Tom MacMillan

Tom MacMillan is the Elizabeth Creak Chair in Rural Policy and Strategy at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU). He leads strategic initiatives in land use, farming systems, and food policy innovation. His roles include academic leadership for the RAU’s Innovation Village project and directing the Centre for Effective Innovation in Agriculture (CEIA). He also serves as Deputy Director of the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE).

MacMillan holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Manchester and a BA (First Class Honors) in Geography from the University of Oxford. His research focuses on sustainable agriculture, food systems transformation, and rural enterprise strategies. Key projects include the National Food Strategy development with Henry Dimbleby and advising the Food, Farming & Countryside Commission.

His recent work explores cultured meat’s societal impacts, land use innovation, and crop diversity strategies. He has authored over 20 reports and peer-reviewed articles since 2019, emphasizing farmer-led research and policy alignment. MacMillan is also a trustee of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust and actively engages in UK agricultural policy dialogues.