Better Farming Conference 2024

16 October 2024 | 10.30am – 3.00pm

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE EVENT

To register: email katie@ruralpolicygroup.com

barley environmental sustainability

The Better Farming Conference

As Labour completes its first 100 days in government, RPG and the Institute of Directors (IoD) ask whether there are green shoots of hope for British agriculture. Chaired by farmer and You Tube blogger Olly Harrison, this conference will delve into what lies ahead for sustainable farming and regenerative agriculture over the coming months and years.

Discussions around the new Labour government’s commitment to farming and sustainable food production, led by respected national and international speakers, will be complimented by a unique dining experience during luncheon. You’ll leave the conference with renewed insights into the future of sustainable food production and how to equip your food or farming business for policy shifts.

For lunch, an exclusive small-plates menu and beer pairing has been crafted by the award-winning Long Man Brewery and renowned restaurant Skylark of Eastbourne. Long Man co-founder and master brewer Stephen Lees will take us through the tasting notes as we enjoy thoughtfully matched local, seasonal produce.

Long Man beers are brewed in a converted flint barn using regeneratively farmed barley, grown onsite at our Church Farm location. When the day’s business is finished, you are invited for a private tour of the brewery and to enjoy a drink in the tap room.

 

The Better Farming Conference Agenda

1030 | Welcome

1100 | Keynote session: Policy Shifts in Sustainable Agriculture

1200| Lunch with beer pairing guided by the Long Man Master Brewer

1300 | Panel debate: 100 Days of the New Government

1430 | Case Study: Longbridge Regenerative Farming Project

1515 | Closing Remarks

1530 | Private tour of Long Man Brewery

The Better Farming Conference 2024 Speakers

BARONESS BAKEWELL OF HARDINGTON MANDEVILLE is the House of Lords Spokesperson on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for the Liberal Democrats. 

RUPERT CLAXTON has nearly 20 years’ experience with Gira, directing a wide range of livestock and meat sector research and consultancy assignments globally, from the fast-evolving markets of Africa and Asia, to the established markets of Europe and North America.

DUNCAN ELLIS is revolutionising the family farm and spearheading the pioneering Longbridge Regenerative project. He is also a co-founder of the Long Man Brewery. 

WILLIAM ENGLISH CBE runs the family estate in Kent as owner and chair of Owen English & Son and is an Institure of Directors (IoD) Ambassador.

LIZZIE HACKING is Chairman of the Conservative Rural Forum and a councillor representing a rural ward on East Rother District Council. She grew up on a family farm near Rye.

MARK LUMSDON-TAYLOR is a Partner and Head of Sustainability ESG for MHA, the UK member firm of Baker Tilly International. He has 20 years experience in rural industries leading and advising organisations spanning the public and private spheres.

Join us in person at the Better Farming Conference 2024

Address: Church Farm, Littlington, Polegate BN26 5RA

Nearest train station: Polegate

Chaired by

Olly Harrison

Olly Harrison

Farmer and Blogger

Farmer and entrepreneur Olly Harrison is the face behind popular YouTube channel @OllyBlogsAgricontractfarmer. The daily videos, which he started in lockdown, provide a glimpse into the real-world challenges and triumphs of farming, marked by a touch of humour and diversification tales to fund his machinery and tractor addiction! 

Olly’s online presence reaches over 350,000 across his social channels, 110,000 of which are on YouTube. His 1500+ videos have been watched over 77 million times, where he shares insights, experiences, and challenges faced in the agricultural industry. His content resonates with both farming enthusiasts and those curious about the intricacies of rural life. Never afraid to speak out about the industry, he achieved the DLG accolade of ‘International Agricultural Influencer for YouTube’ and was recognised as an NFU Community Farming Hero. His ability to explain the complexities of farming in straightforward language has made him a regular contributor across BBC channels, including BBC News and BBC Radio 4.

The farming business in 2024 has 14 different income streams, from ‘dog walking fields’, to chipping wood for biomass, to a merchandise operation that grossed over £100,000 in 2023 alone. With a truly diverse range of activities, Olly, who left school at 16 having struggled with dyslexia, has grown his farming acreage from 180 to 1500. From traditional crops to sunflower mazes, office rental and holiday lets, Olly will always find a brilliant way to commercially exploit his land and assets. He promised himself that by the age of 40 he’d own a brand new combine harvester, and having achieved that he then decided to drive his Claas Lexion combine from John O’Groats to Land’s End, all in the name of charity!

Olly is not just about farming, his dedication extends to charitable contributions that exceed £450,000 to date. From his tractor runs through Liverpool, to the YouTube channel’s ‘birthday bumper’, many have benefited from his fundraising, including Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the North West Air Ambulance. As recognition of his continued hard work, Olly has been made a Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside.

To register: email katie@ruralpolicygroup.com

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