Going green: New facility to train environmentally friendly farmers
OPENING: Bishop Burton College Principal Bill Meredith outside the Institute of Technology (IoT)
A new facility to train future generations of farmers and help reduce the impact agriculture has on the environment was being officially launched at Bishop Burton College today.
The college was unveiling its innovative Institute of Technology (IoT), which will use the latest technology to develop higher level skills in precision agriculture.
The £1.5m ‘Centre for Precision Agriculture’ at the college’s campus near Beverley has been funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and includes classrooms, a workshop and specialist equipment.
It was being officially opened at a ceremony to coincide with Bishop Burton’s annual Stockmanship competition, in which agriculture and equine students experience what it is like to prepare for a large show.
The new facility has been hailed by college Principal and Chief Executive Bill Meredith as a significant development in its quest to train future farmers in modern techniques and play its part in the fight against the climate crisis.
It will enable the college to increase the skills and knowledge of its higher education agriculture students before they enter the industry, as well upskilling the current workforce through adult training.
Mr Meredith said: “We now have a fully equipped, modern facility to really push the boundaries of precision farming and farming efficiency, whilst at the same time having a positive impact on the environment.
INNOVATION: Bill Meredith showcasing the new equipment at the Centre for Precision Agriculture
“We’ve completely revamped our higher education programmes and the individual modules they comprise of.
“Our existing provision has been developed to include precision agriculture and we’re also now developing modules that we can specifically take out to industry.
“So, we’re not just about improving the skill levels of new entrants, we’re also playing a role in making the industry more resilient and sustainable during these times of change by supporting the existing workforce.”
The IoT will have a specific focus on arable farming. Facilities include a new GPS-equipped tractor with specialist application capabilities, including for the distribution of seed, fertiliser, and chemical sprays.
It means application rates can be changed in real time, increasing efficiency of distribution to lessen CO2 emissions.
Mr Meredith said such techniques are crucial to the college’s aim of becoming an industry leader in the delivery of green farming education.
“We’ve set a very challenging target for our college farm to be carbon net zero by 2030, which is 10 years ahead of the NFU’s national target,” he said.
SPECIALIST: Agriculture students at Bishop Burton College will learn modern farming techniques
“We’re adopting systems that are contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gases, therefore reducing global warming, and want to be a showcase for what can be achieved in the industry.
“Agriculture is often highlighted as a contributor to global warming, but we see it as very much part of the solution.
“The more efficiently you can produce crops and livestock, the lower the carbon footprint will be.”
Mr Meredith said the technology for precision farming has existed for some time, but the higher level knowledge to successfully operate the equipment has been missing.
“The application of precision farming techniques on farms has been quite limited because of a lack of skills on the part of the operators,” he said.
“Operators also need to be able to interpret the vast amounts of data generated by this technology, as everything can now be digitally measured and monitored. It’s about knowing what to do with all that information for the maximum benefit.
“These are the gaps we’ll be filling through the opening of the IoT and our enhanced provision.”