Dr Bruce D. Pearce

Senior Farming Programmes Manager, Scotland

Bruce joined the Soil Association in 2020 as the Senior Farming Programmes Manager in Scotland where he leads the farming team.

He has a research background (degree in Biological sciences and PhD in horticulture) and has worked in the sector for nearly 30 years first managing the UK’s governments organic research programme and then as Director of Research at the Organic Research Centre for 20 plus years.

His research activities have covered:

• plant breeding,
• crop production,
• sustainability assessment and
• approaches to knowledge exchange. 

He has a particular interest and expertise in the development of participatory research approaches and effective knowledge exchange. While at ORC he frequently collaborated with Soil Association and was pivotal in developing the field lab concept as well as other bottom-up approaches to research and knowledge exchange.

Outside of his role with the Soil Association, he runs his own consultancy with clients including Garden Organic, IFOAM EU, ICROFS and the EC’s Research Executive Agency. 

He is also a director of GM Freeze, Seed Policy and Sector Regulation Director with the Seed Co-operative and sits on the Wood Meadow Trust Steering Group.