I’ve been with Cranswick since 2017, but my entire career to date has been focused on driving sustainable change within agriculture. I’m especially passionate about soil health – it’s one of the most important factors in farming and a key part of my job is ensuring the long-term soil resilience we need to keep on growing food. And we’re making a difference. At Wayland Farms – our Norfolk-based outdoor-reared pig business – for example, we routinely increase soil organic matter under our outdoor breeding units by 10% over a two year period. In addition, we are now carbon mapping a percentage of our fields using the latest technology.

My role is extremely varied though, and I’m also closely involved in the research and development that goes on within livestock virus management. I’m particularly proud of a project we’re working on involving rapid blood diagnostics. This kind of innovation means the health and welfare of our animals continues to underpin everything Cranswick and our Second Nature strategy stand for.

I’d love to see the government give sustainable agriculture more consideration in the future. Writing food security into the new agriculture bill would be a good start, as well as taking steps to increase the UK’s self-sufficiency. Let’s put a renewed focus on seasonal fruit and vegetables, for example. But in the meantime, it’s important that we continue to work collaboratively as an industry, driving positive change at every opportunity.

Ash, Director of Agricultural Strategy