Industry heavyweight speakers will discuss new environmental policy on UK farms, as well as opportunities such as carbon farming, and advances in renewable energy at Low Carbon Agriculture Show this 8 and 9 March, at the NAEC, Stoneleigh, cutting through the noise to get to the heart of what new sector changes mean for farmers.
Representatives from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Department for Transport (DfT), Environment Agency, Welsh Government, National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and Country Land and Business Association (CLA), will present in the show’s keenly anticipated multi-streamed conference . They will speak alongside over 100 expert speakers discussing topics ranging from soil health, carbon farming, and sustainable water management to updates on environmental land management schemes, and dedicated sessions for each renewable energy type, as well as agri-tech and seminars on energy storage and Low Emission Vehicles (LEVs).
“The show provides practical guidance and solutions for farmers wishing to increase the financial and environmental sustainability of their business and drive down emissions. It’s about helping them to make lasting connections with people who will assist them in the agricultural transition,” explains event director, David Jacobmeyer.
Chaired by Dr Jonathan Scurlock, NFU chief renewable energy and climate change advisor, keynote presentations will include details on the agricultural transition, from Victoria Prentis, Minister of State at Defra, alongside net zero ambitions from the Welsh government’s deputy climate change minister, Lee Waters. Dr Nina Skorupska, chief executive at the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA), will discuss the decarbonisation of our energy system in line with net zero goals.
Held in partnership with the NFU, CLA and Energy Now , Low Carbon Agriculture show incorporates four expos including: ‘Environmental Business Expo’, ‘Farm Technology Expo’, ‘Energy Now Expo’ and ‘Low Emission Vehicles Expo.’
New for 2022, the carbon farming session, chaired by Susan Twining, chief land use policy adviser at the CLA, will discuss measuring, reducing, and trading carbon, as well as updating delegates on the much-awaited soil carbon code and factors to consider if sequestering carbon.
Tom Heap, Farming and Environmental Journalist will chair a ‘Reaching Net Zero in Agriculture’ debate, with panellists including Caroline Drummond MBE, chief executive officer at LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), Gavin Lane, vice president at the CLA, Dr Jonathan Scurlock at the NFU and Sonya Bedford, partner – Energy Spencer West.
A small snapshot of headline speakers at the show includes:
Energy Now Expo conference 2022:
- Victoria Prentis, Minister of State at Defra will discuss the agricultural transition
- Lee Waters, the Welsh government’s deputy climate change minister, will cover ‘Working together to reach net zero’
- Matt Edwards, senior policy advisor, Department for Transport, will present on ‘Decarbonising our transport system – what’s the plan?’
- Charlotte Powell, head of bioenergy and carbon removals – Innovation, BEIS, will cover ‘Biomass Feedstock Innovation programme – Increasing domestic supply of biomass to support net zero’
- Arabella Freeman, director of biomass strategy at Drax group, will present on ‘Enabling UK negative emissions: Sustainable energy crop supply chains from BECCS’
- Jon Swain, technical director at NFU Energy will explore how a future without gas could look
- David Watson, head of energy transition at Cadent Gas will discuss ‘The role of hydrogen in decarbonising heat’
- Kiara Zennaro, head of heat – green gas lead, REA, will update on the ‘Green Gas Support Scheme and other biogas incentives’
- Laura Bishop, GSHPA chair, will outline ‘Ground source heating deployment in agriculture’
- Martin Williams, associate, energy, Carter Jonas, will outline solar energy opportunities available
- Genna Boyle, head of renewables & flexibility at Limejump, will cover ‘The electric crop – Maximising value from renewable generation’
- Travis Benn, technical director at Lumfy Energy, will address what to do with your renewable energy project if you are coming to the end of a project’s lease agreement, in the wind session
- Tim Foster, head of Energy Services at Conrad Energy, will present on ‘Hosting an energy storage system on your site – what works and what doesn’t’
Environmental Business Expo 2022:
- Richard Bramley, chair of NFU Environment Forum, will cover ‘Using your natural capital to comply with ELM and the Agricultural transition plan’
- Thomas Gent, head of certificates at Agreena will discuss ‘Gaining carbon payments from soil improving farming techniques’
- Patrick Holden, founder of the Sustainable Food Trust will discuss ‘Mitigating climate change in agriculture’
- Filippo Guerrini, regenerative agronomic advisor at Control Union, will present on the topic: ‘Beyond the farm gate: how regenerative agriculture can diversify your income’
- Colin Tosh, Senior agroforestry researcher at Agricology will make the case for ‘The role of Agroforestry in climate change mitigation’
- Becky Wheeler, Business Development Director, 4R Recycling, will cover ‘Identifying the waste streams and outputs, as well as their potential value’
- Neil Turner from Ecological Building Systems, will present on ‘A focus on the modern methods of construction and the choices of nature-based building materials’
- Matt Ward, services leader at Hutchinsons, will speak on ‘Benchmarking & measuring the carbon content of your soil,’ in the dedicated soil health session chaired by Liz Bowles from the Soil Association
- Natalie Smith, head of agriculture at Tesco, will outline ‘The importance of driving down emissions and environmental standards in agriculture – view from the supply chain’
- Elizabeth Stockdale, head of farming systems research at Niab, will discuss ‘Improving soil health, dependent on farm type’
- Lizzy Carlyle, head of climate and environment at the National Trust, will discuss ‘Mitigating climate change in agriculture’
Farm Technology Expo 2022
- Eliot Dixon, data and automation lead at Agri-EPI Centre will discuss ‘Accelerating ag-tech adoption to facilitate sustainable farming’
- Thomas Farrugia, CEO at Betabugs will present on ‘Insect farming: Enabling the agri-food industry
- Chris Lyons, innovation lead for agriculture at Innovate UK will take ‘A look at the Farm Innovation Programme and the funding available
- Phil Bicknell, head of business development at CIEL, will present on ‘net zero and livestock – why science, technology and innovation will make the difference’
The exhibition is a hotbed of experienced advisors, developers, installers, financiers and related tech providers including the Drax Group, Girdserve, Centrica, National Grid, Hutchinsons, The Environment Bank, Defra, Welsh Government, WWF, Agri-EPI Centre, Carter Jonas, Stutt & Parker, Fisher German, Caplor Energy, Hetas, the Forestry Commission, ADAS, Agrecalc, Barclays, Limejump and many more.
Visitors to the event will also have the chance to try out Low Emission Vehicles (LEVs) on a test track. Vehicles on display include the T6. 180 Methane Power tractor from New Holland, and agricultural Land Rovers which have been converted to 100% electric using a ‘drop-in’ kit from clean transport specialist, Electrogenic. Also being showcased will be Electric UBCO 2WD work bikes, the Eco Charger 2DW and 4DW quad bikes, and the Electric HiSun 4WD UTV / Work Buggy, all from Offroad Electric. The electric Farmtrac tractor, distributed by Reesink Agriculture will be at the show, alongside Listers who will be showcasing the Toyota Proace, the RAV4 plug-in hybrid, the C-HR Self-Charging Hybrid and the all-new Lexus NX Hybrid.
The event is free for farmers landowners and related agri/rural business owners:
https://lowcarbonagricultureshow.co.uk/register/ .
