Francis lives in Somerset, where he farmed organically for 10 years. After writing Organic Farming and Growing � a Guide to Management (still in print) he joined the Soil Association in 1986, first to run Soil Association Certification, then as Standards Director. He was founding president of IFOAM EU Group (www.ifoam-eu.org) and then the COSMOS-standard AISBL (www.cosmos-standard,org). He is now a board member of IOAS (www.ioas.org). Besides organic, his other interests are bee keeping, learning the mandolin and Ki aikido (Black belt).