Yara UK has appointed Paul O’Hora as a senior project portfolio manager-OMF, with responsibility for organomineral fertiliser (OMF) development in the UK.
Mr O’Hora is a chemist by trade, with over ten years of experience working in research and development, as well as project and product development for speciality chemical company Lubrizol.
In the role, he will be responsible for developing partnerships with partners, including waste management companies, as well as the development of a pilot plant which will produce materials for UK trials.
OMF development in the UK is a new venture for the company, with the appointment of Mr O’Hora said to demonstrate Yara’s investment in regenerative agriculture and sustainability.
New OMF products are said to provide plant nutrition, while also regenerating soils by adding organic matter and building nutrient stores. Compared to standard fertilisers, they have a lower carbon footprint and can help tackle food waste, as this is upcycled in the production stage.
Mr O’Hora said that he is looking forward to making a difference by driving OMF development in the UK: “Improving soil health, upcycling food waste to create a Circular Economy, and moving towards more sustainable farming practices is the future. With OMF we are at the start of the journey, but I’m delighted to be involved with a project that I can see is going to have a huge positive impact on nature and the environment, as well as the resilience and profitability of agriculture.”