“My first visit to the Oxford Farming Conference was fantastic. With resilience as the theme, what stood out was how often speakers came back to the idea that the future of farming isn’t fixed — it’s shaped by the choices we make, the narrative we choose and how resilient we can be.
Jack Bobo offered one of the most thought-provoking messages of the conference: that we need to produce better food, not just more food. His reminder that “the poorest on our planet today are healthier and wealthier than the most healthy and wealthy two hundred years ago” was a powerful way of reframing progress. Louise Manning’s presentation of the OFC26 Report, UK Farming – Grasping the Opportunities, got right to the heart of this: poor policy leads to poor outcomes, but good policy can unlock real opportunity.
Emma Reynolds’ announcement of £30m for peer-to-peer farmer collaboration, alongside a commitment to making SFI easier to use, felt like a practical step in the right direction. Baroness Minette Batters’ overview of the Farm Profitability Report also grounded the conversation in the reality farmers are facing right now and the need for change and quick progress.
It was great to be part of a group including farmers, corporates, politicians and even a member of the Royal Family who were all talking seriously about resilience. Tom York’s comment that “failure is a comma, not a full stop” is a lesson I will take forward.
The Oxford Union Debate was a real highlight for me, the history of the venue , the challenging and often comedic debate and the invested audience felt like a group coming together. The personal experiences, industry insight and government perspective made for a genuinely engaging few days. It was optimistic, challenging and energising — and it’s now firmly in my diary for next year.”
Dani Walker, Associate Director – Agriculture.
If you’d like to discuss further any of the topics raised, please contact Dani directly.