FARMERS from across the South West gathered at Wiltshire College & University Centre recently for a day of practical demonstrations, expert talks and hands-on learning focused on climate-smart, sustainable farming.

The event – Farming Forward: Innovation in Action – was part of the national Farm of the Future initiative, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and delivered by Innovation for Agriculture on behalf of the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE).

Hosted at the Lackham campus, the event gave farmers and college lecturers the opportunity to explore how improving soil health and adopting nature-based practices can help reduce emissions, increase biodiversity and strengthen on-farm resilience.

WCUC is proud to support events like these, bringing together industry, farmers and lecturers to exchange ideas and drive innovation in UK agriculture.

Deborah Crossan, Head of Soils and Natural Resources at Innovation for Agriculture, said: “The aim is to help farmers make simple, small changes that really make a difference for climate change. In this session at Lackham, we dug into soil health to show how small shifts can boost yields, lock up carbon and cut emissions.”

The day featured:

• A keynote from entomologist Sally-Ann Spence on the role of insects in regenerating soils
• Soil demonstrations from Deborah Crossan and other members of Innovation for Agriculture
• A session on skills and workforce development with Tess Howe from The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH)
• A tour of the Robot Dairy Unit and Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Plant with Philip Steans, Farm Manager at Lackham

The Robot Dairy Unit at Lackham is part of a 140-cow commercial dairy equipped with advanced robotic milking technology, real-time monitoring and sustainable features. It prepared students for career in modern dairy management while offering a working model of innovation in action. Learn more about the Robot Dairy Unit.

“It was a very informative day,” said Phillip Steans. “We learned a lot about dung beetles and soil biology. The talks around careers and how farmers can collaborate with the college were particularly values and the demonstrations and tours were a real highlight.”

Events in the Farm of the Future series are free to attend for farmers and provide a space to see practical solutions in action.

For further information on upcoming Farm of the Future events, click here.