Royal Agricultural University professor honoured for services to animal welfare
Professor David Main has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours
A senior professor at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) in Cirencester has been recognised in the 2026 New Year Honours for his contribution to animal welfare.
Professor David Main, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at RAU, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for “Services to Animal Welfare.”
The recognition follows his work as Chair of the Home Office’s Animals in Science Committee, a position he held for six years before stepping down earlier this year.
Professor 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.”
He added: “The committee strives to balance the impacts on animals with benefits to people, including assessing the safety and efficacy of medicines.
"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 like 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.”
In addition to his work on the Animals in Science Committee, Professor Main has spent the last decade as a trustee for RSPCA Assured.
In 2023, he was presented with the organisation’s Queen Victoria Silver Medal for his contributions as a member of the RSPCA Assured Board and his efforts to improve the lives of farm animals in the UK.
The 2026 New Year Honours will be published on 1st January. Professor Main is set to receive his British Empire Medal at a ceremony hosted by Edward Gillespie, Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, later in the New Year. He will also be invited to attend a Buckingham Palace Garden Party in celebration of his award.