NEWS RELEASE – Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
6 November 2013
Industry ‘Champions’ to support new skills strategy
They include a beef farmer from Gloucestershire, the associate director of agriculture at McCain
Foods, a Cornish dairy farmer, an award-winning pig manager from North Yorkshire and a visiting
lecturer at the School of Horticulture, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, in Kew.
They are the first ‘Skills Champions’ (see below) selected from across the agriculture spectrum to
help deliver a new cross-industry skills strategy due to be launched at a high level skills summit in
London, today (Charing Cross Hotel – Weds 6 November 2pm).
The strategy has been driven by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and
championed by the cross-industry AgriSkills Forum. It is the levy board’s response to
recommendations, made in the recently unveiled Agri-Tech Strategy, the Future of Farming
Review and by the Farming Regulation Taskforce, for AHDB to lead a more coordinated approach
to skills development and the attainment of greater industry professionalism.
Aimed at promoting lifelong learning and skills on a cross-industry scale, the strategy launch is
being supported with key presentations by the National Farmers Union (NFU), leading industry
skills bodies Landex (Land Based Colleges Aspiring to Excellence) and LANTRA (UK Sector Skills
Council for land-based and environmental industries), as well as AHDB and government.
These industry leaders will be supported by the Skills Champions in launching the strategy and
promoting its delivery on the ground. These Champions include:
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Paul Westaway
Runs the 230-head Melview Farming business in Gloucestershire, with his wife Kirsty. They have a
herd of Pedigree Aberdeen Angus and also finish Angus/Holstein Friesian heifers and pure Holstein
bulls on contract to Blade Farming. Prior to farming, Paul gained extensive experience in the supply
chain as a butcher and in the breeding industry.

Graham Finn
Graham is policy advisor - agriculture for McCain Foods Ltd. Graham is passionate about getting
new entrants engaged in the potato industry and has strong links with a supply chain that
encompasses 300 UK potato producers.

Andrew Brewer
Andrew has more than 600 spring calving cows on his 290ha family farm near St Columb, in
Cornwall. He also grows fodder beet. Andrew is known for his use of discussion groups, strategic
business planning workshops run by AHDB’s dairy division (DairyCo) and overseas travel to
continually grow his business.

Tony Wright
Manager at Shedden Farms, North Yorkshire. This inspirational pig manager was yesterday
presented with the BPEX 2013 Trainee of the Year Award at a House of Commons reception. Tony
also received a special Student of the Year Award, earlier this year, on graduating from the BPEX
Professional Manager’s Development Scheme.

Martin Emmett
Martin is currently visiting lecturer at the School of Horticulture, Royal Botanic Gardens, in Kew. He
is also part-time director of Binsted Nursery and Walberton Nursery and runs a horticultural training
consultancy.
The AgriSkills Forum management group finalised the strategy and its five delivery work streams
following wide consultation with the industry, which was overseen by AHDB during August and
September.
“Agri-food is now seen by government and others as one of the UK’s key drivers on the road to
economic recovery, not only feeding a growing population but also exporting home-grown products
all over the world,” said management group chairman Richard Longthorp.
“This new-found economic importance is characterised by farm businesses and professionals that
are vibrant, dynamic, driven by science, technology and innovation and, most critically, are highly
skilled and motivated.
“Our Skills Champions will play a key role in helping us come together as a united industry to
promote the importance of skills and industry wide professionalism so that we can continue to
attract bright new entrants who demand an exciting and fulfilling career.”
AHDB Chief Executive Tom Taylor pointed to the critical role to be played by partnership working if
the strategy is to deliver the skills needed by the food and farming industry in the 21st Century:
“Looking across the supply chain and beyond to the training and knowledge specialists, the Skills
Councils, regulators and government, it’s vital that all parties work together to make this new industry
vision of professionalism come to life to serve both the industry and the public well into the future.”

Please find a copy of the skills strategy attached
Notes to editors

Key speakers at the skills summit launch (Wed 6 November) will include:
John Godfrey
Richard Longthorp
Lord de Mauley
Adam Quinney
Chris Moody
Valerie Owen
Tom Taylor

Chairman, AHDB
Chairman, Agri-Skills Forum management group
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for natural environment & science
Vice President, NFU
Chief Executive, Landex
Chair, Lantra
Chief Executive, AHDB
The five delivery work streams highlighted in the skills strategy are:
 The recognition of existing skills and skills development activities
 The promotion of skills development as being central to business improvement and the principle
of professionalism
 Using skills development opportunities and professionalism to promote the industry as an
attractive place to work
 Lead the industry on the skills development agenda to meet the challenges of the future
 Support Defra and BIS in engaging with other government departments
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The AgriSkills Forum Management Group includes representatives from AHDB, NFU, Lantra,
Landex, NFYFC, Defra, RASE, City and Guilds Land-based Services and the Institute of Agricultural
Management
Lantra is the UK’s Sector Skills Council for land-based and environmental industries
Landex – Land Based Colleges Aspiring to Excellence – is a subscriber organisation with 42
member colleges and universities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
The National Farmers Union champions British farming and provides professional representation
and services to its Farmer and Grower members. It is the largest farming organisation in the UK,
providing a strong, respected and independent voice for the industry
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is an evidence-based levy board
with a pivotal role to make the industry sectors it supports more competitive and sustainable. It
undertakes research and development (R&D) and farm-level knowledge transfer (KT) and
knowledge exchange (KE) activity. It also provides essential market information to improve supply
chain transparency, delivers marketing promotion activities to help stimulate demand and also works
to maintain and develop export markets.
Media enquiries contact Jeremy Waterfield on 0247 6478890 or 07801 418952 or
jeremy.waterfield@ahdb.org.uk
www.ahdb.org.uk @AHDB01