A CUMBRIAN agricultural college is to unite the management of its four learning farms with the appointment of one senior role.

The new role of Head of Farms will spearhead the initiative giving students ever more valuable hands on experience of commercial farming in everything from hill farming and dairying to lowland arable at the college's Yorkshire and Cumbrian farms.

Matt Bagley, formerly Head of Agriculture at the College's Penrith campus Newton Rigg, has been appointed to the new position and will manage a total of 880 hectares which includes the new Sheep Husbandry Training Centre and state of the art dairy unit in Cumbria and the Agri Tech centre at York.

Catherine Dixon, Chief Executive of Askham Bryan College said: “Matt's appointment complements and enhances the College's vision of providing our students with the best experience to enable and support them in their future careers. Matt is a farmer and an experienced College lecturer; he works closely with the farming community and is greatly respected by all. He will also be the college's ambassador to rural communities and the agricultural industry at regional and national levels so that best practice and the latest innovations are reflected in how we run our farms and in student learning. He will be assisted by farm managers at the York and Penrith centres.”

Matt’s appointment comes at the start of the academic year which sees more than 400 students enrolling on agriculture, land-based engineering and countryside courses. Askham Bryan is also a recognised centre of excellence for apprenticeship learning with over 230 young people studying agriculture.

Matt joined the college in January 2013 and has played a key part in the development of the £3m dairy unit and the recently opened Sheep Husbandry Centre at the Cumbrian base. Matt sits on a number of national committees including the National Sheep Association and the Sheep Vet Society and the Upland Alliance.

Commenting on his new role he said: “I am delighted to be taking on this significant position and relish the opportunity to take forward greater integration between our two main agricultural centres as well as maximising student involvement in the farms.”