The BOFIN Buzz

Why do slugs always turn left when they bump into each other, and how does this behaviour lead to slug patches? In this episode, we dive into the reasoning behind slug movement and explore how this knowledge can revolutionise slug control. Through the SLIMERS project, we're developing accurate and effective methods to target slug patches precisely, reducing the need for widespread pesticide use. Join us as we uncover the secrets of slug behaviour and the future of smart farming solutions!

Meet Adam Hayward as he shares his journey into farming and his passion for on-farm trials. In this episode, he explains how data collection is just the beginning—the real impact comes from the insights and decisions made from that data. Learn how innovation and smart analysis are shaping the future of farming!

In the second of our two-part series, Adam Lewis dives into his role in the SLIMERS Project as a dedicated Slug Sleuth. Learn about the important work he is doing to monitor slug activity and how this research is driving the future of ag tech. Discover why this project matters for sustainable farming and technological innovation.

In the first episode of our two-part series, we meet Adam Lewis, a passionate farmer and our new Slug Sleuth. Discover how Adam got into farming, his background, and why he’s excited about participating in slug monitoring trials. Stay tuned to learn more about his journey and his commitment to innovative farming solutions!

In this two-part episode of the BOFIN Buzz Tom Allen-Stevens meets Liz Bowles of the Farm Carbon Toolkit. Liz talks through carbon footprinting and how farmers can get started with it and they discuss the NCS project and how improving pulse cropping can play a key role in improving farming's carbon footprint.

In this two-part episode of the BOFIN Buzz Tom Allen-Stevens meets Liz Bowles of the Farm Carbon Toolkit. Liz talks through carbon footprinting and how farmers can get started with it and they discuss the NCS project and how improving pulse cropping can play a key role in improving farming's carbon footprint.

In Part 2, Tom welcomes back Charles and Callum as they announce their involvement in the SLIMERS project, an innovative initiative aimed at tackling arable farmings biggest pest; slugs! The episode kicks off with an overview of how Charles and Callum will be working together on this cutting-edge project. Charles shares insights into the challenges of training AI to accurately identify slugs, while Callum reflects on how previous work with the Slug Sleuths has shaped their approach. The conversation also covers the critical role of farmer involvement in the project and what kind of collaboration will be needed. Don’t miss this deep dive into the future of pest management in agriculture, as our experts bring you up to speed on the SLIMERS project and its potential impact on farming!

Join host Tom as he explores the cutting-edge world of agricultural technology with experts Charles and Callum. Charles, an AI specialist, explains how artificial intelligence can revolutionize agriculture. He shares insights from his projects in the farming sector and discusses how the UK compares to other countries in adopting AI. Learn about his mission to push the boundaries of modern agriculture. Callum, an automation expert, discusses his involvement in the pioneering Hands-Free Hectare Farm projects. He reveals how these initiatives have influenced his work and what they mean for the future of farming automation. We also explore the rapid growth of automation in the dairy sector and if this could be matched in arable farming. This episode offers valuable insights into how AI and automation are transforming agriculture. Tune in to learn more about the technologies that are driving the future of farming!

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Stacia Stetkiewicz on the BOFIN Buzz, we delve deeper into the potential impact of precision-bred crops on agriculture and food systems. We explore her strategies for assessing public perception of precision breeding and why this is a crucial aspect of the PROBITY project. Stacia also shares her long-term vision for the role of precision breeding in transforming our food systems and how the PROBITY project aims to make a lasting impact. Join us for a forward-looking discussion on the future of agriculture!

In this episode of BOFIN Buzz, we sit down with Dr. Stacia Stetkiewicz to dive into the world of social science and gene-edited cereals as part of the PROBITY project. In the first of our two-part series, Stacia shares her journey into agricultural science and what motivated her to join the PROBITY project. We discuss the goals of the project, her approach to engaging with farmers and stakeholders, and the methods she plans to use. Stacia also offers insights into the specific farmer perspectives she aims to explore, the challenges of gathering these views, and how she plans to address ethical concerns surrounding gene editing. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on the future of precision-bred crops! Make sure to subscribe to receive notification when part 2 is released.

Join us in the second and final part of our series joined by Kerry McDonald-Howard of UK AgriTech Centre. In this episode, we explore Kerry's role within the SLIMERS project and delve into how the project aims to tackle arable farmings biggest pest!

