Agri-TechE AgriChat

🌦️Talking weather - we can't help ourselves! But how much water has your crop really lost this year? Belinda Clarke OBE caught up with Peter Palmer from Prodata Weather Systems to discuss why, as water availability becomes an increasingly important challenge, having accurate, field-level data could make all the difference. From measuring rainfall rates and evapotranspiration to helping plan irriga...

As the UK considers closer alignment with European agricultural regulations, what could it mean for innovation, trade and farm productivity? ‪@Agri-Tech-E‬ Director, Belinda Clarke, speaks with Bayer UK & Ireland's Head of Public Affairs, Mark Buckingham, about the opportunities, risks and challenges facing UK agriculture as policymakers consider closer alignment with European sanitary and phy...

Belinda Clarke, Director of Agri-TechE, speaks with Niall Mottram, VP of Energy and Carbon Dioxide Removal at ‪Cambridge Consultants‬ about about how technologies and ideas developed in other industries can help solve some of agriculture's most pressing challenges and bridging the "missing middle" between research and commercialisation in agri-tech. Drawing on experience across the energy, telecom...

Agri-Tech-E‬'s Director, Belinda Clarke, speaks with David Linton, Commercial Agriculture Manager at ‪Barenbrug‬, about the future of grassland management, sustainable farming and climate-resilient agriculture - and the often-overlooked role of grassland innovation and breeding in modern farming. David explains why "grass is not just grass", exploring how modern plant breeding is developing drough...

How should businesses actually prepare for the upcoming UK-EU SPS Agreement - the new strategic partnership regulating food, plant, and animal trade? Part of 'resetting' our relationship with Europe means 'dynamically aligning' - ie adopting some of the rules of the EU. We might not have the final, comprehensive instructions from government yet, but we know where the changes are heading: if you gr...

Global events are putting pressure in supply chains for inputs vital to the agriculture industry. Should we be worried? How can we adapt to what is fast becoming a new normal? And what advice do AF have for farmers? Chief Agricultural Office John Barrett discusses. AF is the UK’s largest agricultural purchasing co-operative and works with thousands of farmers across the UK. Hosted on Acast. See ac...

We're talking with Managing Director of De Sangosse Phil Carpenter this week on the R&D capabilities and needs for spray applications in the UK. With the closure of the Silsoe facilities, what's next for UK research in this area and why is it so important? De Sangosse is a European leader in complementary chemistry and molluscicides providing growers with innovative new approaches to protectin...

"It's more than a trade deal - it's a negotiation of GB's agricultural policy". With the King’s Speech today signalling a focus on improved trading relations and reducing the burden of unnecessary regulation through innovation, we discuss the evolving UK–EU SPS agreement. Belinda Clarke OBE Clarke spoke with Feodora Rayner , Head of Policy at CropLife UK , to unpack what has changed since the surp...

Pioneering work by SEAD Artists could be about to unblock the bottlenecks impeding the use of drones in agriculture, allowing beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight and the aerial application of key crop protection products. SEAD Artists is a consortium of like-minded drone experts supporting agricultural innovation using new technology and drones. The members are Autospray Systems, Skypointe,...

This episode forms part of our Back to the Future project, for Agri-TechE's 10th birthday celebrations. Belinda Clarke interviews Vicky Foster of British Beet Research Organisation, discussing the long term nature of research planning and predicting the challenges we'll face in the future so we can begin to resesarch solutions now. As part of our “Back to the Future” project, we’re asking Agri-Tec...

How to approach the challenge of technology adoption? Agricultural technologies hold immense potential and promise for improvement, yet their adoption often involves striking a delicate balance of risk-taking and co-development between innovators and growers. Frederick Hiam is cautious about being such early adopters they shoulder all the risk, yet they believe that waiting for fully developed sol...

Ben Burgess is a supplier of several leading brands in the agricultural, construction and grounds care industries. In this episode, Ben Turner talks to us about the game-changer for agriculture; digitalisation of whole agricultural environment, embedded in everything inc all machinery. We're moving from 'hard to use, difficult, antiquated' to actually technology is making life much easier. However...

