The Team

Rebecca Knowles, Founding Director,
Head of Farm Transitions.
Rebecca has a degree in Agriculture from the University of Aberdeen. Her past farm experience includes hill sheep, beef, and market gardening.
Rebecca is based in Aberdeenshire.
Rebecca@stockfreefarming.org

Sam Eccles, Assistant Director,
Head of Grants and Research.
Sam did his dissertation on the feasibility of veganic farming in
Scotland. He volunteers on a market garden whilst expanding his
interest in food choice and sustainability.
Sam is based in Glasgow.
Sam@stockfreefarming.org

Prof. Amir Kassam OBE, FRSB, PhD.
Transition Advisory Team Lead.
Amir Kassam is a Visiting Professor in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, UK. He is also Moderator of the FAO-hosted Global Platform for Conservation Agriculture Community of Practice (CA-CoP). Conservation Agriculture is based on the application of three interlinked principles of continuous no-tillage, permanent ground cover, and crop diversification. Amir is a member of several international advisory committees. He is published widely.
Born in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Kassam received his BSc (Hons) in Agriculture and PhD in Agro-ecology from the University of Reading, and MSc in Irrigation from the University of California-Davis. Kassam’s research and development work is focused on sustainable agricultural development and land management to address national and global needs and challenges.
Amir@stockfreefarming.org

Mark Wakeling, Regional Director (England)
Transition Advisor.
Mark has a background in the livestock industry. He is
currently based in Buckinghamshire.
Mark@stockfreefarming.org

Iain Tolhurst
Transition Advisor.
Iain has been an organic producer since 1976, having previously worked for 4 years on a conventional dairy farm, and he grows a wide range of mixed veg on 19 acres of land on his farm south Oxfordshire. He is well known within the agricultural community and is considered to be a leading expert on stockfree organic horticulture. The farm is a model of productivity centred on biodiversity and green manure systems, and was the first farm to attain the Stockfree Organic certification in 2004.
IainTolhurst@stockfreefarming.org

Laurence Candy, Farmer,
Transition Advisor.
Laurence is a former organic beef and dairy farmer who is currently transitioning to veganic cereal production. Laurence is based in Dorset.
Laurence@stockfreefarming.org

Angus Dixon, BSc, Forester,
Forestry and Agroforestry Advice and Support.
Angus is a highly experienced freelance forester who advises on forestry/agroforestry projects including map preparation and grant application completion.
Angus@stockfreefarming.org
