Introduction to the Allerton Project

The farm is 333 hectares of clay soil (Hanslope and Denchworth series) and is a mixed arable and livestock business.  Crops grown are primarily winter wheat, oilseed rape, winter oats and spring beans. 

The pasture land is grazed by a flock of 280 mule ewes and, through a grazing agreement with our neighbour, a South Devon suckler herd.  In order to spread fixed costs, the arable side of the farm has also been managed in collaboration with the neighbouring farm since 2001 when minimum tillage was adopted across the combined area.

Wheat and oat crops are grown to an environmental standard and sold at a premium as Conservation Grade.  Farm staff are also involved in conservation work through management of habitats, both in the farmed area, in woodland and other non-cropped habitats.  Much of this work has taken place at Loddington and in Sussex (see The Sussex Study) where we have recently compared the relationships between pesticide use and invertebrate abundance.

We have a wide-ranging research programme in collaboration with universities and other research organisations from across the country, and with financial support from government and industrial sponsors.  We also offer a comprehensive training and demonstration programme.

In 2005 we were awarded with the Investors In People award.

Staff

• Dr Alastair Leake - Head of Project
• Dr Chris Stoate  - Head of Research
• John Szczur - Ecologist
• Phil Jarvis - Head of Farming/CabCards Project Manager
• Michael Berg - Farm Assistant
• Natalie Augusztinyi - Project Secretary

To contact staff of the Allerton Project, please go to the Contact page.