Soil, Data & Profit: Who Really Benefits from Farm Data?
Private sector reframes data value
Technology
World Agri-Tech San Francisco 2026: Has the Cycle Finally Turned?
AgTech investment cycle turns upward
The Smart Connected Farm: Making Sense of Agritech at Cereals 2026
Connected agritech proves its worth
Where is AgTech Really Headed?
For the past decade, the agricultural industry has been sold a vision of the future farm that looks more like a science fiction film than a muddy Tuesday in Lincolnshire. Fully autonomous tractors, robot swarms, and artificial intelligence running everything while the farmer watches from a dashboard were promised as the inevitable next steps. Step …
Proving agri-tech
By CEO, Steve McLean, UK Agri-Tech Centre Our ambition is to make the UK the best place to start, grow and scale agri-tech businesses. But that only matters if technologies are proven in real-world, commercial environments – and adopted at scale. Our strategy is built around helping agri-tech businesses move from innovation to commercial reality …
A promising start for farmer-led research
One year ago, Direct Driller covered the launch of the ADOPT funding scheme from Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme with Innovate UK. ADOPT supports farmers in testing new ideas, products or practices on farm, providing project grants of £50-£100k over 1–2 years. 70 farmer-led projects have now started. With a total initial funding commitment of £20 …
Landmark project develops next-generation oilseed rape and smart disease control
Precision-bred oilseed rape will be put to the test in trials on commercial farms for the first time in Europe, offering fresh hope for a crop under pressure. A new £2.5m, three-year project marks a major step towards rebuilding the UK’s most important break crop. The project, Light Leaf Spot Enhancing Resistance And reducing Susceptibility …
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The Precision Revolution: How New Spraying Tech is Rewriting the Crop Protection Rulebook
Written by Chris Fellows The agricultural sector stands on the precipice of a fundamental shift in how crop protection products are applied, formulated and regulated. Driven by rapid advancements in precision application technology, from AI-guided optical spot sprayers to autonomous drones, the traditional model of broad-acre, high-volume spraying is being systematically dismantled. This technological evolution …
Spray precision underpins efficient direct drilling systems
In direct drilling systems, every pass carries weight. With fewer opportunities to intervene through cultivation, crop protection strategies need to be both precise and adaptable. As a result, spray application is under increasing scrutiny – not just in terms of efficacy but also cost control and environmental responsibility. Maximising the performance of each litre applied …
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