That was a keynote message from the BeetTech26 conference, which brought more than 200 farmers and industry professionals to the Norfolk Showground.

Organised by the Norwich-based British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO), the event highlighted the latest research and new technologies aimed at boosting the productivity and sustainability of the beet growers supplying British Sugar's factories.

The British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) held its BeetTech26 conference at the Norfolk Showground (Image: Chris Hill)

Guest speaker Prof Simon Pearson, a leading agri-food industry research expert from the University of Lincoln, said although sugar beet yields had risen rapidly since the 1960s, this progress appeared to be "flat-lining" in recent years.

But he said agri-tech had the potential to drive the future productivity, profitability and resilience of agriculture - using innovations including AI (artificial intelligence), automated robotic machinery and precision crop breeding.

"The world is changing really fast," said Prof Pearson. "There........

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