We first met Neil when he was a guest speaker at a farmers’ meeting. As soon as he mentioned that SRC Willow could produce profits of £200 p/acre, my ears pricked up! Since we’ve planted it on land that wasn’t really producing anything, I think it could produce even more! It’s really a low cost way of farming – maybe we should convert the whole farm!
We’ve all come across a great agronomist at some point in our farming careers. Well, Neil is that, to me. He’s the guy who’s got all the knowledge and expertise behind the Willow crop. He’s done so much research and work with government and environment organisations to make sure he’s sourced the best cultivars, to make sure he’s using the least toxic chemicals; whatever it is, he’s always got the environment and the crop at the heart of the interest. I think the comparison is like this: where you’re growing your wheat or your barley and you know you’ve got a great agronomist, you hang on to him.
I encountered Neil when he showed me the pioneering work he did on diverse willow plantations to feed a biomass boiler for a supplier of ours. I went with zero knowledge, and Neil’s easy style and encyclopedic knowledge of sustainable fuel sources got me up to speed in no time. Every questions I threw at him, and some were bordering on the insane, was met with a measured and well informed response. I’ll certainly call on Neil’s services in the future.
I’ve observed and worked with Neil for a good number of years –he has always shown drive, commitment and seen things through. I have no doubt that he will do likewise as he enters this new phase of his career.
I worked with Neil on a project for the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) in 2015 on Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass. He was very well informed and motivated and really made a strong case for the development of the UK biomass energy.
Neil is fantastically knowledgeable on energy crops. He has an excellent understanding of the strategic long term objectives of establishing plantations. But he combines that with a really embedded understanding of the practicalities of establishment, harvesting and the challenges facing landowners. Delighted that he is going to share his expertise and experience in this new venture.