A new report from the National Farmers Union urges Government and research providers to invest in agricultural R&D and to enable British farmers to use the latest technologies.

The report, 'Feeding the Future, Four Years On' will be launched at the NFU Conference and identifies several innovation needs that will enable British agriculture to become more competitive.

The NFU is calling for decision-makers, research funders and providers to read the report and help create a funding and regulatory environment where new technologies and innovative practices can be adopted.

The NFU Conference session entitled 'Competitiveness: Keeping Ahead of the Game' will see NFU vice president Guy Smith and others assessing farming's current and future use of new, developing technologies.

Commenting ahead of the session Mr Smith said: "Farming and agriculture is already an incredibly innovative industry but it remains very important that farmers recognise new opportunities for better returns, such as those developed from the Agri-Tech Strategy.

"The priorities listed in this report show the desire to continue building on what the industry already has.

“In the current climate of political uncertainty, there are many challenges out there for farmers, but with this comes real opportunities.

"For example, the Government’s new Industrial Strategy offers the opportunity to strengthen the food and drink sector as well as farming’s unique position in providing environmental goods and services.”

Farmers across agriculture and horticulture have set out eight research priorities that would boost the sector's contribution to the economic and environmental performance of the UK food production system.

The priorities include digital, data-driven and engineering technologies, crop and livestock genetics and breeding technologies and interactions between air, soil, water and crop/animal processes within farming systems.