Agri-Food and Rural

Overview

Our Agri-Food and Rural Business Group was established to support and develop individuals and rural businesses to service the needs of the Agri-Food industry, addressing key economic opportunities and challenges within the county.

The group is aligned with the government strategic initiative of efficiently producing sustainable food, in addition to maximising business productivity and profitability, whilst striving for net zero. Ultimately, enabling a positive economic impact for Gloucestershire.

Purpose

1. Supporting sustainable rural businesses with their growth potential, access to workforce and their innovation goals; identifying areas of opportunity and support from associated organisations.
2. To assist in the implementation of the Local Industrial Strategy’s Agri-tech strand with other business groups and the Inward Investment teams.

Terms of Reference

• Collaborate with rural food and farming organisations to ensure links with farming, food production and rural community development are sustained.
• Provide support and guidance for farmers via county institutions on the replacement of European funding with the basic payment scheme and ELMS.
• Develop the sub-groups: Business, Support and Innovation, and Rural Skills Development to support diversified rural businesses, identifying areas for funding, and to work with education establishments to identify skills gaps within the food and farming industries.
• Promote the Gloucestershire Food and Farming Partnership and the opportunities this offers communities: food education, community engagement, health and wellbeing.
• Delivering on the aspirations of ‘Sustainable Food Places’ where healthy and sustainable food is a characteristic of the county.
• Work with key stakeholders in the county to promote the role food and farming can play surrounding food origins, diet, public health and wellbeing and value of food and the rural economy.

Click here to download a copy of the Gloucestershire Agri-Food Rural Navigation Network Report.

Group Members

Chair: Claire Whitworth – Deputy Principal, Further Education, Hartpury College

Ben Compton – Partner and Team Manager of the Gloucester Rural Team, Bruton Knowles

David Crofts MRTPI – Trustee, Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)

Jenny Phelps – Senior Farm Environment Adviser and Glos Team Leader, The Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG)

Gill Reindl – Independent Consultant, Gill Reindl Consulting

Carey Ives – Policy Officer, Gloucestershire County Council

Chris Farr – Rural Adviser for the Southwest, Gloucestershire CLA

Barbara Pond – Head of Operations, Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC)

Ben Thompson – Agri-Tech Centre Manager, Hartpury University & College

Simon King – Head of External Business Relations, Hartpury University & College

Charles Mann – Organic Farmer, Oxleaze Farm

Currently vacant – National Farmers Union (NFU)

Dr Nigel Stone – Head of Business Innovation and Skills, Royal Agricultural University

Janet Dwyer – Professor of Rural Policy, Countryside & Community Research Institute (CCRI), University of Gloucestershire

Jonathan Powell – Relationship Manager, Agribusiness, Virgin Money