The Hartpury Agri-Tech Centre, part of Hartpury University and Hartpury College, has joined LEAF’s (Linking Environment and Farming) vibrant network of Innovation Centres and demonstration farms alongside some of the UK’s leading research establishments and most progressive farmers.
The announcement comes as the institution celebrates its 75th anniversary and during the same month as the centre hosts a Change Management Programme for the sector. The new status will benefit students as they prepare to become industry leaders, policymakers, managers and agriculturalists, as well as the wider farming community.
The move highlights Hartpury’s strategic partnership with LEAF and a focus to accelerate the scientific knowledge exchange around more sustainable farming practices. The partnership will help to increase agricultural research outputs and help disseminate Hartpury research within the farming industry.
Professor Matt Bell, Director of Agriculture at Hartpury University, said: “We’re hugely proud to become a LEAF Innovation Centre and are pleased to see that our commitment to providing farmers with the latest research, knowledge and technologies has been recognised.
“The LEAF Network offers a powerful platform for all of us to accelerate innovation through shared knowledge and hopefully implement sustainable farming practices more quickly and successfully.
“Partnerships, public engagement, knowledge sharing and innovation are all key components of our agricultural research strategy. Being a LEAF Innovation Centre will help our wide-ranging research to reach farmers and organisations, as well as benefiting our students as they prepare to shape the future of our industry when they graduate.”