“The Devil’s still in the detail. Health, beauty and permanence - the values as set out by Gove - are worthy ideals for our future. But how farmers are actually going to deliver - and be measured on delivering -  such public good is not," says Ben Scott-Robinson, co-founder, Small Robot Company.

Overwhelming uncertainty: it’s not business as usual, it’s business in turmoil

“Early findings from our farmer consultations post-OFC have revealed uncertainty post-Brexit as an overwhelming concern. Farmers are unable to carry out their usual long-term planning. Farmers are reluctant to make their usual big machinery investments. It’s not business as usual: it’s business in turmoil.”

“For a lifetime, most farmers have relied on subsidy as their ‘profit’. Gove talks about a phased transition period, but in real terms, the window is precipitously brief. And the required changes to both farming practices and farming business model are dramatic, far-reaching and all-encompassing.”

“Gove needs to address this promptly, and we call for precision and clarity in the forthcoming Consultation Paper. Yes, farmers need to be very much involved here; but so does industry. It’s not enough to speak just to scientists about what can be achieved. They’re not close enough to the real-world delivery.”

Permaculture at scale, with per-plant flexibility

"With agritech robotics, farmers can address these challenges, and move to a sustainable, profitable and productive future. Rich soil, clean rivers and wildlife habitats are again emphasised by Gove as ‘vital public services’. Robotics has demonstrable environmental benefits here; most notably it can cut chemical usage by as much as 95%. We’ll be conducting commercial field trials this year which will provide further evidence on reductions in run-off and water pollution.”

“We also envisage robotics and AI helping to establish consumer trust over issues such as traceability and provenance.”

“But the granularity and precision enabled by digitisation has much greater potential than even Gove has envisaged. We can move away from the rigidity of current farm management. Instead of building systems around machinery, we can build them around the individual plants, the specific ‘terroir’, and the farm. We can achieve permaculture at scale. Ultimately it’s about the digital transformation of farming.”

A commitment to science, and to Britain

“Naturally, we welcome Gove’s commitment to government investment in new technology and scientific research. Agritech robotics has yet to move from field trial to field, but with backing there’s time for it to be available at scale commercially by the time subsidies transition in 2022.”

Achieving Gove’s vision: by farmers, for farmers

“As we work to develop our services for future farming, and helping farmers to achieve Gove’s vision, we’re looking to hold extensive consultations with farmers. Robotic technology is coming; but we believe it must be by farmers, for farmers, and not an imposition. All who are interested in being involved can contact us directly, or take part in our industry survey here.”