Early bird tickets for Cereals 2023 are now on sale, with 50% of the proceeds going to the Multiple System Atrophy Trust, a cause close to the host farmer’s heart.

The two-day event is being held at a new site this year -  Thoresby Estate in Nottinghamshire – on 13-14 June. The 4,860ha estate has been in the Pierrepont family since the 1590s – and the current incumbent, Gregor Pierrepont, had no hesitation in choosing the charity.

"It's very close to our hearts as it was set up by my aunt Sarah, who was afflicted by this very rare disease," he explains. The Trust provides specialist nurses and research to support people living with the disease, and Cereals will host a special fundraiser at Sarah's Wood on 13 June.

As ever, Cereals will showcase the latest developments in arable agronomy, machinery, technology and business advice. Exhibitor numbers are already 30% up, year-on-year, and the event will include four new features, says event manager, Alli McEntyre.

These are an Energy and Biomass Hub; hosting seminars on how to navigate rising energy costs, the AgAnalyst Academy; which will explore how to get the most from precision agriculture, the Cereals Stories Stage; featuring guest farmers talking about how social media has changed their business, and the Bednar Arrive and Ride experience; this will give visitors the chance to ride alongside a selection of Bednar's towed implements to see them up close and in action. And if that isn't the preferred horsepower, back by popular demand is the Isuzu Off-road Driving Experience.

Of course, crop plots remain at the heart of the event, and this year will see five new crop plots as well as the returning wheat and winter barley feature. Curated by Ceres Rural, the feature will allow farmers to see a selection of leading Recommended List (RL) varieties side-by-side.

Visitors will once again be able to get a worm-eye view in the NIAB Soil Hole; giving a unique insight into cultivation effects and crop growth below ground. Also focusing on matters underground will be the NAAC Drainage Hub, featuring lively, informative seminars and offering an opportunity to meet exhibitors from this important sector.

Back above ground and all the big names will be demonstrating in the sold-out Syngenta Sprays and Sprayers Arena and expanded Drill Demos. But that's not all the demos the event has to offer; visitors will be able to check out Garford's mechanical weeding demonstrations, as well as working demos by Bednar, Case, IH, Hardi, and New Holland. There will also be expanded Robotics and Automation Demos including the autonomous field robot Agbot by AgXeed.

And the popular seminar programme will take place at the Cereals Mainstage, covering key topics including agricultural policy, net zero, regenerative agriculture and the latest technology and innovation. 

"Cereals is set to host an impressive 400 exhibitors with 115+ new bookings," says Ms McEntyre. "These include machinery specialists Weaving Machinery, Alpego, Vogelsang, and Bednar, as well as seed breeders RAGT, crop protection specialist Berthoud, and agri-business consultants Brown & Co.

"Cereals is a key event in the arable calendar, evidenced by the 30% increase in bookings. It brings together people from across the industry to share specialist knowledge, innovation, and a determination to tackle the key challenges which farmers are facing."

• Early bird tickets are £10 each until 13 April 2023. Thereafter, online tickets will be £15 each until 12 June 2023. To register for tickets and find out more about the event visit www.cerealsevent.co.uk
• Tickets purchased on the gate will be £20 each.