A Grim Assessment of Agrimetrics: A Missed Opportunity in UK Agri-Tech

Founded in 2015 as the flagship initiative of the UK government’s £140 million Agri-Tech Strategy, Agrimetrics was meant to revolutionize the agricultural landscape with a national data platform. Backed by £11.8 million in initial funding, its aim was clear: to foster productivity, sustainability, and food security through farm-level insights.

However, a decade later, the platform has yet to materialize. Instead, Agrimetrics transitioned to a consultancy model that ultimately fell short of generating the necessary revenue. By 2024, the organization had secured full commercial funding, but its independent operations ended in March 2025 when government grants ceased.

Experts Call for Accountability

Professor Tina Barsby, a prominent British crop scientist, views this situation as a profound missed opportunity and a breach of accountability for taxpayers. “We envisioned a public, open platform that could benefit everyone, but that never came to fruition. We are now ten years behind countries like the US, the Netherlands, and New Zealand,” she stated in an interview with AgTechNavigator.

Doubt Surrounds Public Investment Returns

UK plant science expert Dr. Julian Little shared Barsby’s frustrations, noting that the original goal was to establish a national farm data platform that would serve as a cornerstone for sustainable economic development in agri-tech. “I’m bewildered by where we went wrong,” he remarked. “Tens of millions have been spent with minimal results.”

Concerns over a lack of transparency regarding Trinity’s acquisition of Agrimetrics have also arisen. “Nobody had information about the Trinity exercise,” remarked Barsby. “It was utterly opaque.”

A New Direction for Trinity AgTech

In contrast, Trinity AgTech sees potential for growth in the deal. The company plans to incorporate Agrimetrics’ advanced satellite analytics into its Sandy platform, enhancing the integration of Earth observation data with soil testing and farmer inputs. This approach aims to provide real-time insights into crop performance and soil health.

Dr. Hosein Khajeh-Hosseiny, founder and executive chairman of Trinity, voiced optimism about the future. “The transition from Agrimetrics to Trinity AgTech signifies a positive shift for both UK and global agri-tech,” he asserted. “We will ensure that the UK’s investment in satellite analytics continues to grow.” He also noted that while Agrimetrics had “fantastic” technology, it lacked the capacity for effective commercialization.

David Flanders, Agrimetrics’ director, affirmed this sentiment: “Our goal was to translate complex Earth observation science into accessible tools for practical use. This acquisition promises to extend our technology’s reach to even more farmers and environmental managers across the UK and beyond.”

Unresolved Questions and Future Implications

While the acquisition secures Agrimetrics’ satellite analytics portfolio, several pressing questions remain unanswered. What was the financial arrangement with Trinity? What will become of the other data assets from Agrimetrics? Most crucially, does this signal the end of aspirations for a comprehensive, open farm data platform in the UK?

As the dust settles, this deal serves as both a beacon of hope and a somber reminder of a national objective that fell short. It preserves a decade of innovation while highlighting the need for strategic recalibration in the UK’s agri-tech landscape.