Born and raised on small family, Lake District Dairy, beef and sheep farm. Graduated BSc Hons in Agriculture, Newcastle 1980. Joined the RAF and was in the Royal Air Force for 10 years where the day job was a Harrier pilot. Retired back to family farm in late 1989 and he and his wife Helen took over the family farm. Helen decided to keep a few (200) chickens just as Edwina Curry did her thing. Farm has grown from there.

David and Helen set up Lakes Free Range Egg Co Ltd to sell their eggs in 1996. The ethos even way back in 1996 was ‘to sustainably supply only Free Range and Organic Free Range eggs produced to high welfare standards, top 10% of UK performance and leading edge innovation’.

There has been a constant stream of innovation and research in partnership with some of the UK’s leading research institutions.

The business has now grown to several egg producing farming businesses, a pullet rearing operation rearing well over 1 million birds per year and the Lakes Free Range Egg Co Ltd now turns over £45 million and packs ½ a billion eggs per year from 100 contracted producers from the midlands Northwards including Scotland and Northern Ireland. Currently for a relatively small company we have 1 MSc and 5 Phd researchers seconded on major research programmes into all aspects of chicken behaviour, Innovation, nutrition and welfare.

The Lakes are Current holders of Queens Award For Industry in Sustainable Development, David and Helen were Farmers Weekly Poultry Farmer of the year (Twice) and holders of numerous, national, European and Global awards for innovation, environmental and sustainable agriculture.

David has a keen interest in sustainable business practices and linking sustainable business with improving animal welfare to drive economic performance. Particularly with regard to planting trees for free range poultry welfare, performance and Ammonia reduction.

Proud to be a Woodland Trust Ambassador.

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