Six new independent governors, including one of the South West’s most recognized food and farming entrepreneurs, have been appointed to the governing council of the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) in Gloucestershire.
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, more widely known as The Black Farmer, was welcomed to the Cirencester university’s first governing council meeting of the year by Dame Fiona Reynolds, who took over as chair of the governing council in January.
The Jamaican-born farmer and businessman, who lives near Lifton on the Devon and Cornwall border, will sit alongside his fellow new members Hugh Baker, property and business consultant; Joy Lo Dico, Financial Times columnist and woodland owner; Jason Makepeace, UK Health Security Agency director; David Morgan, independent agricultural consultant; and Sue Pritchard, head of the Food, Farming, and Countryside Commission (FFCC) and an organic farmer.
(Image: The Black Farmer)
Dame Fiona said: “This is a stellar team and, together with the existing governors, we have a vital job to do. I’m delighted to welcome them all to be part of the RAU.”
At the meeting, Dame Fiona also announced that Kim Frost, who has been an independent member of the governing council since March 2021, has now been appointed as deputy chair.
The new governors join other existing members Bob Branson, Dr Catherine MacKenzie, Neil Scott, and Susan Steer, as well as RAU vice chancellor Peter McCaffery, staff governor Phil Hudson, and a student governor who is yet to be elected.
The new team of governors will work with the RAU’s executive group, led by the vice chancellor, to guide the university in fulfilling its role as a leading educator, researcher, and solution-finder at a time of unprecedented change and opportunity for farming, food production, rural land use, and enterprises. As well as attending the governing council meeting, the governors had a tour of the RAU’s Cirencester campus and met with students and staff.
Mr Emmanuel-Jones said: “Joining the RAU’s governing council is a huge honor for me. I’ve been lucky enough to have worked with the university on several initiatives previously, including the Young City Farmers Scheme, which has given me the opportunity to help shape the pathways and passions of future British farmers.
“As one of Britain’s only black farmers, my role as governor will allow me to bring more diversity to the British agricultural industry but also to attract new, fresh blood to it.
“Our farmers are the lifeblood of British agriculture and I’m fiercely passionate about educating and attracting young people to the industry. My own love for farming began as a boy on my father’s allotment – this sparked the dream of running my own farm which has since grown beyond anything I could have imagined.”
Wilfred was born in Jamaica and, after his parents came to the UK in the fifties as part of the Windrush generation, he was raised in inner city Birmingham. He worked as a chef before pursuing a career in television becoming a producer / director for the BBC. In 1994 I founded a food and drink marketing agency in London which went on to run successful marketing campaigns for many well-known brands.
In 2000, Wilfred fulfilled a lifelong ambition when he bought a small farm in Devon which inspired him to develop and launch his own food brand The Black Farmer.
He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Marketing by Plymouth University in 2012 and, in 2021, an Honorary Degree for Distinction in the Farming Industry by Writtle University College. He has published two books and, in 2019, set up The Hatchery, an incubator scheme for fledgling brands.
Most recently, Wilfred was awarded an MBE for services to farming in the 2020 New Year’s Honors List.
Speaking at the governing meeting council, RAU vice chancellor Professor Peter McCaffery welcomed the new members and said: “Governing a university is never an easy matter and all universities want to have a governing council of all the talents. With our latest round of appointments, I am delighted we now have a full house in this regard.”
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