Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

This qualitative data collection is part of the Rural Economy and Land Use (RELU) programme. ‘Science in the Field’ was a project exploring the working practices and expertise of three different groups of field-level advisors (farm animal vets, applied ecologists and land agents/surveyors). The research involved in-depth interviews with professional/ accreditation bodies, advisors and farmers as well as direct observation (work shadowing) of field level advisors. The project reflected on the role of advisors as knowledge brokers between research and land management practice, with a focus on how their knowledge and expertise is constructed and disseminated. Further information for this study may be found through the ESRC Research Catalogue webpage: Science in the field: understanding the changing role of expertise in the rural economy.

Simple random sample

Purposive selection/case studies

Face-to-face interview

Telephone interview

Observation