Meet The Team

David E. O'Connor

David is an experienced agronomy and crop development specialist with expertise in onion and Brassica production. He provides consultancy, trial design, and technical support to improve crop performance and sustainability. David also advises on crop storage design, including heating, cooling, ventilation, and control systems, helping growers enhance yield and quality.

Dr Richard Binks 

​Richard provides strategic technical consultancy to global food businesses, specialising in salads, vegetables, and tropical crops. His expertise includes project management, pesticide stewardship, auditing, and compliance with BRC, HACCP, and traceability standards, along with quality and environmental management systems.

Howard Hinds 

Howard is a root crop agronomy specialist, working with potatoes, carrots, and parsnips. He provides technical support, training, and conducts contract trials for both conventional and biological products. He implements integrated pest management and decision support systems across key UK regions. Howard is Vice Chairman of the BCGA R&D Committee and actively involved in national and European industry networks.

Jane Steward

Jane holds a BSc (Hons) in Agriculture from Wye College. After early roles in arable and sustainable agriculture, she worked in farm management IT before returning to agronomy specialising in root crops. For the past 20 years, she has been with VCS (UK) Ltd, providing technical support and managing sales for The English Set Company.

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Andrew Macdonald

Andrew provides agronomy and contract services to growers of outdoor and protected baby leaf salads, herbs, field vegetables, and field-grown nursery stock. He has extensive experience across the UK, Europe, North and South America, and South Africa. Andrew also has specialist expertise in seed production for vegetables, herbs, salads, flowers, and wildflower seed

David A. Norman

David is a crop agronomy specialist, covering all aspects of Alliums and salads, including lettuce, celery, onions, leeks, and speciality salads. He provides precision agronomy services such as GPS soil sampling, mapping, and variable rate technology for all field crops. David also offers irrigation scheduling, conducts pesticide and nutrition field trials, and delivers training through FACTS and BASIS programs.

Andy Richardson

Andy is a specialist in onion and Brassica crops, providing expert guidance on agronomy, pest and disease management, and yield optimisation. He also has extensive experience in store design and construction, ensuring optimal post-harvest conditions. Additionally, Andy is a BASIS-accredited tutor, delivering training and practical guidance to agronomists and industry professionals across the sector.

Tom Will

Tom is a crop specialist with extensive experience in bulb onions, parsnips, carrots (standard and baby), leeks, and leaf and root Brassicas (standard and baby). He also has additional expertise in beetroot, sweetcorn, and dwarf beans. Operating across the UK, Spain, and the Middle East, Tom provides agronomic support, technical guidance, and practical solutions to optimise crop performance and quality.

Debbie Winstanley 

Debbie holds a BSc (Hons) in Agriculture, is a Governor at Harper Adams, and a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society. She has 20 years’ experience as a farm agronomist and has held senior technical roles with Co-op, Sainsbury’s, and PepsiCo. Debbie is actively involved in industry and biodiversity initiatives, including the Allerton Project, PRIF, Women in Food and Farming, and CUPGRA, where she chairs the R&D sub-committee.

Claire Donkin

Claire provides comprehensive technical management and agronomy support for asparagus, container-grown herbs, and stone fruit, including trial design, auditing, and optimisation of crop performance. She has specialist expertise in composting, growing media, and HACCP compliance, ensuring high standards across all production systems. With extensive international experience, 

Andrew Poole

Andrew provides agronomy and technical consultancy to leading UK leafy salad growers, with over 30 years’ experience in the industry. Basis and FACTS qualified, he advises on outdoor and protected crops, including lettuce, endives, radicchio, baby leaf, and hydroponic salads. An active member of the British Leafy Salads Association, he contributes to plant protection approvals and industry updates.

Peter Waldock

Peter provides technical and agronomy consultancy with over 15 years’ experience in field vegetables, protected crops, cut flowers, and fruit. BASIS- and FACTS-qualified, he has extensive UK and international experience, strong industry contacts, and a deep understanding of retailer requirements. Technically skilled and commercially experienced, he also represents the industry on several grower boards.

 Liz Johnson

Liz specialises in crop agronomy for leafy salads, including baby leaf production, and is part of the BLSA R&D group. She provides technical compliance support on pesticides, fertilisers, HACCP, food safety, and environmental standards, and offers crop assurance audit support for Red Tractor and LEAF Marque. Liz is also a BASIS-accredited trainer for salads.

Colin Noble

Colin is an experienced agronomist and fresh produce consultant with expertise in both conventional and organic systems. His consultancy work covers carrots, parsnips, onions, lettuce, and brassicas, alongside fresh produce business management. He also specialises in remote data collection, weather and soil moisture management, and decision support systems.

James Rimmer

James provides comprehensive agronomy advice for both conventional and organic crops, including onions, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, salads, Brassicas, grass seed, and all combinable crops. He offers expert guidance on regenerative systems and crop rotations, supporting growers to enhance soil health, improve sustainability, and maximise crop productivity across diverse farming systems.

Ed Pissarro

Ed is a specialist in all aspects of onion production and agronomy, providing expert guidance from crop establishment through to harvest. He has extensive experience in onion storage and post-harvest management, ensuring optimal quality and shelf life. Ed also offers technical support and advice on supply chain compliance, helping growers and businesses meet regulatory standards.

Angela Huckle

Angela specialises in weed control and agronomy for outdoor field vegetables, including Brassicas, onions, carrots, parsnips, cucurbits, and sweetcorn. She has extensive experience in research, trial design, and management of crop nutrition, pesticide, and agronomy trials. Angela is BASIS- and FACTS-qualified and provides technical consultancy to support growers in optimising crop performance and productivity.

James Klug

James provides comprehensive agronomy services for  onions, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, root and leafy Brassicas and arable crops. He has specialist expertise in early crop production and offers tailored technical support to optimise crop performance, yield, and quality. BASIS- and FACTS-qualified, James combines practical experience with technical knowledge to support growers across different systems. 

Dr James A. Fortune

James specialises in applied plant research, plant pathology, and integrated pest management, including pest and disease monitoring. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Biology and a PhD in Plant Pathology, and is an ambassador for the British Society of Plant Pathology. He is also a member of the Royal Society of Biology, the Association of Applied Biologists, and serves on the IAgrM Norfolk Committee.

Alice Bourne

Alice holds an MSc in Sustainable Crop Production from the University of Warwick, specialising in soil regeneration and cover cropping. After starting in arable agronomy, she moved into horticulture and has spent the past 3.5 years working with Claire as team agronomist, focusing on crop walking and grower trials across a range of horticultural crops.

Angus Hill

Angus is a BASIS-qualified agronomist and farm support consultant at VCS (UK) Ltd, where he has worked for over five years. His work covers independent advice on vegetable crops and post-harvest storage, precision spraying technology, and farm input consultancy. Angus is keen to promote sustainable crop production and advance integrated pest management.  

Zander Foote 

Zander is a BASIS-qualified agronomist and FACTS advisor. After eight years in geological consultancy, he transitioned into agriculture through a trials role before joining the BASIS professional register in 2022 and qualifying as a FACTS advisor in 2023. For the past two years, he has worked as an agronomist, primarily focused on allium and brassica crops.