Meet our Experts - Tonia Simms

Tonia Simms is part of our network of experts, read on to find out a little more about her work.

Tonia Simms qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 2007 and has devoted her entire career to farm animal practice. In 2016, she completed a Diploma in Bovine Reproduction becoming an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Bovine Reproduction.

The early part of her career centred on dairy cattle, while more recent work has focused increasingly on beef production—spanning suckler herds, rearers, and finishers. She is deeply concerned about the economic pressures and sustainability challenges facing UK beef systems, particularly the inefficiencies that contribute to unnecessary methane emissions. Despite the high food safety standards of domestically produced meat, national output continues to fall short of consumer demand, prompting imports from systems that may have lower health and welfare standards. Tonia advocates for industry-wide improvements to reduce waste and enhance the resilience of UK beef farming.

Passionate about knowledge exchange and education, Tonia works closely with individual farmers, industry bodies, and supply chain stakeholders to foster positive behavioural change and drive sustainability improvements across the sector.

Married to an arable farmer and based in Bedfordshire, she brings a broad appreciation for the full spectrum of UK agriculture, and enjoys walking her children and cocker spaniel through the region’s riversides and fields.

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