15 Emerging Leaders to attend OFC 2017

Dan Roberts

Fifteen of the UK’s top farmers are being funded to attend the 2017 Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) which will be held at Oxford University from 3-5 January 2017. The OFC Council has invited farmers to join its Emerging Leaders initiative, which builds on the OFC’s successful UK and international scholars’ programmes.  

Conference delegate places have been offered to people aged 30-45 years of age who are developing their skills and passion for leadership roles within the global agri-food sector. The initiative is being funded with support from Massey Ferguson.  

The OFC invited organisations already actively developing leadership within agriculture and the rural communities to elect people to attend. Partner organisations involved are: AHDB, the Institute of Agricultural Management (IAgrM), Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust, Scottish Enterprise Rural Leadership, The European Young Farmers Association (CEJA) and the Worshipful Company of Farmers. Four final places were sought from the wider industry via a Twitter promotion. The fifteen people are:  

Emerging Leader 

Elected by 

Antony Pearce, Moat Farm, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks 

AHDB 

Rhys Williams, Trygarn, SarnMeltyrn, South Wales 

AHDB 

James Chapman, F Moreton & Co, Leamington Spa, Warks 

Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust 

Patrick Hook, PD Hook, Bampton, Oxon 

Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust 

Susannah Pate, South Powrie, By Dundee, Angus 

Scottish Enterprise Rural Leadership Programme 

Tracey Roan, BarnbarrochFarm, Dalbeattie, Dumfries & Galloway 

Scottish Enterprise Rural Leadership Programme 

Angela Kirkwood, East Riding Country Pork, Halsham, E Yorks 

Challenge of Rural Leadership (Worshipful Company of Famers) 

Charlie Chamberlain, CrowmarshBattle Farms, Oxon 

Institute of Agricultural Management  

Niall Blair, Kilry, Blairgowrie, Angus 

Applied via Twitter promotion 

Fiona Hanna, Newry, Northern Ireland 

Applied via Twitter promotion 

Dan Roberts, Brackley, Northants.  [Pictured above]

Applied via Twitter promotion 

Nicola Renison, Cannerheugh Farm, Renwick, Cumbria 

Applied via Twitter promotion 

Alan Jagoe, Carrigaline, Co.Cork, Ireland 

President, CEJA 

Alice Cerutti, Vercelli, Northern Italy 

Vice-President, CEJA 

JuhaTenho, Ulvila, Finland 

Vice-President, CEJA 

 “At the heart of every farm and rural business there is someone responsible for the key decisions – individuals who drive the business forward. They recognise the opportunities, seize the agenda, and forge the path that others will follow. The OFC offers an excellent opportunity for these individuals to develop their networks and sector knowledge and the OFC Council feel that this is something that we can support them with by their attendance of the conference,” explains Martin Davies, the OFC’s 2017 Chairman.  

“The OFC is cited by delegates as one of the best events for meaningful conversations with a wide range of contacts, including scientists, senior leaders from UK retail, policy makers, NGOs and supply chain managers. We attract the best speakers to a farming conference in the UK, people that will inform, challenge and inspire those with a determination to succeed.” 

The 15 selected Emerging Leaders will attend the conference at no cost. In addition, OFC are laying on some extra activities to encourage discussion and dialogue within the group and feedback that can be promoted to a wider audience.  

The initiative is funded jointly as part of the OFC’s charitable outreach for education and by Massey Ferguson. “We are excited to be playing an active part in this important programme with the OFC to develop our future farming leaders,” says William Judge, Massey Ferguson National Sales Manager UK and Ireland. “It is a key element of our wider commitment to help support the next generation of farmers with their careers in agriculture. Now, more than ever before, strong leadership, clear vision and confident decision-making are pivotal to guiding global farming through the enormous challenges ahead.”  

To qualify as an emerging leader, the applicants were guided as follows: 

  • Must be actively farming, aged between 30-45; 

  • Must have not attended OFC in the past; 

  • Must be able and willing to attend OFC from 3-5 January, 2017. 

The OFC already runs an annual Travel Award also targeted for emerging leaders in the UK and Germany. This award is run in conjunction with DLG, The German Agricultural Society.

Biographies of the Emerging Leaders 

Name 

Details 

Rhys Williams 

Dairy farmer who started sharemilking on the Llyn Peninsula in N Wales and over the past 12 years developed a business that milks 1550 cows on a low-costgrass-based system, with 1100 cows owned over 1900 acres, owned rented and share-farmed. Spent some years working in New Zealand that had a huge influence on his farming career and personal life. A Nuffield scholar and member of Grazing Gogsand Grasshopper discussion groups, he is open to new ideas and never afraid to give them a go. With a large business to manage, he relies on a team of people to manage the farms by his side, so communication skills are paramount, and he’s keen to learn from others on how to improve these. He is married to Kelly and has five children. 

Antony Pearce 

Trained as an accountant before returning to farm in family partnership. The mixed farm comprises sheep, Christmas turkeys and combinable arable cropping. Through a joint venture the area under management has increased from 350ha to 1000ha in three years. Antony's changes in management policy resulted in being chosen as a finalist for Farmers Weekly Young Farmer of the Year 2010. The family also own 365 hectares in the Cotswolds which has been farmed as a second joint venture totalling 855 hectares with a neighboursince 2007. He has been Chairman of the Joint Venture Farming Group since 2011. 

