Oxford Farming Conference
3 January 2008

Adam is taking a short break from Home Farm's early lambing to attend the Oxford Farming Conference. In recent years, Brian, Adam, David and Debbie have (fictionally) attended this real-life event.

The conference has been an annual event for over 50 years, attracting about 500 delegates, including over 250 farmers. This year, Adam will have much to consider, as the theme is: "A Climate of Change: Agriculture, the Solution, not the Problem".

Speakers include Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and DEFRA's new Chief Scientist, Professor Robert Watson.

As you might expect from the overall theme, many of the sessions are concerned with agriculture's role in a world facing the problems of climate change. Speakers will debate how global warming and carbon efficiency will affect UK farmers and the wider food chain. And former diplomat and environmental authority Sir Crispin Tickell will speak on "Climate Change, The Hazards and Opportunities for Agriculture".

Other topics will include the future of farming without production subsidies, and four farmers will present case studies based on their own experiences of dairy, arable, sheep, beef and soft fruit production. Plenty there for Adam to get his teeth into...

Oxford Farming Conference official site

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