From Regenerative Roots to AI Horizons – BCPC Joint Review

This year’s three Expert Reviews – Weeds, Diseases, and Pests & Beneficials – were combined into a single Review, held at Rothamsted Conference Centre. The event was chaired by Sir Peter Kendall and all the presentations can be viewed online: BCPC Joint Review Playlist

Farming and food are… complex

Professor Paul Wilson, Nottingham University, explored agriculture’s global significance and resource intensity—using 37% of land and 70% of freshwater—while feeding 8.2 billion people and contributing 25% of greenhouse gas emissions. Despite these pressures, efficiency gains have been remarkable: land use per person has halved since the 1960s, driven by mechanisation, technology, and crop protection. In the UK, fertiliser efficiency has improved, calorie supply increased, and food costs dropped to under 10% of household income. Globally, productivity growth is now efficiency-led, with the Global South driving gains. Wilson urged professionalisation and resource-use efficiency for “win-win” outcomes and warned of uneven carbon policies. His research identifies ten success factors for top farms and calls for precision, sustainability, and robust planning to secure UK farming’s future.
Presentation can be viewed here

PPT Slides – Setting the Scene

Update on IPM and Pesticide Resistance

Dr Holly Alpren outlined the UK’s National Action Plan for Sustainable Use of Pesticides, focusing on three goals: boosting Integrated Pest Management (IPM), setting pesticide reduction targets, and strengthening compliance. Key actions include promoting IPM tools, building evidence bases, and funding applied R&D. A Horizon Scanning project identified four priorities for the next 5–30 years: bio-pesticides, resistance management, precision technologies, and climate change impacts. Current initiatives include IPM educational resources, platforms like IPM Decisions, and IPM-Net. On resistance, gaps in communication were flagged, with plans for an independent centre and long-term monitoring. Bio-pesticides are central to achieving a 10% pesticide load reduction by 2030.
Presentation can be viewed here

PPT Slides – Defra Update on IPM and Pesticide Resistance 

Is Regenerative Agriculture compatible with sustainable crop protection?

Dr Jonathan Storkey examined how regenerative agriculture (RA) aligns with sustainable crop protection, advocating a systems-based approach over reactive solutions. RA principles—minimal soil disturbance, cover crops, organic inputs, livestock integration, and crop diversity—aim to restore ecosystem integrity, improve soil health, and reduce pesticide reliance. While these practices enhance biodiversity and natural pest control, they also pose trade-offs, such as increased weed pressure (notably blackgrass) and disease risks under reduced tillage. Rothamsted’s long-term trials show benefits for soil carbon and biodiversity but highlight weed management challenges. He called for integrated research, clear communication, and predictive tools, showcasing the One Crop Health project. His conclusion: RA can support sustainable crop protection if managed professionally with flexible IPM and long-term data.
Presentation can be viewed here

PPT Slides – Is regenerative agriculture compatible with sustainable crop protection?

Regenerative agriculture research at The Allerton Project

Dr Jenny Bussell outlined the Allerton Project’s role as a research and demonstration farm integrating productive agriculture with conservation. She emphasized regenerative farming’s drivers—soil health and climate mitigation—highlighting soil biodiversity as vital for resilience. While building soil organic matter improves structure and carbon storage, Bussell cautioned that sequestration is temporary and management-dependent. She noted trade-offs such as weed pressure (blackgrass), disease risks, and operational challenges under extreme weather. Data from Syngenta’s project showed benefits of reduced cultivation—better soil cover, earthworms, and lower emissions—but vulnerabilities emerged during extreme weather, with direct-drilled plots failing under waterlogging. Profitability analysis found reduced cultivations often improve margins, especially on lighter soils. Bussell concluded that regenerative farming requires flexibility, site-specific decisions, and holistic research to balance productivity and environmental goals.
Presentation can be viewed here

