The Oxford Farming Conference

Tuesday 3rd January, 2017

13:00
Emerging Leaders Lunch

Venue: Room 6

Register in Room 7 (Secretariat)

 

14:00
Registration

Venue: Entrance Foyer

14:30
Fringe Events
Time Host Fringe Title Venue
14.30 - 15.15 OFC Emerging Leaders Room 14-15
15.15 - 16.00 BASF

Crop protection regulatory threats & opportunities post Brexit 

Room 9
15.15 - 16.00 CHAP Delivering Sustainable Solutions for the Agri-Food Supply Chain Room 11
16.30 - 17.15 AHDB

Inspiring our farmers and growers to succeed in this rapidly changing world

Room 9
16.30 - 17.15 Volac, Quorn Foods & WWF Protein Challenge 2040: What’s the opportunity for UK food and farming Room 11
18.00 - 19.00 Innovative Farmers

The 'Grate' Cheese Debate

How does the way we farm affect the food we eat?

With Cheese & Wine. Open to OFC and ORFC delegates

St Edmunds Hall

Fringe Event Refreshments will be available from 16.00 to 16.30 and 17.15 to 17.45 giving delegates some valuable networking time between events. 

 

All Fringe meetings will be held at the Oxford University Examination Schools, with the exception of the Innovative Farmers event which will be held at St Edmunds Hall. 

 

The Fringe Events topics and content are selected and delivered by the host companies running each session.

16:00
Scholars' Reception

OFC Scholars event. 

Venue: Room 6, Oxford University Examination Schools.

18:00
Chairman's Drinks Reception

For Patrons, Scholars, Speakers and Sponsors.

Venue: Room 6, Oxford University Examination Schools

18:30
Champagne Reception

For all Pre-Conference Dinner Guests

Venue: North School, Oxford University Examination Schools

19:30
Pre-Conference Dinner

Wednesday 4th January, 2017

07:30
Delegate registration opens
07:30
Morning Prayer

with Jerry Marshall The Arthur Rank Centre

Venue: University College Chapel

07:45
Barclays Bank Breakfast
08:45
Conference Opens

Delegates reminded to take their seats for a prompt 08.55 start.

Venue: Oxford University Examination Schools. 

08:55
Session One - The Politics Briefing

Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

 

09:30
Panel Discussion

George Eustice MP, Minister of State Defra

Calum Kerr SNP,  Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Scotland

Lesley Griffiths AM, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Wales

Michelle McIlveen MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland

10:15
Coffee Break
10:45
Frank Parkinson Lecture

Profiting from sustainability: The coffee case study

Konrad Brits, Founder and CEO of Falcon Coffees

 

 

11:15
Questions and Discussion
11:45
The OFC/RASE Science & Innovation Award
12:05
OFC/DLG Travel Scholar Award
12:15
Lunch
13:30
Session Two - Feeding and Watering the City

Eating Out – Changing Consumer Trends and What it Means for Farmers

Simon Stenning, Executive Director at MCA

 

From Field to Restaurant – the View from the Middleman

Sarah Mackie, Food Sourcing Expert

 

From Field to Restaurant – the view from the Farmer

Guy Watson, Farmer and founder of Riverford

 

 

14:50
Questions and Discussion
15:20
Thrive or Survive interactive session

Venue: South School

16:00
Close & Tea
16:00
Scholars' Workshop
18:00
Debate at the OXFORD UNION

‘This house believes the biggest danger to the family farm is the family itself’    

Proposing: Matthew Naylor, Managing Director, Naylors Flowers Ltd
Seconder: Lynsey Martin, Farmer/National Vice Chair for NFYFC

Opposing: Rosey Dunn, Farmer
Seconder: Jack Stilwell, Beef Farmer

Venue: Oxford Union

 

19:30
Post-Debate Supper

Venue: Christ Church

22:00
Bar opens

Venue: Christ Church

Thursday 5th January, 2017

07:45
BBSRC Breakfast
08:50
Session Three - After CAP, What? To survive and thrive what policies does GB agriculture need?

George Monbiot, Journalist and Environmental & Political Activist

Dame Helen Ghosh, Director-General of the National Trust 

Minette Batters, Deputy President of the NFU

Guy Poskitt, Farmer, M H Poskitt Ltd

 

09:25
Questions and Discussion
09:55
Coffee Break
10:30
Session Four - The World's Your Market

Tom Hind, Chief Strategy Officer at the AHDB

 

How does a farm business exploit a world market 

Alison Capper, Farmer & Chairman of the NFU's National Horticulture Board

 

Potatoes in the Desert

Jack Hamilton, Mash Direct Ltd

 

11:45
Questions and Discussion
12:25
Lunch
13:45
Session Five - Soil Saviours

Saving our soil, what science has to offer 

Professor Jane Rickson, Cranfield University
 

The Soil Renaissance 

John Geraghty, Agricultural Consultant 
 

Livestock's vital role in soil regeneration, above and below ground

Wil Armitage, Organic and conventional Dairy Farmer

 

15:00
Questions and Discussion
15:35
Chairman’s closing remarks
15:45
Close & Tea
19:30
Oxtail Club Dinner

Venue: Worcester College