16 June 2021 : AFCP Forum on Management of oilseed rape diseases and pests

 The AFCP and the University of Hertfordshire are pleased to announce that this event will take place on 16 June 2021.

This will feature work funded by charities and others and provide an opportunity to learn about current developments in disease and pest management. 

In order to deliver this conference, the University of Hertfordshire is legally obligated to follow the latest government guidance around COVID safety and cannot currently plan for public events prior to 21st June. Options are being considered for online or hybrid delivery (a small in-person group of delegates but streamed to a virtual audience); when you register your interest in attending this event, please also indicate your preference regarding virtual or actual attendance.

See programme and registration; registration for this event is now open.

If you would like to present a poster, please also send the title to Graham Jellis.

   Future AFCP Events: National Forum and Student Forum 

The AFCP National Forum - Growing: Young Minds and New Ideas' is planned for 15 November 2021 and will take place at Hartpury University and Hartpury College, Gloucester; further information will be available shortly.

The 2021 AFCP Student Forum was scheduled to take place at Cranfield University in July 2021, but unfortunately the university are not able to hold indoor events of this size until later in the year. We now expect that this event will be postponed to Spring 2022, and will publish details once known.

New Morley Agricultural Foundation Studentship Programme

MAF has recently commenced a new studentship scheme. Working with NIAB and Cambridge University, the aim is to fully fund one PhD student each year, leading to a rolling cohort of four, fully-funded, farmer-led, research studentships over a four-year PhD training cycle. The hope is that the students will be able to support each other and form a strong relationship with TMAF into the future. The first student, Harvey Armstorng will study  the effects of legume rotations on soil microbial populations. See https://tmaf.co.uk/first-tmaf-phd-student-starts-his-research/ for more details.

40th Anniversary Harper Adams MSc studentship.
In honour of Harper Adams' 40^th anniversary, the BSPP (British Society for Soil Pathology) will fund – in full – a student to study the MSc in Plant Pathology at Harper Adams University, starting in September 2021. The award will cover all course fees and includes a generous stipend for living expenses, pegged to the level set by the UKRI for first year PhD students. We expect and hope there will be significant competition for this studentship. The closing date for applications is 30th June 2021 (see https://www.bspp.org.uk/funds/bspp-40th-anniversary-harper-adams-msc-in-plant-pathology-studentship/). Applications should be made direct to Harper Adams University. 

AFCP AGM was held on Tuesday November 17th 2020 ; see Zoom recording of the meeting and minutes. Agenda and supporting papers, including Annual Report and Accounts, are available here.

AFCP/AHDB project reports and Zoom meeting recordings

Early in October AFCP held two Zoom meetings focusing on two of the AFCP/AHDB projects:

Soil Health and Dairy/Beef Health projects-further details and links to the presentations.

Further updates of their research which can be accessed through the links below:

• Soil health: (University of Cambridge) and a You Tube introduction to this topic available here
   
• Dairy/Beef health: (University of Nottingham)
   
• Oilseed rape pest control: (Harper Adams University) Poster Update - December 2020

 East of England Agricultural Society has recently held a series of Zoom talks on:

• Environmental Land Management: A New Opportunity
• The Diversification Dilemna: What? When? How?
• Fields for the Future: A Blueprint for Carbon Friendly Farming
• Does Cover Cropping for in my Farming Business?

All are available as Zoom recordings

AFCP Newsletters

Read our most recent Newsletter and archived items are also available. To sign up for AFCP newsletter, please contact [email protected].