The Oxford Farming Conference

This event is only for the 2024 OFC Inspire Cohort, and will run from 12:00 to 13:30 at the Examination Schools, Room 11.

The biggest challenge facing today’s society is building resilience in the face of a continuously changing climate. Farmers are facing the brunt of extreme weather events and global warming could cause a 30% reduction in food production worldwide. This does not change the fact that an ever-growing population needs to be fed and we must find ways to build a more resilient food production system.

Join BASF at the Oxford Natural History Museum for OFC's first partner session of 2024 - a panel session hearing from farmers trialling novel interventions to tackle the effects of climate change and hear a global perspective of the agriculture industry as we look to future proof our food security and care for the natural environment. In keeping with the conference theme of diversity, speakers will share unique insights from different locations, soil types and farming philosophies.

Joining the panel will be:

•    Mary Boote, Chief Executive Officer, Global Farmer Network
•    William Pitts, second generation farmer in Mears Ashby Northamptonshire & founder of Project Fortress, farming on handslope clay
•    Hannah Darby, forth generation farmer near Huntingdon, farming primarily on the Fen with black organic soil
•    Martin Andersson, eight generation farmer, farming a wide rotation in Skåne, Sweden

This session will run from 17:00 to 19:00 at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History followed by an opportunity to network with panellists and guests. Refreshments will be provided.

There are limited tickets for this session so we encourage pre-booking. If you have already booked your main conference ticket, log back in to your ticket and add this to your booking via your member portal. Click here to amend booking.

OFC24 Chairman, Will Evans, officially opens the conference during this special reception at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. A complimentary drink and light nibbles will be available and, for 2024, this event is included in the conference ticket.

This reception is included in your main conference ticket, but space is limited so we do ask that you book a place. If you have already booked your main conference ticket, there is an option to log back in and add this to your booking via your member portal. A link can also be found in your booking confirmation.

This event will run from 19:00 to 20:00

A gentle run enjoying some of the streets of OFC, with runners meeting at the entrance of the Examination Schools. Led by Projects Director Adam Bedford and OFC Director Sheena Horner.

Hosted at the University College Chapel from 7:30 to 8:00

This session will cover research which has been undertaken by Lantra to understand the barriers to farm businesses hiring apprentices. It will include recommendations for farm businesses, industry and policymakers, with the aim of apprenticeships being a key pillar in a new entrants strategy for the industry. To be held in Room 7.

Speakers:   

• David Llewellyn, Lantra Chair  
• Corrina Urquhart, Director of External Relations (Lantra)

There are limited tickets for this session so we encourage pre-booking. If you have already booked your main conference ticket, log back in to your ticket and add this to your booking via your member portal. Click here to amend booking.

Come and hear about the latest developments in agricultural innovation from the Agri-Tech Centres’ expert team. To be held in Room 11. 

There are limited tickets for this session so we encourage pre-booking. If you have already booked your main conference ticket, log back in to your ticket and add this to your booking via your member portal. Click here to amend booking.

OFC24 Chairman Will Evans opens the conference. Please note, that doors to the main auditorium will close promptly and not open again until the break, so please try to be seated by 9am. Our business lounge is open for anyone who arrives after the doors have closed and hosts a live stream. This area can also be used for anyone who wishes to work while the conference is running. South an East Schools.

The afternoon conference will commence promptly at 14:00 - South and East Schools. 

An international and UK perspective. Speakers: Dr Diana Onyango, Head of Technical Team at Farm Africa and Andy Cato, Co-founder at Wildfarmed.

Sarah Dunning OBE, Chair of Westmorland Limited, shares her family story of innovation and inspiration, in this session titled "Westmorland Family - A Story of Rural Diversification"

The DEFRA agricultural transition plan for England was launched in 2020. It sets out a bold ambition to replace the former EU subsidy regime with public payments for public goods. To date we have seen the launch of Environmental Land Management (ELM) including the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Landscape Recovery. Alongside these we have the continuation of Countryside Stewardship where over 35,000 farmers are delivering for the environment alongside food production.

Jonathan Baker, Defra Deputy Director for the Farming and Countryside Programme will update on the current state of play with the programme and the most recent developments for ELM, looking forward to 2024-25. He will be joined by Jim Egan, Sustainable Farming Adviser for Frontier Agriculture who are hosting this session. Jim will outline the opportunities Frontier are providing to help farmers deliver the Sustainable Farming Incentive, complementing their core food production activities.

There are limited tickets for this session so we encourage pre-booking. If you have already booked your main conference ticket, log back in to your ticket and add this to your booking via your member portal. Click here to amend booking.

The agriculture sector is under intense scientific, media and public scrutiny, negatively linked to global warming, nature decline and decreasing human health.  AHDB and ITN Business’ ‘Farming a Greener Future’ raises awareness and understanding of the importance of livestock, and its role in feeding the population sustainably. But the role of livestock goes beyond the programme’s themes, with emerging farm-based evidence, scientific advancement and scrutiny of data revealing livestock has a unique and invaluable role within society. Following a short screening of the programme, the session explores the diverse role of livestock in sustainable farming systems, nature recovery, climate action and food security

Speakers:   

• Professor John Gilliland OBE, Environment Consultant at AHDB
• Kate Arthur, Lead Nutritionist at AHDB
• Amy Jackson, Reputation Communications Consultant
• Professor Jude Capper, Harper Adams University

The session with be chaired by:

• Mike Gooding, AHDB’s Farming Systems Director

There are limited tickets for this session so we encourage pre-booking. If you have already booked your main conference ticket, log back in to your ticket and add this to your booking via your member portal. Click here to amend booking.

Join the Woodland Trust and the Nature Friendly Farming Network, for breakfast and a lively discussion on how landscape diversity will need to be a key component of a healthy, functioning farming sector in 2050. Building on the conference theme of ‘The Power of Diversity’ explore how nature-based solutions can help ensure that by 2050 we will have farming systems that deliver healthy food, a healthy environment, and a healthy society.  

Whether through agroforestry delivering environmental services and product diversity, or min tillage enhancing soil health this session will have a panel of practitioners who will share their experiences and inspire you to act

Chair:

• Sarah Langford confirmed  

Panel:   

• Martin Lines Arable Farmer & CEO NFFN
• John Pawsey Organic Farmer
• Claire Whittle – Regen Vet
• Sam Beaumont – Livestock Farmer and NFFN Champion

There are limited tickets for this session so we encourage pre-booking. If you have already booked your main conference ticket, log back in to your ticket and add this to your booking via your member portal. Click here to amend booking.

OFC24 Chairman Will Evans opens the final day of the conference. Please note, that doors to the main auditorium will close promptly and not open again until the break, so please try to be seated by 9am. Our business lounge is open for anyone who arrives after the doors have closed and hosts a live stream. This area can also be used for anyone who wishes to work while the conference is running.

With Bella Bathurst, Writer and Photo Journalist

Diversity of work patterns and benefits, skill sets, nationalities and geographical locations, to name a few topics, brings this Question Time style session to life. Panel: Prof. Ken Sloan, Vice-Chancellor at Harper Adams University, Donna Edmonds, CEO of the Education Farms, Rory Christie, Dairy Farmer, Vice Chair SAOS, Amie Burke, Inclusivity Programme Manager, Institute of Grocery Distribution and Nick Evans, Founder of First4Farmig and co-founder of Oxbury.

One of our most popular sessions each year. Speakers: Doug Wanstall, Farmer, Polly Davies, Mixed Organic Tenant Farmer and AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds Sector Council Member and David Mwanaka, Farmer and founder of Mwanaka Fresh Farm Foods.