Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW MAY/JUNE 2023 61 INDUSTRY NEWS Agrecalc goes it alone THE farm carbon calculator, Agrecalc, a division within SAC Consulting, is to become a new independent corporation and has appointed its rst chief executive. Operated by SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Agrecalc has recruited Scott Davies, who has a strong track record in developing and growing successful technology-based businesses. Formerly co-founder and director of a mobile gaming company and most recently CEO of Never.no, Scott’s remit is to lead Agrecalc into the next phase of development and growth. Agrecalc’s independence was scheduled for early spring when it will focus on seeking investment, while planning to be a central part of the solutions to greenhouse gas emissions related to global food production. New spray coverage assessment tool A SPRAY coverage tool, called DropSight®, was launched by METOS UK at LAMMA 2023. e portable, DropSight® on-site tool works with a mobile phone to give spray operators instant information on the spray deposition e ciency of the sprayer, helping to improve crop protection performance while reducing the risks of spray drift, run-o , exceeding MRLs, and crop and sprayer damage. Crops are rst sprayed with a solution visible under ultra- violet (UV) light, then leaves are selected and photographed using a mobile phone. e DropSight® software recognises and quanti es the deposition of solution on each leaf, and measures and calculates the deposition e cacy of the spray application. British utility service takes action on soil health ANGLIAN Water has joined forces with Trinity AgTech to o er growers a scienti c solution to optimising soil health. Catchment Advisor at Anglian Water, Chris Hewis, said Anglian Water recognises the mutually bene cial aspect of working alongside growers to improve soil health. “By using Trinity AgTech’s new generation navigator, Sandy, growers can monitor and, where necessary, make informed decisions to improve their soil health and keep inputs on the eld. at inevitably improves drinking water quality and farmers gain from a business productivity perspective,” he said. Sandy looks at all of the outcomes of changing practices and quanti es those changes in terms of carbon, biodiversity and water quality to help growers pro t from their business decisions. Sorting and loading machines take to the road FOLLOWING successful events in Shropshire and Cambridgeshire, GRIMME UK continued to tour the new Haith PRO SORT around the UK in October. e PRO SORT optical sorter and a GRIMME Clean Loader were put through their paces when they arrived in Goole and Herefordshire. e PRO Sort automates the removal of stone, clod and foreign debris from potatoes and helps growers cope with labour shortages. A TOMRA 3A optical sorter sits at the heart of the machine, which can handle up to 100 tonnes per hour with high levels of accuracy. As well as debris, the 3A’s colour sensors can detect green potatoes, which like the debris, are removed at the end of the conveyor belt by air actuated nger ejectors powered by the Pro-Sorts onboard compressor.