Taking place on 22 February at Westpoint Arena Exeter, the West Country Farming & Machinery Show is a new FREE farming show for the South West.

Throughout the day there will be a number of seminars from a variety of speakers, all experts in their field, who will discuss some of the most important topics in the agricultural sector.

Now, those speakers have been announced and you can find out who they are right here, along with a detailed description and timing of the seminars…

10:30: Road rules and red diesel: Sponsored by Mitchell and Webber

National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) and HMRC Q&A session providing attendees with the opportunity to clarify the situation regarding agricultural vehicles on the road and new red diesel rules. It’s hoped to also include a police representative to talk about the use of red diesel in farm and contracting situations, as well as road safety.

Speakers

Chair

Jill Hewitt, NAAC

Speakers

  • HMRC representatives
  • Mitchell and Webber: Supplying the fuels of the future

11:30 Alternatives to artificial fertiliser: Sponsored by Edwards Agricultural Supplies | Soil Advisory UK

A look at the products currently available to farmers and what’s coming in the future with speakers from independent research organisations, water companies and commercial outlets producing fertiliser from sewage and other water streams.

Speakers

Chair

Tim Stephens, Wessex Water

Speakers

  • Dr Marie Kirby, Harper Adams – Making better use of livestock slurries and manures – what the future holds
  • Pawel Kisielewski, CCm Technologies – fertilisers made with captured carbon dioxide and biological waste materials
  • Edwards Soil Advisory: The science behind seaweed fertiliser and how best to assess correct application rates

13.00: On-farm energy production: Sponsored by Belltown Power

A look at the new technologies coming on stream for electricity production and storage. Solar and diesel generators costed alongside grid-sourced power. Battery storage options. Possible speakers to include an energy broker and representatives from suppliers of this new tech.

Speakers

Chair

Nick Fone

Speakers

  • Stuart Bradshaw, Push Flex – new technology to make battery storage viable – making solar pay
  • Guy Gillmore, The Good Heat Company – jargon busting – what to look at when considering a new solar installation
  • Belltown Power: Explaining the process necessary to get planning for ground-based solar 

14:00 Alternative fuels for farm machinery: Sponsored by Gavin Dixon

Presentations on the viability of new sources of energy with the potential to power agricultural equipment including methane, hydrogen and possibly battery/electric. Speakers from some of the firms developing the technology as well as farmers with first-hand experience of running machines using alternative energy sources.

Speakers

Chair

Nick Fone

Speakers
  • Dr Chris Mann, Bennamann – capturing fugitive methane from livestock slurries
  • Kate and Kevin Hoare – farmer experience of running a New Holland tractor on methane produced on-farm

Speaker Biographies

Pawel Kisielewski

Pawel Kisielewski co-founded and has been the CEO for the last six years of CCm Technologies, an award-winning climate change and Ag-tech company. CCm has been part of the Sustainable Markets Initiative since its foundation in 2021 by the former HRH Prince of Wales. With over 25 years investment banking experience in capital raising in the institutional, public and early-stage private markets, Pawel ran Global Technology Equity Sales at Merrill Lynch and was head of Credit Suisse First Boston’s and Deutsche Bank’s London-based Pan-European Equity Sales. At the start of his career, Pawel served with H.M. Forces for six years in Germany, Cyprus and the UK.

Pawel Kisielewski will be speaking at the ‘Alternatives to artificial fertiliser’ seminar at 11.30am

Kevin and Katie Hoare

Kevin and Katie Hoare are dairy farmers in south east Cornwall renting 134acres from Cornwall county council and supplying milk to Arla. For the last year they’ve been operating a methane-fuelled New Holland tractor with gas produced on farm from slurry using the Bennamann system.

Kevin and Katie Hoare will be speaking at the ‘Alternative fuels for farm machinery’ at 2pm.

Guy Gillmore

In 2009 Guy Gillmore set up The Good Heat Company with a colleague. Initially the firm concentrated on solar thermal (aka solar hot water) installations.  Since then the business has expanded into solar PV, heat pumps, biomass boilers (log and wood pellet) but now the main focus is on consultancy work. Guy grew up on a small beef farm and studied engineering at university before returning to the farm. With the outbreak of foot and mouth he started working on construction sites, leading on to train as a plumber hence the initial focus on solar hot water. 

Guy Gillmore will be speaking at the ‘On-farm energy production’ at 1pm.

Tickets for The West Country Farming & Machinery Show are FREE. You can register on the day but why not save time and book today by clicking here.