Grounded in Science

At FAI, our mission has always been to combine scientific rigour with practical solutions that help improve farming for people, animals and the planet. Few people embody this balance better than Amanda Deakin, FAI’s Science and Technical Lead.

Amanda’s role is broad, spanning everything from welfare in global dairy supply chains to regenerative beef production on UK farms. But the common thread is clear: ensuring FAI’s work is grounded in scientific evidence while being practical enough to support farmers, businesses and supply chains make real-world changes to better our food production systems. She tells us more.

I first joined FAI in 2018 as a researcher, fresh from completing my PhD at the University of Bristol. My research explored how animals’ emotional states affect their perception of the world, using cognitive bias as a tool to measure mood. We know, for example, animals in a negative state are more likely to interpret uncertainty as a threat, while those in a positive state consider the same situation more optimistically. In my PhD I worked mainly with laying hens, but cognitive bias has been used to assess emotional states in a wide range of species, from insects to primates.

That experience shaped how I see farming today. We can’t ask animals how they feel, but we can use behavioural science to understand what they need. At FAI, my role is about applying that scientific mindset across many projects, from collecting and analysing farm data, to writing reports, ‘horizon scanning’ for new research findings and supporting clients as they improve welfare and sustainability in their supply chains.

I love how holistic the nature of regenerative farming is. Rather than reducing farming down to individual practices, regenerative farming aims to mimic a natural ecosystem so you get lots of compounding benefits.

Working with farmers on regenerative beef 

Most of my time is now spent on regenerative beef and I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in really diverse projects. One of my favourites is the AMP grazing project we ran at the FAI Farm in Oxford from 2020 to 2024, funded by McDonald’s UK & Ireland.

Inspired by the work of Peter Byck in the US, we transitioned the farm from set stocking to adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing, collecting over 50 metrics across environment, ethics and economics to demonstrate the impact of the transition. We had very positive results and seeing such beneficial outcomes was really inspiring and springboarded our work helping farmers transition their own enterprises.

I now co-lead the McDonald’s UK & Ireland AMP grazing network, working with 11 beef farmers across the country as they transition towards AMP grazing.  The positive impact so far has been brilliant, with farmers reducing input costs whilst improving their soil health and farm ecosystems.

Sharing knowledge through training

Building on this work, I’ve helped design FAI’s new Regen Beef Training Course, funded by McDonald’s UK & Ireland and delivered with Harper Adams University’s School of Sustainable Food and Farming.

We will be working with other experts in regenerative agriculture to give beef farmers a really good intro to regenerative agriculture.

The course combines online learning with farm visits to pioneering regenerative producers. It’s designed to give farmers both the theory and the practical tools they need to start regenerative grazing. Importantly, they’ll also meet and learn from other farmers, hearing first-hand the challenges, benefits and realities of regenerative farming.

Being part of this process is rewarding. It highlights how our work can’t just focus on data and reports but also needs to help farmers gain confidence in trying new practices and feeling supported as they make changes that benefit their land, animals and businesses.

Why regeneration matters

What excites me most about regenerative farming is its holistic nature. It isn’t about ticking boxes or following a rigid recipe but mimicking natural ecosystems so benefits compound across soil, animals and people. Healthy soils mean resilient farms. Stronger farms mean healthier animals and people. And all of that contributes to a food system better equipped for the future.

I also like that regenerative agriculture respects farmers as experts on their own land. My role is not to tell people what to do but to share knowledge, evidence and examples so they can make informed choices for their own context.

Beyond the farm

Away from FAI, I also spend plenty of time outdoors. I part-loan a horse and love walking in the mountains. I also dabble in growing veg but with mixed success!

These hobbies aren’t separate from my work. They reflect the same curiosity and connection to nature that inspired me to become a scientist in the first place.