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CONFERENCE

PROGRAMME 2024

‘Leading positive change in agriculture’

WELCOME

Dear colleagues, partners and friends, It is both an honour and a privilege to be attending my first Nuffield Annual Conference as the CEO of AHDB (the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) and to be able to welcome you to an event that brings together industry-leading knowledge, innovation and collaboration, under one roof.

As the main sponsor of this event, AHDB is very excited to have the opportunity to be with you here in Belfast for what will be an exciting conference with a packed agenda. Not only will we be reflecting the importance of Northern Ireland’s role in UK agriculture, and beyond, but delegates will also hear from several year groups of Scholars across a range of subjects. This includes our first cohort of Nuffield Farming Next-Gen Scholars, who will share their experiences from their 30day study tour of the UK dairy industry.

Collaboration and fresh ideas are key to being able to thrive – particularly when we consider the challenges agriculture faces – from ensuring food security for a growing global population to contending with the complexities of climate change. These challenges also help us to seek those new opportunities for innovation, adaptation, and resilience, that are so crucial in ensuring our success.

That is why the Nuffield Annual Conference holds a special place in our hearts. This forum provides a unique opportunity for individuals from diverse backgrounds and expertise to come together, exchange ideas, and push the boundaries of what is possible in our industry.

For our levy payers, success is something AHDB is laser focused on,

and I will ensure this is being delivered effectively through strong, brave, decisive leadership. Our mission is clear: to inspire the industry, promote its growth, and champion the interests of farmers, growers, and the wider agricultural community.

In our pursuit of excellence, collaboration and the sharing of knowledge is key, and this is something that AHDB and Nuffield have a firmly shared belief in. Whether it be through AHDB’s industry expertise and outreach, or Nuffield’s passion for exploration and learning, and creating an environment where ideas can flourish, together we can find real solutions to the challenges we face.

I wish you all an engaging and enlightening conference. May the discussions held here inspire new ideas, forge new partnerships, and empower each of us to make a lasting impact on our industry.

We look forward to joining you on this incredible journey.

Warm regards,

Graham Wilkinson CEO, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)

WELCOME

Fane Valley is proud to partner with the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust, as this year’s main sponsor in delivering and supporting, one of the most significant agricultural conferences to be hosted in Northern Ireland, so you are very welcome to Belfast, and I hope you enjoy your time networking with us and engaging with innovative and passionate colleagues from across our sector.

I am excited and looking forward to the many fascinating presentations from Nuffield Scholars throughout the two days to an audience of over 400 delegates from across the UK and Ireland. We are pleased to support Session 4’s Climate and Sustainable Businesses, chaired by Chris Taylor and we look forward to how we can share knowledge and identify solutions.

The annual farming conference, this year in Belfast, has also been used to pilot Nuffield’s Next-Gen Scholarship programme. This is a rewarding initiative that will provide two young people from the province, aged between 18 and 24 years-of-age, with a magnificent opportunity to study the UK’s dairy industry. So, we are especially delighted to help nurture and develop our own talent.

As an agricultural cooperative we embrace collaboration, innovation, and the advancement of agriculture, and we believe the life-changing and lifeshaping scholarships available through Nuffield are making a very positive contribution to the development of the next generation in our sector. vWe believe in ‘Growing Better Together’ and the Fane Valley purpose is to advance the interests of farmers and the agricultural industry through the development of growth orientated agrifood businesses and the promotion of best agricultural practice.

For over seventy years Nuffield have been committed to the education and up-skilling of Scholars, enabling them to study farming systems, techniques and new technologies across the world and bring this knowledge back home, to their respective roles. Fane Valley applauds those passionate individuals seeking to develop, both personally and professionally, through their scholarships.

Fane Valley is privileged to promote and support the work of Nuffield and their efforts in advancing agriculture. We wish the Nuffield Trust well with all their future endeavours and hope that as a result of this conference many more people, who aspire for a career within our industry, will be motivated to consider applying for a Nuffield Scholarship.

I personally would like to wish you a very enjoyable conference and I hope that you are inspired and energised about your place and purpose in agriculture.

