News

If you require any further information on any News or Media Items or Press Releases, please contact IAgrE Communications Officer
Professor Bill Day launches Blog on Global Food Security Web Site
Professor Day, Fellow of IAgrE and consultant in agricultural engineering research, has launched a blog entitled "Food production:  what about engineering?"
 
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 Proposed Land-based Engineering Skills Strategy 2011 - 2016       
LE-TEC comprises of officers and representative members from the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA), the British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association (BAGMA) and the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) together with colleagues representing LANTRA and members of Landex.  There is an independent chairman, Alastair Taylor C. Env, I.Eng, M.I.Agr.E and LE-TEC meets three times a year.
 
You can read the proposed strategy here  
 
IAgrE prepares a manifesto for agricultural engineering.

​Prompted by the Foresight Report: The Future of Food and Farming, a group of senior IAgrE members has been working on a document which outlines what the IAgrE sees as Government priorities. This document is clearly work in progress and all IAgrE members are welcome to send in their comments. There have and will be occasions when members are asked for their opinions and, indeed, guidance as to what should be happening. Please feel free to use this document if you feel it would help your (and the IAgrE's) cause. There have already been opportunities for various members to raise some of these issues and IAgrE Press Officer, Marion King will be collating these events and feeding back comments and reactions to the core group.

Opportunities so far include a question posed by IAgrE Member Robert Merrall at a fringe meeting (of the Conservative Rural Affairs Group) at the recent Conservative Conference. 

A meeting between IAgrE Fellows Professor Simon Blackmore (Head of Engineering at HAUC), Dr David Llewellyn (Principal of HAUC) Professor Dick Godwin (Visiting Professor at HAUC and current Chairman of the Douglas Bomford Trust), and Government Chief Scientist - Professor John Beddington is scheduled for January and a meeting between Prof Blackmore and David Willetts (Minister of State for Universities and Science) is imminent.

Other events are in the pipeline.
Click here for a pdf of the manifesto and here for a powerpoint (pdf) presentation.

• Forestry Commission designed bridleway bridge wins a 2011 British Construction Judges Special Award
  Far Moor Bridge, Selside, Yorkshire has won a Judges Special Award in the 2011 British Construction Awards, under the 'Small Civil Engineering Project - up to £3m' sector.  Commissoned by Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the innovative design is probably the largest example of a stress laminated arch bridge in the world and has been designed specifically for walkers, horse riders and mountain bikers.

  It was designed by Dr Geoff Freedman with Houseman and Falshaw as the main contractor.

  More information to follow soon

• IAgrE student member shortlisted for engineering accolade
  Final year Harper Adams student, Daniel Campling, has reached the finals of the British Engineering Excellence Awards. He was nominated for the Young Design Engineer of the Year category following a highly successful nine month placement with Herbert Engineering.Dan, from Spalding, Lincolnshire, progressed from the shop floor up to the design office and worked on a variety of projects including a Vegetable Hydro-cooler, Submerged Even-flow Hopper and Wet Reception Hopper.

​        Read more

• News from Douglas Bomford Trust
  John Fox, former IAgrE President and a long-serving Trustee of the Douglas Bomford Trust, has stood down as Trustee after serving the Trust in this capacity for 34 years since 1977.  At that time John was Managing Director of Bomford & Evershed. In recognition of his outstanding service to the Trust, John has been awarded the role of Emeritus Trustee, and will continue to attend Trust meetings in an advisory capacity
  A dinner to mark the occasion was held at Harper Adams University College on Monday 3rd October, attended by trustees, awardees and representatives from both the Fox and Bomford families. John was awarded a plaque depicting Douglas Bomford, in whose memory the Trust was established in 1972.

• News from IAgrE Secretariat
  Wendy Hickman, IAgrE Membership Secretary since 2000, retired at the end of August. Click to see pictures of Wendy's leaving do(s).  Wendy was joined by the IAgrE Membership Committee on Thursday 1st September for a farewell lunch and presentation.
  IAgrE Members and Staff all wish Wendy well for her retirement.

• IAgrE support the Institute of Professional Soil Scientists (IPSS) 'Working with Soil' professional competency scheme. 
  Read More

 
Click for other IAgrE and industry related news.