The Oxford Farming Conference

Wednesday 7th January, 2026

14:00
Inspiring Innovators

Join us as we bring together inspiring speakers who will present their innovative ideas during short presentations, hosted at the Examination Schools.

16:00
Farmers Weekly Question Time

We have teamed up with the Farmers Weekly to bring you one of their Question Time sessions, hosted at the Examination Schools. Spaces are limited so to join us, please select this option when booking your OFC26 ticket.

16:15
Fieldwork Book Club, in partnership with OFC

Returning for the fourth year, the Fieldwork Book Club, in partnership with OFC, will hear from Richard Negus about his book, 'WORDS FROM THE HEDGE', that is sure to inspire. This session will take place at the Examination Schools. Hosted by Adam Bedford.

17:30
Chair’s Welcome Reception

Join us as OFC26 Chairman Jude McCann officially opens the conference, and our 90th celebrations with a drink and light nibbles. Please note, this event is not included in your conference ticket and charged at £25 plus VAT. You can add it to your booking when buying your OFC26 ticket.

20:00
OFC Social - The Chequers Inn

Hosted in partnership with Agrespect join us at the The Chequers Inn Pub for the OFC social – a chance to informally meet and chat. 

Thursday 8th January, 2026

07:00
The Mike Potter Memorial Run

Kick-off the day with a short run, enjoying some of the sites in Oxford. Suitable for all levels of fitness, led by OFC Director Sheena Horner. Meet at the steps of the Oxford Examination Schools at 6:50am, ready to stretch those legs from 7am. The run will last no longer than 40-minutes.

07:15
Registration opens

Registration will open at The Oxford Examination Schools. If you are attending a partner session, please allow enough time to collect your pass.

07:30
Morning Prayers - University College Chapel

An OFC tradition, Morning Prayers will take place in the University College Chapel, led by Reverend Mark Newman.

08:00
Partner Event: RSPB - A Landscape of Hope: How farming is transforming nature’s decline.

Join this partner session, in room 7 from 8am to 9am, with RSPB. Discover real-world success stories from the ground up. Join a dynamic, solutions-driven panel as pioneering farmers share how nature-friendly practices have revived wildlife, restored landscapes, and brought unexpected well-being benefits along the way. Hear what’s working, where it's happening, and what it really takes – lessons learned, setbacks overcome, and hopeful.

Speakers:

  • Beccy Speight, CEO, RSPB. 
  • Georgie Bray, RSPB Hope Farm Manager.
  • Ana Reynolds, Farmer. 
  • Naomi Oakley, Farmer. 
  • Ian Bell, Farmer.
  • Richard Evans, Farmer.

Space is on a first come basis, so please arrive early to get your seat.

08:00
Partner Event: RABI - FarmersAid: Strengthening support for farming wellbeing.

Join this partner session, in room 9 from 8am to 9am, with RABI. Farm work is 21 times more deadly than other industries. This session introduces FarmersAid, a new RABI initiative tackling trauma and health inequality across farming. Hear from Stuart Maitland-Knibb, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) consultant, on how FarmersAid and the 'Platinum 10' approach could change emergency outcomes and save lives on farms.

Speakers:

•    Alicia Chivers, RABI Chief Executive 
•    Professor Stuart Maitland-Knibb, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) consultant 

Space is on a first come basis, so please arrive early to get your seat.

08:00
Partner Event: Niab, and Growing Kent and Medway - Farming Profitability: Place-based innovation and investment for resilience.

Join this partner session, in room 11 from 8am to 9am, with Niab, and Growing Kent and Medway. Baroness Minette Batters will present the Farm Profitability Review recommendations. This presentation will be introduced by Dr David Buckeridge, chair of Niab Board, and Simon Barnes, Programme Director of Growing Kent & Medway. They will argue for increased collaboration between industry, policymakers, and research (the 'triple helix') to transform the food system.

Speakers:

  • Dr David Buckeridge, Chair of Board, Niab.
  • Simon Barnes, Director, Growing Kent & Medway.
  • Baroness Minette Batters, Member of House of Lords.

09:15
Conference Opens
09:25
90 Years of OFC

Our opening keynote speaker comes from Jack Bobo, Executive Director at UCLA Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies, who will reflect on the last 90 years and how far we have come.

09:35
Politics Session

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds MP, will deliver the annual political keynote address, before taking questions from the audience. Following Ms Reynolds’ speech, Ministers from across the devolved nations will take to the stage including Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Scottish Government, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government and Andrew Muir MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland. 

11:20
Growing Trade Resilience

Alistair Carmichael, Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, Gail Soutar, Head of Trade & Business Strategy at National Farmers Union, Rizvan Khalid Managing Director at Euro Quality Lambsand, and Emily Weaver Roads, Interim International Director for the Scotch Whisky Association will explore trade resilience.

