CropTec 2026 Theatre

Seed distributors are operating in a crowded, margin-pressured market. This session explores how SeedSpeed® helps seed companies strengthen their offer through better early establishment, improved root development, and more reliable performance in challenging conditions. We’ll discuss where the commercial value sits for distributors, how microbes enhance the seed proposition, and why early adopters stand to gain the most as biologicals become a standard expectation for growers.

A practical session exploring how farmers can build resilient, future-ready businesses through smarter machinery planning, cost control and financial strategy.

This session will cover how spring break crops like peas, beans, and linseed fit into rotations, their benefits for soil health and pest management, and market trends in feed, food, and bio-products. We'll also explore stacking opportunities where crops deliver multiple benefits.

Join this session to hear insights from farmers and facilitators driving practical on farm innovation with the support of the Defra ADOPT fund delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) supports collaborative farmer-led, on-farm trials or experiments to generate, test and demonstrate innovative solutions to farming challenges.

Join this session for a practical look at how to get the best from every glyphosate application. This interactive session covers water quality, product compatibility, and best practice application techniques - from tank to target. Learn how to test your spray water and take home a free hardness digital test meter. Real-world experience, independent science, and industry know-how come together to help you make every glyphosate spray count this spring season.

Soil health isn't just beneath our feet — it's the foundation of profitable, sustainable farming. This session weill explore how we manage our soils better and how to unlock real gains for crops, farm business and the environment.

Agenda:

Chair - Becky Willson, Farm Carbon Toolkit

Soil Farmer of the Year 25 finalist - How I made a difference to my farm

Jade Prince, Hutchinsons - Build resilience in challenging times. 

Grain prices can shift quickly. This session will bring together experts from across the supply chain to explore what's driving UK and global markets, and what might be coming next. The aim is to give farmers and growers practical insights to support better business decisions and help protect margins.

George Freeman MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for AgriTech, will deliver the closing keynote address and outline how the Precision Breeding Act paves the way for the adoption of gene-edited crops, and the opportunities this presents for enhancing productivity, resilience, and sustainability across UK arable farming.