Retired former Guild member, Richard Trow-Smith, a highly respected, high profile technical journalist and communications specialist, passed away peacefully at his home in King’s Cliffe near Peterborough in February.
His high-profile career included a lengthy stint on Farmers Weekly, providing communications expertise at the British Agrochemicals Association, and was one of the architects of the LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) protocols.
Stephen Howe writes: I first had the privilege to meet Richard in 1966 when, as a fellow student at Seale-Hayne College in Devon, he was a member of the Student Union and served on its Entertainment’s Committee.
He was heavily involved in organising the End-of-Session Balls, and even in those early years, it was clear those occasions were made all the more successful because of his outgoing personality, always looking on the bright side of life, and his organisational skills.
Richard also possessed that rare ability to win over people from all backgrounds and professions, from fellow students, Principal and lecturers to more relaxed operators in the music industry.
He used all of those attributes and many more, including his capacity for attention to detail, when he joined Farmers Weekly in 1971. Richard worked on FW for 18 years, including as technical editor covering both livestock and arable sectors, and the latter became his passion and where his chose to develop his expertise and knowledge.
Ironically, that was in contrast to his father who had been Editor of Farmer & Stockbreeder for many years. In its day, that paper was a bitter rival of Farmers Weekly but that did not deter Richard from organising the annual Farmer & Stockbreeder team reunion held in his father’s name.
It was his technical writing skills and attention to detail that earned him great respect; from fellow journalists and those in technical roles across the industry, to advisers and those in agricultural education.
Few who knew Richard at that time could forget the detail and effort he contributed to the first of several in-depth Farmers Weekly Arable Tank Mix Supplements compiled before the availability of bespoke software, cut-and-paste and spell check became readily available.
His skill-set for detail, technical knowledge, personality and communication stood him in great stead for his next career move. In August 1986 he was appointed Communications Manager at the British Agrochemical Association where he became involved across that busy, rapidly changing sector including the early days of LEAF.
In 2003, when the BAA became the Crop Protection Association, Richard was appointed Development Manager for the National Association of Agricultural Contractors until he retired in 2009.
His experience and skills were much appreciated by the NAAC whose members involved in chemical application had also been coming to terms with complex, changing technical and regulatory issues.
Richard will be missed greatly by his friends and former colleagues in the industry, along with those who also enjoyed his great company at past Farmer & Stockbreeder reunions.
Many of you will also have fond reminiscences about Richard but, for now, our thoughts rest with Sue, his widow, and Richard’s two sons John and Paul, as they come to terms with their loss.
