Richard Cooke

Richard Cooke began his agricultural career in 1978 milking cows after school. After a year practical, a National Certificate in agriculture, along with a City and Guilds apprenticeship he worked his way up to managing large-scale livestock enterprises, mainly dairy and sheep. In 1997 he undertook a BSc in Agriculture as a mature student at the University of Reading and upon graduation took up a position as a Research Assistant developing web based learning materials for Agri-environmental issues. This was then followed by a position as a Research Fellow in The Department of Agricultural Economics and The Centre for Agricultural Strategy where he worked on projects including Farmers Attitudes and behaviour using the Theory of Reasoned Action, Evaluation of the Horticultural Development Council, alongside economic modelling of livestock disease at both farm and national level, which entailed a large proportion of Government work in Westminster.  Richard also undertook a PhD, ‘The Economics of Bovine Tuberculosis and Alternative Control Strategies’. Richard then moved to the SAC Epidemiology Research Unit as an Animal Health Economist developing examining the economics of biosecurity along with developing economic models for sheep diseases and linking epidemiological and economic models. He then took up a position as a Senior Lecturer in Livestock Production and Research Methods at Writtle University College. He also was involved in encouraging science education for children through the Royal Society and also developed the national standard for the Fire Service for livestock rescue. After a six-year career break to set up a small family farm, Richard returned to academia researching Agricultural Policy at The University of Hertfordshire. Richard has worked in, and collaborated with institutions in Ireland, Greece, Germany, The Netherlands, Japan and Uzbekistan and has also sat on the Governments interim Animal Health and Social Science panels.