Agri-TechE February 2020 Newsletter
Change provides an opportunity for innovation.
This month we explore how:
- Rapid growth of Controlled Environment Agriculture is driving change in food production and stimulating the emergence of platform technologies
- Increasing popularity of English wines is boosting interest in this alternative crop
- Opportunities for agri-tech are being created by the new Agriculture Bill
Top News and Upcoming Events
Cheers! Wine and Innovation – Come and Join Us!
11th February 2020 – Cambridge Consultants, Cambridge
The long hot summer of 2019 was a vintage year for English wines.
With more areas of the country identified as suitable for vineyards and new varieties emerging to take advantage of our warmer summers this could be an interesting diversification for some as Ben Witchell for Flint Vineyards explains.
Join us for a tipple or two and meet those pushing the boundaries in breeding, technologies and production. Click here to register
Growing Up The Wall with Controlled Environment Agriculture
March 18th 2020 – John Innes Centre
With research showing urban plant factories to be more resource efficient than greenhouses, this rapidly growing sector promises to be a major disrupter and the technology is cutting-edge.
At this event we will discuss the social and economic drivers and also emerging innovations with wider applications. The current CEA systems are power hungry so improving efficiencies in order to reduce the cost of production is vital.
Exhibition spaces are available – FREE to members (chargeable for non members). Register here for delegate tickets and exhibition bookings.
Don’t Delay – Apply for the Innovation Hub today!
1st-2nd July 2020
The prestigious Innovation Hub at the Royal Norfolk Show, provides a unique opportunity to meet farmers and VIPs and to gain profile for your research or technology.
Highlights from 2019 and a short video provide an introduction to the Innovation Hub. For more information and an application form get in contact
Deadline February 10th
HARVEST - Opportunity to explore the Canadian market
Applications open soon
Agri-TechE is the UK partner for the global HARVEST programme for Saskatoon, Canada. We will soon be opening applications for the 2020 visit.
It offers brokered meetings, the opportunity to visit the Ag In Motion trade expo and networking with farmers, businesses and researchers in Canada.
More details available soon.
GROW Your Agri-Tech Business Idea
Deadline for registration 28th February
Registration is open for the GROW agri-tech business plan competition – for all agri-entrepreneurs to get help transforming their idea into a business. Register by 28th Feb, to gain support from industry experts to help work up your plan.
Members – save the date of June 4th for the final and the chance to ‘become an investor’ (with our Agri-TechE banknotes!) Read more about past winners.
Other News and New & Returning Members
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Other Upcoming Agri-TechE Events Young Innovators’ Forum – Sainsbury Laboratory visit 29th January 2020 17:00 It is an exciting time to be a part of the Forum with lots of events coming up. Join us at the Sainsbury Lab Cambridge University for a tour of its research facility as well as the Algal Innovation Centre. We only have a few places left so email fiona.rust@agri-tech-e.co.uk now to join. On 12th March we are hosting the YIF Conference. Free for early career ag students and professionals, places first come first served. Take a look at our page to find out more. Keeping a Sunny Outlook – De-risking Agriculture Through Weather-Tech, 29th April New technologies for sensing, prediction and forecasting to help farmers and growers reduce their risks from adverse weather. Read more here. From Farmer to Pharma—and Beyond, 14th May Meet key players in the value chain and learn more crops for regulated therapeutic use, new variety development, processing solutions and potential routes to market. Find out more. In other news Chance to exhibit at REAP 2020 – 10th November 2020 The annual REAP Conference attracts national and international delegates, and provides unparalleled opportunities to network with farmers, researchers and technologists. The technology exhibition is a growing attraction. Read the REAP 2019 report to get a taste of the event and then get in touch to discuss how you can get involved. |
New Members: Earth Rover | EW Kisby & Sons | IP Pragmatics | JP Trett | LettUs Grow | TWENTYFIFTEEN
Renewing Members: BKL LLP | Cambond | Harper Adams University | Rezare Systems
In other news
Colombia visits – March and Aug 2020
KTN is working with the British Embassy Colombia Prosperity Fund who are funding up to 15 UK businesses to attend a trade/field mission in early March 2020, to meet with key Colombian agricultural stakeholders. There will be a further funded visit to the region in August 2020 to participate at Agrofuturo, the leading business and knowledge trade show of the agricultural sector in Colombia and Latin America. To register your interest click here.
FUNDING
Up to £15 million of grant funding is available for feasibility and demonstration projects through the Transforming Food Production Science and Technology into Practice programme. Projects must improve productivity and sustainability and contribute to the next zero emissions target for agriculture by 2020 and work across different production environments.
BASIS points for members and newsletter readers
Many of our events attract BASIS points. If you are BASIS registered, you can also collect 2 points (up to a maximum of 8/yr) for receiving our newsletter and all staff in our member organisations can claim 2 points/yr for membership.
To claim your BASIS points for the newsletter, use reference CP/91546/1920/g on the BASIS website.
