This week Ray and Kit snapped up the opportunity to chew the cud with Belinda Clarke OBE Director at Agri -TechE. Belinda shared how her early career in Natural sciences and science liaison took her on to build Agri-TechE as a membership organisation from the ground up. 12 years after starting Agri-TechE, Belinda shares some of the lessons she has learned, what the future holds for Agri-TechE and the agtech sector as a whole.

The trio also try to answer one of life's big questions…”What is even is Agritech?”

Where have they been? The pair catch up after a short hiatus and share the exciting work that has been keeping them so busy. The co-hosts also take a few minutes to catch up on some recent government funding updates for the agriculture and agtech sector as well talk about some cool tech in the construction sector and the parallels that it has for farming automation.

WARNING: this episode contains the distilled value and wisdom from an agtech pioneer…do not miss this one.

This week Ray and Kit have bagged an exclusive interview with Chris Chavasse, CEO of company Muddy Machines. Chris shares his personal journey and how he founded a UK based pioneering horticultural robotics company. Chris shares some of the trials and tribulations of running an agtech start-up and the way Muddy Machines has evolved, both its products and business model to deliver value to farmers in ever changing economic conditions. Chris explains the strategy behind the acquisition of Fox Robotics in 2024, how having this intellectual property has opened up new opportunities for Muddy Machines and importantly how their current Crowdfunding campaign will help Muddy machines to unlock the full value of the robotic technology for hundreds of new customers.

#autonomy #robtics #agtech #horticulture #farming #agricultural engineering #startup #UKstartup #crowdfunding

Muddy Machines: https://www.muddymachines.com/

A jam packed episode this week. Kit Franklin takes us on a trip down memory lane with his musings on the evolution of farming in the 1930s. Ray talks about some good news in the UK Agtech funding scene with Crowdfunding announcements from Muddy Machines and Foamstream and their current funding rounds on Crowdcube. We discuss a viral Tesla crash video and the implications it could have in agtech automation and sensor fusion. We discuss the sad demise of FarmWise in the USA and what it could tell us about start-ups in Agtech and what the future could hold for new innovations.

We welcome the new CEO of Innovate UK and discuss our thoughts about what Innovate UK has done to support Agriculture and Agtech in recent years.

Finally we discuss getmeloose.com, a new service starting April 1st from AgXeed…

Farming in the 1930s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcyzAIkMwrg

Tesla vs fake wall: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/U1MigIJXJx8

AgXeed jolly japes: www.getmeloose.com

Foamstream: https://www.weedingtech.com/foamstream/

Muddy Machines: https://www.muddymachines.com/

Chewing the cud with Greg Stewart and Devin Kirk of Geco Strategic Weed Management. This week Kit and Ray get the opportunity to talk to Greg and Devin from Canadian based Geco Strategic weed management about their predictive weed management tool. Devin and Greg share their backgrounds and how they found themselves building a start-up in the weed management space. The pair also share more about the underlying technology, the business case, go to market strategy and what sets Geco apart from other precision ag companies and products. Greg and Devin also share their feelings about market and investor sentiment for agtech and the key to start-up success in challenging times. This is a must listen for anyone interested in the future of weed management, crop protection and some exciting applications for Big data.

Geco website: https://geco-ag.com/

Youtube: Predictive Weed Control - https://youtu.be/ZA4NQV8vVng

Email: [email protected]

In this News feed episode, Ray and Kit dive into the latest in agricultural engineering and technology news. They reflect on an inspiring talk from industry veteran Paul Baskerville, exploring how past global careers in ag engineering might be mirrored in the rise of AgTech today.

Also on the docket:

🔧 Latest development with John Deere's Right to Repair – Is it a win for farmers or just another revenue stream?

🤖 AgroIntelli x Kubota x Autonomous Agri Solutions – The robotic farming revolution gains a powerful ally and maintains a strong foothold in the UK.

🌱 UK Ag Policy Shake-Up – The sudden cut to the Sustainable Farming Incentive and what it means for farmers and the industries that support agriculture.

📡 5G & Ag Robotics – Ireland’s push for better connectivity in autonomous farming.

