The Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) brought together researchers, engineers, technology developers and farmers for its 2026 Landwards Conference, ‘Automation in Agriculture: From Innovation to Impact’, held at Harper Adams University on Wednesday 21st October.
Victoria Bywater, Director of the Society of Agriculture, attended the IAgrE event representing the Society, hearing how agricultural automation is progressing from research and development into commercial application and practical use on farm.
The programme examined the opportunities and challenges across that journey, combining technical presentations with commercial case studies and farmers’ experiences of adopting new machinery. It provided an opportunity to consider how innovation can translate into dependable equipment, effective working practices and measurable value for agricultural businesses.