The organic research center’s has announced the appointment of Tim Bennett as chair, Specialty Food magazine reports.
Tim Bennett has previously served as NFU President, chairman of Defra’s dairy Environmental Task Force and chair of the Food Standards Agency.
He is currently the chair for the Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Livestock. In this role he is working with 12 university partners to invest over £70 million in new applied livestock research – the largest investment for a generation and the largest alliance of researchers in Europe.
He also runs an organic dairy farm in South Wales.
Tim Bennett says, “Although the COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption throughout the whole food supply chain, one positive outcome is that this will hopefully lead to a more evidence-based debate about the future of food production in the UK. I think that the ORC will continue to be a key contributor to this debate, as part of helping to create industry solutions that are based on sound science.”
While the national lockdown makes it difficult to start a new job, Tim is optimistic about the industry’s future: “I believe that, if there is a silver lining to Covid-19, it will be that society places a greater importance on evidence-based debate.” Well-directed innovation relies on research and industry partnership, and this will be my key focus in my new job as Chair of the organic research center’s.
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