TRUTH project takes centre stage at BOFIN East Inspiration Day
The sun shone for a fantastic day at Thrales End Farm as BOFIN welcomed farmers, growers and researchers from across the region, and further afield, for the first Innovation Day in this year’s series.
Kindly hosted by Thrales End Farm in Hertfordshire, the day centred around the TRUTH project (Thriving Roots Underpinning Total soil Health), bringing together practical farm experience and scientific insight to explore the importance of soil and root health in sustainable farming systems.
Kicking off the day, Thrales End Farm Manager Ted Allen-Stevens gave attendees an overview of the farm and shared his experiences as part of the TRUTH project, including the role on-farm trials are playing in shaping future approaches to soil management.
Zara Northern of Hutchinsons then treated the group to an engaging session on soil biology and chemistry, using a live soil slaking demonstration to highlight the incredible work happening beneath the surface and reinforce the importance of healthy soils in resilient farming systems.
The morning continued with David Exwood introducing SOILSHOT, an approach proposed through the Farm Profitability Review focused on accelerating soil health improvement through farmer-led trials, practical measurement and outcome-based management to improve resilience and profitability on farm.
Attendees then took part in an interactive workshop exploring how SOILSHOT could be implemented in practice. The discussion generated a huge variety of ideas and perspectives, ranging from introducing a “soil personal trainer” for farmers to widening the remit of SFI soil testing. The session provided plenty of food for thought and sparked lively debate across the room.
After a networking lunch attendees enjoyed a tractor and trailer tour of the farm to see Ted’s trials up close. The plots were looking exceptionally well and prompted further discussion around the practical application of farmer-led innovation in the field.
The event gave attendees the opportunity to connect with fellow farmers, researchers and industry professionals while seeing first-hand the collaborative, farmer-led innovation taking place through BOFIN projects.
The East Innovation Day marked the first stop in BOFIN’s 2026 Innovation Day series, with more events set to take place across the country throughout May.