Meet the Expert: Angus Gowthorpe

Angus farms in partnership with his mother and wife at Approach Farm, a 230-acre grass and arable farm just south of York. The family has farmed the land since 1944 and, alongside the original holding, now manages a further 185 acres of owned arable land, 25 acres of rented ground and 90 acres through stubble-to-stubble contract farming. Angus also undertakes significant contract direct drilling work. 

Since 2014, the farm has focused on building soil health and resilience, with all crops direct drilled and diverse cover and catch crops established wherever possible. Varietal blends, herbal leys and rotational grazing are also key parts of the system, alongside a 40-cow pedigree Saler suckler herd. 

Angus is also a founder director of The Green Farm Collective, which sells regenerative-grown wheat flour at a premium. As a member of the CropTec Steering Committee, he brings considerable practical experience of adopting new approaches and assessing the technologies, inputs and ideas that can make a difference on farm. 

We caught up with Angus to find out more about his farming journey, the challenges facing his business and what keeps him coming back to CropTec. 

What does a typical day look like for you at work? 

Could be anything, but always starts with the cattle, feeding and bedding in winter, moving the groups when they are grazing. 

What's the biggest challenge you're currently facing, and how are you adapting to it? 

The changing climate, be it flooding or droughts. 

We have reduced our spring cropping and are drilling our autumn crops earlier to get them well established before the onset of winter and having the better yields of autumn-sown crops. 

And whilst we are trying to increase our organic matters and thus hold more water in our soils, we are ensuring our drainage is up to scratch to get excess water away as quickly as possible. 

If you could give one piece of advice to a farmer or someone just starting out in the industry, what would it be? 

For anyone starting out in the industry, be they a farmer's son or daughter or a new entrant, get as much experience as possible in multiple businesses, not necessarily in the UK either. 

There is always something to be learnt from other businesses, be it something practical or some aspect of staff/business management. 

What keeps you coming back to CropTec each year, and what value do you get from attending? 

Due to the way I farm I don't have great need for machinery, but I do need to research other business inputs, be they chemicals, varieties, software packages or other management tools. 

CropTec delivers on all these aspects. 

What are you looking forward to the most about the 2027 event? 

Seeing how CropTec carves out its niche alongside LAMMA. 

The two shows complement each other, both offering highlights to attract people, be it slightly different people. 

Sharing expertise and exploring what's next 

Angus's experience reflects the kind of practical, forward-thinking approach that sits at the heart of CropTec. From responding to increasingly unpredictable weather to evaluating new varieties, inputs and management tools, farmers are continually making decisions about how to improve the resilience and performance of their businesses. 

The CropTec Steering Committee brings together farmers and industry experts with first-hand experience of these challenges, helping to ensure the event continues to reflect the issues that matter to the arable sector. 

As Angus explains, CropTec provides an opportunity to look beyond machinery and explore the wider range of products, technologies and ideas available to support modern farming businesses. 

CropTec 2027 takes place alongside LAMMA at the NEC Birmingham on 20–21 January 2027. 

Register for your FREE early bird ticket today!