All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science & Technology in Agriculture

Details of group meetings
and other activities.

The Inaugural Meeting of the
All-Party Parliamentary Group
on Science & Technology in
Agriculture took place on
11 March 2008.

Forthcoming Meetings

Past Meetings
PM’s Task Force on Innovation, Growth and Regulatory Reform How can we use post-Brexit Regulatory Freedom to unleash UK Agri-Science Innovation? Brainstorm with George Freeman MP Monday 22 March 2021 via Zoom Contributors: British Growers Association, Hummingbird Technologies, NFU, Agricultural Industries Confederation, Crop Protection Association, NIAB, Global Farmer Network, SESvanderHave, Bayer Crop Science, Commercial Farmers Group, CHAP Chair: Julian Sturdy MP British Growers slides CHAP slides Hummingbird slides	Agenda
Annual General Meeting Tuesday 16 March 2021 via Zoom Julian Sturdy MP re-elected as Chair Earl of Lindsay, Lord Cameron of Dillington, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch and Rt Hon Robert Goodwill MP re-elected as Vice-Chairs Income and Expenditure statement approved Income and Expenditure statement	Agenda	Notes
Drones in precision agriculture Monday 22 February, 4.30 – 5.45pm Guest speakers: Viscount Ridley, House of Lords/Regulatory Horizons Council Hendrik zu Knyphausen, VP of Operations, Hummingbird Technologies Jonathan Gill, UAV Researcher, National Centre for Precision Farming, Harper Adams University Dr Shamal Mohammed, Chief Technology Officer, AGRI-EPI Centre Chair Julian Sturdy MP Guest speakers' slides	Agenda	Notes
USDA Agricultural Innovation Agenda – Ted A. McKinney Zoom meeting - Tuesday 20 October, 4.30 – 5.15pm Guest speaker: Ted A. McKinney, USDA Under-Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Chair: Julian Sturdy MP	Agenda	Notes
National Food Strategy – the role of science and innovation Zoom meeting, Wednesday 2 September, 5.00-5.45pm Guest speaker: Henry Dimbleby, National Food Strategy lead Chair Julian Sturdy MP	Agenda	Notes
Post-Brexit opportunities for better UK regulation of plant breeding innovation Zoom meeting - Tuesday 19 May 2020 Guest speakers: Karen Holt, Independent Regulatory Consultant Professor Jonathan Jones, Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Ian Munnery, General Manager, SESVanDerHave UK Dr Tina Barsby, Chief Executive, NIAB Chair Julian Sturdy MP Karen Holt presentation Jonathan Jones presentation Ian Munnery presentation Tina Barsby presentation	Agenda	Notes
Inaugural Meeting Tuesday 11 February 2020 Committee Room 11, Palace of Westminster Julian Sturdy MP re-elected as Chair Lord Haskins, Earl of Lindsay, Lord Cameron of Dillington and Baroness Jones of Whitchurch re-elected as Vice-Chairs Rt Hon Robert Goodwill elected as a new Vice-Chair	Agenda	Notes
Driving productivity growth in British agriculture Tuesday 2 July, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Sir Peter Kendall, Chair, AHDB Alex Waugh, Director General, nabim Dr Pete Berry, Head of Crop Physiology and Principal Scientist, ADAS Chair: Julian Sturdy MP Pete Berry presentation Alex Waugh presentation	Agenda	Notes
DEFRA chief scientist: the future for agricultural innovation Monday 29 April, Committee Room 8, Palace of Westminster Guest speaker: Professor Ian Boyd, Chief Scientific Adviser, DEFRA Chair: Julian Sturdy MP Ian Boyd presentation	Agenda	Notes
Extraordinary General Meeting Policy briefing: UK research shows hi-tech, intensive farming is the best way to feed the world sustainably Tuesday 19 March, Meeting Room Q, Portcullis House Guest speakers: Professor Andrew Balmford FRS, Professor of Conservation Science, University of Cambridge Professor Rhys Green, Honorary Professor of Conservation Science, University of Cambridge Viscount Ridley, House of Lords Chair: Julian Sturdy MP Andrew Balmford / Rhys Green presentation	Agenda	Notes
