AgEng2006 Conference

The AgEng2006 Bonn Conference

Over seven hundred agricultural engineers from fifty five countries around the world met at the beginning of September in Bonn, Germany to attend AgEng2006. The conference was organised by the International Agricultural Engineers Society (CIGR) and the German Society of Agricultural Engineers (VDI-MEG). It was supported by the European Society of Agricultural Engineers (EurAgEng) and FAO (the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation). Experts presented papers on topics ranging from livestock technology to biomass handling and processing. Poster sessions ran over the three days of the conference.

Organisers were pleased to see participation from young engineers and part of the Closing Session was dedicated to the UNACOMA Vision Award, sponsored by the Italian Farm Machinery Manufacturers Association, UNACOMA. Teams of students from Dublin, Ireland and Almería, Spain, competed for the prize with exciting presentations on autonomous robots and living in space. The Spanish team was the eventual victor.

The conference took place in the University of Bonn’s main building but the Awards Ceremony occupied the prestigious former Bundeshaus situated on the banks of the Rhine and the meeting place for the Federal Republic government until it was moved to Berlin. Many engineers and academics were recognised for their contribution to the world of agriculture. EurAgEng presented its Innovation and Development Award and its first ever Award of Merit at this ceremony. Designed to recognise the work of a leading light in the industry, Ray Clay, recently retired from JCB, was the inaugural recipient of the Award of Merit for his work on JCB’s Fastrac.

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Award of Merit winner Ray Clay (right) with Prof Bill Day (left) the outgoing EurAgEng President, and Prof Aad Jongebreur (centre) the incoming EurAgEng President.

A clear message from Christian Patermann, Director DG Research, Biotechnology, Agriculture and Food, European Commission at the end of the conference highlighted the areas for development over the next seven years in which engineers with biotechnology and agriculture will play a significant part.