Learn how to turn latest farm tech into profit at Cereals

Growers looking to make best use of the latest farming technology can get tips on turning data and technology into profit at Cereals.

As part of the two-day event’s seminar programme on the 14-15 June, arable farmers are invited to attend a talk entitled Turning data and technology into farm profit.

Organised by Farmers Weekly and chaired by the magazine’s editor, Karl Schneider, the talk brings together farmers and technology experts to debate the relevant issues.

Among those debating the subject at 1.15pm on the 14 June will be Yorkshire farmer Graham Potter, Proagrica’s precision agriculture development director Alistair Knott and Richard Green from Harper Adams University.

See also: Learn which specialist crops will earn you a healthy premium

Producers can also benefit from other talks held across the two days at the Arable Conference and Technical Seminars (stand 824), in association with De Lacy Executive, agriculture’s recruitment specialists.

The programme features debates, panel sessions and seminars aimed at sharing the latest research, understanding and arguments.

A series of in-depth technical seminars provide valuable advice, hints and tips from the experts on practical issues challenging arable farmers. The short 30-minute format pushes speakers to condense content and deliver powerful presentations rich in content.

Bringing together industry-leading farmers, policymakers, environmentalists and scientists the Arable Marquee will be a hotspot for information. From Brexit to glyphosate, there will be a range of topics to suit all interests.

For more on the seminar programme see www.cerealsevent.co.uk/conference

Wednesday 14 June

Time

Topic

9.30am

Official opening with the Defra minister of state and NFU president Meurig Raymond, chaired by Tom Hind, AHDB chief strategy officer

10.30am

Brexit, what does the future hold? A panel session looking at what might be in store as 2020 looms closer. Speakers set to include Defra minister of state, NFU president Meurig Raymond, AEA chief executive Ruth Bailey, AHDB chairman Peter Kendall and AIC chief executive David Caffall.

11.45am

Pre-harvest use of glyphosate should be banned, sponsored by The Oxford Farming Conference. Nick Mole (Pesticide Action Network) and Steven Jacobs (OF&G business development manager) take on Guy Smith (NFU vice-president) and Sean Sparling (AICC).

1.15pm

Turning data and technology into farm profit. Technology and farm management information have always played a crucial role, but are we really only scraping the surface?

What does evidence-based production mean and what will be the benefits in a post-Brexit era of precision agriculture?

To challenge and debate there will be Graham Potter (Yorkshire farmer), Alistair Knott (precision agriculture development director, Proagrica), Simon Parrington (SOYL) and Richard Green (National Centre of Precision Farming at Harper Adams), all chaired by Farmers Weekly editor Karl Schneider.

2.30pm

Farming without glyphosate, the reality. Technical seminar looking at one of the hottest topics in arable production. Liz Bowles (head of farming, Soil Association) and James Alexander (agricultural contractor) discuss how farmers can manage without.

3:15pm

Is arable production sustainable without livestock? Many farmers are returning livestock to the enterprise mix, to supply organic manure, spread labour and dilute market risk.

In this technical seminar the National Sheep Association consider if arable farming is sustainable in the long term without a livestock enterprise.

3.55pm

Agroforestry to improve your land productivity. David Rose, Home Farm, Screveton created a silvo-arable scheme with rows of apple trees within an arable rotation to nourish soils, improve crop yield, attract pollinators, encourage local wildlife and create an additional source of produce.

He will share his experiences and take questions, alongside Woodland Trust director of woodland creation John Tucker.

Thursday 15 June

Time

Topic

10.30am

Innovations in plant breeding hold the key for feeding the world, sponsored by The Oxford Farming Conference.

A discussion with experts including Bill Clark (Niab), Charlie Baxter (Syngenta) and Mike Bevan (John Innes Centre). Crop breeders continue to push boundaries of yield, disease resistance and nutritional quality – what does this mean for agriculture at home and abroad?

11.45am

Is intercropping the future? Sponsored by De Lacy Executive. From increasing yields to lowering inputs, intercropping holds a variety of benefits.

Chaired by managing director, Stuart Goodinson, De Lacy Executive will look at whether intercropping is arable farming’s future with speakers John Pawsey (organic producer), Clive Bailye (The Farming Forum), Adrian Newton (The James Hutton Institute) and Nicola Cannon (RAU lecturer in agronomy).

12.45pm

Crop nutrition – balancing input costs and yield. This technical seminar will see Yara debate various methods of reducing costs as well as looking at crop nutrition and yield.

Nobody wants to waste fertiliser, but with margins under pressure it is vital to maximise crop yield – so where does the balance lie?

2.00pm

Blackgrass – taking a different approach. In this technical seminar, blackgrass expert, Dr Stephen Moss will present a new five-point strategy for tackling blackgrass, in which five key elements are adopted for at least five years.

Underpinned by robust research, the strategy has the potential to reduce blackgrass by 99.9%.

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