Robert Yardley

Few undergraduates are invited to provide industry advice internationally while still studying, but that is exactly what Rob has done.

Seizing every opportunity offered through our part-time degree programme, which allowed him to work and study at the same time, Rob won a succession of scholarships which have seen him travelling the world and gaining respect from influential industry leaders.

His first scholarship was for the Oxford Farming Conference, enabling him to learn more about the global industry and develop contacts. He then won the Oxford Farming Conference’s own travel scholarship and was sent to the Agritechnica conference in Germany to represent UK young farmers.

Impressed by his understanding of the arable sector, leading company Syngenta invited Rob to join a fact finding visit to the Ukraine, where he advised producers on how to improve the efficiency and profitability of their businesses. Most recently he has been awarded our own John Platt travel scholarship and has visited North and South America to investigate potential impacts of farming with and without the use of glyphosate.

Rob’s outstanding attitude and ambition was recognised by Velcourt Ltd, Europe’s leading farm management company, and he joined their Farm Managers programme while still studying. He has managed farms and estates UK-wide and is currently managing an arable enterprise in Yorkshire.