The new Potato Days UK, which will offer a comprehensive two-day program of exhibition, trial plots, professional program, and live machinery demonstrations, will launch on Wednesday, September 4, at Nocton, Lincolnshire.

On September 4 and 5, admission is free for visitors who register in advance. This field demo event, organized by DLG (German Agricultural Society) for Agritechnica, is aimed at providing UK and Irish potato growers with a comprehensive overview of workable solutions. Dyson Farming, the event’s host, is among the partners supporting the initiative.

Every guest must register for their complimentary ticket on the event website and submit their scanned digital ticket at the door.

Nearly 100 exhibitors will be showcasing solutions for potato growers in both indoor and outdoor exhibits, along with machinery demonstrations. These solutions will encompass novel agronomy and practices in trial plots, as well as the most recent developments in crop nutrition, fertilizer management, harvesting, and storage.

In addition, the professional program of the event features speeches and panel discussions curated by industry, farming, and research specialists.

Dyson Farming’s Nocton Estate will showcase harvesting, cleaning, mechanical weeding, and loading machinery on both expo days.

“Potato Days UK is a field event through and through. We were asked by potato growers who have been supporting our event to include machinery demonstrations as a top priority. 12 hectares have been dedicated to the harvesting handling and loading demonstrations which will be working the soil. The potatoes have been in the ground since mid-May and the crop yield and quality is looking good,” Event Director, Greg Smith, a representative for UK & Ireland, DLG (German Agricultural Society), mentioned.

Live Machinery Demonstrations

The machinery demonstrations on the crop that has been particularly grown for the occasion will feature the following firms. Visitors will be able to observe up close how to remove potatoes from the ground quickly and carefully, causing the least amount of harm and maintaining crop quality, and how to load the potatoes into trailers for the loading lines.

Mechanical weed control:
Einböck Aerostar Fusion (6m) – tined weeder – presented by Terrington Machinery

Potato harvesters:
AVR Puma 4.0 (4-row self-propelled with bunker)
Dewulf Kwatro Extreme (4-row self-propelled with bunker)
Dewulf Enduro (4-row self-propelled with a bunker)
Grimme Varitron 470 (4-row self-propelled with bunker)
Grimme Select 200 (2-row trailed without bunker – constant overloading)
Standen T2XS (2-row trailed without bunker – constant overloading)

Cleaning/Loading:
AVR Falcon 24-45 + Python 80-18 T + Cobra 80-19
Dewulf MH 242 Scotts Evolution + ML 1980
Downs TFLAR_1 – 240 Field loader – TFL240 PC SE S8 IT CTL13X1000
Grimme CleanLoader

All demonstrations are supported by tractors provided by leading John Deere dealer, Ben Burgess, with trailers from Bailey. Additionally, tractors from Claas and trailers from Richard Weston will be in operation on the site.

Potato Growers Expected in the Field

In addition to witnessing harvesting and loading machinery in action, many potato producers and professionals from the UK are anticipated to attend the two event days. They hope to network with other experts in the field plots and exhibitor stands throughout the value chain.

About 60 exhibitors from various sectors are housed in the specially designed marquee, and the show field offers the opportunity to view larger static machinery and equipment displays and have conversations with several manufacturers, suppliers, and support groups to develop business relationships that advance farming operations.

Large-scale potato grower James Harrison of EG Harrison & Co Ltd, Norfolk is planning to attend the show.

“It’s so good to bring the potato industry together on a working demonstration site where farmers and growers can see the latest technology firsthand. And it’s a great way to look at the current options available to deliver potatoes to their chosen markets and engage with the industry,” Harrison mentioned.

“I’m interested in learning from the talks and discussions. Knowledge exchange is vital and even if you take away one thing and use it, there’s a benefit. You learn so much from the questions and discussions, too. It’s all about marginal gains to reach your goals. Supporting this event is so important for potato farmers and growers – if you don’t attend it won’t be there in the future! If you’re in the industry you should be looking into the future – to ‘next generation’ potato growing. Potato Days UK offers us that opportunity,” Ormskirk-based potato farmer, Andrew Webster, said, adding that he is particularly keen to come to the event.

Professional Program

In talks, interactive discussions, and panels experts and growers will debate the policy on sustainability and efficiency, machinery, automation and AI, the impact of net-zero, and the effect of climate change on potato growing. Leading academics, potato growers and processors as well as advisors are among the 25 speakers.

Crop Trials

Several exhibitors have planted trial plots that feature new technologies in weed reduction, crop protection, inputs, different varieties, and innovative irrigation systems. The crop trials enable visitors to inspect crop and agronomy methods while discussing the field results.

Event partners include Dyson Farming; industry organization, GB Potatoes; AVR; Dewulf; GRIMME UK; McCain; the University of Lincoln; and UK Food Valley, the regional network for innovation in the food industry.

Nocton Farm is owned by Dyson Farming, one of the largest and most innovative farming companies in the UK.

Dedicated to furthering progress in agriculture, the DLG is an international, non-profit society that offers practical platforms – like Potato Days UK – for farming professionals to promote efficient decisions for their farms. The DLG is the organizer of several successful trade fairs for the potato industry in Germany, the Netherlands, and Turkey.