REAP Conference 2021: Changing Time(s) For Agriculture
Wednesday 10th November @ 9:00 am - 5:15 pm
Imagine a world where agriculture is not constrained by time
Timing is crucial in agriculture, through the cycle of sowing to harvest and calving to slaughter, but also for strategic decision-making such as predicting demand for perishable goods and automation to extend the working day.
The ability to manage and manipulate time is increasing. REAP 2021 will explore the many ways this is happening through advances in technology and breakthroughs in science.
The adoption of innovation is getting faster. By 2030 over 80% of rural areas across the world will have connectivity, with frontier systems like LEO satellites promising faster communications.
Putting the speed of fibre optic connections in the air will open up access to a new generation of agri-tech, as low latency and high-resolution near-earth observation are essential for many agri-tech applications.
Additionally, knowledge of the role of circadian rhythms for controlling ripening, reproduction, response to disease and medication may create the opportunity to time-shift – enabling ‘spring’ lamb all year, offering multiple harvests, increasing the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables by weeks and mitigating the impact of climate change.
What are the implications for agricultural business models and supply chains in a world without time constrictions?
Farmer? Researcher? Technologist? Investor?
Prepare for time travel at REAP 2021.
See what happened in 2020!
The virtual nature of REAP 2020 was captured in an interactive report including video excerpts (in the form of a PowerPoint Show), as well as a traditional pdf document. Download them below!
Programme
9:00 Opening time
09:30 Welcome and Introduction
09:45 Keynote Session
Sponsored by AHDB
Day length and temperature create a seasonal calendar of farming events – but what happens if this is disrupted? Different perspectives will be provided by two inspirational speakers, including Jan-Erik Petersen of the European Environment Agency (EEA), Copenhagen.
11:00 Break time
11:10 International Café and Exhibition
Browse the stands and visit the International Café – the place to drop into to find out about agri-tech in different markets. You might be looking for partners, collaborators, distributors or customers – or just wanting to know about the challenges and opportunities in different countries. We’ll be hosting international agri-tech missions from key markets in the café, so stop by the Departure Lounge and join the “flight” to find out more about overseas agri-tech.
11:40 In the Beginning – there is Emerging Agri-Tech
Join us in the lab to hear first-hand from scientists about how they hope their research will make a difference in the industry. We’ve asked all our speakers to share their discoveries, based around a specific date, time or event that has inspired their work. This is your chance to peek into the pipeline of research with the potential for farmer impact.
12:30 Lunch time
13:00 Live exhibition / drop-ins
We’re taking a fresh approach to digital exhibitions! Harnessing the power of cutting-edge software, you can ‘browse’ the booths in real-time, take a quick look and carry on browsing the other stands, or move closer if you’d like to join the conversation. We’re offering live and static options for the exhibition stands, so you might read some information, watch a video, listen in on a short presentation or take part in a group chat. The choice is yours.
14:00 Accelerating Agri-Tech Innovation – with the Start-Up Showcase
Sponsored by Rothamsted Enterprises
Our ever-popular Start-Up Showcase features a line-up of some of the most exciting early-stage agri-tech ventures. They are building businesses around technologies from pollination innovation to data services, and agri-robotics to diagnostics. Some are seeking investment, some are seeking your advice and input, others might be wanting trials partners, and some are already at market. Who from the cohort of REAP 2021 will make it into the Agri-TechE Hall of Fame?
15:00 Break time
15:10 Back to the Future – The Sofa Session
The Sofa Session is the time to take stock and look forward. Disruptive technology impacts business models and value chains – what are the implications for the ideas and innovations discussed in the conference? How near to market are they? What new opportunities do they offer? And how quickly? Building on our industry insights and the outputs of our design workshop looking forward to a net zero future by 2020, this session will also ask the speakers to project forward to a new world enabled by technology.
16:25 In the Long Run – Closing Comments
As formal proceedings of REAP 2021 draw to a close, we “clock off” with some final thoughts and invite delegates to continue networking, have further online chats, check their meeting programme and gather their post-REAP thoughts.
“We progress a step farther, with every tick of the clock” – Ronnie Cornelisz
16:40 International Café
17:15 Closing time
Sponsors
Sponsorship packages include up to 3 complimentary tickets for the conference and an exhibition stand, as well as name-checks in the pre-event communications and your organisation and logo in the post-conference report. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of REAP 2021, let’s have a chat!
