Technology

New fund to support innovation and adoption of agri-technology

Agovernment pledge to encourage the adoption of new farming technology by growers and livestock producers has been welcomed by industry leaders.

The Farming Investment Fund will open later this year. It follows the end of the Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme, which part-funded purchases of farm equipment. That scheme closed in January.

Defra said the investment fund would continue to ensure support remained available for adoption of innovation and productivity improvements. In this respect, the fund has similar objectives to the scheme it replaces.

“The fund will provide targeted support to businesses so that they can invest in equipment, technology, and infrastructure that will improve their productivity and deliver environmental and other public benefits,” said Defra.

There will be two levels of the Farming Investment Fund: • Farming Equipment and Technology Fund – which will offer small grants to contribute towards the purchase of a list of specified items • Farming Transformation Fund – which will provide larger grants towards the cost of more substantial investments in equipment, technology or infrastructure, with the potential to transform business performance.

Belinda Clarke, director of AgriTechE, said: “The proposed new Farming Investment Fund will – we hope – help de-risk the investment in new technologies which we see is often a barrier to uptake by farmers.”

Ease of access to the fund would be key to its success, said Dr Clarke. She added: “We hope the outcomes will be assessed by meaningful metrics which are relevant to farmers, as well as relatively simple to capture.”

Eligible investment

Types of eligible investments could include on-farm water storage infrastructure; robotic or automated technology to improve animal health and welfare; and equipment for the processing of agricultural products.

Previous schemes have helped fund livestock handling systems

Photo credit: Agri-TechE

The scheme must be easy to access, says Belinda Clarke, of Agri-TechE

Funding will be in addition to increased investment in farmer-led research and development projects to trial and demonstrate the viability of new and existing technologies.

These technologies will be selected to address immediate on-farm productivity challenges. They will also seek to address ways that agriculture can meet targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net zero.

Example projects could include the trialling new feed additives or demonstrating the integration of autonomous farm machinery.

Sharing weather data means better decisions

More farmers are sharing weather data so they can improve decisions when it comes to crop management.

Farmers, agronomists and buying groups have embraced data collaboration – recognising its value in day-to-day farm management and the effective use of crop protection products, according to agri-weather pioneers Sencrop.

The French agri-tech startup has activated 250 private weather networks across Europe – with 25 of those networks within the UK – connecting over 9,000 on-farm stations from its total of 15,000.

“During 2020 we doubled the number of ag weather stations in the UK,” says Sencrop UK market co-ordinator Fleur van Luijk. “A quarter of our stations are connected collaboratively within a private network, enabling access to data from other stations.”

Users – whether farmers, advisers, contractors, managers or anyone else with authorisation – can retrieve all weather data in a secure, ultra-localised manner using a smartphone app or a standard browser.

Armed with this information, farmers can better anticipate weather or disease risks, allocate daily tasks to make the most of appropriate weather windows and ensure best practice when using crop protection products.

Agronomists are using shared data to improve their recommendations to customers. Processors and buyers are using it to develop harvest strategies that optimise harvest windows, while maintaining supply volumes.

Nearly one in 10 of the networks include more than 100 farmers or more than 100 stations – with customers configuring networks to suit their own needs. Over half the networks have more than 10 stations, ranging from a few square miles upwards.

Robot progress ‘stymied by red tape’

An over zealous approach to regulation is hampering the commercialisation of crop robots across Europe, UK researchers have told German scientists.

The regulation of crop robots was highlighted during an online presentation by James Lowenberg-DeBoer, holder of the Elizabeth Creak Chair in agri-tech applied economics at Harper Adams University.

The use of crop robots has not yet been fully realised – and the right regulatory environment needed to maximise their effect will need careful consideration, he said.

The presentation – to members of the Bavarian State Research Centre for Agriculture – drew on work completed by Harper Adams academics alongside colleagues in the UK, Europe and the USA.

Hands-free farm

Agricultural robots face similar regulatory challenges to driverless cars. The technology is more advanced than the legal framework they operate within – posing challenges for lawmakers as well as regulators.

Professor Lowenberg-DeBoer used the Harper Adams Hands Free Farm model – which uses robots to grow crops without human intervention – to estimate the impact of regulation on the sector.

