Four IAgrE members played a key role in helping to engage and inspire visitors at the final ever New Scientist Live exhibition, as part of the highly successful Future of Food & Agriculture exhibit.
IAgrE President Kit Franklin, together with members Hugh Crabtree, Christine Clarke and Denis Cartmel, volunteered their time over the course of the event, helping to manage visitor engagement and support the popular agricultural technology displays.
The Future of Food & Agriculture exhibit brought together organisations from across the farming and agri-food sectors with a shared aim: to educate, enthuse and inspire people about modern farming, food production, science and technology.
One of the standout attractions was the combine harvester simulator and cab experience, which proved hugely popular with visitors throughout the event. IAgrE volunteers helped manage the constant flow of visitors keen to experience agricultural machinery first-hand.
Reflecting on the event, organiser Anna Eccleston said:
"What can I say? What an absolutely brilliant weekend! I genuinely think this year's Future of Food & Agriculture exhibit was our best yet. The energy, enthusiasm, creativity and sheer effort that went into bringing the exhibit to life was incredible. Thousands of visitors, young and old, had the opportunity to discover something new about farming, food production, science and technology."
For IAgrE President Kit Franklin, the enthusiasm shown by young people was particularly encouraging.
"The engagement on the school day I attended was immense, with a sustained queue of 20-30 students all day waiting to get into the combine cab. Huge gratitude goes to Charlie Rollason and Richard Charles from AGCO for getting a machine there. Hugh is a dynamo when it comes to visitor engagement and was fantastic throughout the day."
The event marked the eighth collaboration between the Future of Food & Agriculture partners, including previous appearances at New Scientist Live London, New Scientist Live Manchester and the special online event during lockdown in 2020. Organisers estimate that collectively the exhibit has reached around 180,000 people over the course of those eight events.
While there was sadness that this year's show was the final New Scientist Live, organisers are already exploring opportunities to find a new home for the exhibit, ensuring the momentum built over recent years can continue.
The Future of Food & Agriculture team will also be sharing impact and engagement figures from this year's event in the coming weeks, alongside continued activity through the Curious by Nature campaign.
IAgrE would like to thank Kit, Hugh, Christine and Denis for giving their time and expertise to support this important outreach activity and for helping showcase the innovation, technology and opportunities that exist within the agricultural engineering profession.