A senior animal health and welfare professor at the oldest agricultural college in the English-speaking world has been recognised in the New Year 2026 Honours.
Prof. David Main, who is deputy vice-chancellor at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) in Cirencester, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for ‘Services to Animal Welfare’.
It’s in recognition of his work with the Home Office’s Animals in Science Committee which he chaired for six years before completing his tenure earlier this year.
Prof. Main said: “I am honoured and delighted to have been awarded the British Empire Medal for my role as chair of the Animals in Science Committee, Home Office.
“This award recognises the considerable effort that the committee takes in its oversight of legislation protecting the welfare of animals used within scientific research.
“The committee strives to balance the impacts on animals with benefits to people including assessing the safety and efficacy of medicines and I was very pleased to see the recent launch of a government strategy to accelerate the uptake of alternative methods to the use of animals in research and testing.
“I would to thank other members of the committee who give up their time to maintain robust scrutiny of the safeguards that society expects, and also my colleagues at the Royal Agricultural University who have enabled me to dedicate time for this important work,” he added.
Animal health and welfare
Having originally trained and practised as a veterinary surgeon, Prof. Main worked at Bristol Veterinary School before joining the RAU as professor of Animal Health and Welfare in 2018.
He became pro vice-chancellor in 2022 and was then appointed as deputy vice-chancellor earlier this year.
Prof. Main has also worked as a trustee for RSPCA Assured for the last decade and, earlier this year, he was awarded the charity’s prestigious Queen Victoria Silver Medal in recognition of his work as a core member of the RSPCA Assured Board and for making “significant contributions to improving the lives of farm animals in the UK”.
Vice-chancellor at the RAU, Prof. Peter McCaffery commented: “David has been a champion for the welfare of farm animals for many years – indeed he originally joined the RAU to teach animal health and welfare to our students – so I am delighted that he has been recognised in the New Year Honours for his work in this field.
“This honour is testament to the significant contribution he has made, through his professional knowledge and an evidence-led approach, and it is very much deserved.”
Chair of the RAU’s Governing Council, Dame Fiona Reynolds added: “This honour rightly acknowledges David’s exceptional leadership and lifelong commitment to advancing animal welfare and improving the lives of farm animals.
“His tireless efforts have made a real difference – his work continues to influence both policy and practice.
“This recognition is thoroughly deserved and all of us at the RAU are incredibly proud to see his commitment recognised in this way.”
The 2026 New Year Honours are published tomorrow and Prof. Main will be presented with his British Empire Medal by Edward Gillespie, the Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, at a local ceremony sometime in the New Year.
In recognition of his honour, he will also receive an invitation to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party.
