Net Zero Innovation Programme | Project: Tenfold

Dale Farm Challenge

How can the application of IoT enable more accurate measuring and use of feed at a farm-level across Dale Farm’s co-operative, including farms of different technology maturity, contributing to improved economic and sustainability outcomes?

With a workforce of over 1,200 individuals spread across the UK and Ireland, Dale Farm stands out as one of the largest and most expansive dairy companies in the UK. The company’s operations span the entire food chain, from producing animal feed to collecting milk from farms, processing dairy products, and delivering them to stores. Dale Farm’s dairy products find their way into retail, foodservice, and ingredient markets across more than 45 countries.

Dale Farm recognises the abundance of data sources at its disposal, which can significantly enhance decision-making regarding resource allocation and operational efficiencies on their farms. They anticipate that leveraging data more effectively can positively impact various business aspects, including monitoring feed levels on partner farms, tracking bulk feed intake on individual farms, and monitoring feed consumption at the individual animal level.

Their challenge lies in exploring how the application of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies can facilitate more accurate measurement and utilization of feed at a farm-level across Dale Farm’s cooperative, encompassing farms of varying technology maturity. This initiative aims to contribute to improved economic and sustainability outcomes.

AgriSearch Challenge

What new data visualisation tools can help drive behaviour change amongst farmers towards improved organic manure application (nutrient management), leading to positive economic and environmental outcomes across Northern Ireland farms?

At the heart of AgriSearch’s mission is the commitment to delivering tangible benefits to primary producers, with a focus on cost reduction, performance enhancement, fostering innovation, and improving animal welfare. The organisation prioritises avoiding duplication of existing research and aims to maximise the utilisation of complementary funding sources wherever possible.

The challenge at hand revolves around optimising nutrient management practices across farms in the region and harnessing the potential of new data visualisation tools to instigate behavioral changes among farmers. This shift is aimed at promoting improved organic manure application practices, which in turn can yield positive economic and environmental outcomes for Northern Irish farms.

Currently, farmers encounter challenges in planning and executing the use of fertilisers on their land. With a gap in effectively utilising organic manures, and engagement within the farming community lacking; increased adoption of organic manures not only reduces expenditure on manufactured fertilisers but also mitigates nutrient losses into the environment, thereby positively impacting issues related to soil and water quality.

Encirc Challenge

How can improved bottle inspection technologies increase successful defect detection within dark glass containers, reducing the need to conduct rework and associated energy consumption and cost?

Established in 1998 with its first plant situated in Northern Ireland, Encirc has evolved into a market leader in glass container design, manufacturing, bottling and logistics solutions for the UK and Irish food and beverage industries. Renowned not only for its market leadership but also for its unparalleled commitment to sustainability, Encirc stands out as the foremost eco-conscious entity in its industry worldwide.

Encirc has put forth a challenge aimed at rectifying deficiencies in the current inspection capabilities within its bottling plant. Specifically, the focus is on enhancing bottle inspection technologies to bolster defect detection rates within Encirc’s dark glass containers. This improvement initiative seeks to minimise the necessity for rework while curbing associated energy consumption and costs. Given the distinctive color and opacity of the dark glass container they produce, conventional quality inspection methods encounter limitations. Being the sole global supplier of this particular product, Encirc faces the challenge that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of glass inspection machinery possess limited expertise in inspection techniques tailored to this specific glass type.