ADAS (company)
 | |
| Limited | |
| Industry | Environmental consultancy and services |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK |
Key people | Colin Speller |
| Revenue | c.£31m |
Number of employees | 450+ (2014) |
| Website | http://www.adas.uk/ |
Adas is the UK’s largest independent agricultural and environmental consultancy and provider of rural development and policy advice.[1] ADAS provides independent science-based research, consultancy and contracting services to a wide range of organisations in both the private and public sectors, throughout the UK and internationally.
History
The UK's National Agricultural Advisory Service (NAAS) was established in 1946 as the advisory and research arm of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) because of the harsh food rationing of World War II that continued in the UK into the early 1950s. Plant pathology, entomology, soil and other specialist advisers throughout the country advised farmers and growers how to maximise their output.
The NAAS was rebranded as ADAS in 1971. In 1992, ADAS became an Executive Agency of MAFF until the business was privatised in 1997. To this day ADAS remains a major supplier to governments[2] and many enterprises in the public and private sectors throughout the UK and other countries.
Company Info
ADAS is a national company with local knowledge, operating from its headquarters in Wolverhampton and a further 15 principal sites throughout the UK. The business employs 400 staff on permanent or fixed-term contracts and calls on a further 250 on contingent terms.
ADAS has a large number of customers in the UK and abroad ranging from small rural enterprises to major corporations, government departments and agencies, including:
- National Government Departments and Agencies
- Utility companies, forestry, countryside and environmental organisations
- Rail, road and house builders, industrial companies and commercial developers
- Food processing, retailing, manufacturing and packaging industries
- Farmers and growers, levy bodies and the agricultural and horticultural supply industries
Farmer's Voice is an annual farming survey (held up till 2006 at least)[3]
Business Structure
The ADAS Group has two major brands – ADAS and REsolved Developments. These businesses cover the following areas:
ADAS
- Soils, Crops & Water: Provision of applied research and knowledge transfer, focusing on the development of sustainable and profitable crop production systems including implementation of pest, disease and weed management strategies, improving arable and horticultural crop performance, development of biomass and biofuel crops and use of natural plant products in new markets. Protection and management of soils. Water use and quality. Investigation and evidence collection.
- Sustainable Food and Farming: Provision of applied research, strategic and policy consultancy to government, levy and corporate clients to help them develop their businesses and strategy. Delivery of applied research; interpretation of evidence and advice on its impact and implications. Livestock and crops.
- Animal Health: Contract Research Organisation focusing on the development of animal health products, operating to Home Office standards and GLP; facilities management of a high-health sheep unit; molecular biological research.
- On-farm Implementation: Provision of on-farm implementation of advice and programmes for government and other regional clients.
- Environment: Provision of consultancy and research focusing on ecology, land management, soils, archaeology, landscape, air quality, arboriculture, wayleaves, renewable energy and EIA / planning underpinned by expertise in data capture, GIS, modelling and software development.
- Chemicals in the Environment (CIE): Specialists in regulatory environmental risk assessments for chemicals, providing strategic support for product registrations across Europe. In addition to desk-based support, CIE offer bespoke higher tier aquatic (mesocosms and laboratory studies) and terrestrial ecotoxicological field and environmental fate studies according to GLP. Some CIE services are marketed and delivered within the separate brand Cambridge Environmental Assessments.
REsolved Developments
An ADAS company that has been specifically set up to help landowners to maximise the value of their land by promoting it through the planning process for the purpose of residential property development.[4]
References
- ↑ "ADAS UK Ltd". Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ↑ "Science and research projects". Defra. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
- ↑ "ADAS Farmers' Voice survey reveals a lack of respect for farm community". Farmers Weekly. November 13, 2006. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
- ↑ "REsolved - About Us". Retrieved 21 November 2014.