Business Strategy & Performance Watch our Video Now more than ever, clear thinking about the future is essential for UK farm businesses. With ongoing uncertainty around policy support, rising input costs and the pressures of succession, many farmers are reassessing the direction of their business. Strategic planning and business reviews provide a practical way to take stock, identify areas for improvement, and set a course that strengthens both profitability and long-term resilience. At The Andersons Centre, we bring practical experience, independence and a tailored approach to every farm we support. Whether through a Farm Business Review or structured advice on succession, investment or rural planning, we work alongside farming families to make informed decisions that align with their goals. From understanding where you stand today to planning for the next generation, strategic reviews give you the clarity and confidence to move forward with purpose. In the video above, you’ll hear directly from farmers about the practical value they’ve gained from working with Andersons. Need a clearer picture of your farms Direction? If you want a clearer picture of your farm’s direction and the steps to strengthen it, we’d be pleased to talk. Contact us to explore whether a Farm Business Review or tailored support is right for your business. Key Contacts Joe Scarratt Partner & Head of Farm Business Consultancy Business Strategy & Performance Partner & Head of Farm Business Consultancy Joe Scarratt is a Partner and Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre. He specialises in assisting arable and mixed businesses, as well as some estates, with long term strategic business planning. Joe undertakes one-off business reviews as well as ongoing consultancy support to long term clients, focused on maximising profitability. He spends a considerable proportion of his time establishing and managing joint ventures and contract farming agreements. Qualifications & Experience 2018 to date - Head of Farm Consultancy at The Andersons Centre 2018 to date - Partner of The Andersons Centre 2009 - 2018 – Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre Delivers business advice to a wide range of farming businesses, focusing on the arable and dairy sectors Oversees the operation of a number of Contract Farming Agreements across all sectors Approved deliverer under DEFRA’s Farming Advice Service delivering group advice to farmers and agricultural professionals Approved deliverer under the Welsh Assembly’s Farming Connect Scheme, delivering advice to farmers across Wales Undertakes commissioned research projects 2005 - 2009 – Harper Adams University College. First Class BSc Hons Business Management with Marketing. The course focused upon the agri-food industry 2000 to Present – Working in and developing the family farming business. The farm is predominantly arable with a small beef enterprise Areas of Expertise Farming Joint Ventures and Contract Farming Farm Business Management Technical Farm Business Advice Farm Strategy and Succession Planning Farm Investment Appraisals and Loan Applications Farm and Rural Grant Applications Farm Business Tenancies Farm Business Administration Farming Connect (FC) accredited Oliver Hall Partner & Senior Farm Business Consultant Business Strategy & Performance Partner & Senior Farm Business Consultant Oliver is a Partner and Senior Farm Business Consultant within the Andersons Consultancy Team. He plays an active role in his own family livestock enterprise and also invests in several dairy businesses across the UK, giving him first-hand insight into the commercial realities faced by farmers. Oliver’s specialist skills include developing farming joint ventures such as contract and share-farming arrangements, as well as providing farm business management advice, budgeting support, and long-term strategic and succession planning. He undertakes detailed investment appraisals and loan applications, alongside coaching businesses in high-utilisation grassland systems. His dairy expertise covers infrastructure design, technical KPI development, and quantifying the financial benefits of performance improvements, as well as overseeing transitional and turnaround management. He also facilitates farmer-led dairy discussion groups. Outside of work, Oliver enjoys weekend farming. He also values time with his family and takes every opportunity to play sport and keep active. Qualifications & Experience 2021 - Partner, The Andersons Centre 2017- Senior Farm business consultant, The Andersons Centre 2014 –ILM- Lean Management In Dairy Farming 2010 - Co founder of Evolution Farming – Multi Site Pasture based dairy business 2009-2010 – Farm business consultant, The Andersons Centre 2008- Family farming partnership, West Yorkshire 2005-2008 – The Royal Agricultural College – Bsc (Hons) Agriculture Areas of Expertise Farming Joint Ventures, Contract Farming and Share Farming