A view from the team: Alison Bosher
Having spent 25 years leading marketing initiatives in the crop protection industry across Northern Europe, Alison Bosher will soon be heading up the commercial team and talks to 4AR about her plans and the company’s prospects.
Tech Bytes #6
The technology that is shifting the farming industry today is in full acceleration. From a farming simulator that allows for 'what if scenarios' without a single grain of seed being purchased, to smart sprayers dramatically reducing herbicide costs. We look at the key developments within this space.
Barbara Bray: Being nutrient smart
Barbara Bray is the former co-chair of the Oxford Farming Conference and was awarded an MBE in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for ‘Services to Food Nutrition’.
Robots look to make their mark
With the roll-out this season of the first commercial autonomous services for arable farmers, 4AR assesses the value they’re likely to bring for early adopters of the technology.
A view from the team: David Moser
David is Chief Technology Officer at the Small Robot Company, who has been working on making our robots more modular and therefore easier to develop and replicate in a commercial environment. We find out what this means, both for SRC and the wider industry.
Tine for a new approach?
Large machines are generally still required for most seeding and soil preparation. 4AR assesses the autonomous solutions and reveals a new concept which may revolutionise how seed is put to soil.
The public good of accelerating adoption
Defra plans to roll out the much delayed farmer-focused element of its R&D strategy this autumn, which could finally bring on-farm innovators the recognition they deserve.
The Future of AI
What is the future potential for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in farming? And where will it lead us in the next two to three years? Small Robot Co Co-founder, Sam Watson Jones explores the crucial role of AI in Agriculture, today.
SlugBot Trials: The journey and next steps
Individual recognition of target species in a field and spot treatment by a robot, without chemicals, is a giant leap closer to becoming a commercial reality thanks to the SlugBot project. Olivia Cooper finds out more.
The time is now for UK Ag-tech entrepreneurs drive farming forwards
The UK is in an incredible position to become a true leader of the 4th Agricultural Revolution. We have truly world class agricultural universities, great farms and farmers, highly productive land and a huge variety of crops. We are fantastic at innovation and ideas.
A place for the perfect plant?
A law change will ease the path for new plant-breeding technologies to come out into UK fields and may put a raft of innovation into the hands of farmers.
The clamour for carbon
New markets for natural capital look enticing, if not a little intimidating. 4AR explores the prospects and pitfalls for the on-farm innovator.
Net Zero Mission
With COP26, all eyes turned to Glasgow. A huge opportunity to foster change with the custodians of 20% of the UK’s Greenhouse Gas emissions - but an opportunity missed for agriculture.
Tech Bytes #5
There is a huge amount of new technology coming through which can help farmers in their drive to net zero. Here we take a look at some emerging developments, from electric dual-purpose tractors to plasma-treated slurry and chemical-free weedkillers.
Research Pathway
There’s so much research and technology out there to help farmers improve their carbon footprint that it can be difficult to see the wood for the trees.
A view from the team: Tom Walters
Tom is Head of Intelligence at Small Robot Company, focussing on turning images from robots into practical insights and automated actions in the field. We delve into the fast-moving world of machine learning and how it can help farmers on the ground.
Vicki Hird: Sustainable Farming
Vicki Hird, sustainable farming campaign coordinator at Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming, has worked on environmental policy for 30 years. She talks to 4AR about the highs and lows of government lobbying and sets out her vision for a sustainable future.
Tech Bytes #4
From a new digital assistant to autonomous data collection, 4AR rounds up some of the latest developments in software and robotics.
The rural view that’s seldom heard
Sue Pritchard has led the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission on its mission to think afresh about where our food comes from. She talks to 4AR about what it’s achieved, and how “good” innovation can accelerate positive change.
Research Pathway
A window on the R&D projects that will shape the fourth agricultural revolution.