University's Future Farm welcomes new Director

Posted Today

Harper Adams University’s on-campus Future Farm has welcomed a new director to drive forwards its commercial, research and teaching work.

Paul Kelly, who began his role at the start of June, has joined Harper Adams after a series of roles managing farms with a strong focus on the dairy sector.

He will be responsible for the development of the farm, which operates as a fully commercial enterprise while also supporting applied research carried out by the University’s academics and the varied teaching requirements across its suite of courses.

He joins Harper Adams from the University of Cambridge, where he served as Dairy Farm Manager.

His work at Cambridge saw him work to ensure the farm was a high-quality teaching resource for the Department of Veterinary Medicine, supporting the education and training of future veterinarians – while also demonstrating best practice in animal welfare and maintaining and enhancing the farm’s conservation value.

Originally from Lockerbie, Paul has three decades of dairy farming experience as well as serving as a farm manager for 13 years – including at SRUC, Scotland’s Rural College.

He will now be responsible for the 494-hectare Future Farm – which includes dairy, beef, sheep pigs and arable enterprises, and which has won a series of industry awards.

Paul said: “I am extremely grateful to Harper Adams University for giving me the opportunity to be the Director of the Future Farm.

“Everyone has been very welcoming in my first couple of weeks, allowing me to find my way around and settle into this role.

“I am very excited about working with the team here at Harper Adams - I am looking forward to helping the farm develop further in its work on teaching and learning, knowledge transfer, and research - as well as maintaining the farm as a sustainable commercial enterprise.”

As Director of the Harper Adams Future Farm, Paul will also be working closely to ensure it sets an example for other farms to follow as an enterprise that is ecologically sound, socially responsible – and also economically viable.

The University’s 2030 strategy commits the institution to becoming an exemplar institution for farms and food producers in the drive to environmental and organisational sustainability – with the Future Farm at the heart of much of this work.

Through its work, and that of other departments such as the School of Sustainable Food and Farming, it’s intended the farm will help organisations across the sector to access innovations and understand new approaches which will support their own path to Net Zero.

Harper Adams University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Lee, said: “I am delighted to welcome Paul to Harper Adams and Future Farm.

“The recruitment process was extremely thorough, which I thank everyone involved, and Paul has shined throughout, impressing colleagues from across Professional Service, Technical, Academic, and most importantly the Future Farm team themselves during the process.

“I am extremely proud of the Future Farm team and their achievements over the last few years as we continue our journey towards sustainable Net Zero and realising our 2030 strategy commitment.

“I know Paul will continue the excellent work and I look forward to working with him and seeing the continual development of our amazing farm.”