Hazel Osborne Byford, Baroness Byford DBE (born 14 January 1941) is a Conservative member of the House of Lords. She was the Opposition Spokesman for Food, Farming and Rural Affairs from 1997 to 2007.
She is the daughter of Sir Cyril Osborne, Conservative MP for Louth, Lincolnshire from 1945 to 1969, and is a poultry farmer.
She was made a Life peer Baroness Byford, of Rothley in the County of Leicestershire in 1996,[1] and was also created a DBE.[2]
She is a Canon of Leicester Cathedral, President of LEAF and Leicestershire Clubs for Young People and an Associate Member of Royal Agricultural Societies. She is also a patron of several rural organisations: Women Food and Farming Union, National Farm Attractions Network, and the Institute of the Agricultural Secretaries and Administrators. In 2007, she was elected President of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers.[3] In 2008, she received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from Nottingham Trent University in recognition of her outstanding contribution and commitment to agriculture and rural life.
On 2 March 2010 she was elected to the Court of The Worshipful Company of Farmers.[4]