Categories
PROBITY

Could you be a PROBITY Pathfinder?

Innovative and influential arable farmers are invited to apply to join a small team of ‘PROBITY Pathfinders’ to help steer the direction of a project exploring precision-bred crops.

The PROBITY project is a three-year £2.2m multi-partner project, funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, which is delivered by Innovate UK. Led by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN) it will see precision-bred crops grown by farmers for the first time in Europe. Three precision-bred cereal varieties will be trialled and scrutinised by farmers, scientists and food manufacturers in an open and transparent forum.

A major part of the project is exploring farmers’ perceptions on precision bred crops and their feelings about growing them, explained Tom Allen-Stevens, founder of BOFIN. 

“Scientists believe that precision-bred crops have something to offer sustainable food production, but as yet they have never been trialled in a commercial setting,” he said. 

“Farmers won’t invest time and resources to grow something they don’t have confidence in, so it’s important that we discuss all aspects openly. As part of that we need the first recruits of this project – the PROBITY Pathfinders – to encourage and generate discussion.

Tom Allen-Stevens
Tom Allen-Stevens, Founder of BOFIN

“Our Pathfinders will be arable farmers with a passion for innovation and science. They must be open-minded, but we don’t mind if they lean in favour or against the technology, although they should be in favour of on-farm trials of precision-bred crops.”

The Pathfinders will be expected to initiate and take part in online discussions and speak about the project at events and farmer gatherings. They should have effective credible networks and existing platforms with which they engage with other farmers, either on social media or through organisations they are involved with. In return PROBITY Pathfinders will receive a payment plus out-of-pocket expenses. 

To apply for this important role please click HERE

Categories
Citizen Scientists

Slug Scout Success

Citizen scientists help research into ‘slug resistant’ wheat

Scientists are making strides towards understanding which types of wheat can resist slugs with the help of a keen community of ‘Slug Scout’ citizen scientists.

Their work is paving the way for sustainable pest control methods that could benefit both farmers and the environment. 

It is part of the SLIMERS project – Strategies Leading to Improved Management and Enhanced Resilience to Slugs – a £2.6m initiative involving multiple partners, including the John Innes Centre, Harper Adams University, UK Agri-Tech Centre, Agrivation and led by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN).

The project builds on previous findings from the John Innes Centre’s Watkins collection of landrace wheat, which identified ‘Watkins 788’ as a promising candidate for slug resistance after tests showed that slugs consistently preferred other wheat types. 

To explore this further, the centre’s wheat genetics team, led by Dr Simon Griffiths, created 77 Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) by crossing Watkins 788 with another susceptible wheat variety. These RILs have now been tested to pinpoint the specific genes that may be responsible for slug resistance – with help from BOFIN’s community of volunteer ‘Slug Scouts’.

These Slug Scouts, including farmers and members of the public, collect grey field slugs (Deroceras reticulatum) from their local areas and send them to the John Innes Centre for use in the feeding trials. Since the start of the project 4,647 slugs have been received, with 2,684 being the grey field slug needed for the study. 

Feeding trials

Dr Victor Soria-Carrasco, Head of Entomology and Insectary Platform at the John Innes Centre leads the feeding trials. Slugs of the right size are placed with various wheat seeds to assess their feeding preferences and the resulting damage. By measuring the fraction of each seed consumed after exposure to slugs, his team can determine which wheat lines are most and least appealing to slugs. This data can then be used to help identify the gene or genes associated with slug resistance. 

As part of the next phase, two RILs – one resistant and one susceptible – along with Watkins 788, will be grown and tested on farms during the 2024-2025 growing season. Six ‘Slug Sleuth’ farmers have committed to run these trials on their farms, gathering data to assess the effectiveness of the RILs in real-world conditions.

Tom Allen-Stevens, founder of BOFIN, said the input from Slug Scouts was vital for the project’s success.

