Irish Farmers Journal Northern Editor David Wright reflects on his PhD years at Hillsborough, the people and research that shaped his career, and the lasting value of scientific training in agricultural journalism
What years were you based at AFBI Hillsborough, and what was your PhD topic or main area of research?
I was based in Hillsborough from 1994 to 1997. My research topic was: The development of mathematical models to predict the drying rates of cut ryegrass. Following that, I was employed as a research scientist, before joining the Department of Agriculture in 1998.
Were findings from your research taken forward into practice, policy, or further scientific work?
The work quantified the benefits to be had from tedding grass and the use of mower conditioners, as well as the importance of a rapid wilt. Hopefully it made some contribution to what is now standard practice in Northern Ireland agriculture.
Where has your career taken you since leaving Hillsborough, and what led you into agricultural journalism?
After leaving Hillsborough, I spent 6 years teaching students at Greenmount, before moving to work at DAERA headquarters in Belfast, where I was responsible for a team of inspectors working in meat and egg processing. However, my main passion has always been farming and working closely with those directly involved in the industry. In 2010, I joined the Irish Farmers Journal.
Which skills, knowledge, or experiences from Hillsborough have proved most valuable in your work as an agricultural journalist, particularly when reporting on agricultural research and policy?
My PhD supervisors were the late Dr David Kilpatrick and Dr Peter Frost. Those three years taught me the importance of independent working, factual accuracy and having a questioning mind. At the time, AFBI Hillsborough was headed by Professor Fred Gordon and I worked directly to him in my final year. He set high standards and his work ethic was exceptional. I will always be very grateful to David, Peter and Fred.
Do you have a favourite memory or a defining moment from your time at Hillsborough?
I made lifelong friends at Hillsborough and from an academic perspective, getting my first paper published and my thesis completed were defining moments. But the things you don’t forget are the likes of standing out in the rain at an open day telling farmers how to wilt grass or when Professor Gordon walks into your office to find you playing actual football with Ian Carrick.
As AFBI marks 100 years of agricultural research at Hillsborough, what part of its legacy stands out most to you, and how do you feel personally about being part of that history?
I will always feel an attachment to AFBI Hillsborough. It remains the cornerstone of the entire farming industry in Northern Ireland. For me, its enduring legacy will always be around how Messrs Gordon, Steen, Mayne et al drove forward production from grass and forages in Northern Ireland.
From your perspective now, how is Northern Ireland’s agricultural research perceived within Ireland and internationally?
AFBI Hillsborough is held in high regard and as an industry, we are extremely fortunate to have a world-class research facility on our doorstep.