Dr Helen Ferrier

NFU Chief Science and Regulatory Affairs adviser

Helen started working for the NFU as Food Science adviser in 2004, having been a research scientist at Imperial College London and completing her PhD on probabilistic modelling of dietary exposure to pesticides.

Her academic background was in epidemiology, environmental science and human health.

As Chief Science adviser at the NFU she leads our policy and advocacy work on agricultural and horticultural science and research, biotechnology and data, and food safety.

She has managed teams of policy advisers within the Policy Directorate in various iterations over the years, including on food standards, animal health and welfare, plant health, better regulation, farm inputs, safety, employment, skills & training, and transport. She works extensively and proactively with organisations across all sectors of the agrifood industry and the academic community to influence Government policy, R&D funding strategies and legislation impacting NFU members.

Helen is a member of many groups and panels in the agrifood and research sectors including a non-executive Director of the NIAB (National Institute of Agricultural Botany) Board, Chair of the Crop Science Centre Alliance Board, and was appointed to Defra’s Precision Breeding Working Group in 2023.