Wool is ready for a renaissance, with farmers and industry leaders finding innovative ways to improve its quality, value, and sustainability. A recent Farm of the Future webinar featuring four experts – Frank Langrish, Tim White, Andy Wear, and Jen Hunter—highlighted the opportunities and challenges in making money from wool. The webinar covered the three key approaches farmers can adopt to make wool production a more sustainable and profitable enterprise. These strategies are: These strategies offer farmers practical solutions to enhance their wool production and improve sustainability in the industry. Growing better wool Speaking in the webinar, Frank Langrish, farmer and past chairman of British Wool, shared how he has bred for finer wool from Romney sheep, showing how strategic

In November 2024 RASE and Innovation for Agriculture delivered a farm study tour in Yorkshire, as part of the Farm of the Future series of activities. The tour focused on anaerobic digestion processes and supporting nature on farm to improve natural and economic resilience. It provided an opportunity for attendees to step away from the day-to-day running of their farms and to discuss different ideas and practices seen on the tour. DAY 1: Tour of Approach Farm with Angus Gowthorpe Angus led a detailed tour of his farm, describing how he has more than quartered his fertiliser use, and transitioned to a no-till system with no use of fungicides or insecticides. His use of herbal leys on heavy land, as

The Farm of the Future study tour held in Hampshire on 6th and 7th November 2024 brought together 22 attendees from 19 diverse farming businesses involved in both arable and livestock enterprises. The two-day event offered a unique platform for farmers to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and gain inspiration for implementing regenerative farming practices. Participants visited leading farms in the region, witnessing firsthand the innovative practices that are shaping sustainable and resilient farming systems. Through expert-led discussions and demonstrations, attendees explored practical ways to adapt to challenges in modern agriculture while prioritising environmental and economic sustainability. Leckford Estate – The Waitrose & Partners Farm During our visit to Leckford Estate, part of the Waitrose & Partners farm, attendees were

In October 2024, RASE and Innovation for Agriculture held a soil and compost workshop at Norton Court Farm in Gloucestershire. Debbie Wilkins runs the 950 acre farm, which has a mix of beef and dairy cattle, and arable. She is trying to support many natural systems while still being a productive farmer, implementing measures to restore biodiversity, improve soil health and manage flooding naturally.  The day centred around Debbie’s research project with the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) looking into the potential of a slurry free dairy farm. To achieve this, Debbie, alongside RAU students and researchers, has been investigating making bokashi with her farmyard manure, which is then spread on her fields to support soil health and crop growth. Know

Insect farming offers a way to upgrade low value organic materials to a protein rich product. The sector has grown significantly in the UK over the past 10 years, along with the number of companies developing products and technologies. A recent Farm of the Future webinar brought together Mike Boulton from Ento U.P, Thomas Farrugia from Beta Bugs and Larry Kotch from Flybox to discuss diversification into insect farming. The session was chaired by Nick Rousseau from the UK Edible Insect Association, which is building an insect farming community of practice to include experts, technology providers, retailers, product developers and manufacturers, alongside farmers and anyone else with an interest in insect farming. The speakers discussed the logistics of insect farming,

Agri-tech developments can impact everything from herd health to monitoring of carbon flows in the soil, and include the introduction of robotic systems to carry out tasks which historically have been done by people. The Riseholme Campus at the University of Lincoln is a fantastic place to explore agri-tech developments, with numerous examples of putting technology into practice on the university farm. There are also many nature-based solutions being used to increase farm resilience, showcasing how use of technology and farming with nature can co-exist and enhance farm business resilience together. The following blog includes five of the key themes from the ‘Farm of the Future: Agri-tech in Action’ day which was hosted at the Lincoln Institute for Agri-food and

Methane inhibitors fed as part of a ruminant’s ration can reduce the quantity of methane produced in the rumen and emitted by the animal. This can reduce the overall emissions associated with meat and milk production. A recent Farm of the Future webinar brought together Annie Williams from the UK Agri-Tech Centre, Philip Ingram from Cargill, Adrian Packington representing DSM-Firmenich and Stephen Kenyon from Harbro. The speakers discussed what methane inhibitors are, why there is such a high level of interest in them and the specifics of some of the products available. What are methane inhibitors? Methane inhibitors are feed supplements that reduce emissions by inhibiting enteric methane reduction from ruminants. While providing an overview of what methane inhibitors, Annie

Farmers can register to attend a demonstration event at Plumpton College in East Sussex, to see and discuss how to future proof their livestock businesses.

Regenerative agriculture can restore soil fertility and increase the levels of organic matter in the soil remarkably fast, but how do regenerative farming practices impact the nutritional quality of food?

Artificial intelligence (AI) has a multitude of uses in livestock farming. In livestock farming, a lot of the uses of AI so far have been using data analytics, rather than deep learning.