Charlie Chamberlain 

Fourth generation arable farmer, working alongside father and brother, taking on responsibility of the business side of the family’s 4000-acre arable farm in South Oxfordshire, which includes a number of tenancies and whole farm contracts. The farm is a LEAF demonstration farm and has an HLS agreement focusing on farmland birds. 

James Chapman 

Currently helps manage a 500 acre arable farm in Warwickshire, striving to increase yields and cut costs to help make the farm more resilient to volatile markets. In 2005, he suffered a farm accident and lost his left arm, altering his life's direction. James rose through Young Farmers to become national chairman in 2010/11 while also helping to campaign for better safety on farms. He is currently half way through a Nuffield farming scholarship looking at how to reduce accidents on farms. 

Patrick Hook 

Director of family-owned hatchery business in Oxon, hatching 9.5 million day-old chicks a week and supplying chickens to major retailers throughout the UK. A 2015 Nuffield Scholar, Patrick researched the challenges and opportunities to the UK broiler industry in 2050.  

Tracey Roan 

Runs a 200 head pedigree Holstein dairy farm in partnership with her family on a 350 acre farm in Dumfries and Galloway, South West Scotland. In 2015, started to pasteuriseand sell milk direct to trade and consumers. After taking part in the Rural Leadership Programme, quit part time job as a Senior Housing Officer in 2015 to work on the farm full time. Passionate about providing fresh local produce, giving consumers a more informed choice, better quality product and raising the awareness of the benefits of souringand buying local products, especially in the dairy sector.   

Susannah Pate 

Turkey and principally cereals farmer. Susannah and husband Tom farm 600 acres on edge of Dundee. As well as growing cereals for food and biofuels, the farm fattens pigs on contract, and six years ago diversified into rearing and processing KellyBronzeturkeys for sale direct to the public at Christmas time. Susannah has background in marketing and completed the Scottish Enterprise Rural Leadership Programmelast year.  

Alan Jagoe 

Dairy and arable farmer, milking 200 cows. For the last two years he’s served as vice-president of CEJA, and before that as President of Macra na Feirme – Ireland’s young farmer and rural youth organisation. Has conducted studies into “Land Mobility” and involved in CAP reform in Ireland. 

Alice Cerutti 

A rice farmer in N Italy. She has been a member of ANGA, Italy’s National Association of Young Farmers, since 2009. Before that, she worked in market research and business development in New York, USA. She has held a CEJA seat since 2010 and is involved in Ecorice, a project aiming to increase the environmental sustainability of rice farms. 

Juha Tenho 

Previously a member of the board of MTK, Finland’s Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners, for over two years and a member of his regional young farmer committee for three years before that. manages his own organic beef and lamb production together with his wife on their own holding.  

Angela Kirkwood 

Fully integrated farming business in E Yorks comprising arable land, 1000-sow farrowto finish pig unit, feed mill, renewables (solar and wind) and direct retail through our own butchers shop and farmers markets. NFU York East County Vice-Chairperson and current Branch Chairperson. Working closely with AHDB Marketing and Ladies in Pigs.  

Fiona Hanna 

Chartered accountant and runs arable enterprise alongside husband.  The business is in a rapid period of growth.  Responsible for strategic and operational management, administrationand finance. Also has a home-based part-time accountancy practice. Non-Executive Director of AFBI. Also sits on management board of UFU and Mourne, Gullion & Lecale Rural Development Partnership. 

Nicola Renison 

Farms 350 acres with husband Paul on the edge of the Pennines, with 1000 Aberfield X ewes, contract rear dairy heifers and a small suckler herd. Rotational grazing has become something of an obsession and as a new farmer, she comes with an open mind and zero tradition. They are part of AHDB’s progressive sheep group, and are known locally as early adopters of new technology. She has also worked alongside the Woodland Trust helping to promote the benefits of planting hedges and trees in relation to sheep farming and water management. 

Daniel Roberts 

Area manager responsible for 17 broiler farms and over 40 employees having worked 15 years in the UK poultry industry. Faccenda Foods produces two million broilers each week as well as producing turkeys and ducks. Has recently completed a Post GraduateCertificate in Poultry Business Management at Harper Adams and has just been awarded a Nuffield Scholarship for 2017 to study Avian Influenza. 

Niall Blair 

Niall graduated with an HonoursDegree in Agriculture from Aberdeen University in 2001. After graduation he spent a number of years gaining practical farming experience including working on pig, cattle, sheep and arable units. 
In 2004 Niall took on a traineeship as an Agricultural Consultant and Rural Surveyor, qualifying as member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 2007. He then went on to work as an Estates Manager for a National Construction Company.  An offer of voluntary redundancy in 2013 coincided with the opportunity to take on a Tenancy of a 250ha hill farm in the Angus Glens. Since this date Niall and his wife Katy have been working to establish a sustainable business based around both upland cattle and sheep enterprises. At present they farm around 400 breeding ewes and 30 suckler cows, with plans to continue to build numbers and expand the business over the next few years.