Siggs & Co Ltd
Agricultural Consultancy Built on 50 Years of Experience.
From Devon farms to global agribusiness — practical expertise that delivers results
Our Heritage & Evolution
From 1969 to the Modern Era
Since 2018 we have focused our work on farm businesses across Devon, Somerset and the South West — bringing the same rigorous, results-driven approach to UK farming that turned around large-scale agricultural operations in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.
Whether you farm 50 acres in Devon or manage a large agricultural estate, we bring a level of experience and strategic thinking that few consultancies can match.
A Focus on the South West
Farming is in our DNA. Siggs & Co Ltd was founded by James Siggs in 1995, built on a lifetime in agriculture that began on family farms and spans five decades of practical experience across four continents.
“I’ve spent 50 years in agriculture across four continents. The principles that turn around a 36,000-hectare plantation in West Africa are the same ones that make a Devon farm more profitable — identify the opportunity, remove the obstacles, work with the right people, and follow up relentlessly.”
Our Founder
“I’ve spent 50 years in agriculture across four continents. The principles that turn around a 36,000-hectare plantation in West Africa are the same ones that make a Devon farm more profitable — identify the opportunity, remove the obstacles, work with the right people, and follow up relentlessly.”
James Siggs – Managing Director
James Siggs grew up in a farming family and has spent his entire career in agriculture. After graduating in Agricultural Economics from Wye College, London and completing an MBA at Henley Management College, James built an international career managing and advising large-scale agricultural businesses across Indonesia, Romania, Africa and beyond
His career highlights include:
- Managing 50,000 hectares of plantation operations in Indonesia with 12,000 employees at PT PP London Sumatra, part of Harrisons & Crosfield PLC
- Co-founding Feronia Inc, a pan-African farming company publicly listed on the TSX Venture Exchange within 18 months with a market capitalisation of CAD $90 million
- Advising a family office on the acquisition and turnaround of a 17,000 hectare cereal and oilseed farm in Romania, increasing production by 45% and adding €5.5 million to the bottom line
- Leading the turnaround of a 36,000 hectare oil palm plantation in Ivory Coast for Unilever, increasing production by 64% and adding $21 million to the bottom line — the business was subsequently sold for $170 million
Since returning his focus to the UK in 2018, James has applied the same practical, no-nonsense approach to farm businesses across the South West. He is a FACTS-qualified adviser and has owned and operated his own sheep and arable farm in North Devon.
Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative Agriculture
James’s interest in regenerative agriculture isn’t recent. In 1980 he went no-till on a 300 hectare farm in East Sussex — not from ideology, but because the economics demanded it. He later observed cover crops and reduced biocide use working at scale on 50,000 hectares of plantation in Indonesia in the early 1990s. Between 2003 and 2010 he ran a rotational mob-grazing system on his own farm in Devon, and in 2016 he introduced cover crops across 17,000 hectares in Romania.
The common thread across four decades and four continents: healthy soil biology underpins healthy plants, resilient yields, and lower costs. The science has caught up with what practical farmers were observing on the ground.
This experience now informs how Siggs & Co advises farm businesses across the South West — combining regenerative principles with the commercial rigour needed to make them work.
Our Approach
The Siggs & Co turnaround and improvement process has been tested and refined across four continents and three decades:
Identify the low hanging fruit and target these
Identify road blocks, restructure and reorganise
Identify the internal winners and work with them
Introduce focused management processes and systems
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Follow up, follow up, follow up
Exit leaving a renovated and motivated team focused on delivering results
Whether we are helping a Devon farmer navigate SFI applications or advising an institutional investor on a large agricultural asset, the process is the same.
Who We Work With
Siggs & Co works with a deliberately diverse client base:
Farm businesses across Devon, Somerset and the South West
Large estates and land owners
Family offices and private investors with agricultural assets
PLCs and institutional investors in the agricultural sector
Agricultural Compliance
Minimise risk and secure your operation. We ensure you meet all UK government and industry standards
Farm Grants & Schemes
Expert guidance to secure crucial funding for your business, covering all DEFRA and government schemes.
Soil & Nutrient Management
Develop bespoke, sustainable strategies for long-term soil health, nutrient efficiency, and optimal yield.
Regenerative Agriculture
Implement practical, proven strategies to enhance biodiversity, farm resilience, and ecological health.
Farm Business Management
Strategic planning, financial analysis, and operational efficiency advice to maximise your farm’s profitability.
Red Tractor Assurance
Specialist support and preparation to confidently achieve and maintain your Red Tractor certification.
Proven Results at Every Scale
From rescuing global agribusinesses to safeguarding family farms across the UK.
For over 30 years, we have stepped into high-stakes agricultural crises to engineer clear routes to profitability. Whether turning around a 36,000-hectare international plantation or protecting the margins of a livestock farm at home in the UK, our focus remains identical: practical operational efficiency, rigorous compliance, and long-term financial resilience.
Taking a 36,000ha Oil Palm Plantation in Ivory Coast from Crisis to Success
Taking a 36,000ha Oil Palm Plantation in Ivory Coast from Crisis to Success
BeforeAfter Unilever are a long-standing client of Siggs & Co Ltd. When their oil palm plantations in Ivory Coast had
Taking a 17,000ha Cereal and Oilseed Farm in Romania from Crisis to Success
Taking a 17,000ha Cereal and Oilseed Farm in Romania from Crisis to Success
We advised a family office in the acquisition of a 17,000 ha cereal and oilseed farm in Romania. The farm