Speakers from across the country and overseas, covered some of the MOST EXCITING farming and food production initiatives of our time. Closer to home, the conference heard from young producers involved with the RNAA’s Norfolk Voices for Norfolk Futures initiative, representing the INDUSTRY'S NEXT GENERATION
Get next year's conference dates in the diary
Poul Hoveson
Salle Farming
Introduction and Opening Address
Norfolk born and bred, Belinda is driven by the belief that innovation is a vital driver for agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability and economic growth. Starting her career in research in Norwich (let’s talk crop diseases, and starch production in peas and potatoes), she then developed experience at the interface between industry, innovation and government, and became determined to bring closer together farmers, researchers and technology developers to improve the efficiency of communication and understanding between them, and to accelerate the adoption of new innovations on farms.
Over the last 8 years she has led the development and creation of the award-winning membership network which is Agri-TechE. With members from across the UK and internationally, Agri-TechE is one of the largest and longest-established agri-tech innovation ecosystems in Europe and in 2019 was named national Networking Group of the Year at the UK SME Business Awards.Belinda was a member of the Council of BBSRC-UKRI (2015-2021) and in 2021 she was awarded the Sir Timothy Colman Prize from the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association for “outstanding leadership in the agri-tech sector.
Norfolk born and bred, Belinda is driven by the belief that innovation is a vital driver for agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability and economic growth. Starting her career in research in Norwich (let’s talk crop diseases, and starch production in peas and potatoes), she then developed experience at the interface between industry, innovation and government, and became determined to bring closer together farmers, researchers and technology developers to improve the efficiency of communication and understanding between them, and to accelerate the adoption of new innovations on farms. Over the last 8 years she has led the development and creation of the award-winning membership network which is Agri-TechE. With members from across the UK and internationally, Agri-TechE is one of the largest and longest-established agri-tech innovation ecosystems in Europe and in 2019 was named national Networking Group of the Year at the UK SME Business Awards.Belinda was a member of the Council of BBSRC-UKRI (2015-2021) and in 2021 she was awarded the Sir Timothy Colman Prize from the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association for “outstanding leadership in the agri-tech sector.
Dr Belinda Clarke
Conference Chair
Mark Spencer was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 September 2022. He was previously Lord President and Leader of the House of Commons from 8 February 2022 to 6 September 2022. He was Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip) between July 2019 and February 2022, Comptroller of HM Household (Government Whip) between July 2018 and July 2019, and Vice Chamberlain of HM Household (Government Whip) between January and July 2018.
He was Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip) from June 2017 to January 2018. He was an Assistant Government Whip from 17 July 2016 to 15 June 2017. Mark was elected Conservative MP for Sherwood in May 2010. Minister of State (Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries). Responsibilities include; farming, food, fisheries, agri-science and innovation, trade, lead for Rural Payments Agency (RPA), Agriculture and Horticulture, Development Board (AHDB), Marine Management Organisation (MMO), Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA)
Mark Spencer was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 September 2022. He was previously Lord President and Leader of the House of Commons from 8 February 2022 to 6 September 2022. He was Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip) between July 2019 and February 2022, Comptroller of HM Household (Government Whip) between July 2018 and July 2019, and Vice Chamberlain of HM Household (Government Whip) between January and July 2018. He was Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip) from June 2017 to January 2018. He was an Assistant Government Whip from 17 July 2016 to 15 June 2017. Mark was elected Conservative MP for Sherwood in May 2010. Minister of State (Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries). Responsibilities include; farming, food, fisheries, agri-science and innovation, trade, lead for Rural Payments Agency (RPA), Agriculture and Horticulture, Development Board (AHDB), Marine Management Organisation (MMO), Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA)
The Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP
Farming Minister
“Farmers are being asked for their land to answer more questions than ever before, and this conference is a great opportunity to acknowledge the correction that is required in our farming systems, provide farm-based commentary of what we are doing and seeing at Lockerley Estate and Preston Farms, and focus on the positive aspects that farming can have on nature recovery, whilst still providing food and being profitable. We want to make decisions today that we won’t look back at in 50 years and regret, and so conferences such as this provide a great opportunity to share knowledge and best practice.
Director of Farming & Estates Lockerley Estate and Preston Farms
Craig Livingstone
Land Use – The Environmental Cost of Farming
PROFESSOR BRIAN REID
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Professor of Soil Science, UEA
Brian has held an academic position at UEA since January 2000. Recently, from September 2023, he has taken up post as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation. As PVC-RI Brian is responsible for the overseeing UEA’s portfolios in research and in innovation. He comes to the role having served as Associate Dean for Innovation (Science Faculty; 2019-22) and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research (2022-23). Brian’s academic discipline is Environmental Sciences, specifically Soil Science. His research interests are in soil carbon as a regulator of soil ecosystem services and the opportunities for soil to contribute nature-based solutions to mitigate climate chance.
PHILIP DE JONG
Dutch Agricultural Attaché
Philip, an Agricultural Engineer, graduated at Wageningen Agricultural University in 1986 (land use management) and employed by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality since 1986. In August 2021 Philip was appointed agricultural counsellor for the UK and Ireland in London. International career with previous foreign postings as agricultural counsellor in London (1991-1994), Sao Paulo, Brazil (1994-1997), Pretoria, South Africa (1997-2001), Abu Dhabi, UAE for GCC countries (2008-2012), Moscow, Russian Federation (2012-2016), Chief Phytosanitary Officer, responsible for phytosanitary market access negotiations with third countries (SPS) (2012-2016). Manager at a regional policy department of the ministry of Agriculture in the southern provinces of The Netherlands (2001-2008) “Farmers, businesses and agricultural researchers in Norfolk and The Netherlands have developed close relations throughout centuries. I am looking forward to explore how we can continue to share experiences on two sides of the North Sea”.
CRAIG LIVINGSTONE
Director of Farming & Estates Lockerley Estate and Preston Farms
In April 2021 Craig led the collaboration of Lockerley Estate and Preston Farms and now oversees a 2000ha diverse rural estate. The business was recently a finalist in the Carbon Farmer of the Year competition and won the Nature Recovery Award through the Hampshire Wildlife Trust. Craig is highly motivated to continue the biological recovery to his farming system whilst maintaining a profitable business. After graduating from the Scottish Agriculture College at Edinburgh University with BSc in Agriculture, Craig’s early career was spent as Farm Manager in South Oxfordshire. He then trained as an agronomist and advised on a large arable acreage. In 2016 Craig joined Lockerley Estate and his work here brought the award by Farmers Weekly for Arable Farmer of the Year and Overall Farmer of the Year. Lockerley Estate is now a LEAF Demonstration Farm, is LEAF Marque certified and a ‘ Beacon Farm’ for regenerative farming practice. Craig is a past delegate of the ACABM and sat on the advisory panel for the National Food Strategy.
DR LYDIA SMITH
Director NIAB, Project Lead: Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping (CHCx3)
Research is reflecting this and I look forward to the interactions that will occur between farmers, industry and academics attending. Defra is fulfilling its promise to help farmers along the so called ‘innovation pathway’ and the impact of projects funded by them alongside those coming out of UKRI will start to be seen. It should be a great opportunity to see what is working and what isn’t from the viewpoint of the farmers themselves. "The Norfolk Farming Conference promises to be an exciting event this year, with so many changes occurring in the UK farm landscape, both literally and due to changing economic drivers"
Case Study: Application of Regenerative Farming Systems
ANDY CATO
WildFarmed Founder
Can Data Enhance Sustainability For UK Farms?
David Flanders
Agrimetrics Chief Executive Officer and Board Director
With a background in plant sciences, David has more than 25 years of international experience leading delivery of technology and software projects across the life sciences. David has US experience, including at Stanford University, where he led the leading Arabidopsis plant genomic database. David has a BSc in Agricultural Botany from Newcastle University and a PhD in Developmental Biology from the Australian National University. Before joining Agrimetrics in January 2016, he was CEO and Co-Founder of a Finnish-UK agri-tech start-up. Prior to that, in addition to several years as an independent consultant, he has held a variety of senior management positions, many in companies with significant agri-tech customers. These include: CEO of Eagle Genomics, where he successfully raised the first growth capital of this Genomics Big Data SME; Site Head for the UK operation of Stem Cells, Inc; COO of a proteomics and systems biology start-up; Head of international teams producing life-science data integration software at Lion Bioscience; and as a Senior Bioinformaticist at a major ag-technology company.
Dr Tina Barsby OBE
Chair British Farm Data Council
Lee Leachman
CEO & Partner of Leachman Cattle of Colorado, USA
Diet and Health – why it matters to farming
SOPHIE THROUP
Technical and Sustainability Director (Manufacturing) at Morrisons
Sophie joined Morrisons in November 2017, following 10 years in the veterinary sector running research and training programmes. She heads Agriculture and Sustainable Sourcing policy and programmes for Morrisons and is the Technical and Sustainability Director for the manufacturing business. Sophie is also non-exec director for AFS (Red Tractor), a steering committee member for the Food Industry Initiative on Antimicrobials and was part of Defra’s Animal Health and Welfare Pathway sub-group on legislation. She also was a driving force in setting up the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University, to help set research, training and innovative support for current and future farmers on the path to net zero and sustainable farming.
Professor Martin Warren
Head, Food Innovation Health Programme at Quadram Institute Bioscience
Martin first joined the Quadram Institute in 2019 as a group leader in the Gut Microbes and Health programme before becoming lead for the Food Innovation in Health programme in 2020. In 2022 he was appointed Chief Scientific Officer for the Quadram Institute. Martin is originally from Northern Ireland and went to Southampton University where he read Biochemistry as an undergraduate (1981-1984). Martin stayed on in the Biochemistry Department to do a PhD with Professor Peter Shoolingin-Jordan, which initiated his interest in the genetics and biochemistry of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis.
JOSIAH MELDRUM
Co-founder of Hodmedod
Co-founder of Hodmedod, a business working to increase diversity on farms and in the food we eat, for the benefit of farming and farmed landscapes, the environment, individual health and our food culture. Hodmedod was born in 2012 from the realisation that fava beans were grown but little eaten in the UK, despite being a delicious and nutritious food that can help build healthy soils and benefit farming systems. Bringing the beans back into British kitchens proved the catalyst to build a network of farmers diversifying arable rotations by introducing existing, forgotten and novel pulses, grains and seeds, including carlin peas, naked barley, quinoa, chia and camelina. A proud winner of Best Food Producer in the BBC Food and Farming Awards, Hodmedod now works with over thirty different crops and a similar number of farmers to produce a diverse range of over 100 plant-based wholefoods.
PATRICK HOLDEN CBE
Founder and CEO of Sustainable Food Trust and UK Organic Dairy Farmer
Patrick is the founder and CEO of the Sustainable Food Trust, whose mission is to work internationally to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable food and farming systems. He was Director of the Soil Association, the leading British organic farming organisation, from 1995 to 2010, where he played a leading role in developing the UK organic market. He trained in Biodynamic farming at Emerson College and has a mixed organic dairy holding in Wales. Patrick received a CBE for services to organic farming in 2005 and in 2022 was awarded an honorary doctorate for international work in sustainable agriculture from the University of Wales Trinity St David.