Strategic Partnerships

We actively support engagement with regional partners to deliver science with impact in our communities:

BioYorkshire

Fera has partnered with the University of York and Askham Bryan College on BioYorkshire, a 10 year globally ambitious programme that aims to transform the UK’s bioeconomy through world class research and commercialisation facilities, a network of specialized business hubs, and training and skills support and propel the region into growing a vibrant and dynamic bioeconomy - using renewable, biological resources to create greener products which minimise waste and reduce our reliance on fossil fuel.

BioYorkshire will use biobased innovation to transform Yorkshire’s economy through world-class research and translation facilities, a network of specialised business incubators, training, networking, and entrepreneurial support. The project will also support net-zero food production, farming, and wider land use practices.

The aim is to build on the region’s unique strengths in research, industry, and farming to create a global, bio-innovation powerhouse that will level up the economy in Yorkshire and the north of England to become the epicentre of the UK’s bioeconomy and is designed to connect two priority industrial sectors, agriculture, and chemicals. BioYorkshire will have scientists, engineers, economists, and entrepreneurs collaborating to develop the greener products and processes needed by industry and consumers.

Building a resilient bioeconomy will rely on innovative research and technologies, new supply chains and skills, as well as strong partnerships with industry. BioYorkshire has an excellent track-record of working with industry.

Backing the programme, UK Science Minister George Freeman has recently visited Yorkshire for updates on the BioYorkshire initiative, stating “this is becoming a global cluster of excellence, and we’ve come today to see what we can do to help it grow”

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“One of the fastest growing sectors of the innovation economy is the #BioEconomy - the industrial appliance of Bioscience”

- George Freeman MP, Minister for Science, Research and Innovation

Global Partnerships

Fera provides research and analysis activities across the globe, providing tangible advantages across a range of disciplines. We actively support engagement with strategic partners across the globe to deliver science with impact:

Public food safety and protection

Fera specialises in regulatory compliance for governments and industry across a range of areas, including:
Food Safety (testing in local markets & imported foods)
Food authenticity (Halal testing to conformation of food components)
Design & Implementation of inspection of protocols (surveillance and monitoring)
Quality assurance and demonstration of competence
Proficiency Testing

Crop & Live Stock Biosecurity

Our scientists conduct research and development studies to identify ways to improve crop health, yield, efficiency and value. In addition we offer a suite of resources, testing facilities and expertise to help industry to develop sustainable solutions.
Prevention of pests and diseases entry
Design & Implementation of inspection of protocols (surveillance and monitoring)
Quality assurance and demonstration of competence
Proficiency Testing

Environmental Health & Drinking Water Quality

Building on our unique ability to work across different scales and disciplines, we aim to deliver expertise, better data, better practices and new technologies to improve performance, resilience and value. We aim to improve soil health, reduce agriculture’s carbon footprint, and add novel nutritional and bioeconomical value to crops and other products, with a clear focus on water quality.
Fate of Chemicals from Processing Plants into Water Systems
Quality assurance and demonstration of competence
Proficiency Testing

We are challenge-led; helping to provide an international impact and influence from farm to policy level, with the vision of achieving economically and environmentally sustainable farming practices.

A unique combination of scientific expertise, capabilities and focus enables Fera to work closely with partners to discover, innovate and fast track new thinking, new ideas and technologies. Read our case studies for further details.

Upskill and Upgrade

Traditional diagnostics applied on samples with typical field symptoms of MLN have often given negative results using ELISA or PCR (polymerase chain reaction) for MCMV and Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV). Samples collected in the field with typical MLN symptoms were examined using next generation sequencing (NGS).

Maize Case Study

Design and Measure

PROteINSECT brought together expertise from China, Africa and Europe to encourage and enable the adoption of fly larval protein in animal feed around the world. The PROteINSECT project consortium consisted of 12 partners from seven countries and was co-ordinated by Fera Science.

PROteINSECT Case Study

Build Consensus

Within the context of an existing disease (Cassava Mosaic Disease, CMD) and an emergent disease (Cassava Brown Streak Disease, CBSD), The Great Lakes Cassava Initiative (GLCI) had an overall goal of distributing clean planting material of disease tolerant or resistant varieties to 1.15 million farmers to six countries—Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda—during the four years of the project period.

Cassava Case Study

Official opening of the NASC molecular seed testing laboratory

On 4th October 2018, the national agricultural seeds council (NASC) molecular seed testing laboratory in Sheda, Nigeria had its official grand opening. Over the past two years, Fera has been working with NASC to provide a better seed certification service to the seed industry.

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Strategic Partnerships