Agri-TechE

🎧 We're very excited to share the latest episode of the Farmers Weekly podcast - recorded live at our REAP Conference 2024: 'From artificial insemination to artificial intelligence ~ how agri-tech is shaping the future of farming'. It’s an incredible edition with Johann Tasker interviewing a selection of speakers and delegates to answer some big questions - tune in to discover: ✅ How AI is already transforming farming, with insights from a Silicon Valley expert AKA Elliott Grant who gave an "absolutely spellbinding presentation!" ✅ A UK start-up’s mission to brew the perfect coffee from homegrown ingredients Anna-Sophie Deetjen from Morrow ✅ Simple, accessible tool for smarter Sustainable Farming Incentive applications by Tom Scrope from Soil Benchmark ✅ 'Immaculate Conception' advanced livestock semen analysis that can lead to 8% increased conception by Dyneval ✅ Reflections from big global players Bayer and John Deere - Phil Taylor explores partnerships and holistic offerings that integrates crop protection and data-science in a cohesive package and Mark James discusses the importance of standardisation and interoperability where there is value for every player in the supply chain. ✅Mark Evans explains UPP's clever and curious plans for broccoli and the benefits of networking at REAP where he had great engagement from a leading supermarket, a leading FMCG and seed manufacturer. ✅ Two very different farmers - cattle breeder and direct-to-consumer beef farmer Helen Reeve and arable root crop farmer (including beet for British Sugar and maize for on-site AD plant) Nick Sheppard Plus Agri-TechE's Director Belinda Clarke OBE explains the importance of coming together at events like REAP that allow knowledge exchange between farmers and developers that keeps innovation grounded and ensures we don't get too carried away with what tech *can* do, but what it *should* do to benefit farmers and agriculture. Tune into the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/epD64ZXP or listen wherever you get your podcasts Sign up to our monthly Agri-TechE newsletter to receive regular insights, news, reflections and opportunities in agri-technology and innovation - plus be the first to hear about REAP 2025 when tickets go on sale 🎟️ https://lnkd.in/eEZJ8bYu

A REAP Round-Up from Richard Lawrence for Agronomist & Arable Farmer this month with a focus on AI beyond computing, agri-tech in the field and farmer input. Featuring five of our members 👏 Elliott Grant SRUC Louise McNicol University of Lincoln Marcello Calisti Niab University of Essex PES Technologies Check out the digital publication here - https://lnkd.in/eMqMEstM (print version also available).

🎄🐄🐖🦃 Pigs in blankets, roast turkey, and smoked salmon - your festive feast depends on livestock. But how can we help ensure the animals we farm live happy, healthy lives? Discover how agri-tech is raising the bar for animal welfare this Christmas in our latest blog: https://lnkd.in/e66Y-SUA

Technologies are advancing rapidly but scaling these solutions requires stronger financial incentives and a roadmap that aligns environmental goals with economic realities. This tension—between broad societal value and the immediate financial viability of innovation—underpins many of the challenges identified in our Back to the Future report. For farmers to adopt new tools, developers must provide a clear return on investment. But beyond that, the wider economic systems must evolve to recognise and reward practices that deliver public services like carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and clean water. 🌱 LettUs Grow calls for state funding to help UK growers trial new technologies on-farm. They stress that validating these innovations in real-world conditions is essential for mass adoption—and for improving industry-wide competitiveness. But growers must also remain vigilant about maintaining a competitive market to avoid monopolies and ensure fair value for all. Read their full submission here: https://lnkd.in/eJVFvy8X 💡AbacusBio highlights the importance of quantifying both tangible and intangible value in agriculture. While the cost-benefit to farmers is often clear, the broader societal benefits—like improved biodiversity or reduced emissions—are harder to measure. They argue that better policies are needed to reward practices that deliver societal value, creating a market where sustainability pays. Watch the interview with Megan V. here: https://lnkd.in/e5rM5nh7 🔗 University of East Anglia (UEA) emphasises the need for better market design to make financial incentives work for both farmers and the environment. Whether it’s ensuring revenue flows directly to farms or creating depth in markets for sustainable practices, a well-structured system is critical for success. See the input from a number of individuals from UEA and others at the Norwich Research Park here: https://lnkd.in/eh397Bgu Agri-TechE’s Back to the Future project reflects on a decade of progress since the first government agri-tech strategy, while charting a path for the future. With insights from over 70 contributors across the agri-tech ecosystem, the report highlights a pressing need for a refreshed strategy to unlock agriculture’s potential as a key part of the bioeconomy. See our full report here: https://lnkd.in/e5sEd86f

We are hosting a series of workshops in partnership with Ceres Agri-Tech Knowledge Exchange Partnership to raise awareness and spark inspiration among academics to align their research with key issues facing the industry across a range of verticals. We are inviting researchers across the UK to be part of it, and we’re kindly asking you to disseminate the event amongst academics. This event would be of interest to academics: 💡 Whose research is relevant to production of potatoes, cereals and field vegetables; 💡 Who has an entrepreneurial spirit and an interest in potentially commercialising their work, and 💡 A desire to see their science making a positive impact to end-users. 🤑 Featuring industry speakers to frame the challenges, you’ll be mentored and guided to develop a commercially relevant concept and pitch it to an expert panel. You’ll receive helpful feedback on your solution, and could be invited to further develop your idea and pitch to an Investment Committee for development funding and further mentorship and support. When: 📅 31st January - Potatoes; 📅 28th February - Cereals; 📅 13th March - Field vegetables. 🙌 To express your interest in attending the workshop (costs are covered, but places are limited) apply here: https://lnkd.in/ekTaar4K University of Cambridge, University of Lincoln, Ceres Agri-Tech Knowledge Exchange Partnership, EPSRC, Louise Sutherland, Belinda Clarke OBE, Simon Pearson, Harry Henderson