 

12:05
UK Farming - Grasping the Opportunities: The OFC26 Report

Louise Manning, Managing Director at LJM Associates Ltd, will present the OFC Report, supported by the Frank Parkinson Agricultural Trust, who have been supporting the conference for 25 years. This will focus on agriculture’s future opportunities, providing insights and recommendations gathered from both the UK and across the world, exploring how the sector can benefit and grow its resilience. The premiss for the report and the wider conference is how UK Agriculture might evolve into a mission-led, agile and opportunity driven industry, with people that can adapt to embrace the future.

She will be joined by a panel, who will reflect on the findings including Consultant at Collison and Associates Limited George Collinson, Head of Agriculture at HSBC Martin Hansen, and Farmer and Conservationist at Allenford Farms Rob Shepherd.

13:20
Partner Event: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - Building resilient businesses through nature-friendly farming.

Join this partner session, in the East School from 1:20pm to 2:05pm, with World Wildlife Fund (WWF). In this panel discussion, WWF will draw inspiration and insights from innovative farmers and leaders across the supply chain who are investing in transition to nature friendly farming to build resilient businesses. Together, they will explore how farmers can stay on track in the transition— even amidst uncertainty and change.

Speakers:

  • Sofia Parente, Head of Policy (Production), WWF-UK.
  • Martin Lines, arable farmer, South Cambridgeshire and CEO of Nature Friendly Farmers.
  • Sarah Juggins, livestock farmer, facilitator North Norfolk Coastal Group and River Mun Catchment Group, co-founder and facilitator for Cluster Landscape Connect.
  • Michael Warmington, Regeneration Lead, Nestlé.

14:25
The Future Of Farming

Mike Rivington, Senior Scientist at James Hutton Institute, Jack Bobo, Executive Director at UCLA Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies, and Laura Lukasik, Founder and President of Numen Bio, will look forward to the future of farming, the opportunities and potential for growth.

15:25
Borrowing from the Best: A Systematic Approach to Improving Farm Business Performance

Hear from Director of Cowzen (Dairy Insight) Dan Humphries, and David Crowfoot, Director/Lean Specialist at Footwork First Limited, as they inspire and provide new thinking. 

15:55
Being Human in a Digital Age: Collaboration, Change and the Future of Farming

During this interactive session, PhD researcher at University of Edinburgh Lucy Jenner, will encourage you to think about what could be next.

16:30
Day 1 Conference Close
16:45
Partner Event: Frontier Agriculture with Defra - Building resilience and growth in the rural economy: a session delivered by Defra and sponsored by Frontier Agriculture.

Join this partner session, in Room 11 from 4:45pm to 5:45pm, with Frontier Agriculture with Defra. Whether facing extreme weather, economic pressures or changing markets, people in our countryside have consistently shown remarkable strength and adaptability. This session will consider the direction of travel for farming in England, exploring themes of growth, profitability, and building the confidence needed to plan and invest for the future.

Ciaran Devlin, Deputy Director, Farming and Countryside Programme, will set out Defra’s ambition for a strong and sustainable rural economy, and the importance of partnership between government and the farming industry to unlock opportunities for rural communities. A Q&A will follow.

Speakers:

  • Ciaran Devlin, Deputy Director, Farming and Countryside Programme.

16:45
Partner Event: Nestlé & First Milk - Growing Resilience Together: Nestlé & First Milk’s blueprint for sustainable dairy.

Join this partner session, in Room 7 from 4:45pm to 5:45pm, with Nestlé & First Milk. This session will explore how Nestlé and First Milk’s regenerative partnership has embedded resilience into the UK dairy supply chain over 20+ years. Through regenerative farming and sustainability initiatives, the panel will share real-world examples of how their partnership is strengthening environmental, business, and community resilience throughout the value chain.

Speakers:

  • Caz Graham, Broadcaster and Journalist.
  • Mark Brooking, First Milk.
  • Robert Craig, farmer.
  • Patrick Holden, Sustainable Food Trust and farmer.
  • Emma Keller, Nestlé.

16:45
Partner Event: Map of Ag - Building Smarter Farm Assurance: From review to reality.

Join this partner session, in Room 9 from 4:45pm to 5:45pm, with Map of Ag. Farm assurance schemes face growing scrutiny as they balance standards, compliance, and industry trust. One year after a major review calling for technological transformation, key questions remain.

In this Map of Ag session, Red Tractor will share how it is using digital tools to future-proof farm assurance and address the real-world challenges of large-scale tech adoption.

