This piece was first published by The Yorkshire Post on 1 December 2025 – link to original source.
A hundred years ago, the fields at Sand Hutton near York looked very different. The First World War had stripped Britain’s farms of men and horses, leaving the Women’s Land Army and improvised machinery to fill the gap.
With imports blockaded and fertilisers scarce, scientists and farmers desperately toiled to find new ways to grow enough food to sustain the nation - from early soil testing to the cultivation of disease-resistant crops. It was a moment when necessity made innovation vital, and when agri-science first took root in service of national resilience.
Today on that same site stands Fera at the York Biotech Campus, where over 550 scientists continue that mission - using technologies like molecular diagnostics, analytical instrumentation and data analytics to protect food safety, our environmental health and national biosecurity. Food production has transformed beyond recognition, yet Fera’s purpose endures: applying science to improve lives, strengthen businesses and protect the planet.
British scientific ingenuity remains world-class, but research excellence alone is not enough. To stay ahead, the UK must focus on ‘impact’: moving beyond discovery to deliver real-world applications that protect crop yields from pests and disease, safeguard the quality and integrity of our food or protect our nation’s natural capital. That requires new models of collaboration, where government, industry and investors work together to ensure science translates into real-world progress.
Fera’s own model presents a compelling proof of concept. Originating in 1914 as a research institute within the Ministry of Agriculture – a driving force behind Britain’s wartime “plough up” initiative – Fera eventually span out of government in 2015, creating a public-private joint venture that matched scientific rigour with commercial agility. In 2023, Bridgepoint became Fera’s majority shareholder alongside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Transitioning to this public-private model has enabled Fera to scale responsibly, attract talent and extend the UK’s influence in agri-food-environment science, at a time when global challenges like food security and climate change are driving intense structural demand for its expert services. Leveraging Bridgepoint’s expertise in scaling testing, inspection and certification businesses, Fera has invested in even more advanced scientific capabilities, accelerating its growth while stimulating UK innovation and jobs. Its scientists – including over 250 graduate and 50 doctoral researchers – now serve as trusted partners to public institutions and private sector clients like Nestlé and Tesco.
Since 2020, this proudly Yorkshire-based business has delivered double-digit annual revenue growth while expanding into over 150 markets worldwide, all without undue burden on the taxpayer. And, crucially, its success remains grounded in scientific credibility - rigorous, peer-tested work that gives clients the confidence to act.
With public finances constrained, this model clearly offers policymakers a cost-effective template for national renewal. At a recent parliamentary reception to mark Fera’s tenth anniversary as a joint venture, government and industry figures voiced the need to pursue ‘Science for Life’ and invest for impact over the long term, strengthening infrastructure, skills and innovation capacity beyond political or funding cycles.
The US and Europe are already reaping success through extensive public-private investment in agri-tech and bio-innovation. The UK must do the same to maintain its edge.
Andrew Swift is chief executive of Fera, and Matt Legg is Partner at Bridgepoint.