Soils in Practice agenda
South
08.15
Breakfast & networking
08.45
Introduction from Farmers Weekly
09.00
Introduction from Russell Smith Farms
Robert Smith, Russell Smith Farms
09.25
The Great Debate: The Agricultural Bill & soil policy – Impact for UK farmers
Moderator: Professor Chris Collins, NERC Soil Secruity Programme co-ordinator
Guy Smith, Vice President, NFU & Essex Arable Farmer
Stephen Briggs, Farm Manager, Whitehall Farms; Soil & Water Manager, Innovation for Agriculture
Liz Bowles, Associate Director Farming and Land Use, Soil Association
Helen Wilson, Head of Forage and Soil Health Crops, RAGT
The detail on how delivering environmental and public goods such as soil health improvement will be incentivised is still up for debate. Will farmers be dangled a carrot or threatened with a stick? We hear the arguements for and against each and audience gets the final say.
10.45
Controlled Traffic Farming
Steve Laroque, President, Beyond Agronomy
Jeremy Durrant, EW Davies Farms
11.30
Lunch & networking
12.15
Practical sessions
• Physical and chemical soil components: nutrition, companion, organic matter & composts •
John Williams, ADAS
• Controlled traffic farming for the UK •
Steve Laroque, Beyond Agronomy
Tim Chamen, CTF Europe Ltd.
• Bugs & beneficials as indicators of soil health •
Dr Felicity Crotty, Royal Agricultural University
• Practice & interpretation of a soil sample analysis •
Chris Martin, Agrovista
• Laboratory assessment of organic matter and how results impact on crop nutrition strategies •
Natalie Wood, Yara UK
Caroline Hobson, Yara UK
14.00
Practical applications of the Soil Biology & Soil Health Partnership
Dr Felicity Crotty, Royal Agricultural University
Elizabeth Stockdale, Head of farming systems, NIAB
14.45
Improving soil health: applying soil management research into practice
Harry Langford, Crop Health & Protection (CHAP)
Jane Rickson, Cranfield University
15.15
Closing remarks
*Agenda is subject to change
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