Soil health – the foundation for sustainable agriculture Tuesday 15 January, 5.00 – 6.30pm Committee Room 21, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Rebecca Pow MP, Champion - Sustainable Soils Alliance Jacqueline Hannam, Senior Research Fellow in Soil Science, Cranfield University Elizabeth Stockdale, Head of Farming Systems, NIAB Kate Pressland, Programme Lead, Innovative Farmers Dave Freeman, Policy Manager, Agricultural Industries Confederation Chair: Julian Sturdy MP Jacqueline Hannam presentation Elizabeth Stockdale presentation Kate Pressland presentation Dave Freeman presentation	Agenda	Notes
Annual General Meeting Defra vision for agricultural science and innovation Tuesday 30 October 2018 Committee Room 20, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Dr Belinda Clarke, Director, Agri-Tech East George Eustice MP, Minister of State, Defra Chair: Julian Sturdy MP	Agenda	Notes
Impact of Brexit on genetic innovation in the UK Wednesday 10 October, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Graham Brookes, PG Economics Professor Johnathan Napier, Rothamsted Research Dr Julian Little, Bayer Crop Science Chair: Earl of Selborne Graham Brookes presentation Johnathan Napier presentation Julian Little presentation	Agenda	Notes
Grassland science and innovation – the key to a Green Brexit? Tuesday 5 June, Palace of Westminster Keynote speakers: Cledwyn Thomas, The Stapledon Trust Deborah Roberts, James Hutton Institute Mariecia Fraser, Aberystwyth University Sinclair Mayne, AFBI Northern Ireland Chair: Julian Sturdy MP Cledwyn Thomas presentation Deborah Roberts presentation Mariecia Fraser presentation Sinclair Mayne presentation	Agenda	Notes
International development opportunities for UK agri-science Joint meeting with the APPG on Agriculture and Food for Development Wednesday 21 March 2018, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: George Freeman MP, Chairman, Conservative Policy Forum Jonathan Dupont, Economic and Social Policy Research Fellow, Policy Exchange Professor Steve McGrath, Rothamsted Research Duncan Barker, Livelihoods Adviser, Agriculture Research Team, DfID Joint chairs: Julian Sturdy MP Lord Cameron of Dillington Jonathan Dupont presentation Steve McGrath presentation Duncan Barker presentation	Agenda	Notes
Policy priorities for UK agri-science and innovation post-Brexit Wednesday 28 February 2018, Portcullis House Guest speakers: Tom Hind, Chief Strategy Officer, Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Dr Helen Ferrier, Chief Science and Regulatory Affairs Adviser, NFU Professor David Leaver, President, BIAC Chair: Julian Sturdy MP Tom Hind presentation	Agenda	Notes
2017 Youth Ag-Summit – encouraging fresh thinking and innovation in global agriculture Tuesday 28 November, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Alice Turnbull, Bayer Crop Science UK delegates to 2017 Youth Ag-Summit: - Luke Blomfield (UK); - Emily Davis (UK) - Luca Steele (UK) Chair: Julian Sturdy MP Guest speaker presentations	Agenda	Notes
Post-Brexit demand for innovation in the UK fresh produce sector Tuesday 12 September 2017 Committee Room 17, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Jack Ward, Chief Executive, British Growers Association Roger Carline, Commercial Director, NIAB Dr Ed Moorhouse, Fresh Produce Industry Consultant Sarah Blanford, Crop and Organic Manager, Sainsbury’s Jack Ward presentation Roger Carline presentation Ed Moorhouse presentation Sarah Blanford presentation	Agenda	Notes
Inaugural Meeting Tuesday 11 July 2017 Meeting Room Q, Portcullis House Julian Sturdy MP re-elected as Chair Earl of Selborne, Lord Haskins, Earl of Lindsay, Angela Smith MP re-elected as Vice-Chairs Lord Cameron of Dillington elected as a new Vice-Chair Income and Expenditure Statement 2016-17	Agenda	Notes
