Norfolk Farming Conference 2024 speakers announced as tickets go on sale

The Norfolk Farming Conference 2024 sees the return of Dr Belinda Clarke, Director of Agri-TechE, as Chair and boasts an impressive line-up of regional, national and international speakers.

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There is a need for change across the industry and for markets to take full account of the full cost of sustainable farm production...
This conference is an opportunity for us all to bring those issues to the fore and hold feet to the fire where we need to."
Charles Whitaker, Managing Partner.

The event, being held at the Norfolk Showground in Norwich, will begin with an address by Farming Minister, the Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP.

Making the closing speech will be Patrick Holden CBE, Founder of the UK Sustainable Food Trust and an organic dairy farmer, who will give his ‘Positive Vision for the Future of Farming.’

The all-day conference is being organised and hosted after last year’s successful event, by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA), with our firm a main sponsor and co-organiser along with AF Group, Birketts, Lovewell Blake, Norfolk County Council, Origin Fertiliser and Oxbury Bank.

Farming Minister, The Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP, who will be addressing the Norfolk Farming Conference.

Mark Nicholas, Managing Director, RNAA, said: We are thrilled to have secured a fascinating range of eminent speakers to help us discuss and debate the challenges of the day.

"The Norfolk Farming Conference is regarded as being at the vanguard of policy debate and we look forward to a thought provoking and stimulating conference."

Charles Whitaker, our Managing Partner, said: “As founder sponsors of this important regional event, we are delighted to do so again in 2024 and seek to ensure that the important issues, challenges and opportunities for farmers and growers remain key topics for the day.

"With extreme weather events and loss of chemistry bringing greater risk to many key crops for the Eastern Region and a cost of production explosion over the last five years, there is a need for change across the industry and for markets to take full account of the full cost of sustainable farm production.

"For too long our end product markets expect global price competitiveness, but with far weaker regulatory, environmental and production standards – and our current Government position on import standards reflects that position.

"This conference is an opportunity for us all to bring those issues to the fore and hold feet to the fire where we need to.”

This year, the programme will be divided into thematic sections. ‘Land Use; the Environmental Cost of Farming’ includes presentations by Professor Jules Pretty OBE, Professor of Environment and Society at the University of Essex, Philip de Jong, Dutch Agricultural Attaché, Craig Livingsone, Director of Farming, Lockerley Estate and Dr Lydia Smith, Director of NIAB, National Institute of Agricultural Botany, who is Project Lead; Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping.

Dr Belinda Clarke, who is returning as chair of the Norfolk Farming Conference.

The conference also aims to hear from farmers themselves with case studies including a presentation by Andy Cato, founder of WildFarmed, who embraces a regenerative approach to improve biodiversity and soil condition.

Poul Hovesen and Dominic Swan, of Catalyst Farming, a collaboration of five Norfolk farms, will talk on the impact of collaborative data sharing.

This follows the second session which includes Dr Tina Barsby OBE, Chair of the British Farm Data Council, David Flanders, CEO of Agrimetrics and Lee Leachman (appearing by video link,) CEO and Partner of Leachman Cattle of Colorado in the US. They will be addressing the issue of ‘Can data enhance sustainability for UK farms?’

The last main session of the day will be ‘Diet and Health – Why it matters to Farming’ with speakers Sophie Throup, Head of Agriculture, Fisheries and Sustainable Sourcing for Morrisons supermarket and Josiah Meldrum, founder of Suffolk firm Hodmedod.

Tickets for the event from 8.30am-4.30pm are priced £75 each for adults and £45 for students and includes lunch and refreshments.

Trade stands are also available to book for £250.

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For more information or to book a trade stand or discuss sponsorship opportunities, contact the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association on 01603 748931.

For other information, you can contact Charles Whitaker in our Norwich office on 01603 629871.