Professor Cristobal Uauy

Project Leader, John Innes Centre

Professor Cristobal Uauy is a Project Leader in wheat genetics and genomics at the John Innes Centre. His programme focuses on using genetics and genomics to improve both yield and quality components in wheat. His lab uses molecular genetic approaches to identify genes involved in wheat productivity traits and enhance the translation of this knowledge into improved varieties for industry and consumers. His lab also develops open-access tools and resources to enhance scientific discovery. His lab works closely with partners in India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Brazil, and CIMMYT among others. Cristobal's work has been recognized as the most outstanding PhD dissertation in Biological and Life Sciences in the US and Canada (2007), the Bayer Foundation Early Excellence in Science Award (2012), the Society of Experimental Biology President’s Medal (2014) and the Royal Agricultural Society of England Research Medal (2017). He studied Agronomy in Chile and holds a PhD in Genetics from the University of California, Davis.

Helier Smith

CEO, Jersey Water

Helier Smith was appointed to the Board as Finance Director in October 2003 after joining the Company in 2002.

He was previously employed by KPMG in the UK and Jersey where he worked for eleven years in the manufacturing, distribution and finance sectors. Mr Smith qualified as a Chartered Director in 2010. He became a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute in 2012.

Ian Robertson

MD, Sustainable Soil Management

I have been working in Agriculture since 1996. Initially in intensive fresh produce which highlighted to me that a lot of the issues found with production and quality were of our own making. This lead me to form Sustainable Soil Management; an independent soil testing and advisory business covering all aspects of soil.

The biggest drive is to increase the soils contribution to our farming systems allowing for more sustainable and profitable farming. I work across all agricultural sectors and throughout Europe. I believe that there is no silver bullet, weather that be out of Can or a certain type of machine, we must all be broad-church allowing for the best use of all the different strategies and knowledge to create a farming system best suited to your own land.

Jenny Clark

Assurance Manager at LEAF

Jenny Clark is the Assurance Manager at LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), leading the continued development and championing of the LEAF Marque environmental assurance system to deliver more sustainably farmed products. Jenny has a background in ecology and applied animal science and during her time at LEAF has gained extensive experience in delivering on-farm demonstration events and guidance for farmers, impact reporting for the supply chain, and ensuring a robust and credible assurance scheme. Over the past two years, Jenny has been proud to coordinate the LEAF relationship with States of Jersey to deliver the sustainable production objectives of the Rural Support Scheme through the LEAF Marque. This has involved close collaboration with the Island’s farmers to deliver LEAF Marque Training, attending the Cultivate Young Minds event, and hosting the Jersey Farmer Day earlier this year.

Jess McGovern

Head of Education and Development at the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society

During 2018 the Society’s newly elected President, Rob Perchard, led a series of events consulting the membership as to how they wanted to see the RJA&HS develop. There was consensus that the Society should strengthen its role as a community-centred organisation, working to ensure that Islanders stay in touch with the countryside, appreciate the economic, cultural and social importance of agriculture and are aware of the accessibility and satisfaction of horticulture. A steering group was formed with the purpose of putting into practice the objectives identified by the members. I have been working with the steering group on the four key areas: Education; Membership; Events & Shows; and Branding.

Our educational Cultivate Programme, which is generously supported by the Howard Davis Farm Trust, aims to promote an awareness of our rural culture to the Island’s citizens, on behalf of the RJA&HS and the wider agricultural and horticultural communities. By cultivating an interest in heritage and modern day farming, animal breeding and the provenance of local produce, the environment, plants and flowers, we hope to also cultivate connection and meaning. An overview of the Cultivate Programme will be presented with a focus on future plans of our Cultivate Young Minds initiative.