Farm Business Management and budgeting Farm Strategy and Succession Planning Farm Investment Appraisals and Loan Applications Grassland management Practical knowledge of farm management Anna Bowen Farm Business Consultant Business Strategy & Performance Farm Business Consultant Anna is a Senior Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre, specialising in dairy consultancy and nutrient management planning. Her work encompasses financial, strategic, and technical advice for dairy farmers; succession planning and people management, benchmarking; facilitating a number of dairy discussion groups across England and Wales, and working alongside the research team on dairy projects. Anna is FACTS qualified. Prior to Andersons Anna spent ten years working for a dairy consultancy in West Wales and read BSc (Hons) International Equine and Agricultural Management and MSc Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security at the Royal Agricultural College. Anna manages a spring block calving dairy farm through a contract farming agreement and grew up on a dairy farm in West Wales. She sits on the AHDB Dairy Sector Council as a farmer representative and from 2023 to 2025 was a Trustee of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust. Qualifications & Experience February 2022 to Present Day – Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre Previously worked as a farm business consultant in West Wales Contract farms a 300- cow spring block calving herd in Ceredigion FACTS qualified RoMS accredited mobility scorer Approved Mastitis Control Plan and QuarterPro deliverer 2021 Nuffield Scholar- “Can the UK improve the ethics of its dairy calf management whilst retaining profitability?” 2019 Entrepreneurs in Dairying course 2017 Richard John Memorial Trust Scholarship, studied the sustainability of the Australian dairy industry 2016 MSc Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security (Royal Agricultural College) 2014 BSc (Hons) International Equine and Agricultural Management (Royal Agricultural College) Fluent Welsh speaker Areas of Expertise Farm business consultancy and budgeting Business reviews and strategic planning Practical experience of farm management Dairy farming, particularly spring block calving Nutrient management planning (Farming Connect approved) Herd health Publications Bowen A. (2023) Cow Calf Contact: Dairy’s Ethical Future Interim Nuffield report investigating the prevalence of calf euthanasia on UK dairy farms Edward Calcott Farm Business Consultant Business Strategy & Performance Farm Business Consultant Edward is a Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre. He works with most farm sectors, specialising in poultry, mixed farming, and on-farm diversifications. He works with numerous clients across England Wales, under Farming Connect. He provides services such as budgeting & cashflow monitoring; borrowing proposals for new investments or debt restructuring; supporting agricultural reports for planning applications; investment appraisals; the setting up and management of contract farming agreements; grant applications; and business reviews. Edward comes from a mixed family farming business in Staffordshire which incorporates poultry, grazing livestock, arable and diversifications. He holds a BSc degree in Agriculture with Farm Business Management from Harper Adams University. Qualifications & Experience Joined The Andersons Centre in January 2019 BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Farm Business Management (2:1) Harper Adams University (2016 Graduate) Part of the winning team for the Institute of Agricultural Management Farm Planner competition whilst at Harper Adams. Placement year was spent with a large UK integrated poultry company. Time was spent on various breeder farms; the hatchery; and commercial farms for broiler chickens and turkeys. Part of the 2017-18 NFU Poultry Industry Program (PIP). A continued involvement with the mixed farming family business in Staffordshire. The farm enterprises include combinable crops, sucker cows, sheep and some agricultural contracting. Areas of Expertise Experience in most aspects of lowland agriculture including arable, beef, sheep, dairy and potatoes. On-farm diversifications including direct sales; marketing and holiday lets. Practical experience within the UK poultry sector, including layers, broilers, turkeys. Business consultancy advice, budgeting and financial planning for agricultural, food and rural businesses. Accounts analysis; investment appraisals; business reviews; strategic planning and enterprise costings. Contract farming and joint ventures. Practical knowledge of farm management. BPS, grant applications and farm assurance. Farming Connect (FC) accredited. Farm Consultancy Services Business Strategy & Performance Farm BusinessManagement Investment Appraisals & Finance Partnershipsand Enterprise Environmental & Sustainability Consultancy
