Agri-tech to support the journey to Net Zero is included in the REAP 2023 exhibition, which is an integral part of the Conference. It features technology and research demonstrations from across the agri-tech ecosystem.
ADAS – agricultural R&D and consultancy
Decision support systems to improve yield, nutrition efficiency and pest management
The Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) was initially focused on increasing crop yields, but now it addresses issues such as nutritional efficiency (YEN Nutrition) and carbon intensity (YEN Zero). YEN enables members to share quantitative field-specific intelligence anonymously. This enables benchmarking against grain yield or soil health, for example, and to use this information to help inform enhancements.
ADAS will be showcasing FarmPEP, a knowledge exchange Performance Enhancement Platform that aims to connect people, organisations, projects and resources to enable knowledge across farming to be shared, found, discussed, distilled and developed; YEN and also IPM Decisions, an online platform which assesses risks from diseases and invertebrate pests. IPM Decisions uses weather and farm-specific crop information to assess the likelihood of crop damage and the need for protection or treatment.
Agrasta Market
Decarbonise and support food businesses in meeting net zero targets
Almost 50% of food emissions occur within the farm gate but the lack of engaging financial incentives means 75% farmers aren’t actively reducing their carbon footprint, resulting in insufficient low carbon produce for food businesses to hit imminent net zero targets.
Agrasta’s online marketplace (think eBay) connects food businesses who want to reduce their carbon footprint to farmers looking to capitalise on their low carbon produce. We broker farmer/food business connections and provide a price discovery service using a radically simpler approach than carbon credits: a precise carbon intensity figure to enable decarbonisation without greenwashing.
Our platform introduces transparency, trust and fun in a traditionally abstract and confusing market.
Agrasta leverages the latest technology to enable optimal carbon footprinting, maximum yield-to-carbon revenue and a tailored roadmap highlighting the most effective carbon reduction initiatives. Gamification drives farmers to outperform their peer group.
We will demo our marketplace app and our conceptual model of carbon intensity. We will also discuss leveraging cloud-based data pipelines, remote sensing, satellite imagery and even eco-acoustics.
AgRecruit – agri-tech recruitment
Unearthing talent to feed the world
Whether you’re an innovator in the AgriFood space seeking specialists to join your organisation (or simply in need of some advice on where to start!), or an individual looking for your next career move in this arena, AgRecruit would love to hear from you.
AgRecruit will be joined by Pondus, high tech technology for automating, scaling the monitoring and measurement of poultry for better welfare and better returns. Created by farmers for farmers.
Aponic International Ltd – vertical farming systems
Aeroponic vertical farming for sustainable diversification
Aponic has developed an aeroponic, vertical farming system that uses 90% less water and 30% greater yield than traditional growing systems and has been optimised to reduce power usage.
The company is aimed at diversifying farmers and can convert unused barn space into fully Controlled Environments for 365 food/pharmaceutical production providing full time jobs for local people rather than relying on seasonal labour and sporadic income.
EcoNomad Solutions
Transforming Farm Waste into Energy and Fertilizer with the BioNomad™
The BioNomad™ is an innovative micro-scale solution that empowers smaller livestock farmers to maximise the value of their own livestock wastes by turning them into valuable resources.
Developed around a core anaerobic digestion process, the BioNomad™ enables farmers to capture and extract valuable biogas from slurry/manure, which can then power a range of proprietary biogas equipment to generate clean renewable electricity and heat. At the same time, the liquid slurry is transformed into a high-quality biofertiliser that can be used to enrich compost heaps, enhance soil health, and improve crop yields.
Understanding the unique challenges faced by small and medium-sized livestock farms, EcoNomad Solutions has designed the BioNomad™ to be user-friendly and cost-effective, as well as scalable to adapt to the changing needs of the farm. EcoNomad Solutions is currently developing a number of BioNomad™ commercial pilot sites across the UK, ahead of a targeted commercial launch in 2024.
Cambridge Consultants – product and service development
Carbon monitoring and nutrient measuring
Cambridge Consultants will be discussing how they work with agritech clients to embrace and scale regenerative agriculture practices, accurately measure soil carbon and nutrient levels, and unlock the environmental benefits of biologicals in a cost-effective manner.