Joint Meeting with Brazil APPG Driving agricultural innovation: trade, research and sustainability – the Brazil perspective Tuesday 25 April 2017 Committee Room 21, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Pedro Luiz Oliveira de Almeida Machado, EMBRAPA Dr Andre Franceschini Sarria, Rothamsted Research Dr Simon Vaughan, Rothamsted Research Francisco Oliveira, former adviser to the Brazilian Environment Ministry Pedro Machado presentation Simon Vaughan / Andre Sarria presentation Francisco Oliveira presentation	Agenda	Notes
The Science Museum: plans for a new agriculture exhibit Tuesday 31 January 2017 Committee Room 20, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Ian Blatchford, Director, The Science Museum Alex Tyrrell, Head of Exhibitions, The Science Museum Mary Cavanagh, Content Developer, The Science Museum Science Museum Summary Paper	Agenda	Notes
Cultivating the Future: How can 20 years of GM debate inform UK farm policy? (Launch of new Essay Collection marking 20 years of global GM crop cultivation) Wednesday 14 December, Macmillan Room, Portcullis House Guest speakers: Mark Buckingham, Chair, Agricultural Biotechnology Council (abc) Professor Sir John Beddington, Senior Adviser, Oxford Martin School and former Government Chief Scientific Adviser Dr Helen Ferrier, Chief Science and Regulatory Affairs Adviser, NFU Professor Huw Jones, Chair in Translational Genomics for Plant Breeding, Aberystwyth University Graham Brookes, Agricultural Economist, PG Economics Ltd Cultivating the Future - Essay Collection Graham Brookes presentation	Agenda	Notes
Can UK agri-science help the State of Nature? Tuesday 22 November 2016 Committee Room 5, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Dr Mark Eaton, Principal Conservation Scientist, RSPB Richard Bramley, Farmer, NFU Environment Forum Dr Jonathan Storkey, Senior Research Scientist, Rothamsted Research Mark Eaton presentation Richard Bramley presentation Jonathan Storkey presentation	Agenda	Notes
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Harnessing the opportunities of New Breeding Techniques Tuesday 19 July 2016 Committee Room 21, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Professor Helen Sang, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh Dr Louise Ball, EU Crops and GM Policy Team, Defra Dr Penny Maplestone, Chief Executive, British Society of Plant Breeders Helen Munday, Head of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Food & Drink Federation Helen Sang presentation Penny Maplestone presentation Louise Ball presentation Helen Munday presentation	Agenda	Notes
Impact of the Precautionary Principle on EU Innovation Monday 6 June 2016 Committee Room 5, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Dr David Parsons, Institute for Environment, Health, Risks & Futures, Cranfield University Maurice Selg, Senior Vice President, Edelman Intelligence Mark Titterington, Head of Corporate Affairs EAME, Syngenta AG Chair: Mark Spencer MP David Parsons presentation Maurice Selg presentation	Agenda	Notes
EU referendum – implications for UK farming and agri-science Monday 9 May 2016 Committee Room 21, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Dr Helen Ferrier, NFU Paul Rooke, Agricultural Industries Confederation Nick von Westenholz, Crop Protection Association Alistair Driver, Political Editor, Farmers Guardian Chair: Mark Spencer MP Helen Ferrier presentation Paul Rooke presentation	Agenda	Notes
Solutions for water security – a critical challenge for sustainability and stability Joint meeting with the APPG on Agriculture & Food for Development Thursday 11 February 2016 Committee Room 2A, House of Lords Guest speaker: Jeremy Bird, Director General, International Water Management Institute (IMWI) Chair: Lord Cameron of Dillington
IP and Innovation in Agriculture Tuesday 26 January 2016 Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House Guest Speakers: Peter Button, Vice-Secretary General, International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) Dominic Muyldermans, Senior Legal Consultant, CropLife International Sarah Smith, Research Fellow, Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology Chair: Mark Spencer MP Peter Button presentation Dominic Muyldermans presentation Sarah Smith presentation	Agenda	Notes
