The UK Agri-Tech Centre’s Farm Network is a unique research capability, existing to act as a nationwide research platform.
The Farm Network model was conceived to bridge the gap between pure research and practical application by providing a platform for research projects to be tested in real-world commercial farm environments, rather than traditional research settings. This approach ensures that developing technologies are evaluated under real farming conditions, making the findings more relevant and applicable to end-users.
In addition to this core objective, is the requirement for a way to collect and analyse data at the individual unit-of-production level. This capability enables the measurement and management of performance variations across different farming systems, ultimately improving efficiency and productivity.
Key Functions of the Farm Network
The Farm Network operates through three primary functions:
- Horizon Scanning and Research & Development – Monitoring emerging trends and advancing agricultural innovation.
- Project Identification and Implementation – Selecting and executing new projects that drive progress in the sector.
- Technology Deployment and Trials – Testing and validating farm technologies in real-world conditions, facilitating farmer-led co-development.
The overarching goal of these research projects and technology evaluations, supported by validated data, is to:
- Enhance uniformity and overall food quality.
- Minimize waste, including unsalable products and inefficient input use (fertilizer, seed, water, etc.).
- Identify inefficiencies at every stage of production and guide Ag-tech companies in refining their technologies based on actual use case insights.
These activities support data collection, integration, and analysis, providing validated baseline data to benchmark research outcomes. This enables informed on-farm decision-making and helps identify key challenges affecting agricultural productivity in the UK. Additionally, the Farm Network fosters knowledge exchange across the agricultural production and supply chains.
Impact and Reach
Since its inception in 2016, the Farm Network has played a vital role in supporting collaborative research and development (CR&D) projects. Over the years, it has contributed to the completion of more than 40 CR&D projects, with several more currently ongoing. The network has also provided valuable insights to manufacturers and suppliers, leading to the refinement and improvement of numerous agri-tech solutions.
Currently, the network comprises of 25 farms across the UK, covering a diverse range of sectors including arable farming, livestock, viticulture, organic farming, and mixed farming. Among these, two of the UK Agri-Tech Centre’s flagship facilities, the Southwest Dairy Development Centre (SWDDC), The Marine Aquaculture Innovation Centre (MAIC), are integral parts of the network. In collaboration with the network farms, UK Agri-Tech Centre works with various partners across several sectors, including Dairy, Beef, Sheep, Free Range Layers, Deer, Pigs, both Conventional and Organic Arable, Horitculture, Vineyard, Soft Fruits and Anaerobic digestion (AD).
The UK Agri-Tech Centre has made strategic investments to improve the UK’s capacity for research and innovation across the arable and horticultural sectors. We provide an ecosystem that delivers whole supply chain, science-based solutions at scale, connecting an outstanding breadth of expertise and facilities to accelerate innovation for industry, and provide evidence for policy needed in the UK and beyond.
