New Members: EC Drummond and ADAMA on using Trainees for diverse roles within a business

New Members: EC Drummond and ADAMA on using Trainees for diverse roles within a business


Drumroll, please… yet another two industry-leading businesses have joined the MDS family! Agribusiness EC Drummond, and crop protection business ADAMA have both already taken on Trainees for the upcoming summer season.

 Agribusiness EC Drummond is a large and diverse business spread across the UK, but it hasn’t lost its family feel. According to HR Manager Nick Gammon, the business will utilise Trainees within varied roles across all of their divisions.

 What does EC Drummond do, and why is working there so great?

“The Drummond family has a proud history of farming in Ross-on-Wye. Since Eric Drummond Senior first came to Homme Farm in 1956, three generations of our family have worked together to build a profitable agribusiness based on responsible farming practices.

Today, the EC Drummond Group consists of six companies that manage our Poultry, Arable, Top Fruit and Soft Fruit divisions, which are geographically spread across the entire UK.

People are at the heart of what we do. Without people, the business does not progress; therefore, we look to develop and grow people at all stages of their careers.

Our commitments to family and our beautiful surroundings remain at the heart of everything we do. These commitments endure as we continue to build a modern, sustainable agribusiness that will allow future generations to work in the farming sector for years to come.

Although the business has grown significantly, it is important that we remain to our roots and are still very proud to call Homme Farm home.”

How are you planning to utilise Trainees across the different areas of your business, and what are your long-term aims with MDS?

“We will provide Trainees with an understanding of the business that will allow them to develop and thrive. Our first Trainee will be engaging within our soft fruit and top fruit divisions, where they will learn and interact with the processes of picking, packing and transportation to customers. We hope that working alongside other nationalities will also provide a crucial cultural experience.

EC Drummond must engage with MDS, as an industry leader, to deliver the skills and knowledge for our potential managers. We anticipate that by working with MDS, we can play our part in developing the future leaders and show the variety of opportunities that exist within the fresh produce sector.

We envisage using the drive and determination of MDS Trainees to look at sustainability and environmental aspects of the business during the winter season. Trainees will provide the link to new innovations and thinking within the organisation and will bring various practices to develop their own thoughts and potential achievements. In return, we all will progress the fresh produce sector together.”

ADAMA is a global crop protection company that will also offer very diverse opportunities to Trainees in marketing and agronomy. Communications Manager Abbie Bieny explained how ADAMA hopes to benefit from MDS, across the organisation.

 What does ADAMA do, and what makes working there so great?

“ADAMA is a global crop protection manufacturing organisation focusing on off-patent technology. We provide a wide range of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides across the majority of key market sectors within the global agricultural environment.

Although a global business in a mature market, ADAMA’s core values allow us to work at speed and agility to make changes and innovate in a way that is quite unique. We are fast-paced, energetic and fun. It’s a small team environment, ensuring everybody has a say, all views count. There is never a bad question!”

How do you see MDS fresh produce Trainees supporting your business as a crop protection company?

“Historically agriculture and, on occasions, crop protection have been seen as a little too traditional. However, having gone through the pandemic, we have seen a considerable change. Mainly, there have been significant changes in the use of technology and communication. It is still very much a “people” industry, but a hybrid way of working has been a positive step forward.

MDS Trainees will be a valued source of new ideas in two different areas of the business; marketing and agronomy. Hopefully, this will provide the business with the latest insights from across the industry, with fresh eyes, energy and potential future recruitment opportunities.

MDS offers us the opportunity to recruit motivated candidates with different backgrounds to suit varying job requirements. A more diverse pool of talent ultimately provides richness in our output to the industry.”

MDS is looking forward to working with EC Drummond and ADAMA as we continue to expand the business. Our growing Membership and new programmes will ensure an even more diverse talent pool for the fresh produce supply chain.