Farmer, United Kingdom and Chair at Global Farmer Network

I am a third-generation tenant farmer using conservation agriculture practices to grow wheat for seed, barley, canola, beans and rotational grass. The farm carries a 260-head cow-calf herd and manages a wide range of environmental habitat.

I have always had a passion for the science we apply and continually learn from. I’ve been involved in the UK government’s field-scale evaluation trials of GM crops, set up a group of EU farmers with a biotech interest and currently we are involved with on-farm trials with our bean crops.

The farm has played a role in educational access and offers young people apprenticeships and college placements, as I see demographics as the biggest challenge to our industry.

Off-farm, I have held commercial non-executive roles, was Vice President of the NFU, Chairman of the EU COPA-COGECA farming organisations cereals, oilseeds and protein group, and Chairman of the UK levy organisation for cereals and oilseeds. I am involved with the United Nations Environmental Project as co-facilitator of the Farmers Group and have just taken on the chairman’s position for the Global Farmers Network based in Des Moines.