A top-notch lineup of almost 25 speakers will be available for the new, free-to-attend field demonstration and exhibition, Potato Days UK, featuring panel discussions and speeches.

Held on September 4 and 5, at Nocton in Lincolnshire, the heart of the UK Food Valley, the event is hosted by Dyson Farming. It will provide networking opportunities and knowledge exchange in addition to showcasing machinery demonstrations, research plots, and indoor and outdoor exhibits from nearly 100 companies. Visitors from across the entire potato production value chain are welcome to attend.

Former DEFRA Minister, George Eustice, who farms in Cornwall and now acts as advisor for Emerald Research, will join speakers from across the potato industry in a session on policy and practice. The program session also includes Grace O’Dwyer, HSBC, James Young, McCain, and Debbie Winstanley, CUPGRA, who will debate the effect of policy on future practice and how this can contribute to sustainability and efficiency. Mark Taylor, influential industry leader and Chair of GB Potatoes will lead the discussion.

Held on the dedicated “DLG Expert stage” over the two days, other themed sessions cover 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 speakers.

“Potato Days UK is a comprehensive – one-stop – deep dive into the latest innovation and research in this essential sector. Our program of talks and panels offers visitors the opportunity to hear from industry leaders and experts as well as contribute to discussions on the major issues facing potato production in the future. Importantly, the event gives visitors the chance to network with their peers and make new connections,” Greg Smith, representative for UK & Ireland, DLG (German Agricultural Society), the creator and organizer of Potato Days UK, mentioned.

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.

“This sentiment runs through all that we do and includes promoting science, research, education, and international cooperation. Our program at Potato Days UK – made by farmers, for farmers – reflects this core value,” Smith added.

DLG’s professional program has been put together by experts from the UK Food Valley, GB Potatoes, the University of Lincoln, and Dyson Farming Research.

Taking the partner lead, Effie Warwick-John of UK Food Valley, said “The potato sector is a vital part of our region’s agriculture and makes a significant contribution to the economy. We are at the epicenter of potato growing in the UK with many top farmers and growers, processors, machinery, and equipment manufacturers close by. Potato Days UK is an exciting opportunity to bring the industry together, in the ideal setting of Nocton farm, to learn and share knowledge.”

Held on 20 hectares, Potato Days UK is organized by the DLG together with event partners Dyson Farming, GB Potatoes, the British umbrella organization for the potato industry, AVR, Dewulf, GRIMME UK, McCain, the University of Lincoln and UK Food Valley, the network for innovation in the food industry.

Taking place on both event days, live harvesting demonstrations are performed by machines from AVR, Dewulf, Grimme, and Standen. Crop handling and loading will be demonstrated by AVR, Dewulf, Downs, and Grimme.

A select group of exhibitors has planted trial plots that feature new technologies in weed reduction, crop protection, inputs, different varieties, and innovative irrigation systems. The crop trials offer visitors the opportunity to inspect crop and agronomy methods in detail.

The Nocton Farm venue is owned by Dyson Farming, an innovative farm company in the UK.

Interested potato cultivation professionals can visit Potato Days UK free of charge by registering in advance.

The DLG, as part of its non-profit objective of offering local know-how to farmers, has been organizing several successful trade fairs for the potato industry. DLG is the organizer of PotatoEurope in the Netherlands and Germany, the international potato industry field exhibition. PotatoEurope takes place annually, cycling between four countries, Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. The event covers potato cultivation and processing, including trial fields and machinery demonstrations.