Agri-Tech Week 2023

About Agri-Tech Week 2023

Agri-Tech Week 2023 features a mix of in person and virtual events that are designed to showcase exciting developments in agri-tech. The programme is below, for more information and to reserve your place click the tabs above.

Agri-Tech Week is coordinated by Agri-TechE working closely with partners across the innovation ecosystem and aims to provide opportunities to attract new customers and partners and to broker collaborations and international connections.

Summary of events in 2023 – see more details in the tabs above.

Monday

Morning: Real-world solutions to tackle the impacts of climate change in East Anglia
Hosted by Norwich Research Park

Afternoon: Heat and Drought
Hosted by University of Essex

Tuesday

Morning: Integrated pest management: supporting tools and evidence-based learning
Hosted by ADAS RSK

Afternoon: Gained in translation – embedding entrepreneurship within a research institute
Hosted by The Sainsbury Laboratory

Wednesday

All day: REAP Conference 2023: Adaptation through innovation; Beyond the comfort zone
Hosted by Agri-TechE

Thursday

Morning: Gene editing and genetic modification: crop science research in a new era
Hosted by Rothamsted Research

Afternoon: From Tuber to Table: Exploring first hand how technology is at the root of our nation’s vegetable consumption
Hosted by Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association

Friday

Morning: Crops to products; building those value-chains
Hosted by NIAB

See what happened in previous years:

Morning:
Real-world solutions to tackle the impacts of climate change in East Anglia

Hosted by Norwich Research Park

Farmers, land managers and consumers of natural resources (forestry, water etc.) know that direct action is needed now to tackle the impacts of climate change, not only plans to mitigate in 5-10 years’ time. Research organisations and businesses on the Norwich Research Park are leading with real-world solutions, and we invite forward-thinking adopters to help us get our science into the hands of those who can effect the change we need in East Anglia, nationally and globally.

This seminar and network session offers practical examples of how modern technologies and methods are being applied in partnership to help businesses, industry organisations, NGOs, and government agencies to respond and adapt to present and future challenges.

Five short talks from organisations across the Norwich Research Park will be followed by lunch and networking, and you can also book a private 1-2-1 meeting with speakers and business managers to help explore your specific needs.

Location: Centrum, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UG

This event is free to attend but booking is required.

Afternoon:
Heat and Drought

Hosted by University of Essex

Crop yield and food production needs to double by the 2050, however this must be achieved without more land and in the face of changing climatic conditions. The predicted significant changes to both heat and water patterns around the world will greatly impact on crop production.

Climate change is causing global temperatures to increase, leading to more frequent and severe heatwaves. Many crop growing regions are expected to experience reduced rainfall and prolonged droughts, which can have serious implications for agriculture productivity.

In this event we will explore various mechanisms to predict and mitigate these impacts on food security.

Join us to hear our latest academic research findings as we share learnings with the wider agricultural community to faciliate collaboration.

Location: University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ

This event is free to attend but booking is required.

Morning:
Integrated Pest Management: Supporting tools and evidence-based learning

Hosted by ADAS RSK

The aim of the meeting would be to provide support in the use of resources and accessing information for advancing IPM implementation on farm.

The event will draw together outputs from three ongoing EU funded IPM related projects; IPM Decisions, IPMWORKS, and OPER8 (alternative weed management).

Objectives:

• Demonstrate the IPM Decisions platform in action.
  The IPM Decisions platform makes online decision support systems for IPM freely accessible to farmers and advisors, as well as to researchers and developers. Launched in September 2022, it hosts 30+ systems, and includes features for comparing, adapting, and reviewing the risk posed by different pests in a range of cropping systems.
• Showcase IPM approaches in action.
  Presenting evidence from the IPMWORKS EU wide network, that demonstrates IPM working for farmers in a range of difference crops, as well as highlighting the challenges and compromise needed to implement sustainable IPM solutions.
• Demonstrate the role of alternative approaches to weed management as part of the EU Oper8 project.
• Drawing on experience from across Europe, demonstrations of alternative approaches will be presented, along with a roadmap to increasing their application in IPM strategies.

Location: Cambridge, Over Community & Conference Centre

This event is free to attend but booking is required.

Afternoon:
Gained in translation – Emerging technologies from plant health research

Hosted by The Sainsbury Laboratory

The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) is committed to the highest standard of fundamental and applied scientific research into molecular plant-microbe interactions.

We are on a mission to translate our groundbreaking discoveries in plant-microbial research into scientific solutions. Our fundamental understanding of the proteins used by pathogens to infect plants and those used by plants to defend against infection carries exciting potential for biotechnological applications in agriculture as well as human health.