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept in agriculture - it's enabling innovative solutions to long-standing challenges and creating new opportunities across the industry. In this episode, Delta-T Devices emphasises AI's role in handling complex datasets to improve precision farming, seeing AI as vital for scaling research into commercial farming, enabling better decision-making...

ROBOSCIENTIFIC LIMITED is advancing early disease detection in animals and plants using volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis. In this episode, Angie Curtis talks us through how this could change vetinary practices in future for quicker, more reliable diagnostics - resulting in healthier animals. They acknowledge scepticism as a key barrier to adoption, observing that many farmers are eager to...

As experts in talent acquisition for agri-tech, AgRecruit highlights a surge in agri-tech jobs and a significant trend: the sector is increasingly drawing specialists from outside traditional agriculture, such as those in engineering and biotech. This influx of diverse skills is essential as agri-tech becomes more complex, blending traditional farming with cutting-edge technologies like precision...

eg technology solve engineering and design challenges for clients, to turn their ideas into products. In this episode we discuss the trend of productivity - making the most of a scarce resource (land) with scale and precision. The key to development is understanding priority impact - which action will have the biggest impact. Specialising in electronics and software engineering, industrial and mec...

Gardin Agritech predicts that real-time monitoring and automation will revolutionise farming. Their technology, which leverages optical sensing and AI-driven insights, allows farmers to monitor plant health and optimise crop nutrition efficiently. Gardin provides precision agriculture tools that help farmers grow nutrient-dense, climate-resilient crops while minimising the need for constant oversi...

Leading UK law firm, Mills & Reeve supports clients in navigating complex regulations that impact agri-tech innovation. In this episode, Jessica Burt, a specialist in food law, gives an insight into the trends in supply chain management. Topics covered include nutrition regulation, the truth behind sustainability claims, and the difficulty for regulators to keep up with changes in gene editing...

In this episode, the CEO of the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) Mario Caccamo talks about the role of science in agriculture advances. At the forefront of genetic innovation, NIAB uses advanced research to develop crops and agronomy practices that are more resilient to climate change. They emphasise the need for more effective funding and policy support to make these innovations a...

Nicole Sadd is CEO of Rothamsted Enterprises, An innovation, collaboration and events hub for AgriTech and the business community, based in Hertfordshire. In this episode, Nicole emphasises the importance of expanding collaboration across campuses to better support a wider range of agri-tech start-ups. They advocate for creating networks that facilitate knowledge exchange, enhancing innovation and...

Archipelago Technology Group Ltd is repurposing inkjet technology, originally designed for printing, to provide exact chemical sprays and seed coatings. By translating a technology familiar to other industries, they’re tackling challenges unique to agriculture, illustrating the power of cross-industry innovation in this episode. Archipelago is a technology company based in Cambridge UK. Their...

William Haire is Head of Easton Estate at City College Norwich. In this episode, William walks us through some of the changes he's seen on farm, and where the next generation of farmers might take us - and what they need to get us there. City College Norwich is preparing the next generation of farmers through updated curricula that address both new and traditional practices. They’re building a wor...

John Barrett is Director of Sentry. John talks about how GPS, once just a tool for straight-line driving, now enables complex precision mapping. This evolution allows for fine-tuned management across their diverse operations, optimising input use and making every acre work smarter. We also discuss some of the innovative trials Sentry are working on, from robotics to novel crops. Sentry Ltd is one...

This time, we're joined by Wyld Networks, who highlight the transformative potential of satellite-based IoT in agriculture. Their satellite technology addresses connectivity challenges by providing reliable, cost-effective data access from even the most remote farms to ensure that all farmers can leverage real-time data to enhance productivity and innovation. WYLD are helping modern businesses mak...

In this episode, ADAS reflects on the practicality of implementing game-changing, disruptive innovations on farm. Farmers are increasingly seeing the power of these marginal gains, where targeted tweaks in practices can ultimately lead to better productivity and sustainability. ADAS is home to 450 staff who deliver national and international projects in 60 specialisms including crop nutrition, cro...