Speakers:

  • Rob Burgess, Map of Ag
  • Philippa Wiltshire, Red Tractor
  • Phil Pearson, APS Group
  • David Christensen, Arla

18:35
The OFC Oxford Union Debate

Motion: "This house believes that in the next 90 years farming will become a one day-a-week job".

Proposers: Elliott Grant, Visiting Fellow from Cambridge University's Institute for Manufacturing, and Kate Russell, Managing Director at Tellus Natural Capital.

Opposers:  Food, Farming and Countryside Commission CEO Sue Pritchard, and Dairy Industry Consultant at Owen Farm Services, Tracey Roan.

19:45
Post-Debate Supper - Christ Church College

The Post-Debate supper will take place in Christ Church, renowned for its links to fame with Alice in Wonderland written at the college in the 19th Century by Lewis Carroll, and the Great Hall used as inspiration for the Dining Hall in Harry Potter. A three-course meal will be served with wine for those who wish to purchase a ticket at £95 plus VAT. To add this to your booking, please select it when buying your OFC26 ticket. 

Friday 9th January, 2026

08:00
Partner Event: AHDB - Why is everyone so interested in my farm data?

Join this partner session, in Room 11 from 8am to 9am, with AHDB. Join the conversation and explore why data is now as vital to farming as soil and seed. With growing demands for farm data, from government schemes to supply chains and banks, a panel of experts will discuss the importance of accurate farm data and challenges of sharing it - and why trust, transparency and retaining control is key to success.

Speakers:

  • Mike Gooding, AHDB.
  • Jonathan Statham, RAFT Solutions.
  • Adam Short, AHDB.
  • Sophie Gregory, Home Farm.

08:00
Partner Event: Agrii - Agriculture 5.0: Why British farming must act now.

Join this partner session, in Room 7 from 8am to 9am, with Agrii. Agrii advances sustainable farming through expert agronomy and support for farm businesses. This session explores how data, AI, robotics and sensors could reshape the way we grow, working in partnership with agronomists to challenge assumptions and open new routes to stronger crops, greater resilience and a more secure food future.

Speakers:

  • Tony Smith, Agrii.
  • Ruth Mann, Agrii.
  • Jez Pile, TELUS.
  • Jonathan Trotter, Agrii.
  • Jonny Kerley, Origin Digital.

08:00
Partner Event: CAAV Central Association of Agricultural Valuers - Will You Still Need Me? Will You Still Feed Me?

Join this partner session, in Room 9 from 8am to 9am, with CAAV Central Association of Agricultural Valuers. Looking ahead at the risks and opportunities for farming, with markets and land use change over the next decade, and as individual choices respond to economics, government policies, global uncertainties, climate change, technologies and other factors.

Speakers:

  • Jeremy Moody, Secretary and Adviser, CAAV.

09:15
Day 2 Conference Opens
09:20
Resilient Roots - Molly and Kumar Vasanthakumar

We hear from two generations, Molly, Programs Manager at Stockfree Farming, and Kumar Vasanthakumar, Farmer and Chef, Kumar's Dosa Bar and Farm, as they reflect on their roots and resilience.

10:05
Growing Farmers

With no presentations, our Growing Farmers panel will discuss and take questions from the floor - Simon King, Farm Manager at J Wharton (Agriculture) Ltd, Business Owner at Thrive In Farming Ben Martin, Farm Manager at The Warriner School Farm Stuart Armitage, and Martha Headley, Commercial Manager at Withernay Ltd.

11:20
Inspiring Farmers

Our renowned Inspiring Farmers session will bring forward three creative businesses from across the world covering the Netherlands, New Zealand and Wales - Douwe Korting, Developer, Guide and Communicator for Sustainable Food and Farming Systems, Managing Director at Willisbrook Orchards Richard Palmer, and Farmer at R & KR Harries Rachel Harries.

12:45
Partner Event: Tesco - Supporting the future of UK agriculture.

Join this partner session, in the East School from 12:45pm to 1:30pm, with Tesco. A year on from the publication of the Tesco Greenprint for UK Farming report, this session will provide an update on the work they are doing in their supply chain to implement the recommendations of the report, first through short presentations, and then a panel discussion.

Speakers:

  • Claire Lorains, Tesco Group Quality and Sustainability Director Professor.
  • Michael Lee, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Harper Adams University.
  • Mark Willcox, Agronomy Director, Branston.
  • David Christensen, Dairy Farmer.

13:45
Welcome Back
13:50
Dame Fiona Reynolds and Tom York

Our closing keynote speakers will look at the past, current and future with Speaker Dame Fiona Reynolds, and Farm Business Consultant and FCN Volunteer Tom York, bringing different perspectives. 

14:15
Concluding Chair’s Address
14:30
Conference Closes