The Connected Farm: Staying Safe and Getting Ahead with Artificial Intelligence
Thursday 16 April 2026
Malton and Norton RUFC, 6.30pm arrival, 7pm supper
Places are FREE but must be booked in advance to inform catering
Join the Farmer Scientist Network for a FREE informative and practical evening designed specifically for farmers and rural business owners.
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the way farms operate – from improving productivity and decision-making to reducing costs and supporting more resilient
businesses – but alongside these opportunities come new risks, particularly around cyber security and data protection.
This session will help you protect your farm from cyber risks and discover how Artificial Intelligence can support your day-to-day operations.
This event is delivered by the Farmer Scientist Network at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and is kindly funded by Anglo American.
Why attend?
Whether you’re curious about digital technologies or looking to strengthen your farm’s resilience, this session is packed with practical advice, inspiring case studies, and opportunities to ask the experts, all starting with a hot complimentary buffet.
- Gain insights from policy makers, including perspectives from the Feeding Britain Report on the future of agriculture in the UK.
- Learn from experts how to safeguard your farm against cyber threats, scams, and connected machinery vulnerabilities.
- Hear examples of AI in action on farms, from precision tools to automation, and discover how it can boost productivity.
- Network with fellow farmers, policy makers, and industry specialists, and gain resources to help your farm thrive in a digital world.
Dr Dave George, Chair of the Farmer Scientist Network said:
It’s going to be a really useful evening for anyone involved in farming and rural businesses.
Our speakers at this event are at the top of their game when it comes to the smart use of artificial intelligence and cyber security and will offer practical information to help inform business decisions.
Introducing the speakers
Nick Baker
Nick Baker is part of the leadership structure of NFU Mutual’s Cyber Insurance proposition, with more than 18 years of industry knowledge, ranging from financial professions (FinPro) insurance to commercial insurance.
For the last nine years, Nick has focused on the growth and development of cyber insurance in the market and how it can protect and support NFU Mutual customers.
Dr Sam Hoste
Sam, through Quantech Solutions, has undertaken Agri-Tech leadership roles in business, central government and global consultancy firms.
He has led sector-wide pig health improvement initiatives and was instrumental in the establishment of the UK’s Agri-Tech Centres and COO of the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock.
Sam was a director and geneticist at ACMC and NPD, UK Technical manager for PIC, and was in the DIT Agri-Tech team with a focus on Precision Livestock Farming and alternative proteins.
He mentors companies at Cultivate, the accelerator programme of Harper Adams and vHive, University of Surrey, and he farms at Howe farm, Ryedale, managed as a share agreement with the Douglas family, across 166 acres of combinable crops, 50 acres of permanent pasture along the river Rye and 22 acres of woodland.
Sam also developed the Agrillo phone app to assist in the management of farm chemical stores.
Richard Lanning
With a background in international development, marketing and logistics, Richard is Director of Enterprise CUBE CIC, a business he founded in 2012. Since then, Richard and his team have supported thousands of start-ups to launch new businesses across the UK.
His flagship project, StriveLive is a virtual start-up incubator that been run 14 times in North Yorkshire, supporting dozens of rural businesses and several farms to diversify into new areas.
Working with so many micro-enterprises, he is passionate about finding low-cost, easy to implement efficiency wins in the AI and automation space, and is currently delivering a series of automation workshops for YNYCA to help local businesses.
Tobie Abel
Tobie is the founder of ATS York and has more than 20 years’ experience of leading large digital transformation projects for IBM, LLoyds and various other multi-nationals, particularly within the Salesforce ecosystems.
After deploying AI-powered video analysis in poultry farms, Tobie launched ATS York to offer a range of AI solutions and training to teams across North Yorkshire and the UK.
