AHDB strengthens farmer support in the South West with appointment of Rob Purdew

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Rob Purdew as Dairy Knowledge Exchange Manager. Rob joins the team in November and will support dairy levy payers across Cornwall and Devon.

As the regional knowledge exchange manager, Rob will be the first point of contact for dairy farmers in the South West. He’ll work closely with levy payers, bringing farmers together through events and discussion groups.

Rob takes over from Laura Awdry, who has stepped down to focus on her family beef-rearing enterprise in Cornwall. Laura has been an incredibly valued member of the team, building strong relationships across the region and delivering a huge variety of events.

Rob will continue this work to support levy payers across Cornwall and Devon.

Rob joins AHDB with a wealth of knowledge in soil health, nutrient management and regenerative farming. He is a highly experienced adviser with strong roots in grazing systems.

Most recently, he worked as Senior Farm Carbon and Soils Advisor at Farm Carbon Toolkit, helping farmers improve business resilience while reducing environmental impact.

During his career, Rob has advised a diverse range of farming businesses, from individual family farms to major organisations including the Duchy of Cornwall and Arla.

His experience includes:

• Developing soil and nutrient management plans
• Delivering carbon footprint assessments
• Running on-farm trials
• Leading technical events and workshops for farmers

Alongside his advisory work, Rob also has extensive hands-on farming experience. He was previously Head Stockman on one of AHDB's Strategic Beef Farms and has worked across beef, dairy and mixed farming enterprises in the UK and Canada.

A graduate of Nottingham University with a degree in environmental biology, Rob combines practical farming knowledge with technical expertise in sustainable land management, grazing systems and business performance.

Further details about upcoming regional activities will be shared in due course.

For any enquiries before Rob’s start date, please contact Emily Udall: