INNOVIS - Key Persons
Ben Strange joins the team as our regional sales adviser in Eastern England and his role will also have a specific focus on regenerative farming and introducing sheep in to arable systems.
Ben has a very diverse background in both the sheep and arable sectors, starting at a local beef and arable farm as a teenager to harvesting in the UK and in Australia as well as working in sheep flocks in Wales.
After graduating from Aberystwyth university in 2015 with a degree in Agri-Business, he has been the main operator at a 1200 acre family farm and managing a flock of ewes and store lamb finishing enterprise in a mixed system which revolves around direct drilling, flexible crop rotations and incorporates regenerative farming practices.
Alongside the day job, Ben has also been working on developing his own flock of 220 Welsh Mules and Aberfield Romneys which he crosses with the Primera terminal sire. The flock grazes rented grassland and cover crops at a nearby arable estate.
The increased green cover now seen in many arable rotations in the form of cover crops, stewardship grass and herbal leys can support healthy forage-based livestock, at the same time as improving soil structure and reducing weed burdens. Ben hopes that his strong first-hand practical experience of both the arable and sheep sectors will help him demonstrate the benefits of combining the two enterprises and looks forward to representing Innovis during these exciting times as many farm businesses adapt to environmental and economic changes and challenges.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Manager
- Lab Technician
Claire joined the Innovis team in 2017, representing us in the North of England. She has a strong practical knowledge of the sheep industry having studied Agriculture at Kirkley Hall College before going on to work as a contract shepherd in mid-Northumberland.
Job Titles:
- in 2014 As Our Representative
- Technical Sales Adviser
Declan Marshall joined Innovis in 2014 as our representative in the South West of England.
Based on his family farm, School Lane in Devon, Declan and his father Alan have developed an outdoor lambing flock of 800+ Highlander cross ewes since 2008. In 2016, the Marshalls became Highlander breeding partners for Innovis, producing up to 40 Highlander rams for sale from 130 recorded breeding ewes, with the remaining ewes making up a commercial flock.
As well as his work for Innovis, Declan also spends the winter pregnancy scanning ewes in the South West.
Originally from a family farm on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales, Dewi studied at the Welsh Agricultural College and post graduate in New Zealand, before returning back to Aberystwyth to lead extensive sheep research projects at the Institute of Rural Sciences (IRS). Following ten years in applied research at IRS, which included the establishment of the Welsh Sheep Strategy, Dewi established CBS Technologies as a spinout from Aberystwyth University. CBS was merged with two other companies in 2004 to create Innovis. Dewi is a Nuffield Scholar, Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society and has sat on a plethora of Industry advisory boards, including TSB's Animal Sector Group and National Scrapie Plan. Dewi also, through his past directorship of the British Livestock Genetics Consortium, developed a number of sheep improvement strategies in other countries. Dewi has his feet firmly on the ground and is actively involved in all aspects of Innovis' business.
Eifion joins us from his home farm near Machynlleth. He studied a national diploma in Agriculture at Glynllifon before working on wide range of farming enterprises including a stint contracting in New Zealand. Eifion completed the Agri-academy Business Innovation course in 2016 and the Master Grass course in 2018 and is now undertaking the Prosper from Pasture program to implement a more efficient grass based system at home. His farm is currently calf rearing to stores with up to 120 head of cattle on farm. Eifion runs 350 ewes with replacement Aberfield x Welsh ewe lambs put to Abermax sires for fat lamb production a recent change in his system from a Lleyn x Welsh ewe.
Job Titles:
- Sheep Services Technician & Sales Team Advisor
- Technical Sales Adviser
Issy joined Innovis in May 2021 as our main muscle and backfat scanning technician travelling across the UK. Issy has also been attending events and helping the ram production team for the past year.
The family farm in Pendle is 450 acres and runs 1000 sheep on a regenerative system where all ewes are lambed outside. Composite tups are used and all lambs are finished off grass. The family also have a prominent pedigree flock of Blue Texels and Zwartbles as well as a herd of pedigree British Blue cattle. Throughout the summer, Issy enjoys showing the sheep and cattle at local agricultural shows and has been judging at shows up and down the country. Issy has a sound technical base and a great eye for stock.
Job Titles:
- Movement Licensing Officer
Job Titles:
- Breeding Programme & Services Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Ram Production Coordinator
Stuart joined the team in May 2022, representing South West Scotland. Stuart farms alongside his wife and 18-month old son, Angus, in Lockerbie in South west Scotland. In November 2019, the pair were lucky enough to gain a tenancy through Crown Estate Scotland and now farm 380 acres at home and contract farm another 200 acres.
Job Titles:
- Sheep Services Technician