Honorary degrees are set to be presented to a farmer/TV presenter and to one of the UK’s largest private landowner on Harper Adams University's 2017 graduation day, September 22. 

The Duke of Buccleuch will accept an award in recognition of services to the promotion of graduate employment opportunities in rural land management, and Adam Henson, farmer, farm park owner and TV presenter, will receive his award for services to the public understanding of agriculture.

Adam will be the guest speaker at the afternoon graduation ceremony – where his audience will comprise graduates from agriculture, business, agri-food and land management undergraduate degree programmes, as well as a range of Masters and PhD graduates.

He said: "It is such a privilege to have been offered and to be able to accept this honour from Harper Adams University. I am excited to meet the graduating students and to congratulate them personally at the ceremony.”

“I’ve said before that I am a massive fan of Harper Adams University. When people tell me they want to work in the food chain, I recommend they attend Harper Adams, one of the top agricultural educational facilities in the country. Every time I visit they have made greater advances and more investment in educating the people who are the future of our food supply chain. It’s a great university and a great route to a career in our tremendously exciting industry

The Duke of Buccleuch has been an industry supporter of the rural enterprise and land management course at Harper Adams since its early days more than 20 years ago. An Honorary Member of the Royal Institution of Charters Surveyors, he said:

“I am humbled to receive this honour from a University which I greatly admire and whose skilled and imaginative graduates will have a pivotal part in reshaping our rural businesses and communities in these challenging and uncertain times”

Dr David Llewellyn, Vice Chancellor of Harper Adams University, added: “We will be delighted to award the Duke of Buccleuch and Adam Henson honorary degrees at our forthcoming Graduation Day.

"Both recipients have made significant contributions to the farming and rural sectors and both have long-standing connections with Harper Adams that we are pleased to recognise in this way. We look forward to welcoming our graduating class and our honorary degree recipients to the University later this month.”