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ABOUT THE FARM PLATFORM

In order to feed the growing global population without damaging our planet’s environment, the world needs innovative solutions to unlock the potential of agricultural systems. Supported by UK Research and Innovation, the North Wyke Farm Platform ‘farm lab’ is a large-scale research facility to study the complete flow of nutrients from soil to food, with the clear and distinct aim of making farming a more sustainable endeavour.

The platform is composed of four self-contained farms, each of which is managed under a different operational philosophy. This internationally unique design allows research outputs to be immediately relevant to real-world food producers, and also makes the facility an excellent venue for knowledge exchange events.

Our facility is used by national and international collaborators from a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines, with a particularly strong capability to accommodate studies on pasture-based livestock production systems and optimal land use. We are a founding member of the Global Farm Platform Network, and have recently been recognised by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation as an exemplar research facility.

CORE HYPOTHESIS

The platform is designed to test the following overarching hypothesis, which was put together following a thorough review of Rothamsted's discoveries since its establishment in 1843:

Through improved land management, it is possible to produce nutritious food in a sustainable manner — as evidenced by economic, environmental and social metrics we define and measure — even under a growing population and a changing climate.

Research carried out at our facility will help identify land management strategies to optimise the transfer of essential nutrients from soil to crops, livestock and then into food, thereby contributing to a healthy diet and cleaner natural environment at the same time.

Details of the farm platform’s core remit, it's past, current and planned treatments together with associated hypotheses can be found here.

Currently, the farm platform NBRI and its open data strongly links to the Resilient Farming Futures, AgZero+ and Growing Health strategic research programmes.

CONTACT

Prof. Paul Harris

Prof. Paul Harris

Project Leader - North Wyke Farm Platform

Bruce Griffith

Bruce Griffith

Research Farm Manager - North Wyke

Prof. Adie Collins

Prof. Adie Collins

Science Director Net Zero and Resilient Farming

Phil Le Grice

Phil Le Grice

Scientific Specialist - NWFP Strategy and Field Team Leader

RESOURCE LINKS TOOLS AND DOWNLOADS

DEDICATED FARM PLATFORM WEBSITE & SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

As a National Bioscience Research Infrastructure funded by BBSRC, all data are freely available, and the platform itself can be used for external researchers to conduct their own research. Please follow this link to access the data portal for data downloads, supplementary material and provisions for using the facilities, including co-development of projects.

PEOPLE WORKING ON THE NATIONAL BIOSCIENCE RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE

Dr Laura Cardenas

Dr Laura Cardenas

Atmospheric Chemist

Dr Nadine Loick

Dr Nadine Loick

Environmental Scientist

Dr Jane Hawkins

Dr Jane Hawkins

Biogeochemist

Hadewij Sint

Hadewij Sint

GIS & Data Specialist

Deborah Beaumont

Deborah Beaumont

Ecologist/ECN Site Manager

Andrew Mead

Andrew Mead

Statistician

Louise Olde

Louise Olde

Field Technician

Dr Ian Shield

Dr Ian Shield

Agronomist

Dr Jonathan Storkey

Dr Jonathan Storkey

Plant Ecologist

Andy Jones

Andy Jones

Small Ruminant Facility Experimental Manager

Helena Taylor

Helena Taylor

Soil and Plant Laboratory Technician

Martin Blackwell

Martin Blackwell

Soil Scientist

Andy Neal

Andy Neal

Soil Scientist

Tegan Darch

Tegan Darch

Research Data Manager

Richard Ostler

Richard Ostler

Agri-Information and Data Specialist

Chris Powe

Chris Powe

Science Technician

Melanie Wright

Melanie Wright

Knowledge Exchange Manager

Graham Leask

Graham Leask

Statistician

Maria Resendez

Maria Resendez

Science Technician

Hazem Nureldin

Hazem Nureldin

Software Engineer