Agri-TechE’s October Newsletter
Technologies are becoming available with the potential to radically change the harvest – agri-tech that can automate not just the processes but also manipulate the crop’s response to time and environment.
A big question for farmers and growers is where should the priorities be for developing and investing in agri-tech? The REAP conference brings together experts with different perspectives and showcases the latest technologies to give a glimpse of the harvest of the future. Read more in this month’s Opinion piece.
Also this month:
- Innovative farmer Tom Pearson gives his opinion on REAP – bursary available for farmers and students
- International Café – the world is coming to REAP to discuss disease management, automated fruit harvesting, reducing livestock emissions and smart supply chains
- Agri-Tech Week 2021 offers a programme of workshops and events – learnings from a robotic farm, data driven decision-making in cereals, alternative approaches to carbon management
- New sponsors announced for REAP – Eagle Labs and BBSRC
- Join the Israeli Food Summit – discount to attend AgriVest 2021
Don't miss out!
Farmer Tom Pearson explains why it is important to be in the conversation at REAP
Deadline for the bursary: 22 October 2021
“We want to be ahead of the curve. It makes sense, from a business point of view, to understand what the world might look like in ten years’ time, so that you can purchase the right kit and hire the right people,” says Tom Pearson, a regenerative farmer speaking in the Sofa Session at REAP 2021.
Tom benefited from a bursary last year; applications for the 2021 bursary are open until the 22nd October for farmers and students in full-time education in agriculture or related topic.
Top News and Events
RNAA honour Agri-TechE director with prestigious industry award
Agri-TechE’s director Dr Belinda Clarke has been awarded the prestigious Timothy Colman Prize 2021 by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, for her outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of food, farming and the countryside.
International cafe: making overseas markets more accessible
The REAP 2021 International Café will feature:
- Missouri Partnership, part of the $88 billion agriculture industry in Missouri;
- Trendlines, talking about opportunities for investment and expansion into Israel and the Far East;
- Western Growers, family farmers providing over half the USA’s fresh fruits, vegetables and fresh organic produce;
- The Research Triangle Regional Partnership (RTRP), talking about opportunities within one of the most diverse agricultural states of the country;
- OostNL, where farmers, researchers and agri-tech companies across the ‘food valley’ region and Wageningen are keen to collaborate and do business.
Each organisation will have a slot during the day to introduce their region and the opportunities, with a chance for delegates to broker one-on-one discussions with companies and those who can provide a “soft-landing” in these markets.
Meet our REAP sponsors
We are pleased to announce the addition of two more sponsors for REAP 2021; BBSRC are supporting the Emerging Agri-Tech session, and Eagle Labs are sponsoring the International Café.
They join AF Group, AHDB, Missouri Partnership, Rothamsted Enterprises and Savills as sponsors; you can meet them all at REAP 2021, and read more about why they are sponsoring REAP here.
Agri-Tech Week 2021
8th – 12th November 2021
Agri-Tech Week is an opportunity to gain an insight into agri-tech developments across the ecosystem, hosted by a range of partners.
Events this year include an update on the world’s first robotic farm and insights from five Norfolk farming businesses into their use of big data and a comparison of different strategies for reducing carbon emissions.
Discount for AgriVest for Agri-TechE members
25th-27th October – online
This year FoodTechIL and AgriVest are joining forces for Israel’s AgriFood Summit in a 3-day virtual event held between October 25th – 27th, 2021.
This three-day virtual event is your opportunity to network with leading entrepreneurs, investors, senior executives, and thought leaders from around the globe.
Find out more at agrifoodsummit.co.il.
Meet Our Members!
New and Renewing Members
Discover the network
Many of our members are exhibiting at REAP. Click on the logo to find out more.
Will discuss a new digital solution called Farm Performance Enhancement Platform.
Recently launched a new Data Marketplace, which promises to reward data-owners whilst accelerating innovation.
Produces novel pest pheromones, and is developing two new products that target midges and weevils.
SprayBot could enable a new generation of spot treatment chemicals, reduce costs, and significantly reduce the impact on biodiversity.
Weather stations provide high-quality, local measurements to track data in real time, set alerts, and react quickly in case of risks to crops.
Develops IoT sensors with satellite enabled connectivity, enabling networked devices across farms for crop and livestock monitoring
Other News and Events
Other Upcoming Agri-TechE Events
Agri-TechExpress with University of Reading: Responsible innovation of autonomous farm robots: what do we need to do? Wed 6th October 10:30am-11:30am
In this one hour session, we will discuss the social, legal, and ethical considerations associated with the use of autonomous farm robots and how we can overcome these challenges to adoption.
Autonomous farm robots are a key solution to the lack of labour caused by Brexit and the COVID pandemic. However, without due attention to the social, legal, and ethical aspects of their use on-farm, adoption may be delayed. Register now for this event; free to members.
Young Innovators’ Forum Visit: BBRO; Wed 6th October 2:00pm-4:00pm
Visit one of the trial sites for the British Beet Research Organisation in Suffolk. This site hosts a number of trials exploring challenges which face the growers of sugar beet specifically around the impact of drought and Virus Yellows.
Attendees will have a chance to hear about Operation Emerald, a trial looking at Beet mild yellowing virus and Beet Yellows Virus. This research also incorporates the use of brassicas for both containing the aphids and attracting beneficial insects. Sign up here.
In other news
Funding available to build a network to research sustainable agri-food for net zero; Apply by 20 October
UKRI aims to establish a Network Plus around the challenge of transitioning the agri-food sector to net-zero. The network will convene an interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder community and provide dedicated support for feasibility projects. The projects will explore how sectoral transformation can be most effectively catalysed.
The funding will generate evidence to support strategies to sustainably reduce or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from the agri-food sector. The Network Plus will also consider how UK agri-food systems can adapt to become more resilient to climate change and the resulting environmental impacts, including biodiversity loss, changes in land use, and ecosystem services. Read more here.
Don’t miss out – sign up to our agri-tech newsletter
To keep informed about the latest developments in agri-tech sign up to our newsletter. Please share this with colleagues with an interest in agri-innovation.
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.
