Northern Farming Conference offers top line-up of speakers

Under the theme ‘Tomorrow’s Farming Today’, leading thinkers, farmers and opinion shapers be at Hexham Auction Mart on Wednesday, November 1, to address the topic.

The focus of the 2023 conference will be on farming and land use innovations that are being implemented, or in the pipeline. Our carefully selected speakers will discuss aspects of farming that can be planned and measured to ensure a sustainable farming system. In other words, a future-proofed rural landscape.

Broadly it will explore technological advances and the benefits it brings which can be as beneficial as changing in a farming system. It will set out to challenge conventional mantra of ‘we've always done it this way’.

This year’s speakers include:

• Janet Hughes, Defra’s Director for the Future Farming and Countryside Programme;
• Martin Hanson, Head of Agriculture at HSBC;
• Joe Stanley, Head of Training & Partnerships, GWCT Allerton Project;
• Andrew Meredith, editor of Farmers Weekly;
• Peter Illman, Sustainable Agriculture Manager at Tesco;
• Prof John Gilliland OBE, Special Adviser to the AHDB;
• Caroline Grindrod, Consultant and coach supporting food and farming businesses transition to regenerative systems. Wilderculture & Primal Meats;
• Andrew Ward MBE, Lincolnshire Farmer, Forage Aid.

Conference chairman and partner & Head of Agriculture at Armstrong Watson, Andrew Robinson, said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming yet another brilliant line-up of speakers to this year’s conference which will be held at Hexham Auction Mart on November 1.”

“We are looking forward to an entertaining and illuminating day which will cover a vast range of topics related to how developments today will shape the way we farm tomorrow. It will consider both the policies and politics, along with more practical aspects of farming in, and for, a brave new world.”

Read more: Uncertainty lingers over milk prices and global supplies

This annual event is one of the most prestigious events in the north, attracting well over 200 farmers, industry experts and thinkers to network, listen and question a super line up of speakers.

The event is renowned for its mix of formal and informal debate and has now cemented its position as the 'go-to' conference for the sector in the North.

The conference is a joint venture between Armstrong Watson, the CLA, Hexham and Northern Marts, North East Grains, Womble Bond Dickinson and Youngs RPS. This year’s headline sponsor is HSBC.

For more information, visit www.northernfarmingconference.org.uk or call 01748 90 7070. To get the latest conference news and updates, follow @NorthFarmConf on Twitter.