Agrovista UK is a business that has evolved alongside the farmers that are its customers. 

It began life more than 60 years ago and has grown to provide a range of services and products designed to help farmers manage their business efficiently and profitably. 
A nationwide company, in Cumbria the company has a distribution depot based on Gilwilly Industrial Estate in Penrith. Its local team includes two agronomists, Steven Gate and Simon Nelson.
"Our core business is to advise farmers on all aspects of crop husbandry," said Steven. “In Cumbria most of the crops are grown for livestock feed so we advise on all forms of crops, right through from grass to every arable crop in the portfolio that will grow in our area. 
“As agriculture has evolved, we have evolved with it. One of our main focuses is managing and improving soil health to help people get the best from any crop.”
Agrovista also advises farmers on making the most of less productive land, through environmental subsidies and stewardship schemes. “We’re very much focused on the greater good within agriculture,” said Steven. “Farmers don’t get a good enough press for what they actually do for the environment. I think that needs to be championed.”
Agrovista’s range of bioscience products are used to improve the health of both crops and soil. “It’s all about improving the ability of crops to look after themselves,” said Steven. “We're trying to help crops extract more nutrients naturally. The aim is to be less reliant on artificial inputs to control pest and diseases and boost crop growth.
“Our goal is to get the best from any input, whether that be natural or artificial. As well as aiming for better crop yields, quality and profits for our customers, a good crop will sequester more carbon from the atmosphere than a poor one.”
Agrovista carries out trials both nationally and locally to demonstrate a lot of these products and soil health practices, including at a trial site north of Penrith. Alongside selling the products to apply to crops and soil, Agrovista also carries out detailed soil analysis and crop surveys, including the use of drones and satellites and advises farmers on the management methods to adopt.
“For any farmer their soil is their number one asset,” said Steven.