Consultancy
Statement of Capability & Experience - open PDF brochure
Specialist providers of independent advisory and consultancy services to agriculture and other natural resource-based industries
PG Economics: who we are
PG Economics Limited is a specialist provider of advisory and consultancy services to agriculture and other natural resource-based industries. Our specific areas of specialisation are plant biotechnology, agricultural production systems, regulatory impact assessment, agricultural markets and policy.
The Company's two directors are Peter Barfoot and Graham Brookes who formed PG Economics in 1999. Both have worked at senior positions in agricultural consultancy and technology businesses.
Core areas of expertise
The combination of experience provides the Company with complementary skills and capabilities to undertake ad hoc assignments, on-going management consultancy and advice in the following core areas:
• Commercialisation of new technology/biotechnology
• Regulatory impact assessment
• Farm economics and competitiveness
• Market dynamics & economics
• Market intelligence gathering & interpretation
• Technical & commercial auditing of technology
• Technical & market knowledge management
• Policy interpretation & analysis
• Value chain analysis & assessment.
Client base
Our clients come from both public and private sectors. These include the leading biotechnology companies, agro-chemical manufacturers, seed companies & plant breeders, animal feed ingredient manufacturers, breakfast cereal manufacturers, oilseed crushers, food processors, starch/sweetener manufacturers, farmers’ organisations, trade associations, UK government and the European Commission.
Expertise base
This largely derives from the experience and knowledge of the directors of PG Economics:
Graham Brookes
An economist by training, he has 24 years experience of providing economic & market analysis & consulting services to both private and public sector customers. Graham has in-depth knowledge of the markets and supply chain developments in many sectors including cereals, oilseeds, rice, sugar, dairy, wine, potatoes, meat and processed product derivatives (including starch, flour, animal feed, oils, meals/proteins, beer and alcoholic spirits). He has considerable experience and understanding of farm economics and competitiveness, policy issues and impact on markets and of undertaking regulatory and policy impact assessments. He is also a specialist in assessing relative competitiveness and the economic and environmental impact of new technology, such as the genetic modification of crops
Peter Barfoot
An agricultural economist with 25 years experience in the agricultural biotechnology industry and in consultancy. Peter worked at the Agricultural Genetics Company for 12 years in project management, business planning and development. He has a good understanding of technology and its application in agricultural and food markets. He has written and completed many market research projects on the market development and exploitation of agricultural biotechnology. He is a specialist in the environmental impact of biotechnology crops, notably relating to their impact on greenhouse gas emissions.
Examples of recent experience and publications of the Company's Directors
2011
- Sustainable, profitable and productive agriculture continues to be boosted by the contribution of biotech crops - Powerpoint Presentation
- Health Claims Regulation to cause significant negative economic impacts
2010
- Global - The economic and environmental impact of GM crops 1996-2008. Published paper on www.pgeconomics.co.uk. Also peer reviewed paper in 2010 Agbioforum 13, 1.
- Global – The production and price impact of biotechnology in global markets for corn, canola and soybeans. AgBioforum (2010) 13, 1
- EU – Economic impact assessment of the EU’s Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation, for the European Health Claims Alliance