Why your voice matters in agri-innovation

From land-use to the future of food, via farm profitability and water use, it may feel as if we are constantly being consulted by government and asked for input into the latest round of thinking about the future of our industry.

But does it make a difference and how do you get your voice heard? And critically, how can you plan your business around timelines of new guidelines, policies, strategies, standards and regulation and ultimately, legislation?

A big week for breeding

We’ve been thinking a lot about genetics this week, not least with the signing of the secondary legislation necessary to implement the Precision Breeding Act 2023 for plants in England – signed off by the Minister on Wednesday. The hope is that this will open new innovation opportunities and make the UK a more welcome location for companies to undertake R&D and commercialise their innovations.

We’ve also been mapping the many activities currently underway that are shaping the future of land and food production in the UK. And there are a lot. As there should be – these are critical issues for the future of our industry and society and need representation and input from everyone affected.

Years of conversations – drones, insects and more

Waiting for regulatory reform or new legislation is not for the impatient. The conversations about the role of precision breeding tools, for example, have been underway for literally years.

Similarly, throughout the decade in which we have been operating at Agri-TechE , discussions about drone regulation have been live across government and associated regulatory bodies. As we’ll explore at an upcoming event on July 14, some changes to the regulation of drone activities are starting to open up new commercial opportunities for agriculture.

Many businesses – especially early-stage ventures – are predicated on future regulatory change or new legislation. For example, changes in laws around insect bioconversion permitting insect protein as a feedstock could have a major impact for the livestock sector (replacing soya), however these discussions are live and enduring – for years – and still not quite over the line yet.

Informing future funding

We know the government purse isn’t exactly bulging right now, but there are commitments for funding for both R&D and farming, both of which bode well for our industry. But public spend must be informed by the potential for market need, where there are gaps not being met by the private sector, and how government can deploy its resources most effectively.

The current ADOPT programme, for example, resulted from the recognition that while the pipeline of agri-tech innovation is well supported and healthy, the rate of adoption by farmers is generally slower. These conversations have also been underway for many years, leading to the £20m fund currently open.

Opinion fatigue?

With consultations and roadmaps, strategies and reviews, there is no shortage of ways in which the future of the agri-food sector is under scrutiny, with different branches of government and its associated agencies seeking your views.

Many of the issues under discussion are challenging, multi-faceted or controversial, and most likely there will be winners and losers created from any changes, so there are no guarantees it will go your way. But you need to be part of the conversation.

Opportunities to engage range from simply offering your view, to submitting evidence, or offering a response in a formal consultation.

Industrial Strategy and a Farming Roadmap

The two big strategies most likely to impact agri-tech and the wider agriculture and horticulture sectors are the Industrial Strategy and the Farming Roadmap. The former is the plan for the growth of the economy – and while agriculture and horticulture aren’t explicitly addressed, many of the “growth-driving sectors” identified will significant benefit our industry – such as advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and clean energy industries.

The Farming Roadmap is currently in development and will be published “later this year” (according to an exchange published in Hansard on April 28th).

Both are likely to have significant impacts on UK agri-tech and the wider industry. If invited to do so, please do have your say – it’s the only way to get your voice heard.

If you are inspired to have your say, we’d be happy to chat to you more – we don’t lobby but we can help you navigate the landscape.

And to learn more, come and hear from Defra’s Head of Domestic and International Agri-tech Sector Policy at our upcoming Ag 101 event on May 22nd, where, among other things, he’ll be explaining how policies shape the sector and Defra’s role in driving enabling policies for agri-tech.