“Slugs are a major pest for UK arable farmers. The ultimate goal of this part of the project is to find wheat lines that slugs avoid, reducing our reliance on chemical controls. Farmers will now be trialling some of these wheats to compare them with those they would typically grow on farm, but the scientists will continue their work in the lab. 

“We are so grateful to our community of Slug Scouts and hope they will continue to find, identify and send in grey field slugs so we can carry on this important work.”

Categories
Event

BOFIN on-farm trials : Results from Year 1 of the NCS & TRUTH projects

BOFIN on-farm trials : Results from Year 1 of the NCS & TRUTH projects

Date & Time: November 28 · 11:00 – 16:00pm

Location: The OakTree, NAEC, Stoneleigh, CV8 2LZ

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November 28 · 11:00 – 16:00pm – Be amongst the first to hear about the findings from Year 1 of the NCS and TRUTH projects! Our Pulse Pioneers and Root Rangers have been working hard alongside our teams of scientists and researchers. Now is your chance to hear what they have discovered so far, and about their plans for the upcoming trial year. Taking place on Day 2 of CropTec in The Oaktree (adjacent to the main CropTec halls) we welcome anyone with an interest in soil and root health or growing pulses to come along.

Please indicate when securing your free ticket whether you will be joining us for both morning and afternoon sessions, or just one. See agenda below. Spaces are limited so please be sure to book your ticket soon!

** As well as registering for your free place for this event via Eventbrite you will also need to register for a free CropTec ticket which you can do here: https://agrc.im/bofin **

Categories
Event

Workshop: Perceptions of Gene-Editing 2024!

Workshop: Perceptions of Gene-Editing 2024!

Date & Time: November 27 · 11:30 – 13:30pm

Location: The OakTree, NAEC, Stoneleigh, CV8 2LZ

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November 27 · 11:30 – 13:30pm – Do you have an interest in the future of farming and food production?

Join us for the first workshop as part of the PROBITY Project where we will be discussing the benefits and stumbling blocks of introducing precision-bred crops with a range of people from across the agri-food supply chain. This is the first opportunity for you to have your say and get directly involved in the conversation around gene-editing and how leading scientists and industry experts will bring these revolutionary crops to farms in England.

Taking place on Day 1 of CropTec in The Oaktree (adjacent to the main CropTec halls) we welcome anyone with an interest in gene-editing and agriculture. You dont need to have much knowledge about it, be supportive of its introduction or even have a fully formed option. We are keen to hear your current perceptions, thoughts and feelings about the technology and its future use, whatever they are. Your views will help shape our work within the PROBITY Project over the next three years. Spaces are limited so please be sure to book your ticket soon!

** As well as registering for your free place for this event via Eventbrite you will also need to register for a free CropTec ticket which you can do here: https://agrc.im/bofin **

Categories
Event

Launch of the Sequence Circle!

Launch of The Sequence Circle!

Date & Time: November 27 · 9:30 – 11am

Location: The OakTree, NAEC, Stoneleigh, CV8 2LZ

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November 27 · 9:30 – 11am – Introducing The Sequence Circle – your chance to have a say, get involved and be at the forefront of changes in UK agriculture as we introduce gene-edited crops to English farms for the first time! Taking place on Day 1 of CropTec from 09:30 – 11:00am in The Oaktree (adjacent to the main CropTec halls) we welcome anyone with an interest in the future of farming to come along. Hear from the PROBITY Projects’ leading scientists and industry experts about the revolutionary crops being introduced, ask questions and find out how you can get involved. Secure your free place today as spaces are limited!

** As well as registering for your free place for this event via Eventbrite you will also need to register for a free CropTec ticket which you can do here: https://agrc.im/bofin **

Categories
PROBITY

Promising news for precision breeding legislation

Daniel Zeichner MP
Daniel Zeichner MP
Zeichner commits to advance gene editing legislation, but gives no update on ADOPT

Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner has announced he will be advancing precision breeding legislation in England ‘as soon as parliamentary time allows’. 