Join us in part 1 of a 2 part series where we are joined by Kerry McDonald-Howard with the UK AgriTech Centre. Kerry is a malacologist, nematologist, parasitologist and entomologist, offering her slug expertise within the SLIMERS project. Join us as we delve into her past and reach a better understanding of how she came to be so interested in slimy pests!

In this slightly different episode of the BOFIN Buzz we share Tom's recent conversation with Steve Orchard on The Farming Programme. Hear about BOFIN's newest project - PROBITY - which is bringing gene-edited cereals to British farms for the first time. Tom explains the difference between genetic modification and gene editing and why it's so important that we trial these varieties on farms and take them through to processing, to assess their potential. With special thanks to Steve and The Farming Programme. For the full episode visit: https://hellorayo.co.uk/podcasts/farming-programme/id-2223895/

In this special episode, we sit down with Cristobal Uauy, scientist from the John Innes Centre, to explore the groundbreaking PROBITY project which will see gene-edited cereals bring grown on real world farms for the first time in Europe. We'll hear about his work creating a wheat with 'a bigger, bolder grain size' which promises a step change in productivity. Tune in for an insightful conversation about the future of agriculture. Let us know your thoughts below. For more details, visit probityproject.co.uk.

In this episode, we are joined by Brian Kenyon from ABN Feeds to discuss their involvement in the NCS project and take a deeper look at the problems and constraints of the food supply chain with special focus on pulses & poultry. Let us know your thoughts on this episode in the comments below.

Join us in this special episode as we chat with different, farmers, scientists and industry experts at Cereals 2024 about the importance of on-farm innovation, farmer involvement in trials and why it is important that YOU become a Pulse Pioneer in Year 2 of the NCS Project trials. Give it a listen and let us know your thoughts...

Join us in Episode 19 of The BOFIN Buzz where we are joined by UK Farmer, Andrew Barr. Andy has been a BOFIN farmer for many years now and is involved in some of slug-focussed projects. Grab a cuppa and listen in as we explore many different topics including slug control, gene-edited crops and the fourth agricultural revolution.

Join us as we talk all things pulses, slugs and gene-editing with BOFIN Farmer, Pulse Pioneer and Slug Sleuth Andrew Pitts. Andrew has a real passion for on-farm trials and experimenting on his farm. Listen in to this episode to find out his latest trial of choice...

Join us in this special episode where we are joined by Dr Craig Sturrock from the University of Nottingham and Emma Chapelhow from the UK Agri-Tech Centre. We take a good look at their backgrounds and how this has led them to their involvement in the £1-million-pound TRUTH project. Let us know your thoughts below.

For this episode, we welcome Anna Pearce, an organic farmer on the Scottish boarders. Anna is actively involved with a few of the BOFIN projects, currently undertaking the roles of Root Ranger and Pulse Pioneer. Join as we take a deeper look into how Anna went from the big city with a focus on chemistry to a small town spending her time on farm. Settle in, give the episode a listen and let us know your thoughts below.

Join us as we explore the three pillars of sustainability with organic farmer and BOFIN on-farm trialist Tim May. Tim ensures he is considering each of the three pillars for the success of his farm and his success in on-farm trials. Within this episode, we talk through Tim's involvement as a Root Ranger and Pulse Pioneer & we take a look at how you can collaborate with Tim on his farm in the future! Give it a listen and let us know your thoughts below.

Join us in this exciting episode where we are joined by scientist, Pete Iannetta, from James Hutton Institute. We took a deep dive into the complexities of pulses and discussed the role they place on UK farms. POINT OPPORTUNITY: If you are a Pulse Pioneer, make sure to get in touch with the secret phrase in order to gain 3 Project Ambassador points. Good luck!

Join us in this special episode with a guest host at the Low Carbon event 2024 where we held the BOFIN Get Together. We managed to get some of our very own BOFIN Farmers together to discuss on-farm trials and innovation incentives. Make sure to give it a listen and let us know your thoughts below...

Join us in this special BOFIN Buzz episode where we are joined by farmer, Hannah Darby. Hannah joins us from her farm in Cambridgeshire to celebrate International Women's Day and on-farm innovation. We take a deep dive into how Hannah focuses on nature-based solutions for known problems and encouraging a bottom-up approach to farming; both of which she believes are crucial for farmings future! Let us know your thoughts on the episode below...