“Crop robots have the potential to transform UK agriculture and create entrepreneurial opportunities on small and medium sized farms,” he said. “But it needs the right kind of regulation to foster the development and use of the technology.”

Professor Lowenberg-DeBoer is in the process of preparing the research he presented upon for publication. The session was viewed by researchers and professionals from across Europe.

The British Standards Institute is starting the process of creating a code of practice for autonomous crop equipment in the UK based on some of the fi ndings presented during the session. This should make it easier to commercialise agricultural robots.

Agri-robots have big potential – if the regulatory framework is right

WE SUPPLY LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY WITH OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

6000 series roof headliner £280 + VAT

SPECIALISTS IN PARTS FOR JOHN DEERE TRACTORS

New parts • Used parts Always breaking John Deere tractors for used parts (most models)

01673 828883 www.nytractorparts.co.uk

How to PLAN for success

Housing delivery is firmly on the Government’s agenda and this controversial topic is rarely out of the headlines of both national and local news, but who really decides where these houses will go? Local Plans vs Neighbourhood Plans

The Government sets the housing target for each authority area, however the responsibility is passed to the Local Planning Authorities to prepare a Local Plan which determines where those houses will go. Every area in England and Wales is obligated to have an up to date Local Plan in place and this must be reviewed every five years. Councils can choose to identify specific sites or allocate a number of homes to a specific village or town. Local Plans will also include policies which are used to manage the character and appearance of development. These will include policies for the biodiversity improvements, affordable housing, the size of homes to be built as well as specific energy and design requirements. All of which will influence the overall number, type and appearance of the homes which are built. Whilst Local Plans are evidence based documents, they are subject to consultation with local stakeholders which feeds into their drafting.

Local Plans are not the only Plan which will determine where housing will go or what it will look like; introduced through the Localism Act 2011, Neighbourhood Plans became part of the wider Local Plan. These Plans were introduced to allow communities to have more influence and control over their area to ensure they get the right type of development for their neighbourhood. Whilst these Plans cannot be used to block development identified in the Local Plan, they are an extremely powerful tool when it comes to determining where development will go and potentially what it will look like.

These Plans identify a vision for the area and set objectives for the next 15 to 20 years. These are produced by an authorised local community organisation such as a Parish or Town Council but can also be a separate Neighbourhood Plan Group. There is not the same requirement for these to be regularly updated, however they must be in general conformity with the adopted Local Plan and are therefore often subject to review following the adoption of a new Local Plan.

Where a Local Plan seeks to allocate a housing figure to a settlement, a Neighbourhood Plan has the ability to identify where those houses will be built. It is important to note that these Plans can also protect land from development which is considered to be of particular importance to local communities. Local Green Space can be land which holds a particular local significance of which the definition is quite wide. However a site’s recreational value is a common justification, its beauty, historic significance, tranquillity or richness of its wildlife are also potential valid reasons to seek its designation. It is important to note that for a site to qualify as a Local Green Space it does not require to be open to the public or have permission from the landowner to be allocated. Once designated the land has a similar level of protection as Green Belt. Who decides?

Neighbourhood Plans and Local Plans are both part of the overall Development Plan for an area once adopted and therefore both have the potential to determine where development will and will not go. To ensure the right promotion strategy for your land it is important to understand the timetable for the Council’s Local Plan, the level of housing likely to be directed towards your town or village and whether a Neighbourhood Plan is being prepared in your area. However, the important point to note is that both Plans are the subject of consultation; it is important to actively engage with the plan making process and ensure that the Council is aware of the availability of your site and that you can show its achievable and deliverable. The best way to do this is through the Council’s call for sites process. A similar exercise if often completed as part of the Neighbourhood Plan process.

Our planning system works best if development is properly planned for and therefore understanding how the Council’s Local Plan intends to identify housing sites and the role that a Neighbourhood Plan could have in the selection of sites is vital to ensuring your site has the best chance of success.

Could your land have development potential? Find out more about land promotion: www.catesbyestates.co.uk

Victoria Groves Associate Planning Director 01256 637914 victoriag@catesbyestates.co.uk