AF Group
Sponsor of the bursary
The AF Group, the UK’s largest agricultural purchasing co-operative, is delighted to be supporting REAP with bursaries that allow farmers and growers to attend the conference for the discounted rate of £40 (+VAT) per delegate. Anyone in the UK who is a grower or farmer, or who is in full-time education in agriculture (or an agriculture-related discipline such as plant science, agri-engineering, environmental sciences etc) is eligible to apply.
As farming businesses adopt more and more technology, AF is pleased to work closely with Agri-TechE to help them build a hub of global innovation in the east of England.
David Horton-Fawkes, CEO, 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.”
AHDB
Sponsor of the Keynote session
AHDB delivers transformational projects to drive productivity and boost farming and supply chain businesses. To cover the whole supply chain; we work with farmers, growers, packers, processers, agronomists, vets and abattoirs. This helps us unify the industry, bridge gaps in knowledge and encourage collaboration to build a stronger future for everyone. Each year we invest around £60m in the future of agriculture – delivering projects that no one else would. Our work includes opening and developing markets for our farmers and growers products here in the UK and overseas, developing new tools and techniques through innovative Research & Development then delivering them to farmers and growers through our collaborative Knowledge Exchange programmes.
We also provide independent Market Intelligence to improve business decision making and help educate the next generation of consumers and farmers. As an industry-funded organisation, we’re uniquely placed to help farmers, growers and the supply chain prepare for the changes ahead. This means helping the industry embrace new technologies, techniques and skills to become more competitive and profitable.
Missouri Partnership
Field Sponsor
Missouri, alongside the UK, is the global leader in agritech. Agritech research and innovation is taking place across this US state, and the agritech relationship between Missouri and the UK is strong. Agriculture as a whole in Missouri is an $88 billion industry each year, with more than 378,000 people working in the field. In fact, Missouri is home to the “Ag Coast of America” due to the volume of agricultural products shipped via river barge. Missouri is home to agritech and food innovators such as Britain’s AB Mauri, Europe’s Bayer Crop Science, KWS and Boehringer Ingelheim, and home grown innovation from the likes of the Danforth Plant Science Center, Yield Lab, Bunge and the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Missouri Partnership is focused on building more of these cross-Atlantic connections, and has been an integral part of the strong relationship between Agri-TechE and Missouri. The organization was founded in 2007 and is a public-private economic development organization focused on attracting new jobs and investment to the state, and promoting Missouri’s business strengths around the world. They provide direct support to companies interested in investing in Missouri and work statewide to connect companies with the best locations and solutions for their business goals. Missouri Partnership has been a key part of Missouri agritech missions to the UK and Agri-TechE missions to Missouri, including the most recent virtual mission in 2021.
View member page | missouripartnership.com/uk-and-missouri | @MOPartnership
Rothamsted Enterprises
Sponsor of the Start-Up Showcase
Rothamsted Enterprises is at the heart of agricultural research and is located on the world-renowned Rothamsted Research campus. We’re a unique hub focused on promoting collaboration and innovation in agriculture. We welcome commercial agricultural businesses to our campus and have a thriving ecosystem of businesses from start-ups and spinouts to SMEs and larger organisations.
We are proud of our laboratory and office spaces, our sustainably refurbished hotdesking hub and our state-of-the-art conference and events facilities. These are home to a vibrant community of growing agri-tech businesses including Agri-TechE members Timac Agro, CHAP, Pherosyn and Grow Biotech.
Nicole Sadd, CEO of Rothamsted Enterprises, said: “Sponsoring the Start-Up Showcase at the REAP conference is extremely important to Rothamsted and it’s a real highlight for us each year. We are committed to supporting innovation, collaboration and business growth in agri-tech, particularly in the East of England through our partners such as Agri-TechE.”
View member page | rothamstedenterprises.com | @RothamstedCRE
Exhibition
The REAP conference has built a strong reputation for innovation and excellent networking, sustained over the last seven years, it attracts national and international delegates from across the whole agri-food chain, from farmers to technologists, researchers to business support providers.
All our attendees are interested in cutting edge research, technology, farming practices and – most importantly – innovation.
Harnessing the power of our online platform Hopin we’re bringing the exhibition to you! You’ll have the opportunity to browse booths featuring all kinds of technology and research, chat with exhibitors, with some exhibitors also giving live interactive drop-in sessions.
It is a really efficient way of meeting new people, with a variety of formats to do so – 3-minute speed networking, as you would in the queue for coffee, or in a structured way whereby you reach out and ask to connect with specific people and set up either an online text chat or a one-to-one video call with them.
The deadline for exhibition applications is 18th October.
