Last week, Agri-EPI Centre successfully completed the first iteration of the Sustaining Shropshire Start-up Programme, where 7 aspiring entrepreneurs were equipped with the skills and confidence to develop the foundations required to build a successful business. Weeks 1 to 4, reflected in a previous blog, provided the grounds for the cohort to continue building upon their knowledge in the latter half of the 8-week programme.   Week 5 – Business models Dr Matthew Rogers-Draycott, an entrepreneurship educator, was welcomed back in week 5 to deliver a session on the intricacies of busines ..read more

The Agri-EPI centre has recently welcomed on board a Programme Delivery Manager, Christelle Harrison, to their Business Development Team. Christelle is a PRINCE2 practitioner with a diverse background in project management in industry and academia. She has had over 10 years of experience in project management across sustainability, bioenergy, digital technologies, manufacturing, transport and living labs, at 4 Midlands Universities – University of Birmingham, Aston University, Birmingham City University and Wolverhampton University. Throughout her career, Christelle has worked with various fun ..read more

A new Innovate UK-funded agri-tech project with the potential to transform the detection and treatment of dairy cow lameness is underway in South West England. The “Hoof Monitor” initiative is developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered thermal imaging tool capable of identifying lameness at its earliest stage and in cows’ individual feet, allowing speedier intervention. The device could help improve cow welfare, reduce lameness-related economic losses and contribute to more environmentally sustainable milk production. Current methods for monitoring lameness include mobility scoring ..read more

Last week, Agri-EPI Centre (part of the Agri-Tech Centres) hosted an insightful special interest group on ‘The Efficiencies of Sheep Worming Technologies’ that was well attended by farmers, tech companies, vets, and industry bodies. Chaired by Ross Robertson, Head of Agri-Tech (Mixed Farming), the SIG focused on the new technologies and services that are currently on the market which can help target worming measures on time and improve the efficiencies of on-farm health monitoring. The speakers from across the sector including Dr Annie Williams (Business Development Manager at CIEL), Eurion ..read more

To celebrate the first cohort of the Sustaining Shropshire Start-up Programme reaching the half-way point, we reflect on the sessions and insights gained throughout the programme so far.  The Start-up Programme delivered by Agri-EPI Centre as part of the wider Sustaining Shropshire project in collaboration with Harper Adams University and the School of Sustainable Food and Farming, provides free structured support in 8 weekly sessions to aspiring entrepreneurs and start-up businesses in Shropshire’s agri-tech, agri-food and drink, and supply chain sectors. The programme aims to upskil ..read more

Book your place Are you an agribusiness looking to explore new opportunities in international markets? Join Agri-EPI for a Special Interest Group online. Join Agri-EPI for a Special Interest Group online session on 22nd March at 3pm for a thought-provoking discussion on entering international markets, with a special focus on Spain and Morocco. Gain valuable insights from industry experts who will share their knowledge on the current agricultural landscapes in Spain and Morocco, highlighting key opportunities and potential challenges. The special interest group is an opportunity for me ..read more

Book your place Agri-EPI welcomes you to join us for an insightful discussion about the advancements in sheep worming and sampling technologies. This virtual event brings together industry leaders and experienced farmers for a dynamic panel session, showcasing the efficiencies gained through the integration of new technology in the management of sheep health. Speakers: – Dr Annie Williams (Business Development Manager at CIEL) – Eurion Thomas (General Manager of Techion UK) – Tudor Roderick (Agri-EPI Centre Satellite farmer at Newton Farm, Brecon) This special interest group is an oppor ..read more

Book your place Are you an agribusiness looking to explore new opportunities in international markets? Join Agri-EPI for a Special Interest Group online. Join Agri-EPI for a Special Interest Group online session on 19th March at 3pm for a thought-provoking discussion on entering international markets, with a special focus on Argentina and Brazil. Gain valuable insights from industry experts who will share their knowledge on the current agricultural landscapes in Argentina and Brazil, highlighting key opportunities and potential challenges, and hear from SME’s who have taken part in our ..read more

Book your place Agri-EPI in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh invites you to attend our networking breakfast on 13th March, at the Roslin Institute. This event is sponsored by Jonathan Lee Recruitment. The University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies incorporates the Roslin Institute and the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems, among other entities. Research at the Easter Bush Campus offers a gateway to world-class infrastructure and expertise to drive sustainable agriculture, control diseases and enhance health. It provides an exceptional ..read more

Sheep producers will be able to improve their flock’s efficiency thanks to Innovate UK and Defra funding towards developing a field based automated system to monitor lamb growth and in turn, provide data to make advanced and accurate predictions of time to reach target finished weight. The funding worth over £430,000 has been made to David Ritchie Agricultural to help bring sheep technology into line with other sectors with a fully researched and validated auto-weigher that will gather extensive datasets to build in-depth pictures of individual and flock growth rates. “The system will provide ..read more