Organic Research Centre joins Adas for growth
Attendees at an ORC event © Organic Research Centre A landmark partnership has been announced as the Organic Research Centre (ORC), the UK’s leading authority on organic and low-input farming, officially becomes part of agricultural and environmental consultancy Adas.
The move sees ORC retained as a standalone brand within the Adas group, continuing under the leadership of chief executive Lucy MacLennan.
The integration brings together two powerhouses of applied agricultural research, with shared resources and complementary expertise aimed at delivering innovative solutions for sustainable farming.
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“The move of ORC to Adas not only safeguards the future of ORC and our work advocating organic and low-input farming principles,” said Ms MacLennan.
“It also means we can evolve and expand our research into new areas. Our strategic aims remain the same as when we were founded – to protect the environment and to enhance biodiversity.”
Adas managing director Jackie Evans welcomed the merger, saying the move signals the start of an exciting new chapter.
“With ORC’s agroecological expertise now in-house, we can pool our knowledge… and create a centre of excellence for organic agricultural research,” she added.
The partnership has received wide support from across the sector. ORC co-founder Lawrence Woodward said the need for organic farming research “is as pressing now as it was when we started”.
‘Welcome assurance’ – Browning
While Helen Browning, chief executive of the Soil Association, called it a “welcome assurance” of ORC’s future and vital to giving farmers “confidence to transition to better farming systems”.
Roger Kerr, former chief executive of Organic Farmers & Growers, added:
“The link up between ORC and Adas fulfils that pressing lack of expertise… ORC will now be able to make their research far more accessible and relevant to the wider farming community.”
The Progressive Farming Trust and its knowledge platform, Agricology, will remain independent and continue their work unchanged.