McCain to launch Farm of the Future venture
McCain Foods, the UK’s largest manufacturer of prepared potato products, has announced plans to launch a new Farm of the Future in North Yorkshire, home of McCain’s GB headquarters for over 50 years.
Andy Hoff, the Scarborough-based firm’s managing director, said the farm, close to the junction of the A1 and A64 near Tadcaster, was currently a commercial farm with various different element, would focus on the production of potatoes to test agricultural practices.
He said the 202-hectare Farm of the Future UK had been designed to help accelerate the adoption of regenerative practices in real-world farming conditions.
Mr Hoff said: “It’s done in collaboration with the University of Leeds, which will bring quite a broad scope in terms of different practices they have across the whole farm. For example, they do lot of development with pigs, so we can look at the whole ecosystem of the farm environment and create a blueprint which is going to be transferable, not just for potato growers, but many different elements of agriculture.
"The crop rotation with potatoes is over multiple years, so being able to work with them on the rotations they use for potatoes, cereal crops etc is absolutely critical to the practices we have for regen.”
Mr Hoff said the firm “very much” recognised the pressures to potato production caused by issues including climate change.
He said: “We’ve been on a journey with many of these growers over the full life cycle of their farm and never more now have they faced into an increase in pressures, whether that’s unpredictable weather, declining soil health and ongoing policy uncertainty.”
McCain said its recent Farmdex research had underscored the need for action: while many British farmers are concerned about the future of UK farming, 77 per cent agree sustainable practices are essential and those already investing in them report greater confidence and resilience.
The Tadcaster farm will adopt practices such as controlled traffic farming, year-round soil cover, and biodiversity building. It will also be the first Farm of the Future location to pilot a circular nutrient system, developed in partnership with the University of Leeds National Pig Centre, using pig manure to enrich soils, reduce waste, and demonstrate how mixed farming systems aim to improve soil health and biodiversity while helping to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
McCain will work collaboratively with the University of Leeds to develop a scientific and teaching partnership, providing opportunities for independent data validation across key metrics including soil health, biodiversity, and greenhouse gas emissions. Additional areas of focus will include autonomous vehicles and alternative fuels for farm equipment.
Results will be published annually in dedicated reports, ensuring transparency and global knowledge-sharing. Insights from the UK farm will feed directly into McCain’s global network of 4,400 farmers, supporting wider adoption of regenerative
James Young, Vice President of Agriculture at McCain, added: "Farming is at the heart of Britain’s food system, and farmers face growing challenges that demand new solutions. We’re proud to launch our third and final Farm of the Future here in the UK, combining global knowledge with local action and a research partnership with the University of Leeds. This farm will show that regenerative farming works in practice and aims to provide a blueprint for others, helping secure the future of farming for generations to come.”