PPT Slides – Regenerative Agriculture research at the Allerton Project 

Patrick Barker, EK Barker & Sons. Lodge Farm, Westhorpe

Patrick Barker detailed his farm’s transition from intensive production to a whole-farm approach balancing profitability, soil health, and biodiversity. Starting with Higher Level Stewardship schemes, the farm restored habitats and created wildflower margins, boosting species diversity from 278 to over 941, including rare bees and ants. Practices such as direct drilling, cover crops, and IPM reduced inputs while maintaining yields. As an AHDB Strategic Farm, trials confirmed cover crops’ role in reducing nitrogen leaching and improving soil health. Barker emphasized collaboration with supply chains such as  Nestlé and PepsiCo to fund regenerative practices and biodiversity monitoring. His key message: sustainability requires flexibility, farmer-led innovation, and recognition of ecosystem services, urging supply chains to share risk and value biodiversity for long-term viability.
Presentation can be viewed here

PPT Slides – ‘Green Grassland Corridor’ and beneficial insects

Precision Breeding: Opportunities and challenges for UK farmers

Tom Allen-Stevens introduced BOFIN, a farmer-led research network founded to support on-farm trials and innovation. BOFIN focuses on pre-commercial technologies, enabling farmers to test new products scientifically and share knowledge. With over 800 farmer members and projects worth £14 million, initiatives include slug control, soil health, pulses, and precision-bred crops. The flagship “Probity” project accelerates crop breeding using gene-editing to overcome wheat yield plateaus and improve traits such as drought resistance, disease tolerance, and nutritional value. Challenges include regulatory uncertainty, stakeholder acceptance, and market confidence. BOFIN promotes farmer involvement, public engagement, and fair compensation, aiming to lead the agricultural revolution through collaboration, data-driven trials, and international partnerships for sustainable, innovative farming.
Presentation can be viewed here

PPT Slides – Precision Breeding – Opportunities & Challenges for UK farmers

Dyson Farming – past, present, future

Ben Abell outlined Dyson Farming’s journey from a perceived tax venture to a £50M business integrating innovation, technology, and regenerative principles. The operation produces 100,000 tons of crops annually within a circular system combining renewable energy, food production, and environmental stewardship. Key initiatives include two anaerobic digestion plants, an 11.5-hectare glasshouse for strawberries, and major infrastructure investments in drainage and storage. Dyson Farming runs a 1,000-acre research farm testing biologicals, AI, and regenerative practices, aiming for evidence-based sustainability. Technologies such as precision spraying (cutting glyphosate use by 90%), drone mapping, and real-time margin tracking via XFarm software are central to its approach. Abell stressed long-term thinking, data-driven decisions, and partnerships to deliver profitable, low-carbon farming and ecosystem restoration.
Presentation can be viewed here

PPT Slides – Dyson Farming: Past, Present and Future

Agriculture, AI and Robotics

Professor Simon Pearson, Lincolnshire Institute for AgriFood Technology, highlighted the transformative potential of AI and robotics in agriculture, noting that the sector is still at the start of its innovation journey. He showcased progress since 2017, including commercial strawberry-harvesting robots and UV-treatment robots for mildew control. Pearson emphasized Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology’s interdisciplinary approach, integrating engineering, computer science, and life sciences to deliver market-ready solutions. Examples include FruitCast AI for yield forecasting and robotic systems for mushrooms, lettuce, and logistics, addressing labour shortages and reducing chemical use. Future farming will rely on automation, predictive analytics, and intensified management to maximize output per square meter. Pearson stressed that networked, commercially focused innovation is essential for sustainable, high-tech farming systems.
Presentation can be viewed here

PPT Slides – Agriculture, AI and Robotics

Panel Discussion

The discussion focused on weed management, especially blackgrass, and its relationship with cover crops in regenerative farming. Panelists debated whether cover crops aid or hinder control, stressing integrated strategies, diverse rotations, and reduced herbicide reliance through better weed mapping and data-driven decisions. Transitioning to regenerative agriculture may lower yields initially, but targeted land selection, gradual change, and margin-focused approaches can mitigate this. Profitability and resilience were key themes, alongside balancing land use for food, biodiversity, and energy crops. Future farming by 2035 may feature larger farms, joint ventures, circular systems, and technologies like AI precision tools and genetic engineering. Challenges in diverse cropping—market access, agronomy gaps, and risk—require on-farm trials, policy support, and consumer engagement.
Presentation can be viewed here