes, or tackling the impacts of the Ukraine crisis, the NFU Potato Forum helps identify the issues affecting members and creates a plan of action to address them.
The Forum also has the opportunity to input into national policy through the Horticulture and Potatoes Board, with both the chair and vice chair of the Forum currently sitting on the national board.