A wine producer using bird-repelling lasers and cattle farmer using GPS collars to track livestock are among 17 innovative projects funded from the Surrey Farming Innovation Accelerator, a £500,000 pot to boost Surrey’s rural economy.
Surrey County Council’s Farming Innovation Accelerator supports farmers and growers with funding for projects to modernise operations, improve productivity, diversify and develop commercially.
More than 50 organisations submitted proposals via a competitive process, which is funded via UK government’s Shared Prosperity Funding.
17 projects from all corners of the county have now been progressed, with each recipient receiving a grant of up to £35,000 along with a bespoke programme of expert support to enhance their business growth plans.
Projects supported by Surrey Farming Innovation Accelerator
Thanks to the scheme, Albury Vineyard will install an automated bird‑repellent laser. This will protect 18 acres of grapevines to reduce crop loss which, in turn, will increase production by over 1,700 bottles per year.
Elsewhere Wintershall Valley Farm in Guildford will use cow-collar virtual fencing and a digital livestock management to improve grazing efficiency, extend the grazing season and strengthen medicine tracking.
Various vending machine projects will also benefit. This includes Nutfield Dairy which will invest in three facilities for dairy products, ice cream and coffee. Also Roehurst Farm in Walton will install a vending machine to expand direct sales of lamb, pork and eggs.
GPS tractor guidance
The family business behind Sondes Place Farm, made up of 320-acres between Dorking and Westcott, has been awarded funding for a GPS tractor guidance system. This will help to eliminate overlap, boost productivity and make sure fertiliser and nutrients are applied with precision.
Hugh Broom, the fourth generation of his family to manage the farm, said:
“The grant from Surrey County Council is a real step change for us. By putting proper Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) guidance on the tractor, we can finally match the precision of our genetics and feeding with the same level of precision in the field. It means less overlap, less waste and less diesel, but more importantly it means we’ll be growing better forage off the same acres, with a lower environmental footprint.
“In a year or two the system will have paid for itself in saved inputs, but the real value is that it locks our soil and cropping into the same high‑efficiency, low‑carbon trajectory as the rest of the beef business.
“Without the grant, it would have been very hard to justify that investment on a hired tractor. With it, we can get on and do the job properly.”
Using technology to make money from honey
Another recipient is Browners Bees in Reigate. It’s using digital hive monitoring and mechanised extraction equipment to make honey harvesting more efficient.
Beekeeper Harrison Brown said:
“The funding is going to make a huge difference because it will allow us to invest in technology and equipment that would otherwise be very difficult for our growing beekeeping operation to afford.
“Digital hive monitoring technology will allow us to remotely monitor things such as hive weight, temperature and humidity across our apiaries, giving us much better information about what is happening inside the hives without having to physically visit every colony as frequently.
“We’re also investing in mechanised and automated honey extraction, processing and bottling equipment. As the number of colonies and the amount of honey we produce increases, doing everything manually would become a significant bottleneck.
“The new equipment will allow us to process larger quantities more efficiently, while improving consistency and reducing the amount of repetitive manual work involved.
“Ultimately, the funding gives us the opportunity to build the infrastructure to grow from a small beekeeping operation into a much more efficient, technology enabled business, while continuing to produce locally in Surrey.”
Support for Surrey farmers
The Farming Innovation Accelerator is one of several ways Surrey County Council is supporting its rural economy.
According to a recent University of Surrey report, there are about 500 farms in the county, contributing around £502 million a year to the local economy. This accounts for 14% of national farming income.
Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said:
“It’s fantastic to see this funding reaching such a diverse range of rural businesses, from cattle farms to vineyards. Surrey’s rural economy is far larger and more varied than many people realise, and these projects show the energy and ambition out there to embrace new technology. This support is helping these businesses modernise, diversify and build long-term resilience, and I look forward to seeing the difference it makes in communities right across the county.”
Looking for support to grow your rural business? Get in touch via our Business Support Form.
