Phil Metcalfe's Story

Phil Metcalfe is a Principal Consultant working for ADAS in the areas of anaerobic digestion systems, renewable energy and low carbon development and planning permission for renewable energy developments. ADAS is the UK’s largest independent provider of agricultural and environmental consultancy, rural development services, research and development and policy advice. ADAS grew out of the UK's National Agricultural Advisory Service (NAAS) which was established in 1946 as the advisory and research arm of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) because of the harsh food rationing of World War II that continued in the UK into the early 1950s. ADAS employs plant pathology, entomology, soil and other specialist advisers throughout the country to advise farmers and growers how to maximise their output and their ideas, specialist knowledge and solutions help to secure our food and enhance the environment. In 2016 the business, operating assets and employees of ADAS were acquired by environmental consultancy, RSK.

Phil says: “ADAS, as an employer of Agricultural Engineers, continues to  provide services to farming and land based industry in the areas of waste, machinery, manure management, pollution control, soils and drainage.  We observe all RSK group company guidelines re Covid-19 and social distancing for field work and  office  with as many as possible home working. Our Natural England  funded one-to-one advice to farming business has been suspended in compliance with  social distancing guidance.”

Ed Hansom, CEO of the IAgrE says: “It is so important that sound, science-based advice is available from ADAS to farmers at this time. It is most encouraging to see that Phil and his colleagues at ADAS are still managing to operate in these difficult times. Phil’s experience shows that so long as social distancing is maintained it is possible to work as near to ‘normal’ as possible. The IAgrE is here to support its members and Academic and Corporate partners in whatever ways it can. We are adding more benefits to the existing suite of member benefits which will, hopefully, been seen as helpful in these difficult times.

Phil is a Member of the IAgrE, a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Environmentalist