The Oxford Farming Conference has produced written and video reports over recent years, some years, the Directors choose to do a report, and in other years, not. Listed below are the reports that have been produced, covering a very wide range of topics. 

 

2024 OFC Report

A report launched today at the 2024 Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) firmly states that the practice of farmers subsidising consumers’ appetite for cheap food cannot continue. After years of ‘permacrisis’ fuelled by Brexit, the Ukrainian conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic and inflation running up to 20%, farming’s confidence and bank balances are at an all-time, unsustainable, low, says the report’s author, Ged Futter.

The report – Is the UK Food Supply Chain Broken? – is based on over 40 interviews with business owners across fresh produce, eggs, poultry, pork, importers, frozen food manufacturers and various consultants. It is kindly sponsored by Horwich Farrelly.

Press release: DOWNLOAD

 

 

Previous OFC reports

2023 Report - Supply Chain Synergies

The 2023 Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) - Supply Chain Synergies – What is the appropriate role of supply chains in achieving responsible production at farm level? – was authored by Lesley Mitchell, Forum for the Future's Associate Director for Sustainable Nutrition, in partnership with the OFC, Savills and WWF. It pointedly calls for fairness, net zero cost-sharing and the recalibration of value-sharing throughout the UK’s food supply chain. 

In research, including a series of 30 interviews conducted across the food production landscape, the report centred the barriers to supply chain transformation, identifying pathways to change, and outlining how both voluntary food sector action, as well as policy, could enable these ambitions.

Press release [strict embargo 00.01 4 January 2023. OFC 2023 Report - launch release.docx

Full Report OFC and Forum Report for OFC 2023.pdf

 

2022 Reports - Part 1 and Part 2 Natural capital - the battle for control and the opportunities of agri-carbon markets

Author: The Green Alliance. 

Partners: WWF, Green Alliance, Manchester University, WWF. 

Press release: FINAL_OFC 2022 Report - launch release.docx

Reports: Natural_capital_the_battle_for_control.pdf

The_opportunities_of_agri-carbon_markets_full_report.pdf

 

2020 Report - mental health

 

2016 Report - Entrepreneurship - a kiss of life for the UK farming sector?

Sponsored by: Burges Salmon.

Author: Graham Redman, Partner, The Andersons Centre and the Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurship, Cranfield.

 

2015 Report - Great British Farmers - what gives them the edge?

Sponsored by: Burges Salmon, HSBC and Syngenta. 

Author: Graham Redman, Partner, The Andersons Centre.

 

2014 Report - Opportunity Agriculture - The next decade towards a sustainable, competitive industry.

Supported by Burges Salmon, Syngenta and Volac

Author: Ian Ashbridge, Bidwells.
 

2013 Report - Farming's value to society

Sponsored by: Burges Salmon, RSPB, Volac

Authors: Dr Peter Carruthers, Vision 37 and Prof Michael Winter, Director of the Centre for Rural Policy and Research, Exeter University

 

2012 Report - Power in Agriculture

Sponsored by: Lloyds TSB, Massey Ferguson, Volac

Authors: Alan Renwick, Md, Mofakkarul Islam and Steven Thomson, SAC's Rural Policy centre, SAC Consulting

 

2011 Report - The value and viability of UK farming

Sponsors: Syngenta, Volac

Research conducted by England Marketing

 

2010 Report - Agricultural needs and priorities

Sponsored by: BBSRC, Volac

Author: National Farm Research Unit and IGD

 

2009 Report - OFC & IGD Perceptions of farmers research