Advisory services team up to give greater access
Two of the UK’S longest established advisory services are to join forces – with a formal agreement on collaboration between SRUC and ADAS offering countrywide access to their network of experts.
Established over 75 years ago, ADAS has a long history of involvement in international projects in a wide array of industries and public sector services while SRUC and its direct predecessors have been at the heart of Scotland’s Rural Economy for more than a century.
Announcing the move yesterday, the two organisations said that the new partnership would give farmers and the wider agri-business sector greater access to a broader base of independent advice backed by world-leading research and innovation.
Running alongside their existing independent services, SRUC and ADAS will pool their impact orientated research expertise to offer a Uk-wide agricultural and rural knowledge service for farmers, growers and all agricultural businesses.
Through the joint venture new and existing partners will be able to tap into the experts in ADAS and SRUC – which includes
SAC Consulting – and their specialist consultancy and diagnostic services, as well as education and training courses. It is also claimed that the partnership will provide a vehicle for more collaborative research.
The joint venture will operate in fields such as agriculture and climate change; soil health; synthesis of evidence to support policy development; data; ecological modelling and genomics; sustainable diets and food production systems; animal welfare; and sustainable food supply.
Amongst the new partnership’s priorities will be a new digital platform which will provide the shopfront to an independent source of knowledge, expertise, tools and services for the rural and food sectors, due to be launched in spring.
ADAS has 400 staff delivering in 60 specialist subjects across England and Wales. SRUC, through SAC Consulting, have 24 offices across Scotland and Northern England and offer a range of specialisms in soil nutrition, livestock and agronomy, branding and marketing of food products and analytical testing.
Colin Macewan, director of commercialisation and innovation with SRUC, said that the collaboration would allow access to a wealth of knowledge which would be of vital importance to the future of the UK’S food and farming industry:
“We are excited about the opportunity that this new and dynamic partnership will bring to support future farmingandfoodsystems.”
Jackie Evans, managing director, ADAS Agriculture and Land Management, said: “The venture will combine and enhance the strengths of both organisations, for the benefit of rural businesses.
“Both offer end-to-end services, with a wide array of industry-relevant skills and expertise, so this will be a comprehensive offering.
“We are excited to see where the venture takes us and welcome relevant enquiries from the rural and agricultural sectors.”