26 ORC

Progressive Farming Trust Ltd t/a the Organic Research Centre – ORC
www.organicresearchcentre.com

Team in O+

Dr Marion Johnson.  Marion’s recent projects include collaboration with the New Zealand Dairy Goat Cooperative on optimal forage strategies to support production with minimal external inputs. She has also worked with Maori interests investigating the incorporation of native plants into farm systems to promote animal health and productivity whilst enhancing biodiversity, land stability and water quality. Her PhD investigated Dictyocaulus infection in red deer and during her post doc Marion identified and trialled New Zealand native plants with anthelminthic actions. She has spent the previous six years working with farmers in a participatory manner re envisaging production systems to minimise external inputs and promote farm health. Marion is a co-author on the widely consulted and recently published booklet providing scientists guidelines for working with practitioners of Maori traditional Medicine. http://www.organicresearchcentre.com/?go=Organic%20Research%20Centre&i=staff.php&check=Marion%20Johnson

Dr Lindsay Whistance.  Lindsay completed her PhD in 2008 assessing the role of dairy cow behaviour in the management of faeces, hygiene and related diseases in different housing systems and at pasture. Expertise includes facilitatory and participatory research work with farmers on diverse topics including grazing systems for organic dairy cows, the use of dietary copper to manage Haemonchus burdens in lambs and minimising the use of antibiotics through animal health and welfare planning. Expertise further includes assessments of animal health and welfare at animal and farm level, as well as the development of training tools and knowledge exchange. Lindsay is currently active in research into the nutritional benefits to domestic animals of browse and tree fodder including vitamin, mineral and tannin content. http://www.organicresearchcentre.com/?go=Organic%20Research%20Centre&i=staff.php&check=Lindsay%20Whistance

Dr Bruce Pearce Bruce has over the past 20 years worked increasingly with stakeholders and actor groups across agriculture and the value chain (both in the UK, EU and internationally) to ensure that the research being carried out is relevant to their needs through the development of participatory research approaches with UK and EU farmers (recently with the Innovative Farmers Field Lab concept) including the management of networks and the data that they produce. He is currently leading a WP on tacit knowledge and communication for the DIVERSify and on innovation groups in the OK-Net Ecofeed (both EU H2020). http://www.organicresearchcentre.com/?go=Organic%20Research%20Centre&i=staff.php&check=Bruce%20Pearce

The Progressive Farming Trust Ltd., trading as the Organic Research Centre (ORC)

The Progressive Farming Trust Ltd., trading as the Organic Research Centre (ORC), is the UK’s leading independent research and development institution for organic agriculture and agro-ecology. Founded over 30 years ago, ORC conducts research with UK and European partners into various aspects of sustainable farming. It aims to develop and support sustainable agriculture and food systems, primarily within local economies, which build on agroecological organic principles to ensure the health and well-being of soil, plant, animal, man and his environment. The livestock research focuses on the enhancement of animal productivity of organic and low-input farming, health and welfare while minimising the dependence of farms on external and non-organic inputs. Organisation’s capacities. Our multi-disciplinary and collaborative research covers a range of research areas in plant breeding, crop production, bio-diversity and eco-systems services, agroforestry, livestock production, farm sustainability assessment, climate change, farm management, markets policy, with a strong focus on knowledge exchange. The ethos of ORC is to engage with the end user and undertake participatory research where appropriate. Therefore, the research within the institute is frequently carried out with farmers and on-farm, a research approach that has allowed for a valuable insight into the aspects of agricultural production. ORC is currently the lead research partner in the Duchy Future Farming Programme, which develops innovative techniques aimed at improving yields and nutritional performance in organic and low-input UK agriculture.

The Progressive Farming Trust Ltd. has sold the Elm Farm site in 2020 and is now located at Trent Lodge, Stroud Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6JN in the Midlands of England, UK.