Speaking at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit (WATIS) in London on September 30, Mr Zeichner said that precision breeding technologies like gene editing could ‘transform the sector’ by making development of new varieties quicker, more efficient and precise.

But there was no news on ADOPT, a £40 million fund to support farmer-led R&D announced by his predecessor Mark Spencer at WATIS last year.

Mr Zeichner said that precision breeding “has the potential to be a key technology for growth, food security and sustainability.”

The limited opportunities to exploit these technologies commercially had prevented the industry from reaping the benefits, he added. “Globally, agriculture related gene editing startups have already raised over $2.7 billion since 2012.” 

Of this, approximately 80% of capital investment had gone to US-based companies, compared to only 5% in Europe, he added.

“Now we’ve placed scientists and breeders in England at the forefront. This must be taken advantage of to foster innovation resilience in agriculture. That’s why it is critical to drive forward that legislation.

“Using technologies like precision breeding will enable development of crops that are more nutritious, resistant to pests and disease, resilient to climate change, and more beneficial to the environment.”

This could lead to significant reduction in use of pesticides and a positive impact on pollinators, as well as increasing food production and reducing costs for farmers, he said.

The British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN) is leading PROBITY, a multi-partner project which is trialling precision-bred crops on commercial farms for the first time in Europe. BOFIN founder and project lead Tom Allen-Stevens welcomed the announcement and urged the minister to act swiftly.

Tom Allen-Stevens

He said: “When the Genetic Technology Act was passed last year, England became the only country in Europe where precision-bred crops can be grown on commercial farms. However, the secondary legislation which covers aspects such as food labelling has been left by the wayside meaning that we are currently in limbo. 

“I welcome Mr Zeichner’s commitment to bringing this legislation forward, and hope he will do so with a matter of urgency.”

But he expressed concern over the delay on the roll-out of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme and particularly ADOPT.

“Defra has now released details of how the fund will work. It looks really good and could significantly bolster on-farm productivity.

“It’s deeply concerning that the new government has not given the go-ahead for this valuable R&D funding. It would be all too easy to drop it altogether, blaming the previous government’s overspend.

“But to do so would be to cut off your nose to spite your face – it is the one area of agricultural funding that could stimulate the productivity growth we so desperately need for farming.”

Categories
BOFIN

Free soil analysis opportunity

Free soil analysis opportunity

Farmer members of BOFIN are invited to take part in a free soil analysis offer.

PES Technologies is partner in the TRUTH Project which is helping develop a special soil sensor which can ‘smell’ a soil’s biological profile.

The project’s Root Rangers are already helping by supplying samples, but PES has identified that it needs an additional 500 samples to validate the sensor. 

The PES team is particularly keen to receive samples of lighter, low organic matter soils. 

Therefore all BOFIN farmer members are being given the opportunity to receive detailed analysis of their soil. Participants will need to supply samples from three in-field points (1kg per sample), plus one reference point (1kg). Boxes, shipping, sample bags and protocols will all be provided. 

In return the farmers will receive the following results: pH, Organic Matter %, P mg/l,  K mg/l, Mg mg/l, P index, K index, Mg index, O.M. LOI %, Bulk Density kg/l, Carbonate Class, Soil Inorganic Carbon (SIC) %, Total Carbon %, Total Nitrogen %, C:N Ratio, Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) %, Organic Carbon Stock t/ha, Sand 2.00-0.063mm % w/w, Silt 0.063-0.002mm % w/w, Clay <0.002mm % w/w, Textural Classification, Nitrate Nitrogen mg/kg, Ammonium Nitrogen mg/kg, and Dry Matter %.

Anyone interested in taking part should contact Dominic Edwards at PES directly on d.edwards@pestechnologies.com

Categories
SLIMERS

Agronomist & Arable Farmer article

Promising signs from SLIMERS project

Farmers and scientists involved in the SLIMERS (Strategies Leading to Improved Management and Enhanced Resilience against Slugs) project are making strides towards finding sustainable slug control methods including ‘slug resistant’ wheat varieties.

