Newletter - June 2010

Content in Summary:

Events – CPPS Open Day at NIAB’s Innovation Farm 16 July; Royal Society Festival of Arts and Science, Dept of Plant Sciences exhibiting 26 June-4 July; Brooms Barn Open Day 29 June; British Ecological Society Symposium at NIAB 15 July

Jobs – BSPB: IP Enforcement Manager (deadline 30 June)

Recruiting the next generation in to agricultural industries – Work Inspiration Campaign in Agriculture; Agriculture’s Big Conversation 14 October 2010 at the NAC, Stoneleigh – CALL FOR SUPPORT



Events

The next CPPS-event is a dedicated Open Day at NIAB’s new Innovation Farm, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0LE on Fri 16 July, 3:30-17:00 – an excellent networking opportunity following on from the CPPS Symposium in April! The afternoon will start at the new Innovation Farm Visitor Centre, sponsored by EEDA, situated in the NIAB Cambridge Headquarters west wing, followed by visits to field and, we hope to the growth room demonstration facilities. There will be an opportunity to discuss some examples of research that is ongoing and how it might be relevant to you and your business/research. We will end with a question and answer session back at the Visitor Centre followed by tea and coffee. FREE registration – simply email bgs21@cam.ac.uk to indicate you will come.

Royal Society Festival of Arts and Science (Dept of Plant Sciences, Cambridge, exhibiting "Meet the Algae: Diversity, Biology and Energy": 26 June – 4 July, 10:00-20:30, at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX . Full details can be found at: http://seefurtherfestival.org/exhibition/view/meet-algae-diversity-biology-and-energy.

Brooms Barn Open Day: 29 June, 13:00-16:30, in Higham, Bury St. Edmunds, IP28 6NP. If you would like to attend please register, by email: christine.hobart@bbsrc.ac.uk or Fax: 01284 811191. Full details can be found at: http://www.rothamsted.bbsrc.ac.uk/broom/events/

British Ecological Society Symposium at NIAB: 15 July, 9:30-16:15, at NIAB Innovation Farm, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0LE. Full details, incl. programme and application form, can be found at: http://www.niab.com/innovation_farm/id/205/Events


Jobs

British Society of Plant Breeders – IP Enforcement Manager

BSPB is the royalty collection agency and representative body for the UK’s plant breeding industry. We are seeking a full time manager for our audit and enforcement section.

As part of the BSPB management team you will manage the Society’s audit, enforcement and investigation activities in relation to both certified and farm saved seed. You must have managerial experience, strong organisational ability, excellent communication skills and a high level of IT competence. Experience in investigation and enforcement would be highly beneficial. You will be based in our office in Ely.

Applications should be sent in the form of a CV and covering letter including current salary details to BSPB Ltd, Woolpack Chambers, Market Street, Ely, Cambs CB7 4ND or by e-mail to enquiries@bspb.co.uk by 30th June 2010. For an informal discussion call 01353 653201.



Recruiting the next generation in to agricultural industries – CALL FOR SUPPORT

The farming industry needs to recruit 6,000 new people a year for the next decade to retain a labour force at the level required to maintain current levels of output. If we intend to grow the business, we need more – and better – entrants. And that 6,000 doesn’t take account of those needed in ancillary industries from agronomy to banking; merchanting to food processing. While not a crisis, this is a challenge the industry has to face up to and the sooner the better.

The challenge begins in the classroom with 14 to 16 year olds who are making decisions about GCSE and A Levels subjects – the choices which will decide the degrees or diplomas they will take and, ultimately, the career destination they will target.

Engaging students and teachers through a positive and dynamic work experience programme is key if we are to highlight the vast range of opportunities available to young people. With this in mind, RASE, Fresh Start, Business in the Community and a group of agricultural business leaders are launching Agriculture's Big Conversation – a project designed to turn work experience into work inspiration and so "turn on" young people to the exciting prospects that exist in agricultural and land-based careers.

RASE have teamed up with BITC to deliver the Work Inspiration campaign in agriculture because they all believe such a national campaign can inspire the next generation of students to consider agriculture as their career choice. Clicking the following links you will find immediate information on the concept and how work experience may work in practice.

David Yiend, Chief Executive of AB Agri has agreed to head up Agriculture’s Big Conversation which will take place on 14th October 2010 at the NAC, Stoneleigh. Denis Chamberlain, chairman of Fresh Start, is working with him.

What we need now is the full support of trade associations, representative organisations, businesses serving agriculture and farmers themselves who can play a major role in supporting this initiative. It is a project that must succeed if we’re going to address the skills shortage the industry is facing and provide the entrepreneurs, managers and leaders that we will need to meet the food, energy and environmental challenges of the future. By working together we can all make a difference.

For further information please contact Ian Beecher-Jones, Project Manager - Agriculture's Big Conversation, t: 01491 642 300, m: 07967 637 985, e: ian@beecherjones.com.

