Farm manager Roger Waite has been appointed cereal crop advisor to one of the largest agricultural cooperatives in France.

Mr. Waite is manager of the 630-hectare Langdon Court Farm at East Langdon, run by Velcourt Ltd, one of Britain’s leading partnership farming companies.

Mr. Waite (37), of Old Forge Lane, Sutton, joined Velcourt eight years ago as a tractor driver, working his way up to become a working foreman and then manager.

He will now spend up to 20 days a year with a score of the most successful wheat and barley growers in the Coperatif Agricole du Syndicat d’Arras, known as CASA.

He will be offering advice on husbandry techniques, agrochemicals, fertiliser rates and usages, disease recognition and means of improving cereal production.

Contact between CASA and Velcourt came about last year, when members of the cooperatives Ten-Tonne Club were guests of the Wingham Ten-Tonne Club, to which Mr. Waite belongs.

The CASA members visited his unit and were so impressed that a deal was made with Velcourt for Mr. Waite to give the French farmers the benefit of his skill and experience.