Read the full article HERE

Categories
BOFIN

Make the most of knowledge exchange opportunities

‘Make use of knowledge exchange opportunities’

Farmers are being encouraged to take part in sharing knowledge and ideas via a series of specialist online forums.

Exchanging knowledge is a key part of the projects coordinated by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN).

Founder Tom Allen-Stevens said: “On-farm trials are advancing expertise in sustainable farming, but we don’t want to keep our findings to ourselves. As well as hosting in-person events and publishing knowledge guides, leaflets and articles we have the Knowledge in Farming section on The Farming Forum to enable online discussion.”

This is a dedicated section for farmers – and anyone else interested – to learn from the BOFIN trials but also to host wider discussion around specific areas of interest.

Sections on the forum are the Soil Circle, Slug Circle and Pulse PEP reflecting the work being carried out within the TRUTH, SLIMERS and NCS projects respectively. Each Circle has a resource hub hosting a range of useful resources as well as the discussion forums. A fourth Circle to host discussion and resources on precision bred crops will be launched later this year.

Expert input

“This month our research partners are launching a new series of discussion threads to bring in their areas of expertise,” added Tom. “It’s an excellent opportunity to learn from scientists, researchers and other innovative farmers. I strongly encourage farmers to make time to use of this fabulous resource.”

BOFIN members are automatically registered and allocated a username and password for The Farming Forum when their first join the network, allowing them to access and join in the discussions straight away. Anyone who has mislaid their log-in details can enter their email address and click on ‘forgotten password’ at The Farming Forum for a reminder via email.

For tips on engaging with forum discussions read ‘Online discussion top tips’ and visit www.thefarmingforum.co.uk to get involved.

Categories
BOFIN

Knowledge in Farming:

‘Top tips’ for online discussions

The Knowledge in Farming section of The Farming Forum is BOFIN’s online platform for farmers to enhance their expertise and engage in meaningful discussion about agricultural practices and policy. Here, BOFIN’s Community Manager Skye Melita shares her ‘top tips’ for getting started and making the most of online discussions on the Soil Circle, Slug Circle and PulsePEP.

Create your profile

BOFIN members are automatically sent a username and password for The Farming Forum when they first join the network. When you first log in you should change your password to something you will remember. You can also change your username if you wish, add an image and further details to your profile. What you include is entirely up to you, but could reflect your farming business, including the types of crops or livestock you manage and – if you are BOFIN trialist – indicate which of our trials you are involved in.

Your profile is what others see and helps them understand your perspective, making it easier to connect with like-minded people. If you’re not a BOFIN member already you can sign up here for free.

Active participation

Engagement is key to benefiting from the forum. Start by reading existing threads to understand ongoing conversations. Then, contribute by sharing your experiences or asking questions about topics that interest you – anything goes (within reason)! Your insights will be valuable to others, and asking questions can lead to really informative exchanges.

Use the resources

The Knowledge in Farming section also hosts a hub of resources aimed at enhancing knowledge exchange. Have a look through these sections to find webinars, articles, and research reports which can help you stay informed about best practices and the latest innovations.

Build relationships

Networking is another essential element of knowledge exchange. Reach out to other members through direct messages or by commenting on their posts. Whatever your query you will find someone on the Circles who has the experience to help you.

Be open-minded

In any discussion forum, people will have differing opinions. Approach conversations with respect and an open mind. Engaging constructively with diverse viewpoints can be just as useful as finding people who share your views.

Follow up on discussions

After participating in discussions consider following up with members who provided valuable insights or resources. This could involve thanking them for their contributions or asking further questions based on what you’ve learned. 

By actively engaging with the Circles you can enhance your knowledge, share valuable experiences, and contribute to a vibrant community of innovative farmers.

Get involved at: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?categories/knowledge-in-farming.265/