Crop research future secured through purchase of Church Farm, Bawburgh

The John Innes Centre has purchased Church Farm at Bawburgh from the John Innes Foundation and secured the long-term future of our world-leading, field-based research.

The purchase of the land secures our crop research programme for the foreseeable future and provides a platform on which to build its science and develop new technologies for application in agriculture.

The farm, which comprises 110 ha of land, has been used by John Innes Centre scientists for over 17 years to undertake field-based research into improving yield and reducing disease in cereals.

Our use of the land and understanding of its qualities was essential in informing the decision to purchase it when the John Innes Foundation indicated they planned to sell the site.

We plans to consolidate our field trials operations at Church Farm over the next two years and will work with planning authorities and the community to achieve this.

This purchase will enable us to plan our research, which exploits fundamental science, use of heritage lines and advanced genetic breeding tools, in a secure environment, over the long term.