A rainy, January day in Birmingham may not sound like most likely place to showcase the future of agriculture, but this year’s LAMMA show at the NEC was the ideal showcase for what the sector has to offer.

After a tentative return in 2022, LAMMA was truly back – and better than ever. The halls were packed with manufacturers showcasing their latest offerings and visitors from across the UK and beyond flocked to the show to take a closer look.

LAMMA enables businesses to showcase their latest innovations and also creates a networking hub for farmers of all sectors, with this in mind we’ve rounded-up some of the latest technologies that are transforming agriculture.

Introduction of Drones

The introduction of drones to farming has helped reduce costs and increase levels of productivity.

With the use of this modern technology, farmers are able to monitor pest-affected areas, disinfect and spray pesticides, collect accurate data and learn more about plant height, weed pressure and flooded water in areas that require significant attention.

Laser Scarecrows

We’re not sure a laser scarecrow would have worked in the Wizard of Oz but it certainly does in farming!

Crows and blackbirds have been a nuisance for farmers since the dawn of time and can destroy up to 75% of crops within two days of harvest. Tactics have been made to scare these birds away but it’s not always successful.

The invention of laser scarecrows has been effective as birds are sensitive to green light. The device flashes a green laser across fields of up to 183 metres that isn’t visible to the human eye in sunlight but agitates birds, meaning they stay away from the farmer’s crops.

Agricultural Robots

Working on a farm is physically demanding and there’s a lot of work to do.

The innovation of agricultural robots has improved farming productivity, they can remove mundane, tiresome and time-consuming tasks from the farmer. Agricultural robots can pick sensitive fruit and vegetables, for example, and other labour-intensive jobs, leaving the farmer with more time to see to other responsibilities.

As experts in specialist agriculture finance, the Paragon team were on site to meet with clients, learn first-hand from visitors about the challenges they are currently facing, and to hear about how we could support them – and it was great to meet one of our clients only moments after the show opened!

Energy prices and inflation remained on the minds of many, but with manufacturers unveiling swathes of new, electric and more energy efficient technology you can see how the sector is ready to adopt new technology and invest in the future.

With new e-vehicles on display you can see how agriculture is only going to continue to become greener and more energy efficient. The demand is there from the sector, and the manufacturers are taking notice. At future shows we will start to see even more than was showcased this year as the electrification revolution gathers pace.

If the sector is to adopt new technology then it will need specialist lenders who both understand agriculture and appreciate the unique circumstances of each client.

By talking with hundreds of people across both days it was even more apparent how each business has individual requirements – and that’s why Paragon pride ourselves on getting to know and visiting our clients. The better we understand our clients, the better we can support them.

After seeing all the new kit on display, I can’t wait to start talking with new and existing clients about what we can do to help them acquire the technology that will enable their businesses to flourish.

If you were at LAMMA and saw something you think would be an ideal addition to your business, get in touch. We will always be happy to see how we can support you – and then catch up at next year’s show to discuss your next acquisition!

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