The Oxford Farming Conference
Tuesday 3rd January, 2012
15:00
AGM
16:00
Fringe Meeting - Sustainable solutions for farmers by farmers
Sponsored by Hosted by European Farmers' Network
All delegates are welcome to attend this fringe meeting.
16:00
Delegate registration opens
16:00
Fringe Meeting - Increasing & securing supply in a rapidly changing environment
Sponsored by Hosted by Sainsbury's
All delegates are welcome to attend this fringe meeting.
16:00
Fringe Meeting - Using land to unlock innovation
Sponsored by Hosted by Landshare
This event is open to all delegates and will see LandShare launch its Land Partnerships Handbook
18:00
Speakers', Scholars' and Sponsors' Reception
Sponsored by McDonalds
Invitation only.
18:30
Champagne Reception
Sponsored by Dovecote Park
19:30
Pre-Conference Dinner
Sponsored by Frontier Agriculture
Guest speaker is Charles Collingwood, otherwise know as Brian Aldridge of The Archers fame.
22:00
After Dinner Bar
Wednesday 4th January, 2012
07:30
Morning Prayer with Rev Dr Gordon Gatward
In the University College Chapel.
07:45
Clydesdale Bank Breakfast
Sponsored by Hosted by Clydesdale Bank
This is an open breakfast invitation to all delegates to hear Tom Vosa, Head of Market Economics, National Australia Group, discuss the UK and global economic outlook and its impact on agriculture'
08:45
Session 1 - Farming's place in an uncertain world
Sponsored by Waitrose
Chairman: Cedric Porter
08:50
Agriculture: a global and US perspective
Speaker: Dr Joseph Glauber, Chief Economist at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
09:15
Farming takes centre stage
Speaker: Caroline Spelman will now be speaking at 9.15 on Thursday the 5th January.
09:35
The opposition's view of farming's future
Speaker: Mary Creagh, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and MP for Wakefield
09:55
Question Time
Chairman: Matt Dempsey, Editor, Irish Farmers Journal
Panel: Joseph Glauber, Caroline Spelman and Mary Creagh will be joined by Siôn Roberts, Senior Partner, European Food and Farming Partnerships LLP
11:00
Coffee break
Sponsored by Taylors of Harrogate
11:30
Frank Parkinson Lecture - Have emerging markets already emerged?
Sponsored by the Frank Parkingson Trust
Speaker: George Magnus, Managing Director and Senior Economic Advisor to the UBS Investment Bank
12:10
Lunch
13:30
Session 2 - Sustainable agriculture: Optimising limited resources
Sponsored by BBSRC
Chairman: Bill McKelvey OBE
13:30
Presentation of the RASE/OFC Practice with Science Award
Sponsored by AB Agri
The winner of this award: The Pig Grading Information System (PiGIS), developed by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) will present a short paper on the project
13:55
The Foresight Report on Food and Farming: The need for sustainable intensification
Speaker: Professor Bob Watson, Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
14:35
Balancing agricultural production and Conservation
Speaker: Martin Harper, Director of Conservation, RSPB
15:00
Best utilisation of resources embracing the latest technology for individual cow management
Speaker: Nigel Lok, South African dairy farmer
15:20
Optimal utilisation of water resources
Speaker: Juan Antonio Marhuenda Berenguer, Director of Production, Primaflor, Almeria, Spain.
15:40
Discussion
16:00
Session Close and tea
Sponsored by Taylors of Harrogate
16:15
Scholars' Workshop (invitation only)
Sponsored by McDonalds
18:00
Oxford Union Debate - This House believes 'British agriculture could thrive outside the European Union'
Sponsored by Birketts, Saffery Champness and Smiths Gore
Proposer: Stuart Agnew, UK Independence Party MEPs representing the East of England
Seconder: Milly Wastie, NFYFC
Opposer: Andrew George, Member of Parliament for St Ives and West Cornwall
Seconder: Mark Houlton, NFYFC
19:30
Post-Conference Dinner at Christ Church College
Sponsored by Birketts, Saffery Champness and Smiths Gore
22:00
Bar opens at Christ Church College
Thursday 5th January, 2012
07:45
RSPB Breakfast
Sponsored by Hosted by RSPB
This is an open breakfast invitation to all delegates.
08:50
Session 3 - Where is the power in global agriculture?
Sponsored by LloydsTSB, Massey Ferguson and Volac
Chairman: David Douglas
08:55
OFC Research - Where is the power in global agriculture?
Sponsored by LloydsTSB, Massey Ferguson and Volac
Speaker: Dr Alan Renwick, SAC Head of the Land Economy and Environment Research Group
09:15
Defra Secretary of State Caroline Spelman MP with questions
10:00
Coffee break
Sponsored by Taylors of Harrogate
10:30
Global power in farming - a perspective from Australia
Speaker: Terry Hehir, Australian Organic Dairy Farmer, Chair of Nuffield Australia Farming Scholars and inaugural Chairman of Australia's Organic Dairy Farmers Co-operative (ODF)
11:15
Panel discussion with session speakers
12:15
Lunch
13:30
Session 4 - Confrontation or co-operation: joining up the food chain
Sponsored by Bidwells
Chairman: Nick Tapp
13:35
Consumers: the most important link in the food chain
Speaker: Sue Davies MBE, Chief Policy Advisor, Which?
14:00
Developing relationships up and down the supply chain
Speaker: Nick Vermont, CEO McCain Foods (GB) Ltd
14:25
Keeping close to the supply chain
Speaker: Oliver Paul, Director, The Suffolk Food Hall.
14:50
Building stronger retailer relationships
Speaker: Andrew Opie, Director of Food & Sustainability, British Retail Consortium
15:15
Panel discussion with session speakers
15:45
Conference Close and Tea
Sponsored by Taylors of Harrogate
19:30
Oxtail Club Dinner
Held at Worcester College.