New Farming 4.0 zone highlights role of innovative technology and new talent in farming and food production

LAMMA’s commitment to drive innovation across the agricultural sector will be reinforced with the introduction of a brand new zone that will focus on key technological advances and the role they might play in the future of farming when the event returns to the NEC in January.

The Farming 4.0 zone features a wide range of companies involved in the development of these technologies and their successful implementation and uptake.

The initiative comes at a time when many farmers are grappling with a range of problems that new technology can help solve. For example, identifying and treating crop plants and weeds individually to ensure optimum use of plant protection products and fertilisers is good for the pocket and the environment. Such targeted use could also help preserve many products currently under threat from resistance or legislation.

Better use of AI to predict crop and livestock problems much earlier than is currently possible, and to help plan production cycles and predict yields much more accurately, have obvious input and marketing benefits.

Robotics will augment and could even replace heavy machinery fleets, helping to reduce soil compaction and dramatically cutting crop establishment costs as well as helping to deliver a more targeted farming approach.

Farming 4.0 will also cover some of the key areas required to help ensure great ideas can be turned into commercial successes. For example, facilitating the link between entrepreneurs with industry contacts, or implementing appropriate training programmes for existing workforces and attracted new and skilled talent into the agricultural engineering sector, will be vital in driving this technology forward.

A range of speakers will help to throw more light on some of these key areas on both days of the LAMMA event. To see a full list of Farming 4.0 zone participants, please go to  www.lammashow.com/farming-40-zone

Farming 4.0 speaker programme

Tues 7th 1000-1020;  Weds 8th 1140-1200

Scouting with drones: fast, efficient and automated crop monitoring

Jack Wrangham, founder, Drone Ag
 

Jack will discuss how drones will soon play a much more diverse role in everyday farm tasks. To illustrate the value of drones he will explain the features of the new Drone Ag mobile phone application, Skippy Scout, which offers farmers a fast and easy way to walk crops. Jack will also paint a picture of how drones will become an essential farm tool.

Tues 7th 1050-1110

How Agritech has the opportunity to empower farmers

Sarah Carr, outreach manager, Farm 491

Farmers face a plethora of challenges on local and global scales, many of which are out of their control. Sarah will be discussing these challenges, the opportunity tech has to solve them, and also some hidden harms in developing tech for farmers.

Weds 8th 1410-1430

Why your farming business needs a military veteran … and how to find one

Fiona Galbraith, founder, Ruralink

The rapid advance of technological change in farming needs dynamic, multi-skilled technical change and project managers, skills trainers and logistics experts. The Armed Forces invest huge amounts of time and money developing people with these skills. Fiona Galbraith will explain the transferable skills of Armed Forces veterans and how “resettlement” schemes can be used to offer work experience or support third-party training.

Tues 7th 1140-1200;  Weds 8th 1230-1250

The challenge of improving productivity in the farming sector

Brian Richardson, UK head of agriculture, Clydesdale Bank

The AHDB and NFU have both presented data to the industry that shows a worrying trend in UK agriculture, with productivity seemingly stalled whilst competitors in mainland Europe and the US have improved. Why might this be the case and, given the likely pressures post Brexit, how can UK farming start addressing the issue?

Tues 7th 1230-1250;  Weds 8th 1320-1340

How innovative technology can transform food production with AI driven precision ag

Simon Jordan, senior consultant, Cambridge Consultants

Agriculture has always been at the forefront of mechanisation. However, growers are facing new challenges that can't be solved by simply making machines bigger or faster. This talk illustrates new examples of high-precision techniques that can treat plants individually, and how technology from other industries can help scale up, reducing cost and increasing reliability.

Tues 7th  1320-1340;  Weds 8th 1050-1110

Staffing issues in the agricultural industry and what Agco are doing for their dealer network

Richard Charles, training manager UK and Eire, Agco

Richard will discuss the shortage of staff in the agricultural industry, with a particular focus on agricultural engineers. He will put some detail on statistics on a national level, show what we do as an industry and then suggest what action the agricultural industry can take to help resolve the problem, for example showcasing agriculture’s world leading technologies to attract not only rurally based people but others who would not know or consider the agricultural industry as career choice.

Tues 7th 1440-1500;  Weds 8th 1000-1020

Intellectual Property as a valuable business tool

Tim Fray, patent assistant, Loven Patents

Intellectual property affects everyone’s lives – patents, trademarks, designs and copyright are all around us. These useful business tools can protect market share and provide leverage in negotiations. Tim will look at how IP integrates itself into our worlds, explain some of  the myths around IP and examine the benefits of IP protection as a business tool.

Tues 7th 1520-1540;  Weds 8th 1450-1510

Transforming food production: from farm to fork

Tom Jenkins, deputy challenge director – Transforming Food Production, Innovate UK , part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Find out more about the Transforming Food Production challenge that helps businesses, researchers and industry meet growing demand and move towards net zero emissions by 2040. Putting the UK at the forefront of this global revolution in farming will deliver benefits to farmers, the environment and consumers while driving growth, jobs and exports.

LAMMA’20 will take place at the NEC on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th January 2020. Parking and entry to the event are free.

For further LAMMA information see www.lammashow.com

Speaker information

Jack Wrangham

From a family of farmers, Jack spent 10 years in the media industry providing aerial photography and video services using drones. Four years ago he moved back to his family’s farm and founded Drone Ag.

Sarah Carr

Sarah ensures Farm491 engages with AgriTech entrepreneurs whilst also sourcing strategic partnerships within the industry. Sarah also co-delivers Farm491’s Inspiring AgriTech Innovation Programme.

Fiona Galbraith

Fiona is the founder of Ruralink, the only specialist career consultancy supporting members of the military community seeking a follow-on career in the land-based sector. A former army officer, she has seen operational service in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Brian Richardson

Nuffield scholar Brian has spent his whole career in agribusiness. Roles include managing director of pig-breeding business JSR Healthbred and chief executive of livestock marketing firm H&H Group, In 2018 he joined Clydesdale Bank as UK head of agriculture.

Simon Jordan

Simon is head of industrial sensing at Cambridge Consultants. He specialises in commercial sensing problems for a variety of industries, with particular emphasis on control systems, optical sensing and AI.

Richard Charles

A trained agricultural engineer, Richard has 23 years of experience in the industry and now has responsibility for training and apprenticeships in the UK and Eire. He is also Agco’s manager for Aftersales Customer Care.

Tim Fray

Born into a farming family, Tim started as a research scientist for Mars UK before taking on a role in IP management. He joined Loven in 2013 with a view to completing his qualification as a UK and European patent attorney.

Tom Jenkins

Tom is deputy challenge director for Transforming Food Production programme that is supported through wave 2 of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.