AHDB has appointed Adrian James to the role of Knowledge Exchange Manager for Cereals in Scotland.

Mr James will now work with cereal growers to improve their technical and business practices and deliver the AHDB Farm Excellence programme across the country.

Adrian grew up on a mixed farm in Hertfordshire and studied agriculture at Walford College in Shropshire. Initially, he worked on a farm in mid-Wales before progressing to an estate manager position for two large agricultural estates in Sussex and Kent, which both featured a mix of livestock and cereal crops.

In 2018, he relocated to Scotland, with his Fife-born wife, and worked for three years as a contract assessor for SQC and QMS, where he determined whether cereal and livestock farms met the standards of the schemes. This experience gave Adrian extensive knowledge of the geography and agricultural zones across Scotland.

Director of AHDB Scotland, Paul Flanagan, said: “We are delighted to welcome Adrian to the Scottish team. He brings with him a great deal of experience and his appointment as Knowledge Exchange Manager for Cereals gives us a renewed focus on the arable sector and will strengthen our engagement with levy payers and stakeholders.”

Adrian added: “I look forward to deepening my knowledge and understanding of the unique challenges that farming in Scotland presents. AHDB’s wealth of resources can support farmers and help them prepare for the massive changes that lie ahead and make the most of the opportunities that are coming. I’m looking forward to working with cereal growers across Scotland and hope to meet some of them at Arable Scotland in July."