Join the conversation and stay ahead in the world of ag innovation! 🌾🎧

https://www.fwi.co.uk/machinery/farm-maintenance/machinery-maintenance/john-deere-makes-it-easier-for-owners-to-repair-tractors

https://www.itarra.com/

https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2025/03/12/update-on-the-farming-budget/

In this episode hosts Ray and Kit, dig deep into the world of agricultural robotics in 2025. Did Kit’s predictions from a decade ago about farm robots come true, or was he just talking rubbish? From hands-free farming to the reality of autonomous machines in fields, the hosts debate whether robotics have truly revolutionized agriculture—or if we're still waiting for the future to arrive. Buckle up for a lively discussion filled with insights, bold claims, and maybe even a touch of friendly rivalry!

Tune in now and decide for yourself! 🎧🔥

[email protected]

https://waymo.com/

Hands Free Hectare Strip cropping: https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/news/211222/watch-robot-harvest-investigates-how-autonomy-can-harness-strip-cropping-benefits#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20Hands%20Free%20Hectare%20started,%2C%20spray%2C%20harvest%20these%20strips.

In this week's episode the pair hear from Matt Ryan, Chief Commercial Officer at Oxbury Bank. Matt shares his background and experiences of agriculture in New Zealand offering a fascinating glimpse into the changing economic landscape that faced New Zealand’s farmers in a post subsidy world. Matt also shares his journey through the agricultural banking sector in New Zealand and explains how he now finds himself as CCO at the UK's only dedicated agricultural bank. Ray and Kit learn more about Oxbury bank and how this new banking business is embracing technology to help its customers with carbon auditing as well as the role that Oxbury is playing in as a provider of vital capital to farmers for investment in new tech as well as supporting technology providers directly. This episode is not to be missed!

https://www.oxbury.com/

https://www.downforce.tech/

In this mid-February 2025 news update, Ray and Kit dive into the latest in farm innovation. They kick things off with a discussion about the R550 Spray Hawk bi-rotor, a retrofitted autonomous helicopter for spraying, and debate its hefty price tag and potential applications. Next, they explore JCB's new cabbed version of the 403 electric loading shovel and an articulated electric tractor with swappable batteries, highlighting the growing trend of electrification in agriculture. The hosts then delve into the Agco/Tafe conundrum, discussing recent deals with SDF and the complexities of the global agricultural manufacturing industry. Soil Essentials' sky spraying technology is also on the agenda, with insights into its AI system and customer-driven training capabilities. Plus, they share correspondence regarding manufacturer support for agricultural engineering apprenticeships. To wrap things up, they touch on John Deere tractors at the farm protests in Whitehall and Massey Ferguson's unconventional double-barrel baler.

Rotor Sprayhawk: https://rotor.ai/r550-sprayhawk

Certo Aerospace: https://www.certoaero.com/

JCB 403E ultra-compact: https://www.ivtinternational.com/news/agriculture/jcb-launches-403e-full-cab-ultra-compact-electric-loader.html

Traktorarvid: https://www.traktorarvid.se/

SDF Group press release: https://www.sdfgroup.com/en-us/news/agco_and_sdf_enter_new_partnership_to_strengthen_global_position_in_low_mid_horsepower_tractor_segment

Tafe Deutz Press release: https://www.deutz.com/en/news/press-releases/news-detail/deutz-inks-cooperation-with-tafe-indias-leading-agricultural-group/#:~:text=As%20the%20beginning%20of%20a,the%20Group%20across%20emission%20standards.

Farol Ltd (John Deere Dealership) LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/matthew-vellacott-b0859161_supportukfarming-activity-7295002363998720002-fVNN?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAuXFm8BV2A-sz6x5gQ_T8wx3M7sV5QYYuQ

Agco Double Small Square Baler press release: https://news.agcocorp.com/2025-02-11-Massey-Ferguson-Launches-Double-Small-Square-Baler

The second “bumper” episode from Kit’s recent trip to LAMMA show. This episode focuses on the latest thoughts, opinions and technology in the crop protection space. Ray and Kit hear from manufacturers such as Knight sprayers and Garford Farm Machinery as well as crop protection supplier Syngenta among others. The co-hosts also get into some of the details of how sprayer technology works and how to solve the problem of energy consumption for non-chemical weeding.

PWM spraying resource: https://sprayers101.com/pwm/