We’re changing how we manage the Claydon farm
In a political environment where farming is battling increasing headwinds, Suffolk arable farmer and inventor…
TFF Direct Drill Demo day 2025
10 years ago now in the early days of TFF we ran a trial here…
Agroforestry options
Dr David Cutress: IBERS, Aberystwyth University. Agroforestry is receiving a lot of focus for its…
The top five things to do this winter
To aid landowners and farmers with their 2025 planning, Knight Frank’s Andrew Martin and Mark…
Farmer Focus – Tim Parton
Another year, another set of problems? I can only feel at the time of writing…
Smart phosphorus management to boost yields in depleted soils
WRITTEN BY JOHN HAYWOOD – UNIUM BIOSCIENCE Standfirst: Environmental conditions play a significant role in…
Humic Substances: a background to their classification, properties, origins and uses in Agriculture.
Written by Tim Smales from Humi-Cert.com Humic substances play a vital role in a healthy…
Plan ahead to get the most from soil sampling
Farmer Focus – Billy Lewis
Dec 2024 Another tough year of compromises, setbacks and stress, all as a direct result…
Two RAGT wheats gain full UK approval on AHDB’s 2025/26 Recommended List
Breadmaking wheat RGT Goldfinch and soft wheat RGT Hexton made the list after a very…
Planning for silage success 2025 – using AgTech to fine tune decision making.
Improving quality and producing the right quantity for the animal numbers on farm takes planning…
Ecoacoustics – a new underground horizon for soil health
Following on from a farm trial undertaken by Andy Cato’s Wildfarmed farms, (as mentioned in…
Farmer Focus – John Cherry
Well, 2024 was a bit rubbish on the farm. We didn’t get all our planned…
Potato cyst nematodes (PCN): The hidden enemy of potato crops
PCN damage to potatoes Potato cyst nematodes (PCN) are a major threat to the UK…
Long-term fall in phosphate use raises concerns
The development of soil-release agents and protected forms of phosphate means growers can meet crop…
The importance of the winter decomposer cycle
Written by Mike Harrington, Managing Director of AIVA Fertiliser Following on from the beginning of…
New seed germination model devised
New research from Rothamsted Novel tool will give breeders more predictive accuracy for seed development…
Worcestershire-based family business wins industry award
Chadbury-based agricultural machinery manufacturer, Weaving Machinery, has been awarded Gold in the British and Irish…
BASE Conference 2025
Written by Chris Fellows It’s always great to be back at the BASE Conference, where…
How an arable farming system in Kent is balancing nature and financial viability
Written by Nature Friendly Farming Network Under the stewardship of award-winning farmers James and Emma…
Enhancing Carbon Sequestration Through Regenerative Agriculture
By Indigro Ltd Regenerative agriculture is proving to be a game changer in enhancing soil…
Issue 29 Contents
Found In: Inside this issue: Step or Incremental Change: A Strategic Decision Can Tech save…
Step or Incremental Change: A Strategic Decision
When many people think about technology in farming, they envisage the big step changes such…
Can Tech save Carbon from a crisis?
Tom Allen-Stevens travels forward to 2030 and looks for the farmers who would emerge strengthened…
Harnessing the power of the sun
Farming in a greener way generally involves increasing efficiencies in pursuit of the goal for…
Welcome to the first tech focussed edition of Direct Driller Magazine. From now on, issues will rotate between soils issues and tech issues.
Contents –
Old-fashioned farming with modern technology – page 4.
It’s 2030, so how have we done? – page 4.
Labour pains push robotic pickers – page 6.
Industry-leading research in robotics and automation – page 12.
Flash, crackle, pop – page 14.
Agronomist in Focus – Todd Jex – page 16.
The win-wins of regenerative agriculture – page 19.
Robots find their way into farmers fields – page 22.
Bayer and Microsoft forge a new frontier – page 26.
Robitics and perception in agriculture – page 28
What will appear at FIRA24? -30
Farmer Focus – Thomas Gent – 36
From hands-free hectare to aerial delivery – 37
Farmer Focus – Daniel Davies – 39
Catapult plans for UK agritech – 41
Shedding light on LED grow lighting – 46
Drilling down into fixed costs – 48
Farmer Focus – Simon Beddows – 50
Making methane practical – 52
Hitting rock bottom – 53
Basics best for hi-tech wine – 56
Biochar venture wins equity investment – 59
Farmer Focus – Clive Bailye – 61
Manufacturer Focus – Vaderstad – 63