CropTec's Unique Arable Innovation Showcase Proves a Hit with Progressive Farmers and Advisers

Thousands of farmers and agronomists who took a well-earned break from the relentless rain to visit the recent CropTec Show at the East of England Showground were rewarded with a wide array of agricultural innovation and expertise to help make their business more efficient, productive and profitable.

More than 170 exhibitors attended the show, providing a fascinating mix of new technology, crop science and services.

The acclaimed CropTec seminar programme, together with a comprehensive line-up of knowledge hubs providing key takeaway technical messages, also pulled in the crowds, featuring leading industry specialists and farmers covering some of the most talked-about and pressing topics in the arable farming sector.

Elisabeth Mork-Eidem, group events director at AgriBriefing, which owns the CropTec Show, said: “CropTec continues to deliver a high quality audience in a challenging year. Registrations were on par with last year despite the industry being faced with the consequences of one of the wettest autumns in living memory, the uncertainty over Brexit and a general election looming.

“However, farming is a long-term business, and the mood amongst our visitors, which includes some of the most progressive farmers and their advisers, was one of resilience.

“They came to CropTec to catch up on and discuss the latest developments in the arable sector and to network with some of the best minds in the business. Judging by the intensity and quality of conversations on the trade stands, and the packed seminar sessions, they found plenty of information to help overcome current and future challenges to help make their businesses more robust.

“None of this would be possible without the support from our exhibitors and visitors, and those who contributed to the seminars and knowledge hubs. We are very grateful to all of them.”

Some of the most important agronomy topics in the arable sector came under the spotlight in the one of the most comprehensive knowledge exchange events in the UK agricultural calendar.

CropTec’s highly informative seminar programmes involved 16 speakers covering four key areas – crop establishment, crop nutrition, crop protection and crop breeding. Each session examined how the application of science, research, new technology and knowledge exchange could help the UK crop production industry remain profitable.

In addition, CropTec’s popular Knowledge Hubs, a series of quickfire presentations delivered by leading farmers and industry specialists, provided key takeaway messages. Four popular hubs returned – the role of biosolutions in crop protection, blackgrass control, optimising OSR establishment, and the latest spray application technology, while two new highly topical hubs, slug behaviour and control and management strategies to boost soil health proved a strong draw.

The largest sprayer demonstration yet also drew a stream of visitors keen to try out their pick of the 11 machines from leading manufacturers.

CropTec also offered a total of 12 BASIS and NRoSO points, reflecting the value that these well-respected independent training bodies put on show attendance. Plenty of members took advantage of the associated knowledge trails, involving 28 exhibitors offering points for successful completion of activities on their stands.

Cambridge farmer David White said he was pleased to attend CropTec again this year in three roles, farmer, exhibitor and speaker.

“As RTK Farming director we have supported the CropTec Show since its early days and it is without doubt one of our most important shows of the year. On the RTK stand we met many of our subscribers and informed other farmers to our signal offer in their areas.

“The varied and topical seminars were again well supported as was the Soil Hub on the BASE UK (Biodiversity Agriculture Soil and Environment)/Direct Driller magazine stand where I was asked to be on two of the panels discussing aspects of Conservation Agriculture.

“The Peterborough Show ground has excellent facilities and is the perfect location for a winter show of this nature. I look forward to attending again next year.”

Simon Parker of Corteva Agriscience UK and Ireland said: “There was a great buzz about our stand at CropTec with farmers and trade wanting to know about our current and future pipeline as well as seeking advice on which products to use in a season that is already presenting many challenges for our customers.”

Horsch UK’s Stephen Burcham said: “CropTec has again proved to be a very successful event for us enabling us to meet the professionals of the farming industry. The seminars again provided some thought provoking information in a very difficult autumn.”

Garford’s Harry Coppin said: “CropTec is a very good show – we met some fantastic people and had great conversations about low soil disturbance mechanical weed control.”

Cambridgeshire-based farmer and contractor Matt Redman said: “CropTec is a great little show that specialise in all sorts of technology coming forward. It’s a great opportunity to talk to people on the know in the stands, and to talk to speakers at the seminars and knowledge hubs. I went to look at sprayers mainly and found the demo feature very useful, being able to try out the machines and talk to the demo drivers.”

