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The on-farm research network

The Agronomy Research Circle (ARC) supports collaborative on-farm research. We connect like-minded farmers with researchers, advisors and agri-tech companies to test new ideas, products and practices on-farm. Our members are called ARC Innovators because they are at the forefront of driving practical change on farms.

Join ARC Innovators
Farmer and advisor having a discussion in a field of wheat

Farmer-led research

Ideas for research and trials can come from any ARC Innovator. Other members can collaborate using their skills and experience to develop research projects that create valuable, practical information for farmers.

We can assist with accessing funding through the Defra ADOPT programme, with experience working as a facilitator, contractor and full partner. 

ADOPT provides funding for applied on-farm research, supporting farmers and ag-tech companies to test innovation.

ARC also works on commercial led projects, helping businesses with new technology find suitable farms to test it out and get an honest, independent appraisal of performance.

ARC has a small internal team to support project delivery but our strength is an engaged network of farmers and specialists keen to improve agrononmy and farm management.

We use a four-step model for how to learn and share what works on farm through explanations, evidence, experiments and exchange.

4 Es-2

The four-step research model

ARC uses four ‘Es’ to structure its research. Building on farmers' existing knowledge and experience underpins the our apporach.

We look for Explanations and Evidence of how chaning approach can improve crop performance. Experiments help prove the benefit of one method or another. Finally, Exchange – sharing experiences is often the most powerful route to adoption – farmers learn most from other farmers.

Explanations

Effective on-farm research starts with a clear question and a shared understanding of the system. By involving farmers and stakeholders early, we build explanatory frameworks that connect the local farming context with existing knowledge, helping to clarify what matters, what’s known, what to measure and what to test.

Explain

Evidence

By sharing relevant farm data, making meaningful measurements, and combining these with soil, weather, and satellite-derived datasets, we enable benchmarking and analytics that help farmers compare performance, build shared insight, and develop hypotheses about what works on-farm that can then be tested in experiments.

Evidence

Experimentation

To understand if something works we need fair comparisons- ideally replicated within and across farms. Field variability makes this challenging, but with good design and the right tools, robust trials are possible. The ARC Farm Trials Tool coordinates experiments using satellite imagery to place and monitor trials. Robust statistics can be applied to yield map data.

Experiment

Exchange

eal progress depends on listening. Capturing farmers’ experiences, feedback, and ideas is essential — not just for sharing results, but for shaping the direction of research and innovation. We help bring together tools like FarmPEP and support facilitation through groups like BOFIN to enable meaningful exchange and distil shared knowledge nuggets.

Exchange

Why join ARC Innovators?

Farmers & Growers

Test ideas and join trials in real farm conditions. Learn and share experience in the ARC network.

  • Independent information about what works on farm
  • Be first to learn about research opportunities
  • Develop trials and research that tackles challenges on you farm
  • Professional network focused on agronomy and farm manangement
  • Support accessing ADOPT funding
Join today

Agronomists & Researchers

Connect agronomic science to real-farm implementation with a network of engaged farmers.

  • Shape projects around genuine farm questions
  • Collaborate with engaged growers and partners
  • Generate practically useful results
Join our network

Ag-tech companies

Test your technology in real conditions with a credible, farmer-led route to ADOPT funding.

  • Access to a network of farmers who are intertested and have experience of conducting trials
  • Improve faster with honest, detail-focused feedback
  • Build real-world evidence that supports adoption
Learn more

What can we do for you?

Facilitators for on-farm projects

Interested in the Defra ADOPT programme? We have researchers and project managers who are experienced with Innovate UK processes and are registered as facilitators. We can engage as a facilitator, as a contracted supplier or as a full project partner.

Product testing on-farm

Do you have a product or technology you are taking to market and need to test with farmers? We offer a bespoke service tailored to your needs, creating new networks of farm testers or working with your existing contacts. With links to farm research networks & triallists around the world we can offer a global solution.

Trial management & Data analysis

Are you already running on-farm trials but would like to maximise the learnings from them, and your confidence in the results? We can bring your trials together in an easy to use platform, accessing free satellite imagery, statistically analyse yield map data and run meta-analyses across trials series. .

Improving on-farm performance

Do you represent a group of farmers striving for a common interest? We work with supply chains, levy bodies, farm clusters, water companies, agronomy groups and university networks to support sharing of ideas and co-ordinate experiments, measurements and results.

What works on your farm?

Are you a farmer who wants to be part of a network that is continually striving to learn what works on your farm? Join our ARC Innovators network to get involved in exciting projects and opportunities, and be first to access results and learnings.

Industry intelligence

Do you want to better understand the agronome, what's driving variation in performance and where there might be opportunities? We connect datasets from soil, weather, satellites and farm management to quantify what works where.