Abi joins Masons Rural team with a focus on Agri-Environmental Schemes, Carbon and Soil Health

Mon 23 Sep 2024

We are delighted to welcome Abi Saunders to the Masons Rural Team as an Agri-Business Consultant with a focus on agri-environmental schemes, carbon and soil health.

In August Abi moved to Lincolnshire to be with her partner on his family farm. She has moved from Oxfordshire where she was managing an organic dairy farm for the past few years, not far from the family organic dairy farm.

Abi graduated from Harper Adams University in 2017 with a First Class BSc Honours degree in Countryside and Environmental Management, then went on to do a Masters in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security at Newcastle University.

Following graduation from university Abi has worked with multiple farmers and landowners to implement agri-environmental schemes, carry out carbon footprints and understand the soil health on farms. It has been important to Abi to help farmers manage the increased pressures from the supply chain and climate change whilst ensuring farms remain financially viable.

“I hope to bring my mix of practical and theoretical knowledge of regenerative farming practices and agri-environmental schemes to help Lincolnshire farmers prepare for current and future requirements of the supply chain. Data will become of greater importance to the farmer for management decisions and communication up the supply chain.”

“It's highly likely data on the farms carbon, biodiversity and soil health status will be required by the buyers of products as well as banks looking to support farming businesses. Now is the perfect opportunity to gain a baseline value for carbon, biodiversity or soil to support the great work farmers are often already doing.”

As we are seeing with the increased weather extremes, supply chain uncertainty is being felt throughout all levels and especially at farm level. Ensuring the farm is resilient to these extremes will be crucial.

Abi feels understanding the soil health of the farm is an important step for preparing for the weather extremes that are likely to continue to occur. Soil underpins the whole farm system, ensuring it remains healthy and profitable. Often a visual assessment can be a start at providing you with useful information on how your soil is managing water, nutrients and carbon.

Currently, there are governmental and some private funding streams available to support farmers to collect this data and either continue with or move to more regenerative farming practices.

If you need any support with understanding your soil health, carbon assessment, or ideas and actions which would promote a more resilient system or access to funding then call Abi Saunders on 01507 350512 or email [email protected]. Like all the Masons Rural team, she is here to help.