About YIF
YIF organises free to attend, informal visits and meetings between early career individuals from a variety of backgrounds with a shared interest in agricultural innovation, including farm practice, consultancy, technology development and research. Bringing the group together around innovative and pioneering locations we endeavour to generate conversation, inspire participants, new thinking and collaborations while also bridging the gap between research and production.
Since 2015 we’ve visited a range of organisations including the Earlham Institute sequencing DNA, a mushroom farm in Littleport, vegetable sorting and packing plant to an anaerobic digestor. You can find out more about these visits from our previous events blogs which you can find below as well as upcoming visits. In addition we hold an annual conference focusing on relevant topics and issues. Get a taste of our most recent one held in March 2020 by watching the video.
We recognise the need for greater connections between farmers and scientists. By making connections with scientists, farmers have the opportunity to have input into the research process, communicate the challenges they experience and to understand what research is being undertaken. For their part, scientists are mandated to demonstrate the impact of their research and be better connected with the end-users to enhance their studies. In many cases, a gulf exists between the research and producer communities, particularly in terms of vocabulary, culture and understanding each others’ drivers and challenges. YIF provides an opportunity to tackle this.
YIF is kindly sponsored by The Morley Agricultural Foundation (TMAF). TMAF is a charity which hosts and facilitates agricultural research and education, much of it on its own farm. The research is carried out by a number of bodies including the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) and the John Innes Centre (JIC).
Keep in touch via
Upcoming Events
Please find details of our upcoming events below. If you wish to find out more information and book your place on the visit please click on the ‘Book now’ button below the visit of your choice. You can register for more than more event in your email.
For any enquiries or if you would like to host a visit please contact fiona.rust@agri-tech-e.co.uk.
6th October, 2pm – 4pm
Free to attend
Thetford, Suffolk
Covid precautions will be in place.
British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO)
Join us as we 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 being run both in boxes and in field where live aphids have been used to infect the plants with 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.
This visit will be of interest to young farmers, growers, researchers and technologists alike as well as those who may be in a role linked to agriculture or want to start within the industry. Understanding the role of innovation in crop production, the role of field trials and how they are run as well as understanding opportunities for further innovation in this crop which is regularly making the news.
The visit will consist of a tour of the site followed by a chance for networking and refreshments.
1st December, 4pm – 6.30pm
Free to attend
Norwich, Norfolk
Covid precautions will be in place.
Food Enterprise Park with Condimentum
The Food Enterprise Park (FEP) is being developed near Norwich to support food production, processing & agriculture through the co-location of businesses. Join us to find out more about FEP with:
- A tour and presentation from Condimentum, a food processor providing a range of ingredients for the food industry most well known for their processing of Colman’s products. Working closely with local growers, they work in a modern, purpose built facility utilising the latest technology to produce food products from local fresh ingredients.
- A chance to learn more about the Food Enterprise Park including the Food Innovation Centre and the development of the largest vertical farm in the UK.
This visit will be relevant and interesting to anyone working in the agri-food chain to understand field to shelf production chains, the innovation in processing plant as well as the benefits of agri-food business working together.
The visit will be hosted inside and Covid precautions will be adhered. Following the tour and presentations there will be time for networking and refreshments.
Limited number of places available so get yours booked now!
Careers in Agriculture - Unique, exciting & varied
Across the Agri-TechE membership are examples of the varied career opportunities which agriculture and agri-tech can offer. It is sometimes hard to know what those opportunities are though and how to get on the right career pathway.
We have interviewed individuals from companies from within the Agri-TechE membership to find out: what their job entails, their career path to this point, where they see their role developing in the future and their experience of agriculture as a sector. We also specifically asked all interviewees about their thoughts on joining agriculture from a non-ag background and what their advice would be to individuals in this position.
“Thank you Google!”
Rozzi Martin, Combinable Fungicide Campaign Manager, Bayer Crop Science
Without a Google search, Rozzi may not have ended up on the Bayer Graduate Scheme which has led her to the role she is in now. Find out more about how career journey and the opportunities gained through the Grad Scheme.
“I do feel very fortunate that there is such variability in my job role”
Tom McClelland, Precision Farming Manager, Allpress Farms Ltd
Tom’s role may see him still working on a farm but in a more diverse role which encompasses overseeing field trials, data collection and R&D.
“Now is a great time to immerse yourself”
Sam Clayton, AgRecruit, Founder and Chief Finder of People
Sam talks about agriculture as a tech sector, the opportunities for those looking for tech roles and how to make yourself attractive to an ag employer without an ag background.
From agri-sales to nueroscience lecturer to R&D Facilitator
Mike Salter, AB Agri, R&D Facilitator
Mike has had a hugely varied career but a passion for science has always been the driving force.
Blogs and Past Event Reports
YIF is kindly sponsored by