Marks & Spencer is investing £100,000 to create a "centre of excellence" for organic farming in North Yorkshire.

The retailing giant is teaming up with the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS) to develop an organic demonstration farm on the Yorkshire Wolds, east of Malton.

It is intended that Stonechair Organic Farm, a self-contained 250-acre holding next door to the existing ADAS farm at High Mowthorpe, Duggleby, will help British farmers capture a greater share of the rapidly-expanding organic food market.

The organic farm will be developed and run by a team of specialists from ADAS and Marks & Spencer, whose investment will be spread over three years.

Neil Pickard, ADAS head of farming, said: "We are delighted to be working with Marks & Spencer on a venture of this scale.

"If UK agriculture is to capture a larger share of the growing organic market, farmers will look to use the invaluable information from this project as an essential guideline."

Those behind the scheme believe Stonechair Organic Farm will become a "centre of excellence" for farmers looking to get into organic markets.

Dr Chris Brown, of Marks & Spencer, said: "We have listened to our farmers and growers and understand the need for more practical knowledge in this area."

The venture will be officially launched on Tuesday, May 16, although the process of converting the farm to organic production actually began last autumn.

Crops including potatoes and vegetables will be grown, together with grass and clover pasture to help build fertility. The farm will also have a beef herd producing 18 to 24-month-old prime beef animals.

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