About Ag.Impact
Enhancing the impact of agricultural research
The Centre for Agricultural Research Impact, or Ag.Impact, is a UK not-for-profit dedicated to enhancing the impact of agricultural research.
We work with research institutions and funders to help them make grounded, open and strategic decisions. We do this by convening and advising those involved in agricultural research and generating evidence to inform their decisions.
Ag.Impact launched in 2025, spinning out from the Centre for Effective Innovation in Agriculture (CEIA), a partnership of five universities.
Our work is supported by the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust, which previously funded CEIA.
Our team.
Although we have just launched Ag.Impact, our team has worked together to strengthen the public benefit of agricultural research for far longer.
Through CEIA, we supported members of the Agricultural Universities Council to develop their first joint research strategy. We also supported Defra’s development of the ADOPT funding programme for farmer-led innovation. This drew on our previous experiences establishing the Innovative Farmers network, in turn informed by work on agricultural research governance dating back over 20 years.
Kayleigh Crouch
Research Fellow
Dr Kayleigh Crouch is Research Fellow at Ag.Impact.
She is a qualitative researcher with experience of developing and analysing text-based datasets.
Kay led the team’s work to collate and report farmers’ research priorities and hosted a group of students at the week-long AUC Summer School. Recently, Kay has collaborated with teaching staff across the 17 AUC member universities to create shared learning resources.
Katherine Lewis
Head of Engagement
Katherine is Head of Engagement at Ag.Impact.
Katherine leads our communications and engagement work and coordinates our Funders Forum.
She previously worked for the Royal Agricultural University as Research Engagement Manager and Farming Communications Manager at the Soil Association, where she led communications for Innovative Farmers. Her background is in communications and events.
Tom MacMillan
Chief Executive
Prof Tom MacMillan is CEO at Ag.Impact.
He was previously Elizabeth Creak Chair at the Royal Agricultural University, where he is now an Honorary Visiting Professor. He was Policy Advisor to the National Food Strategy, led by Henry Dimbleby, and advised the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission.
Previously, Tom was Director of Innovation at the Soil Association, where he established Innovative Farmers, which supports practical ‘field labs’ by farmers. From 2003-2011, he was Executive Director of the Food Ethics Council.
Kate Pressland
Chief Operating Officer
Dr Kate Pressland is Chief Operating Officer.
She coordinates the Agricultural Universities Council, chairs the Farmer-Led Innovation Network, and is on the project steering group for Harper Adam's Sustainable Farm Networks.
Previously, Kate ran the Centre for Effective Innovation in Agriculture at the Royal Agricultural University and sat on Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme Expert Panel. From 2013 to 2021 Kate ran Innovative Farmers working alongside Tom and Katherine. Kate's research background is in agricultural ecology and sustainability.
Our trustees.
Helen Browning
Trustee
Helen Browning OBE farms in a family partnership on a mostly tenanted organic farm in Wiltshire.
She has been Chief Executive of the Soil Association since 2011, and previously, the Director of External Affairs for the National Trust.
She is a Commissioner and trustee of the Food Farming and Countryside Commission, a trustee of the National Trust, and has had a number of roles in agri-politics over the years, including the Government’s Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food.
Tamsin Cooper
Chair of trustees
Tamsin Cooper is Chair of our board of trustees.
She is Managing Director of the Forward Institute, responsible for overseeing the strategy, day-to-day operations, and designing bespoke interventions that help leaders navigate transformation.
Her career has included consulting to the European Commission on EU Budgetary Reform, leading a non-partisan think tank on climate and energy, and heading the UK Government’s National Food Strategy.
Tamsin also serves as Co-Chair of Chefs in Schools and holds a PhD from University College London.
Katrina Hayter
Trustee
Katrina Hayter is the Global Head of Sustainable Land Use & Supply Chains at HSBC.
She has 25 years of experience in the agriculture sector, having held senior roles at Innovate UK, Corteva, World Economic Forum, Fera Science, Natural England and DEFRA.
Her focus areas are sustainable agriculture production, nature, new technologies & commericalisation, with a particularly focus on decarbonisation and low carbon and nature positive technologies, new industry segments and supply chain sustainability.