Cambridge Consultants develops breakthrough products & services and provides strategic advice in technology-critical issues for clients worldwide. For more than 60 years, the company has been helping its clients turn opportunities into commercial successes, delivering world firsts in multiple industry sectors. With a team of more than 800+ staff, including engineers, scientists, mathematicians, biologists and designers, in offices in Cambridge (UK), Boston (USA), Tokyo and Singapore, Cambridge Consultants utilises its deep tech expertise to help ambitious companies deliver on the promises of tomorrow’s technology.
More about Cambridge Consultants
Drone Ag – drone experts offering training and software solutions
Use of drones for automated data collection and actionable insights
Skippy Scout is an app that automates leaf-level crop data collection using drones and interprets it using AI, and it does it in real-time.
One application of Skippy Scout is to optimise yields of Oil Seed Rape. The automated drone flight collates data and generates a report that includes a Green Area Index (GAI) measurement, this can enable targeting certain areas of the crop with fungicides and plant growth regulators.
The company’s aim is to develop automated drones to guide machinery and sprayers to target specific areas of fields at exactly the right time.
Earlham Institute – decoding living systems
Using computational science, genomics, and data-driven approaches to answer complex biological questions
The Earlham Institute is a research centre on Norwich Research Park. Working with a range of stakeholders, EI’s expertise address major agri-tech challenges, helping to build a more productive, profitable and sustainable agri-food industry.
Accelerating crop breeding. Our research and tools help identify the genetic basis of key traits including disease and environmental resilience, and genetic resources for major agricultural crops. Using innovative genomic techniques and bespoke computational pipelines, automation and data management, we are accelerating trait screening for breeding, and tackling complex polygenic traits.
Combatting pathogens. Pathogen resistance poses an enormous threat to agriculture. EI is developing innovative approaches and technologies for early detection in field or controlled environments, or in water and soil. Our expertise can help understand evolution of pathogens in order to predict future threats, develop targeted treatments or direct breeding efforts.
Supporting biodiversity. Biodiversity losses through pollinator declines and monocultured wildflowers have wide ranging impacts on agricultural productivity. Capturing a snapshot of biodiversity status or applying population genetics allows EI to assess population health at the genetic level, to aid conservation efforts and support development of safer agrichemicals.
FOLIUM Science – developers of Guided Biotics®
Rebalancing the microbiome to improve health without antibiotics
Improving gut health in animal production could significantly boost wellbeing and productivity. FOLIUM Science has developed Guided Biotics® a technology that makes pathogenic bacteria less aggressive and restoring the balance in the microbiome.
The company has recently gained Innovate UK funding to tackle the bacteria responsible for excessive ammonia production in the poultry house. The plan for the future is to support the bird’s metabolism to become more efficient at repurposing this nitrogen into protein.
FOLIUM Science is to announce its latest project, a rapid lateral flow test for Salmonella, at REAP.
Gardin – optimising photosynthesis to boost yields
Improving the economics of indoor farming
Detecting changes in the rate of photosynthesis can give a fast indication of the plant physiological state. This enables optimisation of water, light, temperature and nutrient levels to boost yield.
Gardin has developed an optical phenotyping sensor, a low-cost device that gives the grower timely recommendations for action.
During a research project funded by InnovateUK, Gardin’s team of scientists were able to use their technology to increase annual yields in an indoor farm by 30-40% for three species of leafy greens; basil, lettuce and pak choi.
LGC Genomics – marker assisted breeding
Creating resilience to local conditions
LGC Genomics will be discussing how farmers can use their technology to determine which of the varieties they are growing are more resilient to local conditions. Also how its services can accelerate breeding programmes for breeders of all sizes.
The company offers KASP genotyping and Next Generation Sequencing Services for Marker Assisted Selection and disease resistance and climate change resilience.
Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology (LIAT)
A global innovation centre for agri-tech
The Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology (LIAT) based at the University’s Riseholme Campus is home to a working farm with specialist research facilities. LIAT’s multi-disciplinary team brings together sector-leading expertise in a diverse range of areas such as; AI, robotics, engineering, crop science, environmental sustainability, food manufacturing, product development and supply chains. Our goals include supporting and enhancing the future of food and agriculture productivity, efficiency, and sustainability through research, education, and technology.
