SOIL SCIENTIST, CROP NUTRTIONIST, BIOCHEMIST, SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Simon is a professional soil scientist and agronomist (MSc. BSc., University of Reading) specialising in sustainable, enhanced crop performance in a career as a research scientist and soils agronomy consultant for over 35 years and is Director and founder of Emerald Research Limited.
Simon is also a Chartered IT Professional and Member of the British Computer Society with 35 years of parallel experience in consulting, software architecture and developing software & systems (MSc. University of Birmingham). He has held senior positions including IT Director for 3 consulting, systems integration and development IT companies.
Simon has developed the unique and advanced OptiYield® CHIPS Soil & Crop advisory system, after years of research that demonstrates greatly enhanced crop growth, health, quality & performance for ERL customers. Through OptiYield, Simon advises farmers and growers in the horticultural and agricultural Industry on crop production, soil husbandry and nutrient optimisation.
Simon has British and International patents pending for specialist environmental monitoring systems.
Simon's philosophy for Emerald Research is built upon a universal approach to the entire cropping system and the full cropping cycle and delivers not only dramatic crop performance improvement, but also improved sustainability by reducing Green House Gas emissions, run-off pollution and significant reductions in fertiliser & pesticide use. In doing so we also aim to build back soil carbon, increase soil microbial and biological health and reduce soil loss.
As lead UK partner through INTERREG NASPA, Innovate UK POSTCOVA and other research projects ERL works with institutions including Bangor, Aberystwyth, Lisboa & UTAD (Portugal), Harper Adams and Newcastle Universities; CATE, Vegenov (France); James Hutton Institute (Scotland), NIAB and other leading UK growers of high-value vegetable and fruit crops.
Through these projects ERL is developing and trialling novel nutrition/biostimulant/microbial compounds with rapid screening, glasshouse and field trials leading - in turn - to further improved OptiYield® solutions.
Simon continues to provide professional advisory services in the UK, Ireland, Switzerland, E.U., Africa and the Middle East, where he has also developed and implemented commercial soils and crop research and advisory facilities. Current active projects in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique.