🎄 Calling all Agri-TechE members! 🎄 You have only 24 hours left to complete our 2024 Member Survey Simply log into your account, select the 'member exclusive' section of your dashboard, and complete the short survey to be entered into the prize draw to win a Christmas hamper! Ends 13/12/24 - Good luck 😀

Join Agri-TechE in partnership with our member, MTC - Manufacturing Technology Centre, to get a first-hand look at cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and their potential applications in farming and horticulture. Highlights include a tour of MTC's demonstration facilities and a collaborative workshop on bridging the gap between these two vital sectors. ❓ Why Attend: 💡 See innovative technologies in action, including large-scale 3D printing, lasers, ‘factory-in-a-box’ solutions, and autonomous systems. 💡 Consider how manufacturing principles such as intelligent automation and process optimisation could tackle agricultural challenges while maintaining quality and reducing operational costs. 💡 Participate in a forward-thinking discussion on integrating manufacturing techniques into farming practices to enhance efficiency and quality. 💡 Network with leading professionals from agriculture and manufacturing. The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) was established to prove innovative manufacturing processes and technologies in an agile environment, bridging the gap between academic research and industrial application. 🙌🏻 With expertise in robotics, intelligent automation, 3D printing, and advanced metrology, the MTC helps industries adopt disruptive technologies to streamline processes and boost performance. From robots that detect crop diseases to automation reducing waste and costs, their solutions are shaping sustainable farming futures. 📍 Book your place here: https://lnkd.in/evGDaUjH Member discount applies. ➕ Plus: Extend your experience with an optional evening dinner and a group tour to the LAMMA Show 2025 the next day.

🌟 Could 2025 be your year for change? 🌟Kickstart your journey in agri-tech with exciting opportunities waiting in the Agri-TechE Job Zone! From innovative roles to leadership positions, there’s no better time to shape your future and the future of agriculture. 📢 A few of the current opportunities include: - University of Reading: Director of the Agrifood Systems and Futures College of Experts - Apm Agriplant Ls: Mechanical Design Engineer - Acer Resources: Plant Scientist and Simulation Engineer - Earlham Institute: Commercialisation Manager - PheroSyn: Lead Development Chemist Check them all out on our Job Zone: 👉 https://lnkd.in/g4-gwbMu

Balancing risk and faith… How to approach the challenge of technology adoption? Agricultural technologies hold immense potential and promise for improvement, yet their adoption often involves striking a delicate balance of risk-taking and co-development between innovators and growers. Agri-TechE's Back to the Future project captures insights from members who are working to bridge the gap between innovation and on-farm application.   🧫ROBOSCIENTIFIC LIMITED is advancing early disease detection in animals and plants using volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis. They acknowledge scepticism as a key barrier to adoption, observing that many farmers are eager to embrace innovation but concerned about the risks associated with unproven systems. They advocate collaborative efforts to build trust and demonstrate reliability and to "take a leap of faith and believe it can happen!" Watch their video here: https://lnkd.in/dPZctYJt ⚙️ MTC - Manufacturing Technology Centre highlights the cultural dimensions of innovation adoption: “People want change, but they also resist it.” They stress the importance of creating modular, user-friendly solutions that can evolve once a foundation is established. By de-risking adoption, MTC aims to help users feel more comfortable with new innovations. Watch their video here: https://lnkd.in/diQmPp84 🌉 Mishcon de Reya LLP calls attention to the importance of understanding real-world farming needs. They argue for less focus on theoretical solutions and more on tangible, co-developed technologies that address pressing challenges. Bridging the gap between visionary research and practical implementation is critical to achieving scale and impact. Read their submission: https://lnkd.in/d_aA9g6H 🔗 Frederick Hiam is cautious about being such early adopters they shoulder all the risk, yet they believe that waiting for fully developed solutions to simply be delivered to farmers is unlikely to hit the mark. Their approach is to collaborate with developers from the outset - “Start with the problem we need answering,” so that co-development benefits both parties— delivering tailored, practical solutions, while also advancing innovation in a meaningful, efficient way. Watch their video: https://lnkd.in/dA6BYKh6 Our Back to the Future Report is now live - you can see the eBook here (as well as access our Podcast): https://lnkd.in/e5sEd86f

Just two years ago, Artificial Intelligence was deemed to be as smart as a fruit fly. Today, it’s operating at the brainpower of a dog, and its evolution is accelerating. The pace of progress is staggering - comparable to the advent of the internet or the rise of Uber - technologies that went from suspicious novelties to indispensable parts of daily life in record time, and AI is following the same trajectory. In agriculture, the shift is already happening. AI is helping farmers make sense of overwhelming amounts of data, improving productivity, and unlocking new opportunities. From breeding breakthroughs to machinery optimisation, it’s not just improving what we do, it’s beginning to open doors to entirely new ways of farming. The challenge now is ensuring AI can do its best work. That means feeding it diverse, high-quality data so it can deliver actionable insights that reflect the complexity of agriculture. It also means factoring the cost of its financial and energy expenditure into business models - making AI an integral part of planning, not an afterthought. Much like the rise of the internet, AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a mindset shift. The businesses that trust it, invest in it, and adapt to its capabilities will be the ones to thrive in this new era. Is your business AI- ready?! 👉 Read more in our latest blog - The Rise of the Machines: https://bit.ly/3ZBjtMo