He and the project team will be happy to answer any questions you may have on Agriculture’s Big Conversation and explain how you can get involved. It is a chance for the whole industry to come together, break the work experience mould and bring in the entrants we need.
____

If you have any events, news or advertisements you would like to be included in the next newsletter, please email Beatrix Schlarb-Ridley (bgs21@cam.ac.uk) by 14 July 2010.
____

Previous issues of the Newsletter can be downloaded as pdfs:

January 2010;
February 2010;
March 2010;
April 2010;
May 2010;
June 2010

Presentations from April's Symposium: Food Security

Presentations from the Symposium: Food Security on 23 April 2010 at NIAB, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0LE. (See the programme.)

Download the presentations as pdfs:

• Baulcombe_PlantSciCamb.pdf


• Chaix_TSB.pdf


• Clark_BroomsBarn.pdf


• Ferrier_NFU.pdf


• Godfrey_BBSRC.pdf


• Smith_NIAB.pdf


• Sylvester-Bradley_ADAS.pdf


• Tapsell_KWSUK.pdf


• All of the above as a zip file

Promoting green innovation

From an article in Research Horizons:

A regional knowledge transfer project is linking the region’s top plant science research with businesses wanting to develop new products.

Read the full article.

Natural Fibre Composites:developments & applications of biomaterials from non-food crops - 11 May 2010

Tuesday 11th May 2010, Royal Geographical Society, London

This InCrops and LTN joint event will be a discussion forum on the latest developments and applications of Natural Fibre Composites (NFC). Through case studies, the workshop will highlight the potential opportunities and perceived barriers of using NFC and future applications of bio materials.

EXAMINE the challenges of using natural fibre composites
ACCESS the latest R&D through academic posters
IDENTIFY opportunities for collaborative research partnerships between industry and academia

Registration and Payment
To register contact Holly Parker at H.Parker@LTNetwork.org or call: 0870 730 8688
Large companies (150+ employees) £80+VAT = £94
Small/medium companies (up to 149 employees) £40+VAT = £47
Academics = free
Discounts are available if you refer a friend and on multiple bookings (3 or more places).
Please call Holly Parker on 0870 730 8688 for more details.
Download the programme.

LTN events website

Bio Based Materials in Sport, 20 April, University of Essex, Colchester

InCrops Enterprise Hub in conjunction with Centre for Sports and Exercise at the University of Essex are holding a half day event for businesses focused on Bio Based materials in sport.

This FREE event will inform businesses and industries associated with sports and outdoor activities about the range of available bio-based materials (biopolymers, natural fibres, biocomposites, nutraceuticals) and bring together those in the sports supply chain from manufacturers and developers to sports professionals.

The afternoon event will feature presentations and demonstrations of products/materials from companies developing plant-based renewable materials for applications in the sports and leisure industry. These include the use of renewable polymers from Merquinsa and Arkema Group, bamboo by RAW Bamboo Bikes and plant fibres by CelluComp Ltd.

During the event the attendees will have a unique opportunity to visit the Centre for Sports and Exercise Science at the University of Essex and learn about the facilities for testing sports gear and equipment. The event is designed to encourage networking between different stakeholders and provide the opportunity to discuss the potential for future developmental and collaborative work.

Who should participate?

Companies developing or manufacturing -

* materials for outdoor and active gear, sport clothing and equipment;
* bio monitoring, bio sensing, remote data transfer devices;
* sports drinks and performance stimulants based on plant ingredients;
* sports injuries management

Opportunity to exhibit or present at the event

There is an opportunity to exhibit or present during the event. The presentations to all delegates will be ‘spotlights’ (around 5 minutes) on a bio-based product or material.

Pilot study

We are partnering with the Centre for Sports and Exercise at the University of Essex for this event. The Centre has offered to carry out a short pilot study of bio-based products to test the product performance and athlete’s preference. The data could be presented at the event. Please contact Liliya Serazetdinova ASAP l.serazetdinova@uea.ac.uk about taking part in the pilot study.

If you wish to register for the event or are interested in taking part please contact Julia O’Rourke, event co-ordinator j.orourke@uea.ac.uk or call the InCrops Enterprise Hub on 01603 591765.

CIRC First Call for Proposals

The first CIRC call for proposals has gone live on the website; the shortcut to the appropriate page is www.bbsrc.ac.uk/circ.

The call will have two stages; the deadline for outline proposals is 28 April. We will be holding a workshop on 24 March at the Royal Society to promote the call and to give potential applicants the opportunity to discuss their research ideas with members of the Club. If you would like to attend the workshop you would be very welcome, and it would be much appreciated if you could pass this information on to any potential applicants you discuss this with. Please register at the following survey monkey site: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CIRCworkshop1.

Please contact Dr Dan Godfrey with any queries:
Tel. +44 (0)1793 414688
Mob. +44 (0) 7796260625
email dan.godfrey@bbsrc.ac.uk

23 April Symposium: Food Security - From Lab to Field. Deadline 19 April

23 April 2010, 10:00-16:00

NIAB, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0LE

A networking meeting to stimulate translational and collaborative research

Download the:
Programme
Registration Form