Summer event to offer the latest farming sustainability intelligence

Following the success of  Agrii’s first virtual open day programme during last summer’s COVID lockdown, the on-line platform is being developed and expanded with videos, presentations and specialist webinars involving all 28 iFarm and Technology Centres across the country.

“The well over a thousand growers joining our all-virtual programme in 2020 really appreciated the flexibility it gave them to ‘visit’ both their local iFarms and sites further afield without having to travel, whenever and as many times as they wanted,” reports Agrii’s digital communications manager, Gary Rush.  “Our aim this year is to make their experience even more informative, flexible and easy to access.

“The virtual summer events programme will kick-off on June 28 and be available through the autumn.  Alongside this, we are running a programme of scaled-back, COVID-secure open days and informal agronomist-led group visits to our six Technology Centres and 16 of our iFarms in June and July.

Echoing the five key Green Horizons pillars, the 2021 Agrii events programme offers unique, researched-based information and advice on increasing farm productivity and viability, providing integrated whole farm solutions, improving soil resilience, enhancing the environment and extending stakeholder engagement.

In addition to the best insights from Agrii’s leading national and regional wheat, barley, oats, oilseed rape and rye variety trials, the wide range of sustainability and business resilience-improving topics on the agenda include:

• OSR establishment to combat CSFB;
• Improving nitrogen use efficiency;
• Novel nutrition approaches and fertiliser options;
• Cultural controls for black-grass and ryegrass;
• Cover cropping and regenerative agriculture for heavier land;
• Better cereal BYDV control;
• Biostimulant support for reduced fungicide programmes;
• Digital technology value;
• Anaerobic digestion and carbon management;
• Field margins and wildlife alleys; and
• Novel cropping options and experience

“More than 90% of participants rated our 2020 event good, very good or excellent in their feedback, particularly appreciating its informativeness,” Mr Rush adds. “We’ve built even more into this year’s integrated event in easy-to-access, bite-sized chunks. It really does offer something for everyone keen to make practical improvements in their sustainability based on solid science.

“We look forward to welcoming even more growers and their advisers to our 2021 programme. While the extended on-line platform will be available widely, on-farm attendance has to be strictly limited on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration for the virtual event and all our on-farm visits is simple and easy at www.agrii.co.uk/2021-events.”