Creatively speaking

During his career, retired veterinarian Derek Armstrong worked to improve the control of endemic diseases in cattle and pigs. He grew up on a small farm in Ireland, with initial interests in engineering and agriculture superseded by a degree in veterinary. Moving from roles in clinical practice and research, Derek became lead veterinary science expert with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), the UK's statutory levy board. In this role, he was responsible for delivering a number of programmes designed to support farmers. Derek's energy and passion to see a coordinated approach to tackle one important cattle disease, BVD, lead to the launch of the national campaign BVDFree England in 2016. His unique approach to engage with key industry stakeholders included a mixture of technical details alongside references to popular songs and poems. In this episode, Derek talk's about: the challenges of communicating with larger groups, the importance of asking the right questions, how our routines and habits lead to positive or negative outcomes. Listen in to hear Derek's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee!