The 2023 Autumn Farming Conference, which takes place at Wherstead Park, Ipswich on the 10th of October, will focus on sustainability, water management and environmental schemes, according to the organiser Larking Gowen.
Aimed at farmers, landowners and the wider agricultural sector, it is been held in conjunction with the Country Land and Business Association (CLA).
“The 2023 Autumn Farming Conference will demonstrate the direction of travel for the farming industry and how the requirements of the environment and food production can be mutually compatible. The emphasis will be on delivering practical information and advice which delegates can use in their own businesses,” said Bruce Masson, the Larking Gowen partner behind the event. Joining him will be fellow Larking Gowen partner Laurie Hill and Steven Rudd, Head of the firm’s Farms and Landed Estates team.
“Farmers are currently having to deal with extreme volatility in input and output prices, making it incredibly difficult to plan or budget accurately,” Bruce adds. “The unprecedented scale and speed of interest rate increases following almost 15 years of low, stable borrowing costs, together with Defra’s announcements on environmental schemes and how they will impact the taxation of farming businesses, are adding complexity to these significant challenges.
“The speakers we have selected are all experts in their respective fields and will provide valuable insight into where we are as an industry, the headwinds and opportunities which exist for those who are correctly positioned, together with the future direction of travel. The aim is to consider how changing legislation will impact the farming sector, address delegates’ concerns and help them chart a roadmap for the future. Rather than simply being a series of presentations, this will be an interactive event where delegates will be able to ask questions and share their experiences with others.”
Last year’s drought, plus the fact that England’s last major water infrastructure project was thirty years ago, means that water management will be a key topic and the focus of an interactive panel discussion including Charlie MacNicol of the Stody Estate.
The conference will be chaired by CLA East director Cath Crowther and include presentations from speakers such as Ian Evans, who alongside his wife Diane, has been diversifying their farm into a wedding and events venue, as well as running Copdock Hall Vineyard. He will be joined by Matt Ryan, head of Farmer Relationships at Oxbury, and Henry Welham, partnership manager at Yagro, while Emily Norton, former head of Rural Research at Savills UK Ltd, will focus on environmental and sustainability policies and their interaction with agriculture.
The lineup is currently being finalised but headline partners Oxbury Bank and CLA Energy have already committed their support, alongside YAGRO, Integrity Asset Finance Ltd and Impact Services. Charity partners are YANA (You Are Not Alone) and Yellow Wellies, with all profits from the event being donated to these organisations.
For more information, and to book tickets, go to www.larking-gowen.co.uk