REAP aims to inspire new thinking, and the availability of a bursary kindly sponsored by The AF Group, the UK’s largest agricultural purchasing co-operative, encourages farmers, growers and agricultural students to attend.
AF has seen farming businesses adopt more and more technology, Tom Carter, Head of Membership & Marketing says that the organisation is pleased to work closely with Agri-TechE to help them build a hub of global innovation.
Tom said: “Agriculture stands at a crossroads as it navigates some of the most fundamental changes to the industry in a generation. Now, more than ever, collaboration and innovation is needed to help farmers adapt and thrive to these new changes. The REAP conference is a brilliant platform to gain insight into these changes and AF is proud to support the bursary once again.”
Some of the beneficiaries of the bursary are grateful for the chance to participate in the conference.
Tom Pearson, Farmer, Manor Farm, Caxton, Cambs comments: “Our farm has long term goals of sustaining and eventually increasing output while maximising biodiversity, carbon sequestration and net zero farming. We are always on the look-out for incremental and game changing technology that helps us reach that goal. Hearing from current start-ups in AgTech and farmer-led projects helps us to be early adopters and know how to act now to adapt our business to accommodate these new technologies and practices.”
Robert Gemmill, Farmer, Sayers Farm, Essex agrees, “being a small arable farmer in Essex, growing a small range of crops using traditional cultivation and drilling methods, the REAP conference will hopefully stimulate new thinking to progress the farm and business in the future.”
Like many of the events in Agri-Tech Week, REAP offers BASIS points and this endorses its educational value, which is appreciated by Seamus Kelly, Tractor Driver, Besthorpe, Norfolk whom comments: “Innovation is important in a future career because its more about implementing solutions instead of working around our problems hoping they will go away on their own. I am attending the conference to update my knowledge and information with the view to make valuable contributions to our agriculture based projects.
Jessica Nuboer, Master Student, Wageningen University, The Netherlands comments: “I am keen to learn more about regenerative agricultural practices and its relation to conventional norms. As an industry, I believe agribusiness needs to heal topsoil, prevent chemical runoff and pollution of freshwater resources, and practice responsible agriculture. I believe that by attending the REAP conference, I will gain the relevant knowledge and networking opportunities to support my future.”
View more information at theafgroup.co.uk
