The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), the UK’s premier agricultural event, is proud to announce a new partnership with a leading publication for the farming community, Farmers Weekly, to bring insightful content and a highly anticipated Farmers Weekly Question Time session to the 2025 Conference.
Through the collaboration, readers will gain access to a comprehensive preview of what’s to come at next January’s event, with in-depth coverage, fresh insights and interviews with the speakers, scholars and sessions shaping the future of farming. Audiences can also expect an OFC special Farmers Weekly podcast to be broadcast in December.
A central feature of the partnership and highlight for the 2025 Conference, which will address the theme, “Facing Change, Finding Opportunity”, will be the Farmers Weekly Question Time. Taking place on Wednesday 8 January from 4.30-5.30pm, the session will convene a distinguished panel of thought leaders and policymakers to debate the pressing issues likely to define agricultural policy in 2025. Topics under discussion will include the implications of water quality campaigns for farmers, strategies to address significant reductions in legacy area payments, and the challenges posed by evolving land use policies. Additionally, the panel will explore potential changes to direct support frameworks in the devolved nations and identify emerging voices poised to influence the sector.
Featuring on the panel will be notable figures such as Graham Wilkinson, CEO of AHDB; Alice Groom, Head of Sustainable Land Management at RSPB; Matt Lobley, Professor of Rural Resource Management at Exeter University; Henry Tufnell, MP for South Pembrokeshire; and Minette Batters, Crossbench peer in the House of Lords. Their diverse expertise promises to deliver a robust, interactive discussion, engaging delegates in meaningful dialogue about the future direction of farming.
Geoff Sansome, Chair of the Oxford Farming Conference, expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating: “We are thrilled to join forces with Farmers Weekly, a trusted voice in agricultural media. This collaboration not only broadens the reach of the conference but also enriches the content available to our delegates and the wider farming community. Our aim is to foster a vibrant platform for debate and innovation, and through this partnership, we will ensure that the critical issues facing the sector are brought to the forefront.”
Andrew Meredith, Editor of Farmers Weekly, added: “I’m delighted that the longstanding relationship between the OFC and Farmers Weekly is being strengthened with this partnership. Both have a mandate to help farmers tackle change and find opportunities in the rural economy and we are going to relish working together to help delegates start 2025 with a bang.
“Next January’s Conference will be six months after the Labour Party came to power and our Question Time event will bring together an influential panel to debate their next moves and deliberate on a whole host of other topical subjects.”
As the premier event in the UK’s agricultural calendar, the OFC continues to provide a vital platform for dialogue and innovation in farming. This partnership with Farmers Weekly will ensure that the conference’s impact reaches far beyond the event itself, fostering ongoing discussions and engagement with critical issues throughout the year.
For more information about the Oxford Farming Conference and to book tickets, visit: https://www.ofc.org.uk/booking.
Each year, the Conference welcomes over 90 journalists in-person and online. Press accreditation for OFC 2025 is now open, and you can register your interest here: https://www.ofc.org.uk/press-room.