JAMES Graham, development director of the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society, is to succeed Ed Rainy Brown as chief executive.

Brown is joining the National Farmers' Union of Scotland to head its executive team.

Graham is an honours graduate in agriculture and food marketing from Newcastle University.

He joined the SAOS, the umbrella organisation for agricultural co-ops in Scotland, in 1986 after three years in the farm supply trade with West Cumberland Farmers.

''I see a vital and increasing role for SAOS,'' he said yesterday.

''At this time of unprecedented financial crisis in our industry the SAOS team of specialists is clearly focused on helping farmers and their co-op businesses to achieve added value and extra efficiencies through co-operation and innovation.''