Going against the Grain Report - Breakfast Briefing Protecting access to global supply chains for UK farming – launch of a new cross-industry report Thursday 29 October 2015 MacMillan Room, Portcullis House Guest Speakers: George Eustice MP, Minister of State for Food and Farming, Defra Dr Julian Little, Agricultural Biotechnology Council Dr Andrea Graham, NFU Paul Rooke, Agricultural Industries Confederation Going against the Grain report	Agenda	Notes
Water security in agriculture – how can science help? Monday 14 September 2015 Committee Room 17, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Martin Collison, Director, Collison & Associates Ltd Dr Jerry Knox, Reader in Agricultural Water Management, Cranfield University Prof Chris Atkinson, Professor of Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich Paul Smith, Business Development Director, Incinerator Replacement Technology Ltd Dr David Firman, Head, NIAB CUF Potato Agronomy Unit Martin Collison presentation Jerry Knox presentation Chris Atkinson presentation David Firman presentation	Agenda	Notes
INAUGURAL MEETING Delivering the UK Agri-Tech Strategy Monday 6 July 2015 Committee Room 9, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Dr Stephen Axford, Head of Agri-Tech, BIS Dr Paul Burrows, Director, Corporate Policy and Strategy, BBSRC Sara Eppel, Head of Innovative and Sustainable Farming, Defra	Agenda	Notes
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The science behind our daily loaf – UK wheat research in practice Monday 12 January 2015 Committee Room 11, Palace of Westminster Guest Speakers: Martin Savage, Trade Policy Manager, National Association of British and Irish Millers Phil Howell, Programme Lead, Cereal Pre-Breeding, NIAB Paul Molyneux, Innovation Director, Hovis Ltd Paul Temple, Mixed Farmer, East Yorkshire Chair: Mark Spencer MP Martin Savage presentation Phil Howell presentation Paul Molyneux presentation Paul Temple presentation	Agenda	Notes
`Effect of the Loss of Crop Protection Technologies on UK Agriculture and the Wider Economy` `Wednesday 26 November 2014` `Keynote Speaker:` `Richard King, Partner and Head of Business Research, The Andersons Centre` `Guest Panellists` `Guy Smith, Vice-President, NFU` `Nick von Westenholz, Chief Executive, Crop Protection Association` `David Caffall, Chief Executive, Agricultural Industries Confederation` Chair: Mark Spencer MP Richard King presentation		Notes
The solar harvest - new opportunities for UK agriculture Joint meeting with the APPG on Beef and Lamb Monday 20 October 2014 Room S, Portcullis House Guest speakers: Guy Smith, NFU Vice President Jonathan Selwyn, Lark Energy Kate Covill, Orta Solar Agricultural Good Practice Guidance for Solar Farms		Notes
Building public support for UK agri-science Tuesday 9 September 2014 Committee Room 15, Palace of Westminster Guest Speakers: Tom Heap, broadcast journalist and BBC Countryfile presenter Andrew Opie, Food Policy Director, British Retail Consortium Chair: Mark Spencer MP	Agenda	Minutes
Building public support for UK agri-science Tuesday 13 May 2014 Committee Room 9, Palace of Westminster Guest Speakers: Mark Lynas, author, environmentalist and former anti-GM campaigner Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science Museum Ian Blatchford presentation Guy Smith, Essex farmer and NFU Vice President Chair: Earl of Lindsay	Agenda	Minutes
Building public support for UK agri-science Wednesday 9 April 2014 Committee Room 18, Palace of Westminster Guest Speaker: Professor Sir Mark Walport, Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government Chair: George Freeman MP	Agenda	Minutes