Benefits of a stand in the virtual conference include:
- Access to tech-savvy delegates with known interest in progressive agriculture
- Visibility to international audience
- Platform for sharing demonstrations, new reports, white papers
- A variety of networking facilities make it easier to reach potential collaborators, customers and investors
The exhibition space includes:
- Online presence in the Hopin environment; your stand can include videos (hosted on YouTube or Vimeo), information about the company and links to reports and white papers
- Chat functionality to enable direct response to delegates
- Listing on the Agri-TechE website ahead of the event and wider profile outside the conference platform
- 1 free ticket plus additional tickets at a reduced rate (members £60/non-members £100)
To be part of the Exhibition at REAP 2021, book your stand now. Exhibition stands for members and non-members will include everything specified above including reduced attendee tickets.
Early bird prices are available until Thursday 30th September. All exhibition stands must be booked by Monday 18th October.
Members £150
Non-members £200
Prices exclude VAT.
We also have a limited number of opportunities for a live slot to run a live session on your stand (this could be a short presentation, open discussion, drop-in session, tech demo etc).
The live exhibition sessions give you the option to interact with delegates in real-time; answer the questions, demo product features they request, or invite them to join you on video for that personal interaction.
Do contact us to discuss your requirements.
International Café
At REAP this year we are featuring a new International Café, where delegates will be able to explore business opportunities in other markets.
With international missions, trade and business visits severely restricted, the REAP International Café will give organisations from around the world the chance to make connections, showcase capabilities and promote the opportunities available to investors, researchers and entrepreneurs.
And conference visitors will be encouraged to attend the Café throughout the day, with regular calls to go to the ‘Departure Lounge’ to see and hear live presentations from each of our international delegations.
If you’re keen to explore overseas opportunities, meet potential collaborators, or get a feel for tech and innovation in other markets, the International Café is the place for you at this year’s REAP Conference.
We’re looking forward to renewing old acquaintances from Europe, North America, Australia and further afield, and making new friends from other regions. So make sure you pop into the Café during the day, and listen out for alerts letting you know when the delegations will be speaking live.
Tickets
REAP 2021
REAP 2021 brings together a diverse range of participants from across the agri-tech ecosystem in the UK and internationally.
To ensure that you gain maximum benefit from the event the virtual environment supports both informal and structured networking to help you meet the right people.
Cost:
All prices exclude VAT.
| Earlybird tickets from Monday 7th June: | £80 for members |
£130 for non-members |
| From Friday 1st October: | £80 for members |
£160 for non-members |
| From Tuesday 19th October: | £90 for members |
£175 for non-members |
Farmers and growers and agricultural students are invited to attend REAP for the discounted rate of £50 (+VAT) per delegate, through a bursary kindly supported by the AF Group, apply here .
To find out more about becoming a member of Agri-TechE, please click here.
Basis CPD points will be available for attendees this event.
Individuals from all sectors and disciplines welcome—whether you’re a grower, a researcher, a technical, professional service provider, an entrepreneur or completely new to the sector, come along and join in!
Accessing REAP (Email confirmations and links)
REAP 2021 is hosted on the Hopin platform. When you register you will receive a confirmation email from Agri-TechE .
From late October onwards you will then receive two emails from Hopin ( will show as ‘Agri-TechE no-reply@hopin.com). For the first, you click the link ‘Login & Join Event’ to create an account on Hopin (if you do not already have one). This action then generates an automated email to authenticate your account, this link must be clicked within 10 minutes of receipt.
Do check your junk for these emails.
When registering please include your first name, surname, and company name as this will be displayed on your ‘delegate badge’ and help people to network with you.
To log into the conference once registered please use the link from either email or login to Hopin https://hopin.com/users/sign_in and click on the event under ‘Home’.
If you can't locate the Hopin email then please email fiona.rust@agri-tech-e.co.uk to request the link is resent.
Mailing List:
If you would like to hear about what Agri-TechE is up to, or about other events we run for both members/non-members of Agri-TechE please sign up for our newsletter. We send about 2 emails a month, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Cambridgeshire
United Kingdom
| REAP 2021 Early Attendee | £ 130.00 |
Bursary application
The AF Group is delighted to be once again supporting REAP with bursaries to allow farmers and growers to attend the conference for the discounted rate of £50 (+VAT) per delegate. Anyone in the UK who is a grower or farmer, or who is in full-time education in agriculture (or an agriculture-related discipline such as plant science, agri-engineering, environmental sciences etc.) is eligible to apply.
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.
If you would like to apply for a bursary please complete the form below.
The closing date for applications is Friday 1 October 2021.
