Agrovista has appointed Tamsin Roark as rural consultant for the east of England to help meet increasing demand from farmers requiring guidance on the Sustainable Farming Incentive and other agricultural policy initiatives.

Tamsin, who grew up in a rural community near Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire, is a graduate of Bishop Burton College where she obtained a degree in agriculture.

After completing her studies she joined Limagrain in 2019 as a barley technician, before joining Pilgrim Foodservice, where part of her role included leading a project alongside Dyson Farming to set up national sales for Lincolnshire-grown beef and lamb.

Tamsin then spent 18 months working as a business and performance analyst for three local authorities, before taking up her role with Agrovista Rural Consultancy in January.

“I realised I wanted to return to agriculture and saw this new position as a chance to develop my career and build on the business experience I had gained, particularly during my last role,” she says.

“It was very obvious through the application process that the company wanted to support my professional development. It's an exciting time to be getting back into agriculture – there's so much happening across the industry, technically and policy-wise.”

Tamsin, who primarily covers the east of England and part of the Midlands, advises mainly Agrovista customers, working closely with company agronomists who can provide valuable detail on each of their farms and additional advice on which options might work best.

She also works with new farming customers looking for support. Most of her work is SFI related, and she also advises on capital grants and helps with nutrient management plans, which she will take on fully once she is FACTS qualified.

“SFI is new to everyone and is constantly evolving, so there is plenty to go at,” says Tamsin. “No two farm businesses are the same and helping individual farmers to maximise the benefits of SFI alongside their ongoing farming operations is immensely satisfying.

“Agrovista Rural Consultancy is growing and becoming more prominent nationally. I’m really enjoying the role, being part of a team that can add real value to our farmers’ businesses.”