He was born in Launceston, Cornwall in 1955, the son of David Winter (d1989) a farmer and lecturer and his wife Jeanne Nanette. His early life was spent firstly in Devon, where the family farmed near Beaworthy before moving to Hampshire where his father lectured at Sparsholt College.
He was educated at Peter Symonds College then at Wye College, Kent. He received a Doctor of Philosophy from the Open University in 1988.
He is Director of the Centre for Rural Policy Research at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom. In May 2008, Winter was made a Lay canon of Exeter Cathedral, Devon by Michael Langrish the Bishop of Exeter along with Doctor John Rea.
He is also a Board member of the Commission for Rural Communities, formerly the Countryside Agency, and was formerly a member of the Governing Body of IGER (The Institute for Grassland and Environment Research). His other previous roles have included being Chair of the South West Rural Affairs Forum, a member of the Government"s Inquiry into fox hunting, President of the Devon Rural Network, Vice-Chair of the Hatherleigh Area Project and Chair of Exbourne Chamber of East Primary School Governors.
