How to submit research and knowledge exchange (R&KE) ideas to AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds (letterbox)

We provide independent evidence to help levy payers navigate many challenges associated with farming. Find out how you can submit research and knowledge exchange (R&KE) ideas to help us answer the most pressing questions facing growers of cereals and oilseeds.

In addition to core activities, such as the Recommended Lists (RL), the AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds sector plan provides scope to fund R&KE activities that speed up the adoption of innovative and sustainable practices on farm and in the supply chain.

It is crucial that our activity is levy-payer led, so we welcome any ideas for investment from levy payers that address the long-term profitability of the cereals and oilseeds sector.

Simply submit your idea via email to research.ideas@ahdb.org.uk, or complete this short form.

Your details will be kept in line with our privacy notice. 

We may contact you about the information submitted.

• Ideas that align with the AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds sector plan 2022–2027 will be prioritised
• Contact an appropriate member of the AHDB team to discuss your submission
• Be specific by providing as much information as possible, including why the topic is important (to you and the wider industry)

It is always good to be specific about your idea. Here is an example email subject and responses.

Email subject

Are biostimulants worth the money?

Basic

I need more information about biostimulants, please.

Better

Biostimulants are being pushed at farmers. Many of us want to cut back on chemicals, but we don’t know what is in these products. Nobody appears to be testing if they work.

Best

Like many farmers, I try to cut back on fertilisers and fungicides, but I don’t want to see yields drop.

Biostimulants are offered to farmers as alternatives, but we often don’t know what is in them or if they work.

I have used biostimulants in some split-field trials, but results have been inconsistent. I don’t know if I am wasting my money.

Questions I would like answered:

• Can biostimulants supplement or replace fungicides and still provide good disease control?
• Do micronutrients improve plant resistance to disease with/without biostimulants?
• Can amino acids improve yields with or without nitrogen fertiliser reductions?

1. Anyone* can submit questions or ideas to AHDB (via email or at events).
2. AHDB staff review submissions and develop potential project outlines.
3. The R&KE committee review the project outlines, considering the value for levy payers, and either rejects or accepts them.
4. For accepted project outlines, the committee may request a full project brief (covering potential costs, collaboration opportunities and the approach required) or a scoping review (to provide an overview of the evidence).
5. The committee reviews all information provided and makes recommendations to the AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Sector Council – this could include a request for research, communication or KE activities.
6. Information about key investment decisions, including research calls, are published on this web page.

*Although we welcome ideas from non-levy payers, we do not accept speculative research proposals.

Information on R&KE funding opportunities is available on the AHDB procurement pages.

The team regularly reviews submissions to identify priority areas for discussion at R&KE committee meetings.

To identify priority areas, the team considers how often a topic has been mentioned and the potential benefit to industry of answering the questions posed.

Proposals are assessed by the R&KE committee and the AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Sector Council during regular (usually quarterly) meetings.

This levy-payer-led research commissioning process was introduced in 2024. 

Next/recent R&KE committee meetings:

25 October 2024, 11 February 2025, 19 May 2025, 16 September 2025 and 4 November 2025.

Next/recent Cereals & Oilseeds Sector Council meetings:

20 November 2024, 17 January 2025, 11 March 2025, 18 June 2025, 14 October 2025 and 4 December 2025.

We are seeking two additional members to join the newly established R&KE Committee.

The application deadline is 30 November 2024.

Keep up to date with the latest research and agronomy news from AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds, sign up for the monthly Agronomy Focus eshot: preferencecentre.ahdb.org.uk

James Standen, a farmer and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Sector Council member, chairs the R&KE committee.

Ana Reynolds leads the development of R&KE activities for AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds that address priorities identified by levy payers.