WITH an expected attendance of more than 24,000 visitors and 500 trade stands, this year’s 40th Cereals Event is again building up to be another ‘must go to’ exhibition. Organisers said that with arable margins tight and prices volatile, it’s more important than ever for farmers to squeeze every pound out of their crops. The event hopes to help make those important decisions, whether it’s through precision machinery, optimum crop choice or using expert advice to produce a more efficient business strategy. “Visiting Cereals gives arable farmers the opportunity to see what they should do, what they could do and what they would like to do,” said event organiser, Jon Day. “We’ve seen visitors return year after year, whether for the latest technical information, to review and compare machinery or simply for the networking opportunity – Cereals delivers.” Stretching over 64ha on a working farm and attracting more than 24,000 visitors every year, it is a hub for arable innovation. But there are five key reasons to go to this year’s event, according to the organisers: „ The Soil Pit returns, larger than before, where farmers will have the chance to view crops ‘underground’ in the soil profile. With crops such as winter and spring beans as well as radish and oat mixes included in this year’s pit, experts will be on hand to discuss a variety of topics – including cultivation techniques and rooting habits of different cover crops. Visitors are also being encouraged to bring a sample of their own soil to discuss how specific issues can be rectified on their own farms. „ Working demonstrations – Cereals features millions of pounds worth of static machinery and there will also be 5ha of working demonstrations. But it’s not just about kit on the ground – The Drone Zone will also feature demonstrations. With an on-site flying cage for short flights as well a nearby crop field for longer flights, visitors will be able to see how drones can be used to collect data and provide real benefits on farm. „ The Arable Conference is essential for those wanting to keep up with the latest industry research and news. This will cover a breadth of topics – from Brexit to glyphosate – and play host to a range of high calibre speakers, including NFU president Meurig Raymond and Liz Bowles, head of farming at the Soil Association. „ The well-established Knowledge Trails will bring together like-minded exhibitors and this year’s event is making it easier for visitors to seek out the information they need, with six trails. Visitors will be able to download maps prior to the show to help them pick out exhibitors to visit based on a chosen theme. The topics of this year’s trails are: „ Managing blackgrass „ Precision and efficiency „ Adding value and managing costs „ Brexit-proof your business „ Weeds, disease and nutrition „ Getting the most from oilseed rape „ Fields of the Future will showcase new technology likely to play a big role in revolutionising farming practices. This area will collate innovations and research from some of the country’s leading universities and businesses. „ Tickets are on sale via the website www.cerealsevent. co.uk/tickets and visitors can use the promocode CEREALS17TOS to save more than 15% on the ticket price.