GETTING STABLE: MAKING UNCERTAIN FARMING FUTURES A THING OF THE PAST RICHARD COUNSELL 2016 NUFFIELD SCHOLAR
My Nuffield adventure began at a slightly disjointed time in my life professionally. My role at a software company in the US was coming to an end and I was unsure about what to do next. As I was contemplating another year in aeroplane seats that I didn’t quite fit into, I realised I wanted to audition again for a role in farming that would connect me back to a world that I instinctively understood, yet felt increasingly distanced from. I knew Jen Hunter and Johnny Alvis locally and saw how excited they were to have the opportunity to step back from the day to day aspects of their work and make the most of a precious opportunity to travel, think deeply about a subject and meet like minded people. The year before my scholarship had seen very volatile milk prices and I realised that ‘Price Risk Management’ was an area that I’d like to know more about. It was clear that if it could be simplified, somehow, it so clearly had the potential to help British family farms, like my own, to manage volatile prices and build a stable income. After a nervous wait, I was delighted to be awarded a scholarship in 2016 and before we
knew it Nuffield had ear tagged, weaned and commenced the annual live export of Scholars. What followed was a life changing experience for me and the connections, friends and fun along the way won’t ever be forgotten. After my scholarship I founded a business called Stable, that now helps businesses all over the world manage volatile commodity prices. We now have over 50 people on the team in London, Chicago and Amsterdam and next year we will open our first Asian office in Singapore. Gaining the knowledge and confidence to make the most of the opportunities that emerged from my Nuffield experience has had a huge impact on me personally and I now work with potential scholars in the South West to help them start their own Nuffield adventure.
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