The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) has launched its programme for the 2022 event which will return to the Examination Halls at Oxford University in January, with tickets now on sale.
The Conference, which takes place from Wednesday 5th to Friday 7th January 2022, will focus on the theme ‘Routes to Resilience’ with a varied programme of international speakers and sessions covering trade, politics, science, climate and technology, to name but a few.
The event is the only way to start the farming year, drawing hundreds of opinion formers from across UK agriculture and around the world, ready to be challenged, informed and inspired. The lively social calendar and frequent opportunities for discussion throughout the event makes it the premier opportunity for networking and discussion in the agricultural calendar.
OFC Co-Chairs, Barbara Bray MBE and Sarah Mukherjee MBE, say:
“We are emerging into a post-CAP, post-Brexit, and post-pandemic era where resilience will be key to farming’s success. OFC Directors chose this topic coming out of the pandemic realising the importance of resilience will look to tackle some of the topic’s big questions. How can farmers be sustainable in their business management? How can we improve mental and emotional resilience? And, most importantly, what tools do they need to enable this?
“The OFC has always provided a unique opportunity to experience what is happening in the wider narrative, share ideas, challenge our politicians and explore how we can act on the opportunities that lie ahead. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Oxford to set the scene for the year and drive our industry forward to become more resilient and prosperous.”
OFC, which first took place in 1936, is held in the first full working week of January every year at Oxford University. This year’s conference will see a physical return to the Examination Halls, including a limited digital offering, with a programme of international speakers, fringe events showcasing industry trends, and the famous union debate which will address the motion: This house believes food production in the UK should not be subsidised.
Some of the speakers at this year’s programme include the EU Agriculture Commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski; Professor Sarah Bridle, who recently published Food and Climate Change – Without the Hot Air, leading The Frank Parkinson Lecture; Dr Catherine Nakalembe from NASA Harvest exploring what agriculture can learn from science to improve resilience; and, the Inspiring Farmers session will include representation from all four corners of Great Britain sharing how they’ve forged their routes to resilience.
Details regarding tickets, speakers, programme and fringe events are available here.