A new director has taken charge of farming operations on the Bradford Estates.
Duncan Fleming has joined the landed estates business, which has a principal asset of 12,000 acres on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border.
As farm director, he will manage Bradford Farming, its in-hand farming business which focuses on arable crops alongside land licenced out to a portfolio of fresh produce, root vegetable and horticultural growers.
Duncan has previously served as managing director at contract farmers Westrope Farming in Suffolk. Before that, he was estate director at the Sotterley Estate and farm manager at the Elveden Estate, both in Suffolk.
He said: “I was very interested in the dynamic nature of Bradford Estates and the opportunity to combine my skill set with its experienced senior management team to add real value.
“Bradford Estates’ clear and ambitious 100-year plan resonated with me. They are looking to the future with investments at scale such as its large tree planting programme and industrial acquisition strategy, so it is an exciting time to join. I look forward to bringing my experience of working with large person teams and complex agreements with multiple stakeholders to bear.
“It will be a very varied role with around 5,000 acres being used for the in-hand farming business, providing cereal crops, environmental stewardship, sheep grazing and licenses to a growing number of vegetable, salad and plant growers.”
Alexander Newport, managing director of Bradford Estates, said: “We are pleased to add Duncan to our senior management team and draw upon his extensive farming experience to deliver our agricultural strategy.
“Duncan joins our business as farm director to oversee the growth of our in-hand farming operation and expand our universe of farm licensees, both of which are important parts of our long-term plans to realise our ambitions.”
