Get to know our speakers
Get to know the inspiring individuals who will be sharing their stories and expertise.
Dr. Liz Homer
Sustainability Manager Ruminants, Trouw Nutrition
Dr. Liz Homer studied BSc Animal Science at the University of Nottingham and went on to complete a PhD in Dairy Cow Physiology and Fertility. After being awarded her PhD she then worked as a post doctoral scientist for a couple of years focusing on oestrous detection and expression, dairy cow nutrition trials, and assisting in trials focusing on the rumen microbiome and methane reduction.
She joined Trouw Nutrition GB in 2015 as Ruminant Technical Development Manager focusing on linking R&D with practical, applicable solutions for use at customer and farm level. Her role involves working closely with our Global Ruminant Innovation Team and technically supporting many of our customers in the market. Liz has been instrumental in the development and application of many R&D projects, most notably the NutriOpt Dairy Model and NutriOpt solutions.
Liz's main focus is now on sustainability where she leads the European team in driving and implementing our sustainability strategy for ruminants. This encompasses looking internally at our at processes, how we can support customers at their sites to become more sustainable and most exciting how we apply solutions to become more efficient at farm level to reduce environmental footprint. Liz also focuses on looking at innovative solutions to reduce environmental footprint and has been developing partnerships across the supply chain to implement positive change at farm level.
Aimee Mahony
Chief Poultry Advisor, NFU
Aimee Mahony joined the NFU in 2016 following four years in the poultry industry, gaining practical poultry experience in her previous role with the UK’s largest egg packer Noble Foods. Aimee held the role of Regional Manager for East Anglia, looking after contract egg producers, liaising with a number of industry stakeholders including assurance bodies and retailers. She also helped develop an internal audit and was the editor of the producer magazine, the ‘Egg Express’. In 2019 Aimee was named the EPIC Young Poultry Person of the Year and eight months later was appointed NFU Chief Poultry Adviser. Aimee completed her MSc in Intensive Livestock Health and Production in 2020, focusing her final research on UK poultry keepers’ perceptions of avian influenza biosecurity and risk. As Chief Poultry Adviser Aimee leads on a number of policy issues covering both the poultry meat and egg sectors and manages the national poultry board. She has also been instrumental in the success of the Poultry Industry Programme which is an opportunity for young people to learn more about the poultry sector and encourages them to become future ambassadors for the industry.
Dr Ade Adebiyi
Poultry and Pig Nutritionist, ForFarmers
Dr Ade Adebiyi is a Poultry and Pig Nutritionist for ForFarmers. Ade’s role involves providing nutrition and technical advice to poultry, game and swine producers.
Ade works with the ForFarmers central innovation team where new nutritional concepts are developed and validated.
George Roach
Third-generation poultry farmer & Director of Oakland Farms
Oakland Farms is a family-run business based in North Yorkshire. The business operates six broiler units, a compound feed mill, renewable energy projects, and a portfolio of let commercial property. George studied Rural Enterprise and Land Management at Harper Adams University and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 2017. After gaining experience in the rural property sector, he returned to the family business where he is now involved in both the strategic development and day-to-day management of the farms and feed mill operations.
In 2023, George was awarded a Nuffield Farming Scholarship, sponsored by The Poultry Meat Group. His study, titled “There is a buzz around insect protein in the broiler industry – does the idea have legs?”, involved travelling across Europe and Africa to investigate the potential for insect protein to be used in broiler feed as a sustainable alternative to imported soya. The research explored different insect species, production systems, and feedstocks, as well as the regulatory, economic, and environmental challenges associated with scaling insect protein production.
Mike Tyers
Technical Advisor, BEIC
Mike started his career in poultry in 1988 with Daylay Eggs as a trainee manager. Mike’s career within Daylay, later Deans Foods and then Noble Foods included responsibility for company broiler breeders, free range commercial laying and pullet rearing. The role included responsibility for contract producers. At the time of leaving Noble in 2008 Mike was Regional Manager for the Southern region.
Mike joined Agro Supply (part of the Vencomatic group) in the development, supply, and installation of heat exchangers into the broiler industry. In 2009 Mike joined 7Y Services which became part of Countrywide Farmers. As the poultry specialist within the Agri-service team in Countrywide the majority of the role was taken up in brokering poultry manure as a fertiliser.
In 2014 Mike returned to the commercial laying sector as Contract Supply manager for Stonegate Farmers . He then took up the role of Technical Advisor to the BEIC in May 2023. Mike is a Nuffield Scholar, a Temperton Fellow and a board member of RUMA and represents the BEIC on various working groups including organics, health and welfare pathways, environment, RSPCA and other NGO and government consultations.
Jim Uprichard
Technical Sales Manager Ireland, Trouw Nutrition
Jim was born and currently lives in Northern Ireland. With an Agri degree from Queens University, he has worked for Trouw for 35 years, mainly as a Ruminant Commercial Nutritionist moving into Sustainability in the last 3 years. He Sit's on various environmental working groups in Northern Ireland focusing on Carbon and on Nitrogen and Phosphorus.Working 3-day's a week so he gets more time for gardening and a round of golf.
Dr Sofie Kilroy
Sustainability Manager Poultry, Trouw Nutrition
Sofie Kilroy is the Sustainability Manager Poultry for Europe & Central Asia at Trouw Nutrition, driving the transition toward a lowercarbon, more resilient egg industry.
She brings together nutrition, data and valuechain collaboration to help producers turn sustainability ambitions into measurable, profitable action. Passionate about practical impact, Sofie empowers the egg industry to reduce their footprint while strengthening the longterm future of the sector.
Her mission: make sustainable egg production both achievable and economically rewarding.
Evelien van Donselaar
Pig Technical Sales Manager, Trouw Nutrition
Jonas From Katholm