Professor John Crawford FRSE FIMA

Science Director, Rothamsted Research

John Crawford is a theoretical physicist and is currently a Science Director at Rothamsted Research (the world’s oldest agriculture research institute). He is currently working with Digital Jersey and a wide range of Jersey and UK business and policy stakeholders on a pilot project to explore the use of technology and data science to optimise the whole food system. Prior to that, John was Judith and David Coffey Chair in Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Sydney, where he was also Director of the Institute for Sustainable Solutions and Leader of Complex Systems at the Charles Perkins Centre.  He established the UK Government’s £13M Agritech Centre of Excellence for Big Data and Sustainability in 2015 and was the Academic Champion for the successful £90M bid to the Industry Strategy Challenge Fund programme focussed on technology-enabled transformation of food production. He has projects with farmers in the UK, S. America, China and Borneo.

Malcolm Berridge BSc (Hons), CEng, MIET, Dip (Comp), Dip (Desin), Dip IoD

Chief Engineer & Water Supply Manager, Jersey Water

Malcolm joined Jersey Water in 2003 having previously been employed at both Jersey Electricity and Transport & Technical Services. He started his career with Jersey Water in the post of M&E Engineer and gained Chartered Engineer status with the Institution of Engineering & Technology in 2008. In 2015 he gained a Diploma in Company Direction with the Institute of Directors. Malcolm has been responsible for the installation of new plant, equipment and processes (to include UV treatment and orthophosphate conditioning at water treatment works) at all Jersey Water’s operational sites and implemented Jersey Water’s first ever SCADA system which not only allows remote operation and monitoring of the sites but also brought with it efficiency savings in terms of energy and resources.

Malcolm has progressed to the role of Chief Engineer & Water Supply Manager and presently has a team of over 30 staff who are mainly responsible for ensuring that Jersey Water maintain a wholesome, reliable potable water supply to the island and have sufficient water resources to achieve it.

Mark Bowden, BSc MCIWEM C.WEM

Asset Manager, Jersey Water

Mark was appointed in May 2016 as Operations Engineer to manage the Company’s reservoir assets and help develop and deliver the Company’s capital investment programme.

He joined Jersey Water from United Utilities and arrived with 18 years of experience within the water industry. Mark graduated from Leeds University in 1997 with a combined honours degree in Psychology and Philosophy. His career has covered a wide variety of roles including operational management with responsibility for drinking water production and reservoirs.

Mark was promoted to Asset Manager in 2017, gained chartered status as a member of the Institute of Water and Environmental Management and is now responsible for Water Resource Management Planning, Land and Property Assets, Health and Safety, Emergency Planning, Project Delivery and other key functions in the water supply business.

Mark also holds a voluntary position on the Board of SCOOP - the Sustainable Cooperative in St Lawrence.

Tom Ormesher

Regional Environment Adviser, National Farmers Union

Tom Ormesher is an environment and public affairs professional with 15 years post graduate experience, providing analysis and public representation on environment, farming and rural affairs. He’s recently completed a Nuffield Farming Scholarship on water sustainability and food production. Reviewing the supply chain partnerships, coordination challenges and commercial farming position around the water sustainability agenda in developed economies across the world. With a decade of consultancy experience working on several major infrastructure and water resource management projects in the UK and a period working for Thames Water, he currently works as NFU Regional Environment Adviser, with oversight of planning and infrastructure, water resources, water quality, flooding and land drainage matters within South East England.

He leads on regional abstraction and irrigation matters, working closely with Kent County Council and others in developing research on irrigation security as well as developing industry partnerships to respond to water management challenges.  On flood management, Tom has been the lead farming contact throughout a process where two new IDB’s have been established and developed NFU research on agricultural damage reduction. Lately Tom has also played a secretarial role to an All Party Parliamentary Group on the River Thames, which aims to unite parliamentarians to promote and enhance riparian management along the river.

Dr Paul Gibbs

Soils, Waste and Environment Consultant, PAG Consultancy

Paul is a Soil Scientist with over 20 years experience undertaking research, strategic consultancy and expert witness work for DEFRA, the Environment Agency, other government departments, corporate clients and landowners.  He is a Chartered Scientist (CSci) with expertise associated with assessments of soil and crop fertility, soil contamination, soil restoration/remediation and the impacts of treating and recycling organic ‘waste’ materials to land.

Paul now runs his own Environmental Consultancy firm, based in Nottinghamshire, but is regularly in Jersey supporting the recycling of biosolids and green waste to agricultural land.