UK Plant Science – Current status and future challenges Parliamentary launch of a major new report from the UK Plant Sciences Federation Wednesday 26 March 2014 Committee Room 18, Palace of Westminster Guest Speakers: Dr Mimi Tanimoto, Executive Officer, UK Plant Sciences Federation Professor Jim Beynon, Chair of Plant Systems Biology, University of Warwick Mark Buckingham, Corporate Affairs Europe Middle East, Monsanto Vegetable Seeds UKPSF report	Agenda	Minutes
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Tuesday 17 December 2013 Committee Room 12, Palace of Westminster GM crops - time for a fresh appproach? Guest speaker: Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Owen Paterson speech	Agenda	Minutes
Implementing the UK Agri-Tech Strategy Tuesday 10 September 2013, 4.30 – 6.00pm, Committee Room 12 Guest speakers: Lord de Mauley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Defra Judith Batchelar, Director of Sainsbury’s Brand & Industry Co-Chair, Agri-Tech Leadership Council	Agenda	Minutes
Digital Farming : The Next Agricultural Revolution Tuesday 16 July 2013, Committee Room 16, Palace of Westminster Guest speakers: Professor Simon Blackmore, Head of Engineering, Harper Adams University Simon Griffin, Technical Manager, SOYL Precision Farming Mark Pettigrew, Agricultural Sustainability Manager, PepsiCo James Hallett, Chief Executive, British Growers Association Shradha Singh, SYield Project Leader / Derek Scuffell, Information Domain Specialist Syngenta James Hallett presentation Simon Griffin presentation Mark Pettigrew presentation Shradha Singh / Derek Scuffell presentation	Agenda	Minutes
JOINT MEETING WITH THE ASSOCIATE PARLIAMENTARY GROUP FOR ANIMAL WELFARE (APGAW) Large-scale livestock systems – production and welfare implications Monday 20 May 2013, Committee Room 14, Palace of Westminster Keynote speaker: Kenn Buelow, Wisconsin dairy farmer and vet Guest panellists: Peter Stevenson, Chief Policy Adviser, Compassion in World Farming David Alvis, UK livestock consultant Kenn Buelow presentation Peter Stevenson presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Towards a UK Agri-Tech Strategy - Science Minister David Willetts MP Wednesday 30 January 2013, Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House Keynote speaker: Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister of State for Universities & Science Chair: George Freeman MP	Agenda	Minutes
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Feeding The Future - Innovation Requirements for Primary Food Production in the UK to 2030 Tuesday 4 December 2012, Grand Committee Room, Palace of Westminster Keynote Speaker: Jim Godfrey, Farmer and Chair, TSB Sustainable Agriculture & Food Innovation Platform Guest Panellists: Professor Ian Crute, Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board Andrea Graham, NFU Paul Rooke, Agricultural Industries Confederation Jim Godfrey presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Unlocking the potential of UK agri-science Tuesday 6 November 2012 Guest Speaker: René Custers, Regulatory & Communications Manager, VIB, Belgium Chair: George Freeman MP	Agenda	Minutes
Producing more from less – new metrics for sustainable agriculture Tuesday 26 June 2012 Keynote Speaker Fred Luckey, Chair, Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture Guest Panellists Professor Tim Benton, UK Champion for Global Food Security Guy Gagen, NFU Chief Arable Adviser & Chair, Defra Green Food Project Wheat Sub-Group Fred Luckey presentation Tim Benton presentation Guy Gagen presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Case studies in UK agri-food innovation – challenges and opportunities Wednesday 16 May 2012 Guest Speakers Robert James, Technical Director, Thanet Earth Nigel Kerby, Managing Director, Mylnefield Research Services Ltd Gino de Jaegher, Managing Director, British Sugar Robert James presentation Nigel Kerby presentation Gino de Jaegher presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Agricultural innovation in high-growth BRIC economies Tuesday 17 April 2012 Guest Speaker: Stephanie Studer, Research Editor, Economist Intelligence Unit Stephanie Studer presentation		Minutes
