Richard joined the family business of R J Butler & Son in 1975 and has been the senior partner since 1983, farming 1,700 acres near Marlborough, Wiltshire. Farm enterprises include a 300 cow holstein dairy herd, a beef cattle fattening unit, and an extensive arable combine crop enterprise specialising in wheat grown for seed and milling as well as malting barley production. Other combinable crops grown include oats, white beans and rapeseed.
In 1987 Richard founded a contract farming company, which now farms four additional farms in Wiltshire totalling over 2,000 acres principally in arable cropping. East Wick Farm won the 2008 Crown Estate Rural Business award for farming and conservation which was presented at Lancaster House. He has held a number of offices and directorships, most recently Chairman of The Farmers Club (2016); Chairman of the Voluntary Initiative (Pesticides) (2011-17); and Director of Pewsey Downs Farmer Group (2018).
Richard is married with three children and six grandchildren. His hobbies include tennis and shooting.