Agrovista continues to expand its national agronomy team with the appointment of Luke Brooks, who takes up a new role in south Lincolnshire.
Bourne-based Luke is BASIS qualified and is studying for FACTS whilst undertaking comprehensive practical training with the company. He will start recruiting new business in earnest over the next few months, but is already making himself known to prospective customers in his area.
“The main target currently is to further develop my agronomy knowledge,” says Luke, who will initially look after cereals, sugar beet and potatoes. “I am fortunate to be shadowing some very experienced agronomists this season, who are only too happy to share their detailed knowledge across a wide variety of crops.
“I have taken on a couple of farms through Agrovista and started to contact others to drum up new business – there's plenty of opportunity to expand.”
Luke has a strong practical background. He grew up on a farm where his father was employed and worked on farms when studying at Riseholme College where he obtained a National Diploma in Agriculture and then a Foundation Degree in Agriculture and Environment.
After college he spent two seasons in New Zealand on a large arable unit. He then returned to the UK, spending the next decade on a large arable farm in Lincolnshire. He quickly worked his way up and became the main spray operator and assistant to the farm manager.
“When you are spraying you see first-hand what's happening throughout the seasons across the farm,” says Luke. “The more I did, the more I wanted to know. The theory side crept up on me.”
Luke applied and passed a foundation BASIS course and went on to gain a BASIS Certificate in Crop Protection in July 2025, when he contacted Agrovista.
“I knew one or two people within the company and several customers, who had nothing but good to say. It’s a progressive company with a strong reputation, and I was lucky enough to be offered a position as development agronomist in my area.”
Luke is keen to widen his knowledge to offer farmers as comprehensive a service as he can. “We have to continue to explore new avenues in which Agrovista is leading the charge, including soil health, cultural controls and bioscience, as well as getting the best out of crop protection products,” he says.
“Farming is in a tough place right now and it’s not the easiest time to drum up new business. But, given Agrovista’s reputation for putting farmers first and the backing they give their agronomists, there’s no other place I’d rather be to take on that challenge.”
Agrovista’s East regional sales manager James Stark says: “I am very pleased to welcome Luke to the company and the local team.
“He has a strong practical foundation and is now pairing this with our internal knowledge on soil health, innovation and technical expertise, which is Agrovista's core.
“I am confident Luke will establish himself as a successful agronomist in south Lincolnshire, delivering first class service and results to our farming customer base.”