Up to 80 jobs at risk at UK Agri-Tech Centre

Up to 80 jobs are at risk at the UK Agri-Tech Centre as it proposes cutting its workforce by almost 60%, just two years after three government-backed agri-tech organisations were merged to create a single national centre.

The centre is consulting on a restructuring that would reduce its workforce from around 130 people to about 50 under a new strategy from 2027.

See also: Opinion: Agri-tech must earn its place on-farm 

Staff are being consulted on redeployment, alternative proposals and ways of avoiding or reducing redundancies.

The scale of the proposed cuts has alarmed farmers who work with the organisation.

One anonymous farmer described the move as “disastrous”, warning the UK risks losing its ability to develop and test agricultural technology.

“It’s an absolute tragedy,” the farmer said. “We are just destroying the UK’s ability to do agri-tech innovation.

“The centre is a growth engine. How many other things does the government have that help growth like this?”

Tom Allen-Stevens, managing director of the British On-Farm Innovation Network (Bofin), collaborates with the centre on several projects.

While acknowledging the need to prioritise, he warned against “throwing the baby out with the bath water” by losing key project management staff.

“I hope they tread carefully in the coming months,” he added.

The UK Agri-Tech Centre is a private, not-for-profit organisation, and stresses the restructuring does not signal a withdrawal of government support.

Agtech funding ‘unchanged’

A government spokesman confirmed that overall national investment in agri-tech remains on track to hit at least £290m by 2030 through the Farming Innovation Programme and UK Research and Innovation support.

Under the proposed model, it will focus resources where it can add national value, working alongside existing agri-tech capability across the UK.

Chief executive Steve McLean said the new strategy was being developed with Innovate UK and will focus on helping farmers adopt technology, backed by a three-year funding agreement, though its financial value was undisclosed.

“That proposed direction is about focusing the UK Agri-Tech Centre where we believe it can make the greatest difference: accelerating the adoption of agri-tech by connecting farmers, growers and food businesses with the right technologies, expertise, evidence, facilities, funding and opportunities, and working more through and with partners across the UK,” he said.

The government noted it had no direct involvement in internal staffing decisions, but stressed that Innovate UK funding will continue through existing agreements until March 2027 to ensure an orderly transition.

Adopt programme

The centre says existing projects will continue during the consultation and transition, while the Defra-backed Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (Adopt) programme, which is part of Innovate UK’s Farming Innovation Programme, will also continue.

The UK Agri-Centre have stated that Adopt is a key part of the UK agritech’s future direction and will continue as it does today.

Delivered alongside Adas and the Soil Association, Adopt supports farmer-led trials on irrigation, water storage and soil health among others.

Mr Allen-Stevens emphasised the need to protect Adopt. “It is so important to make sure the restructuring does not harm funding for Adopt projects.” he said.

“We have made a really good start. There is so much potential for farmers to do more through this.

“I really hope that whatever happens does not affect Adopt in any way.”

April 2024 merger

The restructuring comes only two years after the April 2024 merger of Agri-EPI, the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock, and Crop Health and Protection.

The consolidation aimed to combine facilities, expertise and networks and drive technology adoption, with ambitions to become an “Agri-Tech Catapult”.

The centre’s portfolio includes Hands Free Farm, Lamb Monitor, FLEXBOT, investigating agricultural robotics and research into strawberry pollination, soil health, slug management and livestock health.

The consultation is ongoing.