Stephen is a first-generation farmer who has been farming organically for over two decades. He runs Whitehall farm in Cambridgeshire where he grows oats and a range of organic vegetables depending on marketplace opportunities. In 2009 he created the largest commercial agroforestry system in the UK integrating 2,400 apple trees into his crop land.
He is Non Exec Director of AHDB, Principal Farm Consultant at Abacus Agriculture, and Head of Technical Development at Innovation for Agriculture. Stephen has an MSc in Soil Science and extensive long term experience in soil and water management. He is also a Nuffield Farming Scholar and was awarded the Bullock Award in 2020 in recognition of him being the scholar who most influenced the agricultural industry in the 10 years since his scholarship.
This talk was recorded at an Agricology event focusing on regenerative agriculture that was held at the Waddesdon Estate in May 2023. Stephen speaks about implementing agroforestry systems on a tenanted farm with a built-in financial return model, highlighting some of the many benefits and challenges.