McCain launches Farm of the Future in Yorkshire

Multinational potato processor McCain is launching a 200ha farm in North Yorkshire to carry out commercial-scale projects and drive innovation in the sector.

McCain says its “Farm of the Future” will be the first of its kind in Europe and will work with two other established sites, in Canada and South Africa, sharing findings with roughly 4,400 farmers globally.

The site will focus on regenerative farming practices and McCain has partnered with the University of Leeds to carry out scientific research, in-field trials and measurement of soil health, biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions.

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This will include trials on controlled-traffic farming, year-round soil cover, and a circular nutrient system using pig manure.

It will also test the use of autonomous vehicles and alternative fuels.

McCain Foods chief executive Max Koeune said: “McCain Farm of the Future UK marks an important step in how we are scaling regenerative agriculture across our global Farms of the Future.

“Each site helps us test real solutions with farmers, understand what works, and share that knowledge across our network. This is how we strengthen the resilience of our farms, support our partners, and build a more sustainable food system for the long term.”

James Young, vice-president of agriculture at McCain GB&I, said the farm would show that regenerative farming worked in practice and provided a blueprint for others.

Professor Nick Plant, pro-vice-chancellor for research and innovation at the University of Leeds, said: “Our partnership with McCain at their Farm of the Future in the UK is a clear example of our joint ambition to promote farming practices which minimise environmental impact.

“Establishing this 20-year agreement will enable us to further develop research expertise in soil health and land productivity that can benefit farming approaches worldwide.”