The Oxford Farming Conference

Tuesday 4th January, 2011

15:00
AGM
16:00
Delegate Registration Opens
17:15
Fringe Meeting

Maximising the benefits:agriculture's role in natural resource protection hosted by Defra and Natural England Catchment Sensitive Farming.

18:30
Champagne Reception for the Pre-Conference Dinner
19:30
Pre-Conference Dinner

John Humphrys, the BBC Radio 4 presenter, will bring his tenacious style to Oxford as the After Dinner Speaker

21:00
After Dinner Bar

Wednesday 5th January, 2011

07:30
Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer with Reverend Dr Gordon Gatward in the University College Chapel

08:45
Welcome and Chairman's introduction to the first session

Chairman: Christine Tacon, CBE

08:50
The European perspective

Speaker: George Lyon, MEP, Liberal Democrat

08:50
Precis of the 2011 Oxford Farming Conference Research 'The Value and Viability of UK Farming'

Speaker: Cedric Porter

08:50
Steering Irish agriculture through the economic downturn

Speaker: Brendan Smith TD, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Fianna Fail

08:50
Building a strong and competitive food and farming sector

Speaker: Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, Secretary of State for Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

10:00
Question Time

Panel:

  • Rt Hon Caroline Spelman
  • George Lyon MEP
  • Brendan Smith TD
  • Professor Allan Buckwell, CLA Policy Director

Chairman: Matt Dempsey, Editor and Chief Executive, Irish Farmers Journal

11:00
Coffee Break
11:30
A forecast population of 9bn: Realistic? Manageable? Sustainable?

Speaker: Professor Aubrey Manning, Emeritus Professor, Edinburgh University

12:15
Lunch
13:30
Global Perspective session

Chairman: Professor Bill McKelvey

13:30
Farming with and without subsidies

Speaker: Jim McCarthy, CEO of Blue Yulan SA Luxembourg

13:30
Global commodity markets, where are they heading?

Speaker: Jeffrey Currie, Global Head of Commodities Research, Goldman Sachs

13:30
Global food markets - the world is the market place

Speaker: Marcelo Secco, Commercial Director Frigorífico Tacuarembó-Marfrig SA, Uruguay

16:00
Session close and tea
18:00
Debate in The Oxford Union

Motion: This house believes unrestrained population growth and food security are incompatible.

Proposing: Jonathon Porritt CBE, Co-founder of Forum for the Future
Seconding: Angharad Evansstudying MSc in International Rural Development at RAC

Opposing: Sir Paul Judge, Chairman, Schroder Income Growth Fund plc
Seconding: Richard Thomas, Farmer & Chairman West Midlands Area YFC

19:30
Post Debate Supper at Christ Church College

Thursday 6th January, 2011

07:45
The early bird breakfast: Celebrating all that farming does for wildlife
08:50
New Technology Session – Maximising the Efficiency and minimising Environmental Impact

Chairman: William Gemmill

08:50
Where next for livestock innovation?

Speaker: Chris Warkup, Director, Biosciences KTN

08:50
Water scarcity, does technology hold the key?

Speaker: Professor John S Boyer, E. I. du Pont Professor of Biochemistry/Biophysics Emeritus

08:50
Only clever science will yield crop results

Speaker: Bill Clark, Director of Broom’s Barn, Rothamsted Research

10:30
Coffee break
11:00
Poultry innovations forge ahead for welfare, food chain and the environment

Speaker: David Speller, Applied Poultry & 2009 FW Poultry Farmer of the Year

11:00
High-tech horticulture sets the tone for the future

Speaker: Chris Mack, Executive Chairman of Fresca Group Ltd

12:10
Lunch
13:30
The OFC Research Results

OFC Research Results in detail

13:30
Entrepreneurship in Scotland

Speaker: Gregor Mackintosh, Mackintosh of Glendaveny

13:30
Triumph and adversity in Oxfordshire

Speaker: Charles Baker, RC Baker (Agricultural Contractors) Ltd

13:30
The Frank Parkinson Lecture

Challenges and Opportunities for European Agricultural Policy

Speaker: Dacian Cioloş, Member of the European Commission Responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development

13:30
Inspiration session

Chairman: Jane King

13:30
Managing change and making things happen

Speaker: John Shropshire OBE, CEO, Shropshire Group

15:45
Close and Tea
19:30
Oxtail Club Dinner

Oxtail Club Dinner at the Worcester College