Learn from leading experts in plant science and biotech entrepreneurs about:

• the latest developments in plant-microbial research
• successful and emerging biotech applications
• embedding a startup incubator within a research institute

See our science in action through immersive lab tours and displays.

Expand your professional network and connect across disciplines

Share your unique perspective on how the application of fundamental research can be best achieved for a thriving agritech sector

Location: Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UG

This event is free to attend but booking is required.

REAP Conference 2023:
Adaptation Through Innovation; Beyond the Comfort Zone

Hosted by Agri-TechE

Wednesday 8th November, 9:30 am – 6:30 pm

The REAP conference is unique in the UK’s agri-tech event calendar. Putting farmers at the centre of the discussion, REAP helps delegates navigate the demands of 21^st Century agriculture by reframing challenges to encourage new ideas and identify innovative solutions.

The last five years have had far-reaching impacts on global agriculture and horticulture. From the effect of a global pandemic to the increasingly obvious impacts of climate change, and the UK’s departure from the EU. As a sector, we’ve faced uncertainty through destabilised supply chains, disruptive weather patterns, and game-changing policy shifts.

One thing is for certain: the world has changed.

In an environment where the challenges are dramatically affecting input costs, access to labour and land management decisions, few of our businesses are operating within the comfort zone. Rather we are increasingly forced beyond into what is known as the “stretch” zone, or even the “panic” zone.

But while this may feel uncomfortable, it is this state of stretch that offers the largest potential for growth.

It is here we open to new opportunities, engage fresh thinking, and find inspiration. It is here we conceive new research and great technologies to build a more productive, profitable and sustainable agri-food industry. It is here we can harness innovations to adapt and thrive in this new world.

Join us at the 2023 REAP Conference for discussions, learning and insights. Agri-TechE seeks out the most exciting new innovations, introduces technologists to investors and helps to bring cutting-edge research to the farms. Together we can exploit the discomfort of the ‘stretch’.

Location: Rowley Mile Conference Centre, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire CB8 0TF

6 CPD Basis Points are available to attendees.

Find out more.

Morning:
Gene Editing and Genetic Modification: Crop Science Research in a New Era

Hosted by Rothamsted Research

This half-day event will include a series of talks on this topic, including highlights of Rothamsted Research projects using Gene Editing or Genetic Modification techniques.

Topics of low acrylamide wheat development, as well as tailoring plant metabolism, with focus on plant lipids and seed oils, will be covered. Examples of applications will be discussed with agri-tech start-ups.

Location: Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ

This event is free to attend but booking is required.

Afternoon:
From Tuber to Table: Exploring first hand how technology is at the root of our nation’s vegetable consumption

Hosted by Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association

As part of Agri-Tech Week in partnership with the RNAA, you are invited to a factory tour and agri-tech field demonstration at Fredrick Hiam Foods Ltd.

Frederick Hiam Foods is a well established Farming and Fresh Produce Company with a history going back over 100 years.

Aiming to grow their crops in a sustainable rotation and with respect for the environment, they farm some 7,000 acres of land using the latest growing techniques and technology to produce high quality market fresh vegetables and other crops such as Wheat, Barley, Sugar Beet and Maize.

In June 2023 Frederick Hiam upgraded their factory in Brandon which produces 15-20 percent of the UK’s parsnips with a new trimming line.

These new agri-tech developments will boost the factory’s output and efficiency, radically improving its trimming accuracy, reducing wastage and retail rejections while saving 20pc on energy and 30pc on water. Managing Director Jamie Lockhart is opening the working factory and farm and allowing attendees the opportunity to see sophisticated robotic technology working both in the factory and out in the field.

2 CPD Basis Points are available to attendees.

Morning:
Crops to products; building those value-chains

Hosted by NIAB

Objectives of the event: Engage with industry and farmers to see how novel crops can be used in a range of outcomes by:

• Talking about cropping impediments and ways to overcome them;
• Discussing the importance and value of crop diversity with stakeholders;
• Demonstrating novel products and;
• Disseminating outcomes of the ongoing DEFRA funded project.

Desired outputs:

• Can greater crop diversity help on MY farm?
• Can we open up new markets sourcing crop products from the UK currently supplied from overseas?
• Considering the cropping rotation required by these new alternatives.

Location: Sophi Taylor Building, NIAB, Park Farm, Villa Road, Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9NZ

This event is free to attend but booking is required.

2 CPD Basis Points are available to attendees.