We are a small, dedicated and experienced team and have the backup of a fantastic Board which comprises some of the longest converted, largest and most innovative organic farmers in the country which is backed up by the knowledge and expertise of Organic Research Centre - a winning combination.
The Team
Andrew Trump, Managing Director
Andrew has over 25 years experience working in the organic sector having converted a family farm in the mid-90's. He worked delivering organic conversion advice at Organic Research Centre and traded organic grain with Grainfarmers (now Openfield). Andrew has been running Organic Arable since it became independent in 2008.
Kathy Wilson, Grain Administrator
Kathy keeps the whole show on the road. Sorting out administration, organising haulage, raising invoices and about a hundred other things.
She came to us from the US where she was highly-skilled administrator with ADP. Previously Kathy worked for 18 years in hospitality.
Our Board
The Organic Arable Board have a huge range of expertise and experience between them.
John Newman, Chair,
Abbey Home Farm*
Abbey Home Farm, Cirencester has as diverse a range of enterprises as any organic farm. Alongside their arable cropping they have dairy, beef, sheep pigs & poultry which are processed and sold in The Organic Farm Shop & Cafe. In addition they run a campsite & large educational programme on the farm. Whew!
Peter Cheek, Farm Manager
Godminster Farms
Pete runs the dairy farm that bears the name of the well known Godminster cheese. Pete sees things from a dairy farmer's perspective and with his experience of the Godminster cheese brand understands how critical it is for farmers to get close to their market.
Sophie Alexander*, Hemsworth Farms
Sophie came to farming later in her career buying Hemsworth Farm, Dorset in 2012. Without a background in farming Sophie has educated herself & researched every farming decisions she has made. In 2019 she set a new 300 cow low-input dairy in partnership with The Roaming Dairy.
Mark Lea, Greenacres Farm
At Green Acres Farm, Shropshire Mark aims to be as close to his market as possible growing peas for Hodmedods and a range of heritage wheats which he bags for artisan millers. He has also started to mill his own wheat to add value (and headaches) to his product.
Joe Wookey, Rushall Organics*
Joe is 3rd generation organic farmer having taken over Rushall Organics from his father, Nigel in 2017. Joe has diversified the farm and runs a successful commercial grain store, shoot and wedding and events venue on the farm.
Tim May, Kingsclere Estate
Tim runs Kingsclere Estate in Hampshire. Here he manages the arable enterprise & forms partnerships with other farming businesses that use the fertility building leys to run a dairy, egg laying and sheep enterprises. Tim is always open to other offers that might make better use of the farm resources.
John Pawsey*, Shimpling Park Farm
John farms about 1500 ha in Suffolk and is almost better known as @hanslope! Having chronicled his farming year on YouTube John has a prolific social media presence through Twitter. He is always looking for innovation and is responsible for introducing the System Chameleon drill to the UK.
Daniel Seaborne, Farm Manager, Holme Lacy College
Dan juggles the needs of a college students with those of a commercial farming operation. Holme Lacy is the only agricultural college with an organic farm. Alongside his cereals Dan has a traditional Hereford suckler herd and grows potatoes for Abel & Cole.
Julia Cooper, Head of Research,
Organic Research Centre*
Julia joined ORC in 2023 from University of Newcastle. She is a soil scientist and her area of expertise is soil C and N cycling in agricultural systems with an emphasis on agroecological strategies for improving soil health and nutrient use efficiency.
Adrian Steele*, Chapel Farm
Adrian runs Chapel Farm alongside a role working for the Soil Association as Organic Sector Development Advisor and has been integral to negotiations with Defra on behalf of the organic sector for SFI and ELMS. Because of this role Adrian is not an active member of the OA Board.
* denotes shareholder