Annual General Meeting Tuesday 29 November 2011 Beyond Foresight: What does 'sustainable intensification' mean for UK agriculture? Keynote Speaker: Professor Sir David Baulcombe, Regius Professor of Botany, Cambridge University Guest Panel: Peter Kendall, President, NFU Gareth Morgan, Head of Agriculture Policy, RSPB Professor Wayne Powell, Director, IBERS Professor Baulcombe presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Agro-chemistry: new directions, new challenges? Monday 31 October 2011 Guest Speakers: Dr David Lawrence, former Head of Research & Development, Syngenta Professor John Pickett, Michael Elliott Distinguished Research Fellow, Rothamsted Research Speaker presentations	Agenda	Minutes
Impact of the global food security crisis on consumer and media attitudes to food science Wednesday 14 September 2011 Guest Speakers: Giles Shapley, Network Research Fiona Fox, Science Media Centre; Giles Shapley presentation Fiona Fox presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Global GM Crop Adoption - Status & Prospects Monday 20 June 2011 Guest speaker: Clive James, ISAAA Clive James presentation		Minutes
Bee Health and Pesticides Monday 4 April 2011 Guest speaker: Dr Jeff Pettis, Research Leader, USDA Bee Research Laboratory Guest panel: Dominic Dyer, Crop Protection Association Dr Chris Hartfield, NFU Tim Lovett, British Bee Keepers Association Dr Jeff Pettis presentation Tim Lovatt presentation		Minutes
The role of new agricultural technologies in tackling climate change Tuesday 7 December 2010 Guest Speaker: Jack Bobo, Senior Advisor in Biotechnology, US Department of State Jack Bobo presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Unlocking our food production potential: the role of UK Agricultural Science Monday 15 November 2010 Guest Speakers: Jim Paice MP, Minister of State for Agriculture & Food, Defra Professor Ian Crute, Chief Scientist, Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board Ian Crute presentation	Agenda	Minutes
APPGSTA Annual General Meeting Tuesday 23 March 2010 Guest Speaker: Professor John Beddington, Government Chief Scientific Adviser John Beddington presentation	Agenda	Minutes
UK wheat productivity – research targets & needs – Tuesday 23 February 2010 David Sheppard presentation Richard Summers presentation Tina Barsby presentation	Agenda	Minutes
UK livestock sector – research targets & needs, role of collaborative R&D – 19 January 2010 David Leaver presentation Geoff Simm presentation Chris Warkup presentation	Agenda	Minutes
New models for collaborative R&D in agriculture – the Technology Strategy Board’s Agri-Food Innovation Platform – 1 December 2009 Paul Mason presentation Chris Warkup presentation	Agenda	Minutes
UK horticulture sector – research targets & needs, role of collaborative R&D – 20 October 2009 Neil Bragg presentation Chris Atkinson presentation Simon Bright presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Rt Hon Jane Kennedy MP, Minister for Farming and the Environment, Defra – 19 May 2009	Agenda	Minutes
Annual General Meeting GM crops present & future – is it time to re-open the debate? – 24 March 2009 Graham Bookes presentation Julian Little presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Agricultural science – bridging the gap between basic and applied research – 28 January 2009 Prof David Leaver presentation Prof Jonathan Jones presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Wheat Quality Research, nabim reception – 16 December 2008	Report	Presentation
Professor Bob Watson, Defra Chief Science Adviser – 25 November 2008 Prof Watson presentation (5mb file)	Agenda	Minutes
EU pesticide approval plans – 28 October 2008 Sean Rickard presentation	Agenda	Minutes
Group Visit to NIAB – 23 June 2008	Programme	Report
Inaugural Meeting – 11 March 2008	Agenda	Minutes