Our institute is dedicated to building a sustainable, resilient, and healthy future for agriculture by delivering world‑leading research that spans from lab, to field, to farm. Our research helps make food healthier — whether by adding beneficial nutrients, removing harmful compounds, or finding new ways to produce essential ingredients. We also work to ensure everyone can access good‑quality food by improving staple crops and supporting farming in challenging environments. At the same time, we’re helping agriculture adapt to climate change by developing nature‑friendly ways to grow food, reducing reliance on chemicals, and preparing crops and farming systems for the pressures ahead. Our goal is simple: better food, better farming, and a better future for all.
Rothamsted Research is the oldest continually operating agricultural research station in the world. Its foundation dates from 1843 when John Bennet Lawes, the owner of the Rothamsted estate, appointed the chemist Joseph Henry Gilbert as his scientific collaborator. Find out more about our fascinating history.
