Dr Fiona Short and Paddy Tarbuck, from the UK Agri-Tech Centre, talk poultry innovation and sustainability

Discussing their mission to help transform agriculture through the discoveries and developments of science-led research, Dr Fiona Short and Paddy Tarbuck, Innovation Leads at UK Agri-Tech Centre, joined Tom in the studio for another edition of the Sustainability Hub podcast. We hear how the UK Agri-Tech Centre was created, learn about the kind of support and the facilities on offer to the food and farming industry, and get a preview on some of the exciting news from the burgeoning back-catalogue of successful funding calls the team have been involved with. Branded ‘Activate, Elevate and Accelerate’, members of UK Agri-Tech Centre benefit from athree-tiered level of support, designed to meet the different needs of every client, from independent farmers to multinational companies. But irrespective of size, the access to expertise, the connection of businesses with academia and science and the project management skills to unlock investment are benefits felt by all. In a rapidly changing world, where sustainability presents the food and farming sector with both opportunity and threat, Paddy, Fiona and Tom discuss whether pressures from the supply chain have helped or hindered the adoption of technology or practices that could move the dial. Leaning on Fiona’s deep understanding of poultry nutrition, we discuss feed raw material supply chains, novel proteins and their regulation and split-feeding. Paddy, whose agri-food knowledge and broad experience across sustainability shines through, raises ‘resilience’ as a mutually beneficial perspective on such challenges and describes the inspirational leadership demonstrated by one egg producer active in the UK Agri-Tech Centre network. The final call to action is clear. Whether you’re a primary producer or in a business further along the food chain, UK Agri-Tech Centre can help unlock your potential and create lasting value. And if you’re looking for more direct involvement, as an organisation in a period of strong growth, Paddy and Fiona are looking to bolster the Sustainability team, too. It’s a great time to get in touch with them.