Professional services Agri-tech could boost farm profitability –


but uncertainty is delaying investment • Soil health and environment both benefi t • Safer farming with robotic equipment • Political uncertainty delays investment


cows – have potential to make farms more profi table while ben- efi ting the environment, says a report.


F


But ongoing political uncer- tainty and worries over future government support for agricul- ture is holding back investment in the latest technological devel- opments, according to the study by NFU Mutual. The rural insurer’s Agri-tech Report provides information on the latest trends, together with expert insight and analysis, to help farmers make decisions on the future direction of their farm businesses after Brexit is resolved.


It is part of NFU Mutual’s initiative to support farmers to successfully introduce new tech- nology involving training cours- es, podcasts and joint research projects in addition to develop- ing new insurance and risk man- agement services.


ast-developing technol- ogy – including robotic harvesting machines and fi tness trackers for


Major impact


NFU Mutual business analyst Fang Wang researched the impli- cations of agri-tech for farmers and global agriculture. She said: “Across the world new agri-tech- nology is set to make a major im- pact on farm profi tability and even world prices. “In the UK, adoption of new


technology is currently slow be- cause of uncertainty over agricul- tural policy and support, lack of understanding, shortage of cap- ital and concerns about the re- liability of fi rst-generation tech- nology.”


NFU Mutual research found that only 4% of farmers had al- ready invested in autonomous machines, while 12% were plan- ning to or yet to decide. “Hesitan- cy is putting UK farmers at risk of falling behind other nations in the race for effi cient, environmen- tally-friendly food production.” Ms Wang, who has also worked in the automation industry and conducted studies on global in- surance markets, recommends that farmers take a ‘whole of


TOP TIPS WHEN PLANNING INVESTMENT


Take a long-term approach – start by reviewing the farm’s strategy and then identify how technology and using detailed data could help you achieve your goals


Explore technology systems that integrate not only the farm’s activities but also its supply chain, creating opportunities for farmers, food processors and retailers to work together


Keep up to date with developments and ensure you have the management skills to adopt technology and successfully master the opportunities available from data-based farming


Consider working with other farms, as co-operation can help achieve economies of scale both in the use of new technology and the adoption of a farmer-friendly supply chain


Farm data is a valuable asset – recognise its value and be very careful who you share it with


farm’ approach to planning fu- ture agri-tech investment to en- sure new systems integrate with the rest of their businesses.


High standards


Horticulture is likely to be among the key sectors to benefi t from agri-technology. The sector is suffering from a labour short- age. Those working in the sector believe autonomous machines have the potential to boost farm productivity and improve safety. NFU Mutual director and NFU horticulture board chair- man Ali Capper, who has long campaigned for the sector, be-


How technology benefits farm businesses plate. It incorporates machine learning and


Digital livestock production, smart plants and 24/7 indoor salad production are just ome of the ways agri-technology is driving rapid growth in the agri-tech sector. Start-ups 30MHz, Breedr and LettUs Grow are part of a new breed of technology companies aiming to improve productivity and sustainability in agriculture, but they will be quick to stress at CWIC 2019 that domain knowledge has been essential for success. Agri-Tech East director Belinda Clarke


said technology could help farmers manage volatile prices, changeable weather, 24/7 con- sumer demands and regulatory changes. “Technologies that can improve decision-sup- port and productivity are being met by a re- ceptive audience.”


An example of this is Breedr – an app that


is digitising livestock production by devel- oping an online trading platform to help in- crease transparency and trust from fi eld to


66 ANGLIA FARMER • DECEMBER 2019 smart contract technologies.


Co-founder Ian Wheal grew up on a mixed farm but studied robotics and computer sci- ence before going into management con- sulting with multinational food pro- cessors. Breedr is much better than judging by eye and weight when an animal is ready for market, he says. “With Breedr we are able to add value to the data that farmers are already collecting for different purposes. We have created mod- els from the extensive data held by Rothamsted Research and are using this to help farmers to benchmark their performance.


“Providing these insights will make it easier to produce cattle that meet the specifi cations of consumers, processors and retailers.”


Breedr co-founder and chief executive Ian Wheal with the new all- in-one industry app


lieves agri-tech could enable the UK to compete in world markets while maintaining high health and welfare standards.


“The fourth agricultural revo- lution is bringing exciting oppor- tunities for farmers to increase productivity, protect the environ- ment and make farming safer. “From the use of ‘Big Data’ to inform management decisions to autonomous tractors and robotic pickers, we are on the cusp of a world where farmers and grow- ers can minutely manage inputs to maximise production and use automation and robotics to re- duce labour numbers and costs.”


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