Welcome to a special episode where we announce the launch of our TRUTH project! We are joined by scientist Maria to unveil soil secrets and explain to us the importance of projects such as TRUTH. Not at only do we explore the new project but we take a look at Maria's opinion on gene-editing and ammonium-use on farm. Make sure to give this exciting episode a listen and let us know your thoughts below!

Join us in our latest episode where we are joined by BOFIN member Charles Paynter. Charles farms in North Bedfordshire and has been involved in many BOFIN projects. Charles' top priorities for farming include a focus on weeds, pests and diseases, adopting regenerative practices and practicing sustainable farming. Make sure to let us know your thoughts below and follow to be notified when the next episode is released.

Join us in this special episode where we are joined by Lucy Cottingham from Agrii. Agrii is one of the project partners for the £5.9 million DEFRA-funded NCS project looking to help reach the communal aim of reducing carbon emissions by up to 1.5M tonnes. Tom and Lucy went into detail about pulses, AI advancements and women in agriculture, discussing upcoming trials and future forecasts. Let us know down below what you thought of this episode and as always, make sure to join BOFIN. It is free and with no obligation. We would love to welcome you!

Join us in this week's episode where we are joined by Keith Challen. We discuss how Keith went from prisons to farms and what different challenges he now faces with grass weeds We take a look into the Harvest Weed Seed Control project and how Keith has found his involvement throughout. Make sure to give this episode a listen and let us know your thoughts below:

Join us and special guest Becci Berry of Brimstone Farms in this exciting episode of The BOFIN Buzz. We take a look at some of the slug projects that Becci is involved in along with some focusing on the soil beneath us. Becci opens up about how she ended up becoming a farmer and some exciting announcements are made about upcoming projects. Let us know your thoughts below!

Join us in the latest episode of The BOFIN Buzz where we are joined by John McArthur of McArthur Agriculture. This episode focuses on McArthur's involvement as a project partner within The NCS Project. John's role within the project focuses on encouraging farmers to include more pulses into livestock rations. By doing this, we can reduce the amount of soy meal imported along with reducing carbon emissions. This project has some bold aims but just the team to get it done! Let us know your thoughts in the Q&A box below:

Join us for another special episode of The BOFIN Buzz where we are joined by none other than Tim Parton. This episode is all about understanding soil health and the impact that this can have on the rest of your farm activities. Through various means such as the Green Farm Collective and his own involvement with BOFIN projects, Tim has been on quite the soil journey! Make sure to give this episode a listen and let us know your thoughts below:

During this episode, we are joined by Michael Carpenter representing NCS project partner Kelvin Cave. We take a look at the £5.9 million DEFRA-funded NCS project and discuss some of the challenges facing farmers looking to include more peas and beans in livestock rations. Let us know what challenges you have faced in the Q&A section below!

Well, welcome to a very special bonus episode. This week you could hear BOFIN founder Tom Allen-Stevens on BBC Radio Somerset discussing the SLIMERS project and calling on the public to get involved with our slug research as Slug Scouts. If you want to get involved, make sure to get in touch by contacting [email protected] or visiting slimers.co.uk.

Listen in as we are are joined by Jake Freestone of Overbury Enterprises to celebrate National Farmers Day. We discuss what it means to be a farmer today and some of the struggles encountered along with some of the exciting projects you can be a part of as a forward-thinking farmer. Let us know what you think in the comments below.

In this week's episode we talk all things slugs as part of the Strategies Leading to Improved Management and Enhanced Resilience against Slugs (SLIMERS) project. Joined by Clive Blacker, director of Agrivation we took an in-depth look into how the project came to be, the protocol and Slug Sleuth involvement. Take a listen and visit our website (www.bofin.org.uk) to find out how you can be involved with the SLIMERS project.

For this exciting episode, we are joined by John Cussans and Will Smith from NIAB to discuss the Harvest Weed Seed Control project. There are some shocking results revealed along with some insightful tips and tricks for keeping those weed seeds away along with an in-depth look at the protocol and farmer involvement within the project.

Join us as we discuss Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) with Dr. Tom Thirkell to find out how he thinks this fungus could transform farming as we know it. We take a look at AMF in detail and release the latest results from the Soil Fungal Communities project.

Welcome to The BOFIN Buzz podcast! We are excited to embark on this journey of jaw-dropping wonder and innovation with you. Make sure to subscribe and follow along as we bring leading scientists and industry innovators to the podcast to discuss some of the great projects the British On-Farm Innovation Network are involved in and what farming's future looks like in the fourth agricultural revolution.