Kent farm manager Tom Reynolds said: “This was my third time at CropTec, but I hadn’t been for a couple of years. I was pleasantly surprised at the standard of the show and the range of new technology that was there. It’s also a great way of picking up BASIS points – the knowledge trail was well worth doing and the people on the stands were very engaging.”

Many exhibitors chose CropTec to launch new or improved products or to highlight latest research. Here’s a taster of what was on offer.

Advances in field data management was a key theme. xarvio showed its FIELD MANAGER crop production optimisation system new to the UK that provides field-specific insights into crop status of crops.

Visitors were able to preview the latest version of Geofolia, the data management system from Landmark Systems, which will be available next year, as well as the recently released Greenscan crop satellite image analysis feature, included as standard within the Geofolia package.

Hutchinsons’ recently launched TerraMap soil scanning system made its CropTec debut. Results are used in conjunction with additional field information to create variable rate plans.

SOYL launched a suite of new analysis tools that supply growers with a range of financial performance metrics across their land and the farm rotation.

Streamlined data systems that aim to smooth information transfer were a welcome highlight. DataConnect is a new cloud-to-cloud system created by Claas, field mapping specialist 365FarmNet and John Deere, enabling customers to exchange data via a common interface as well as control and monitor their entire machinery fleet.

Hutchinsons has been collaborating with leading machinery and data management systems such as Claas, Väderstad and Muddy Boots, enabling users of its Omnia Precision Agronomy to benefit from much improved streamlined data connection.

Pottinger introduced its new 12" CCI 1200 ISOBUS terminal that offers a comprehensive function package and that many functions required by SEED COMPLETE, Pottinger's complete precision farming package.

Kuhn Farm Machinery demonstrated its latest ISOBUS-compatible in-cab control technology at CropTec, with visitors able to take part in an interactive demonstration of the new CCI 800 working with the CCI A3 joystick.

Sly Agri’s Precision Planting 20/20 Seed Sense system drew plenty of attention. The system links sensors measuring soil organic matter, soil moisture, cation exchange (soil type) and residue in furrow (to indicate hairpinning) to specially designed coulters that enable automatic adjustment of seed depth, rate, and amount of fertiliser to suit conditions.

Alternative weed control was another key theme, including several new machinery developments. Horsch promoted its new Hybrid Farming System at CropTec, aiming to provide a solution to weed control without glyphosate, by combining the best practices of organic farming and conventional farming.

Garford Farm Machinery highlighting through videos and literature the latest development of its guided hoe at CropTec that uses the company’s Robocrop guidance system for high accuracy and high output.

Claydon developed two new heavy-duty models of its TerraBlade inter-row hoe designed to provide low-cost, mechanical weeding in combinable, band-sown crops.

Rothamsted Research launched a new improved version of its Croprotect app at the event to provide guidance on pest, weed and disease management, especially where effective pesticides are not available.

Two larger sprayers models in Vicon’s latest trailed range, the iXtrack T-series, made their CropTec debut. The iXtrack T4 comes with 3,400, 4,000 and 4,600-litre tank sizes, and the range-topping iXtrack T6 model boasts 7,200 litres.

APV’s Liquid Fertilizer LF 600 M1 frontmounted applicator also made its show debut.

Soil health was another key topic and included some fascinating research. Fera gave visitors the chance to catch up on the latest information about the Big Soil Community, which aims to provide farmers with the right knowledge to help maintain or improve soil health and grow healthier crops while adapting to climate change and other environmental variables.

Cranfield University highlighted a BBSRCfunded study, Using roots to bio-engineer soil. The main aim is to develop a framework to select and combine complementary root traits in cover crops that prevent soil resource losses and improve crop growth conditions.

UKSO demonstrated updated information that helps growers identify the risk of bare-soil water erosion.

PGRO and Pulses UK launched a new online Pulse Agronomy Guide and the PGRO Recommended Lists for combining peas and spring and winter beans.