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Meet the Expert: Alex Moss, Dudley Peverill Associates
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At Farm Business Innovation, you'll have the opportunity to meet the experts’ helping farmers and landowners turn ideas into profitable, long-term rural enterprises. As part of our Meet the Expert series, we're speaking to exhibitors who are working at the forefront of farm diversification, sharing their advice, industry insights and practical guidance for those looking to future-proof their businesses.
This time, we caught up with Alexander Moss, Founding Partner at Dudley Peverill Associates, to discuss why diversification has never been more important, the common mistakes farmers make, and why taking a strategic approach can make all the difference.
Introduce yourself and the business you work for.
I'm Alexander Moss, founding partner of Dudley Peverill Associates. We're a rural diversification and project management consultancy working exclusively with farms, estates and rural landowners across England, taking projects from initial idea, through planning, funding and construction to a trading business - a concept to completion service model spanning 3 departments, Rural Project Consultancy, Funding & Finance and Project Management.
The backgrounds of all colleagues are rooted in rural life and farming, so we are well placed to understand the complex and ever-developing challenges our clients currently face and have the skillsets to help them overcome them.
Why do you think it's important for farmers to diversify?
Because rural and farming businesses are grappling with one of the toughest trading environments seen in decades. The Basic Payment has all but gone, and, whilst Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs) such as the SFI are helping to fill the gap, commodity prices and weather are increasingly volatile. Couple that with planning, tax and policy reforms, and landowners face as many challenges as they do opportunities.
The Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) inheritance tax reforms are a sharp reminder that standing still is not a strategy. Effective diversification can spread risk and optimise asset utilisation. Just as importantly, it often reconnects the farm with the consumer.
Closing the supply chain helps rural businesses move from price taker to price maker, keeping more of the retail pound on the farm.
If you could offer one piece of advice to farmers starting their diversification journey, what would it be?
Do the thinking before you spend the money. Test the idea robustly: does it stack up financially, is there demand for the goods or service, will it get planning, and who is going to operate it day to day?
A modest spend on proper feasibility work at the outset can save significant capital later. Plan holistically for the entire holding and have a comprehensive understanding of objectives and the longer-term vision.
Avoid considering opportunities in silo, as rural diversification works best when enterprises are stacked and synergetic. It's easy to constantly look to add more into the mix and end up with increasing liability.
Are there any common pitfalls farmers fall into, and how can they avoid them?
Plenty! The three we see most are:
Rushing to implement an enterprise or development before understanding whether the market exists for it and whether it will ever see a return.
Underestimating consumer expectations and operational requirements another enterprise can bring.
Underestimating planning and development projects with regard to time, complexity, and budgets, with no contingency in them.
The fix is the same for all three... A structured approach, starting with master planning and feasibility, before progressing to implementation.
What are you most looking forward to at Farm Business Innovation 2026?
The conversations.
There is no substitute for talking with landowners and farmers face to face about what they are genuinely wrestling with.
Whether you're taking your first steps into diversification or looking to expand an existing rural enterprise, Alex and the Dudley Peverill Associates team will be exhibiting at Farm Business Innovation 2026, where they'll be sharing practical advice on everything from feasibility and planning to funding and project delivery.
Farm Business Innovation takes place on 4-5 November 2026 at the NEC Birmingham. Join thousands of farmers, landowners and rural business owners to discover new income opportunities, hear from leading industry experts and meet the specialist suppliers who can help turn your diversification plans into reality.