The LIAT team will be showcasing LINCAM. LINCAM will build on the success of their Ceres Agri-Tech programme that provides translational funding and commercialisation expertise to drive agri-tech innovation by accelerating high-quality research to market. It has launched four agri-tech spin-out companies to date and created 13 licensing opportunities.
The Universities of Lincoln and Cambridge working with Ceres Agri-Tech, a collaborative initiative by Cambridge Enterprise, have been awarded a £4.9 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to help fund their drive to make the Lincolnshire and north Cambridgeshire (LINCAM) region a global innovation centre for agricultural technology (agri-tech).
LiveFarmer UK
Farm management software
Cloud based farm management software to help fresh produce growers manage all aspects of their business. Includes: land mapping, seed and chemical stocks, planting and forecasting, cultivation and field records, harvest and labour costs, machine maintenance, health and safety checks plus time and attendance.
Norfolk Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG)
Carbon audits for farmers
Norfolk FWAG is a not-for-profit organisation which provides conservation advice to landowners. It is led by an experienced board of directors, comprised mainly of Norfolk farmers. Norfolk FWAG offers a range of membership options to different organisations to support important conservation work.
At REAP, it will be showcasing how Norfolk FWAG performs carbon audits and habitat baseline audits which will prove to be extremely useful for farmers and landowners wishing to transition to net zero, as well as benefit from the Biodiversity Net Gain scheme.
Nano Electronic Services Ltd
Independent electronics manufacturing from design to assembly
Working with a network of suppliers we match the build requirement to the factory and manage the whole process for you but with full transparency. With capabilities ranging from rapid prototyping through to NPI and volume production, but without the constraint of having to use just one factory. Why limit your choice. One point of contact giving access to multiple suppliers.
NanoES Benefits include: Rapid Prototyping, 12 UK Factories, 18 SMT Lines, 3D AOI & XRAY, Solder Jet Printing & Vapour Phase Reflow, PTH with auto insert, Conformal Coating & Potting, IPC Class 3 & ISO13485, Electronics design, including PCB layout, Small volume through to high volume capability, Full box build capability, No middleman fees, Sensible quote turnaround (typically 48 hours).
Also representing Flusso for small form factor air sensors, and the Blues for easy development of IoT solutions.
More about Nano Electronics Services
PES Technologies
Measure soil health in 5 minutes
PES Technologies have developed a unique in-field soil health measurement tool that provides results direct to your mobile phone in 5 minutes. The tool provides 14 key indicators of soil health by analysing the Volatile Organic Compounds given off by the biological life in the soil. These indicators include biological (microbial biomass, % organic matter, respiration), Chemical (Available Phosporus, available Potassium, available magnesium, pH, Extractable ammonium, Extractable Nitrate) and Physical (Water holding capacity, Field water content, texture).
The tool enables decisions when it matters, in-field at the time of testing. All readings are GPS located and time stamped making the tool perfect for tracking change in the soils characteristics.
SRUC – Scotland’s Rural College
Support for a sustainable natural economy
Agrecalc is a carbon footprint tool developed by combining the on-farm practical expertise of SAC Consulting with world-class agricultural science and research of SRUC. The advantages of Agrecalc farm carbon calculator are:
- The ability to calculate carbon footprint for the whole farm, per enterprise and per kilo of product.
- The ability to benchmark against thousands of customer datasets.
- It helps understand mitigation options and areas for improvement.
Agrecalc is on a mission to support the transition to sustainable agriculture, whilst helping maintain and increase efficiency and business viability of food production.
University of Cambridge
Demo of a food-picking robot that designed to work alongside humans for food-packing in warehouses and factories
Food-picking robot developed through a collaboration between RT-Corporation and the Bio-Inspired Robotic Laboratory at the University of Cambridge.
The platform focuses on a visually guided robotic system that specializes in repetitive and predictable pick-and-place operations, with a primary application in the food packing industry.
There are only a few exhibition spaces remaining. To become a part of the Technology exhibition at REAP Conference 2023, please fill out a brief application form on the Exhibitor tab of reapconference.co.uk website.