RASE Farm of the Future

Unlocking the power of soil with Jade Prince

In this conversation, Jade Prince, head of soils at Hutchinson's, discusses the critical role of soil health in agriculture, the importance of knowledge exchange among farmers, and the innovative research and technologies being developed to enhance soil management practices. Jade shares insights from her upcoming Nuffield research on soil biological analysis and emphasizes the need for collaboration between researchers and farmers to effectively implement scientific findings in practical farming.

Circular farming systems with Charlie Steer

In this conversation, Charlie Steer, an arable manager at Grosvenor Farms, discusses the principles and practices of circular farming systems. He emphasizes the importance of sustainable agriculture, nutrient management, and the integration of biodiversity and water management. Charlie shares insights on the evolution of farming practices, the economic viability of circular systems, and the significance of soil health. He also highlights the mindset shift occurring in agriculture towards more resource-efficient practices and offers advice for farmers looking to implement circular systems.

Cover cropping with Toby Simpson

In this conversation, Toby Simpson discusses his experiences and insights on cover cropping in agriculture, focusing on its benefits for soil health, resilience, and biodiversity. He shares his journey from traditional farming practices to adopting cover crops and no-till systems, highlighting the importance of experimentation and learning from global practices. The discussion also touches on community engagement, innovative practices, and the need for policy support to encourage sustainable farming methods.

Solving Staffing in Ag: What we've learnt

For this episode we’re looking back upon series two of RASE Farm of the Future Podcast. Host Iory is joined by series producer Natasha Smith for a reflection upon some of the key takeaways from the series. They share their thoughts on recruitment in the farming industry today, their learnings from Iory’s conversations with guests throughout the series and the concepts and ideas where they see real potential for change.
 
RASE Farm of the Future Podcast will return for a third series. If there are any particular topics you’d like to hear explored on the podcast, please do let us know by sending a message to any of RASE’s socials.
 
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For more information about recruiting, training and retaining great people and developing farming teams, find the Teams bitesize guide on the reports page of the Royal Agricultural Society of England website.

The basics that make a big difference

For this episode we’re joined by Paul Harris, founder and MD of Real Success Ltd. which offers recruitment consultancy, HR advice, succession planning and leadership training. Paul shares his ten foundation stones that underpin the recruitment process basics and outlines what farm businesses can do to ensure they’re hiring the very best people.
Paul speaks at a wide variety of major farming industry events, writes for Farmers Weekly and Farmers Guardian, and his latest book Happy Team, Happy Farm was a finalist in the Business Book of The Year 2024 Awards.
For more information about recruiting, training and retaining great people and developing farming teams, find the Teams bitesize guide on the reports page of the Royal Agricultural Society of England website
 

A formula for family business success

For this episode we are joined by Peter Craven, Head of Agriculture at Natural England, to focus on running a family business.
Peter, who has focused his career on helping others to succeed, provides simple and universal advice for navigating the complexities of running a family business, from family charters, crucial questions at the core of the business, to management, leadership, and succession.
Peter completed a Nuffield on how to turn a family farming business and from his findings is able to simplify an often intimidating topic that is close to home for many businesses in agriculture.
For more information about recruiting, training and retaining great people and developing farming teams, find the Teams bitesize guide on the reports page of the Royal Agricultural Society of England website.

How to become a farming employer of choice

For this episode we’re joined by Richard Hooper, director of The Future Farm at Harper Adams University, which provides teaching and research of mixed farming operations across arable, pigs, sheep, poultry, beef and dairy over its 493 hectares, whilst operating as a commercial farm.
Richard is also an agricultural management specialist with over three decades of experience. He’s a Nuffield scholar and has proven track record in improving all aspects of unit production. In this episode Richard shares his views on ways in which an agricultural business can be a great employer.
For more information about recruiting, training and retaining great people and developing farming teams, find the Teams bitesize guide on the reports page of the Royal Agricultural Society of England website.

Inspiring the next generation of dairy entrepreneurs

For this episode we’re joined by Ifan Roberts, a contract dairy farmer originally from North Wales, who brings a sense of positivity when talking about dairy farming. His mission is to openly share the positives of his experiences as a dairy farmer, through his Nuffield report to help inspire others into the sector.
 
Ifan’s experience of dairy farming has surpassed his expectations leaving college, where he was led to expect real hardship and challenges. His upcoming Nuffield report shares how different approaches and mindsets from around the world, including in New Zealand, can help inspire those interested in the industry, and bring about a change in communication that is far more positive about the dairy industry.
 
For more information about recruiting, training and retaining great people and developing farming teams, find the Teams bitesize guide on the reports page of the Royal Agricultural Society of England website.

Why everyone needs a mentor

For this episode we’re joined by Helen Wyman, founder of TwoCan Mentor, a company that connects individuals across the food, farm and horticultural ecosystems, to pass on knowledge and skills. Helen’s belief is that everyone in the ag industry needs a mentor.
Helen’s excellent understanding of both the industry and the people working within it stems from her work in farming and renewables sectors, as well as her 2022 Nuffield scholarship in which she explored how mentoring can bring positive change in agriculture.
For more information about recruiting, training and retaining great people and developing farming teams, find the Teams bitesize guide on the reports page of the Royal Agricultural Society of England website.
 
 

Leadership starts with you

For this episode host Iory Hughes is joined by Chris Manley, founder of consultancy Traction Limited, which leads sustainability strategies and supply chain initiatives for some of the UK’s biggest retailers including M&S, Müller, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Chris did a Nuffield Scholarship in which he researched what great leadership looks like in farming teams.
Chris is also the pioneer of Walk With Me, a mental health campaign which encourages farmers and others in the rural community to open up through the simple act of walking and talking. Chris’ mission in his work is to champion people first leadership to build stronger and more sustainable food systems.
This episode is about what truly excellent leadership looks like on a farm, and how it can enrich the lives and work of everyone working on farms.
For more information about recruiting, training and retaining great people and developing farming teams, find the Teams bitesize guide on the reports page of the Royal Agricultural Society of England website.