Menu
t: 07739 847964

LEADING ACADEMICS TO PRESENT AT AGRICULTURAL EVENT

Lovewell Blake
29th Oct 2018
Brexit Bees and the Brown Stuff image

The interactions between science, technology, policy, practice and the market will be the focus of an important event being hosted jointly by Lovewell Blake and UEA, which will see five top-level speakers examine the interplay between the various factors currently influencing agriculture in the UK.

Entitled ‘Brexit, Bees and the Brown Stuff’, the event, on Wednesday 28th November, will offer the opportunity to hear from five leading academics about their latest research into issues ranging from preserving pollinators and improving on-farm water quality to the impact of Brexit on food law and insight into shopper behaviour.

The five speakers are:

  • Dr Lynn Dicks of the UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, with a presentation called ‘Pollinators in Peril’, which will explore how declining populations of pollinators can be preserved and optimised for agriculture.  Applying scientific evidence to policy and practice, Dr Dicks is helping to assess the effectiveness of schemes to protect pollinators, and contributing directly to the Government’s Countryside Stewardship programme.
  • Dr David Rose of the UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences, who will present on ‘Innovation in Agri-Tech.  An environmental geographer specialising in the interactions between science, technology, policy and practice, Dr Rose will provide insight into how new technologies and agriculture innovation impacts society, and how to engage farmers further in agri-tech design.
  • Prof Owen Warnock of the UEA’s School of Law will give a presentation entitled ‘Brexit and Food Law: Freedom or Cast Adrift?’.  With most UK law on the production, distribution and sale of food and drink derived from the EU, he will consider what EU structures might be changed or relaxed in areas such as health claims, statements about place of production and organic labelling.  He will outline what changes we might see to employment law following Brexit, and consider whether those changes will make much difference to the agricultural sector.
  • Prof Andrew Fearne of the Norwich Business School will talk about ‘Unlocking Shopper Insights’, presenting some of the key lessons learned from his ‘who buys my food’ project, now in its 14th year, a collaboration between the Norwich Business School, Tesco and dunnhumby.  He will explain how shopper insight is used to support business planning and marketing decision-making, and the benefits for suppliers, retailers and other stakeholders in the food chain.
  • Prof Kevin Hiscock of the UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences will talk about ‘Demonstrating on-farm mitigation practices to improve water quality’, drawing on his research into the impacts of land management practices and climate change on groundwater resources.

‘Brexit, Bess and the Brown Stuff’ takes place on Wednesday 28th November from 5.30pm to 8pm at the UEA’s Enterprise Centre.  Attendance is free, but places must be reserved in advance.  Anyone wanting to attend can book their place at www.lovewell-blake.co.uk/events/event-Brexit-bees-and-the-brown-stuff.