What does the UK’s #agritech community hope the Modern Industrial Strategy will deliver on the ground? This week’s Friday round-up comes from @syngenta 's global R&D HQ, where we debated four potential pillars of growth – investment, scaling, partnerships and exporting.

Huge thanks to Gardin, RootWave, Tropic and AgriSound for candid sharing of the importance of these pillars for the growth of their businesses. Throw in a site tour, meeting the next generation of #robodogs for crop scouting, and a scene-set from George Freeman who – in this week of the UK Budget - stands ready to support agri-tech in his capacity as Trade Envoy and the engine behind the 30:50:50 strategy for innovation for agriculture and horticulture.

Plus it’s our year end where we reflect on the year that's passed and look forward to the year ahead. We can officially collapse in a heap now all our 2025 events are DONE – other than prepping for – er – the 2026 line-up. A big thank you to the amazing little Agri-TechE team for a year well delivered.

News, trends, and breakthroughs shaping the future of farming, brought to you by Agri-TechE.

We are a not-for-profit, independent organisation for our members. We bring together forward-thinking farmers, researchers, technologists, and agri-businesses to foster collaboration and drive impactful solutions.

https://www.agri-tech-e.co.uk/

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From AI (in all its definitions) and IOT via the “AKIS” and learning from the Irish and New Zealand agri-food systems – with some big thoughts on UK horticulture.

This week we discovered:

• The power of AI in distilling complex content – Burleigh Dodds commissions publications from world experts on topics around agri-food, including regenerative agriculture. Their AgNetZero platform enables a quality referenced interrogation across all their content. You can have a 30 day free trial to have a play.

• The key elements of an effective Agriculture Knowledge Innovation System, at a workshop run by ADAS, hosted by NIAB.

• What could be the future priorities for pre-competitive research in UK horticulture?

• The current status of agriculture in New Zealand, and why it’s a good time to be a dairy farmer right now.

And we welcomed some new members, including Ladybird IOT by Forest Rock, using LoRaWAN agricultural sensors across a range of parameters, including temperature, humidity, nutrient sensing, and leaf wetness data – helping farmers assess real-time crop needs.

News, trends, and breakthroughs shaping the future of farming, brought to you by Agri-TechE.

We are a not-for-profit, independent organisation for our members. We bring together forward-thinking farmers, researchers, technologists, and agri-businesses to foster collaboration and drive impactful solutions.

https://www.agri-tech-e.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Closing the week where we’ve seen the REAP2025 conference and the community come together around the 30:50:50 Summit for innovation in agriculture – our industry is only heading one way. And we ALL need to be part of the change.

Big love to everyone who was part of the REAP conference, one of our favourite reflections in the feedback was the noticeable positivity and “can-do” vibe among the farm businesses, innovators and researchers in the room.

Minette Batters DL set the tone for change with her excellent keynote address (there's a hot-off-the-press story about it in Farmers' Weekly).

The agritech start-ups revealed new solutions to combat soil compaction, molecular diagnostics for soil, plants and livestock and ways of detecting nitrogen use efficiency from space…and so much more (check out the story on the Agri-TechE website to meet them all!).

Scientists in our “Research Into Practice” session used Lego, a watering can and a cupcake to link their research to the real-world of farming.

Meanwhile……

The 30:50:50 Agri-Science Summit, hosted by George Freeman FRSA MP reflected on the ambition to reframe farm policy, and the regulatory and R&D agendas for UK agriculture.

George launched the vision at our Challenge Convention earlier this year, and it’s at the heart of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture. A great Summit, excellent talks and brilliant networking, all ably supported by Niab.

We are at a genuine crossroads for the industry in the UK, sure it’s a very challenging time, but if we are serious about the future of our industry, food production and environmental stewardship, I think we should view this week / month / year as a critical turning point.

News, trends, and breakthroughs shaping the future of farming, brought to you by Agri-TechE.

We are a not-for-profit, independent organisation for our members. We bring together forward-thinking farmers, researchers, technologists, and agri-businesses to foster collaboration and drive impactful solutions.

https://www.agri-tech-e.co.uk/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.