SEMINARS
2022 Seminar Programme
Bringing together practical know-how and scientific research from UK farmers and industry experts, The CropTec Show’s extensively researched seminar sessions are specifically designed to provide an ideal platform for growers to future-proof their business.
New to 2022: The Speaker Networking Zone will continue the discussion after each seminar session. Speakers will be on-hand after their presentations to answer any additional questions and provide technical insight. Providing an excellent opportunity for knowledge exchange, be sure to head over to Cambridge Suite (hall 4) and benefit from practical advice and guidance.
All seminar sessions will run on both days of the event.
SEMINAR ONE
9:30 – 10:30am
Sponsored by:
SESSION CHAIR(S): Joe Stanley, head of training & partnerships, GWCT Allerton Project and
Abi Kay, head of news, Farmers Guardian
From analysing the impacts of international trade to exploring the implications of environmental policy, experts will gather to tackle some of the most pressing questions around cost management facing the arable sector.
Speakers
- Caroline Nicholls, sustainable farming incentive content team leader, Future Farming and Countryside Programme – “The big picture”, a hard look at environmental policy: breaking down the new SFI/ELMs legislation
- Harry Henderson, knowledge exchange technical manager, AHDB – Harry will look at cost management in arable farming and tackling barriers to regenerative agriculture to ask: is it just good husbandry with a fresh focus on soil care?
- Edward Reynolds, Cambridgeshire farmer – Ed will take a practical look at his farm business, focusing on how the transition to regenerative agricultural techniques, particularly by adopting reduced tillage alongside cover cropping, have made his farm more resilient and helped to diversify the enterprise’s income streams.
- Sebastien Mallet, analyst, consultant & CEO, ODA connect – Sebastian will look at how international trade is influencing costs on-farm to break down the risks and opportunities for farmers.
DEBATE SEMINAR
11:00 – 11:45am
Sponsored by:
SESSION CHAIR: Matt Culley, NFU combinable crops board chair
An expert panel will deep dive into the economics of tech adoption to highlight its role in controlling fertiliser costs. You won’t want to miss this debate-style seminar session.
- Mark Tucker, marketing and agronomy manager, Yara Europe
- Tom Hawthorne, Nottinghamshire farmer
- Ben Abell, senior management, Dyson Farming
SEMINAR THREE
12:30 – 1:15pm
Sponsored by:
SESSION CHAIR: Dr. Liz Lewis-Reddy, director of policy & economics, ADAS
This session is specially designed to help farmers understand their options when it comes to monetising revenue opportunities within the natural capital sphere. From carbon to water, experts will take a hard look at the various drivers influencing the supply chain of these environmental deliverables to identify financial gain.
Speakers
- George Cook, senior farm business consultant, Andersons – George Cook will break down the natural capital schemes currently in place and look at where income can be generated on farm, specifically looking at environmental deliverables such as carbon and water. He will examine the tangible financial implications of both.
- Nigel Davies, director, Maltdoctor Ltd – With an increasing number of food and beverage companies calculating their carbon footprint, many are finding that a major proportion of carbon footprint arises from the carbon embedded from the growing of food-based raw materials. With a requirement to change farming practices to reduce overall carbon footprint, this highlights a new potential risk to continuing supply with farmers. Brewers, distillers, millers, and maltsters are keen to work with farmers to understand these issues and potential remedies. Nigel will examine the carbon footprint challenge in more detail and explain the impact that is being delivered by engaged and proactive farmers in delivering the dual benefit of improved soil health and carbon sequestration.
- Michael Kavanagh, co-founder & director, Green Farm Collective – Michael will take a practical look at the GFC’s successful efforts to quantify and profit from natural capital trading on-farm.
SEMINAR FOUR
2:00 – 2:45pm
SESSION CHAIR(S): Jock Wilmott, partner, Ceres rural and
Chris Hartfield, senior regulatory affairs advisor, NFU
With the industry coming under increasing regulatory pressure, farmers are looking at ways to reduce their chemical inputs. From IPM to analysing the role of plant breeding in the crop protection armoury, this session will explore strategies to help farmers deal with the disease burden and look to the future to ask: where next for disease control?
Speakers
- Andrew Watson, head of membership technical services & east region agronomist, NIAB – Andrew will take a practical look at the loss of fungicides and the knock on implications of controlling yellow rust and growth of milling wheat varieties.
- Dr Phil Howell, head of breeding, NIAB Cambridge – Phil will talk about the newest technical advances in breeding for pest and disease resistance, and how this must continue to adapt in the face of challenges, including a changing climate, fewer active ingredients, and societal pressure to reduce inputs.
- Colin Chappell, arable farmer, Lincolnshire – Colin will focus on ‘getting off the treadmill of inputs we find ourselves on’ to provide a practical guide to better-targeting fungicide use on-farm. He will focus on NUE, sowing dates and the use of varietal blends.