Trevor Lockhart MBE Chief Executive Fane Valley Group

COMMITTEE WELCOME

It is a great honour and pleasure to extend a very warm welcome to the 2024 Nuffield Farming Conference in Belfast on behalf of this year’s Organising Committee.

The magnificent Assembly Rooms on Belfast’s Great Victoria Street means this years conference can revert to a single presenting hall. I am sure you, like us, are looking forward to hearing about the experiences and future plans of this year’s Presenting Scholars.

We are delighted that this year includes the first presentations from Next-Gen Scholars, and the special venue allows us to extend a welcome to a large number of young people for this day.

Reflecting a famous part of Belfast’s industrial history, the Titanic Building provides a dramatic setting for this year’s Annual Dinner. With generous support from many of Northern Ireland’s best food producers we hope you enjoy a great meal with Nuffield friends in this spectacular setting.

As a committee, we have been overwhelmed and delighted by the support of our local industry to help make this event special. Please do take time to look through the list of supporters and offer your thanks if you have an opportunity to do that.

I would like to thank the new Director, Rupert Alers-Hankey, the Conference Project Manager, Lindsay Woods and the NFST Office team along with the local Organising Committee for the mountain of work behind the scenes to make this conference possible.

To the Sponsors attending – thank you. To Nuffield Scholars - enjoy your time renewing friendships. To Presenting Scholars - good luck! To everyone – enjoy Belfast!

Ciaran Hamill NSch Chair of the Organising Committee

2024 NUFFIELD FARMING

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

Tuesday 19th November 2024

From 13:35 Three Pre-Conference Visits: Blakiston Houston’s Reynolds AD Plant / Ewan McCracken’s Dairy / Bullhouse Brewery

19.30 Welcome Buffet at the Europa Hotel sponsored by Cargill

Wednesday 20th November 2024

08.15 Tea/Coffee available

• Conference Opens: Welcome address by Chair, Wyn Owen

09.00

09.25

• Welcome from the Northern Ireland Committee by Vice Chair, Trevor Alcorn

• Welcome by Visit Belfast – Jackie Geddis, Business Events Account Manager

• Main Conference Sponsor – Graham Wilkinson, CEO AHDB

Presentation Session 1: New Models for Farming Chaired by Tanya Robbins

2024 NUFFIELD FARMING

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

14.00 Address from Andrew Muir MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Presentation Session 4: Climate and Sustainable Businesses Chaired by Chris Taylor Sponsored by Fane Valley

• Andrew Sincock - Making manures matter: how to maximise your organic manures (Sponsored by McDonald’s UK& Ireland)

14.10

• Byron Braithwaite - Creating forests that thrive in a changing climate: Drought and fire resilience (Sponsored by John Oldacre Foundation)

• Luke Breedon - Biochar Use in Agriculture: The Environmental and Economic Benefits (Sponsored by The Beckett Award)

• Roisin Taylor - Revival and Survival: adapting for a 2-degree warming world within the British Cut Flower Industry (Sponsored by John Oldacre Foundation)

15.30 BREAK - Tea/coffee in the Exhibition & Concourse areas

15.40 AgDiversity: Positive growth toward a more inclusive sector Kendra Hall and Roisin Taylor

16.00 Presentation Session 5: Cropping Opportunities Chaired by Mary Munro Sponsored by Yara UK Limited

• Camilla Hayselden-Ashby - Green gold: Is hemp the new oil? (Sponsored by NFU Mutual Charitable Trust)

• Harry Barnett - How to counteract the agronomic and market challenges facing the UK potato industry (Sponsored jointly by McDonald’s UK& Ireland and The Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association)

• Richard Copas - The mechanization of cherry production and harvest (Sponsored by Malcolm Isaac Scholarship)

17.15 Conference Day 1 Ends

18.30 Alight coaches to Titanic Belfast. Pre-booked seats only.

19.00 Pre-Dinner Drinks Reception at the Titanic Belfast

19.30 2024 Annual Dinner at the Titanic Belfast Thursday 21st November 2024 08.15 –09.15 AGM for all Nuffield Farming Scholars & Members in the Conference Hall by reception.

09.00 Tea/Coffee available

• Conference Opens: Welcome address by the New Chair, Tom Rawson

09.30

• Principal Northern Ireland Sponsor - Trevor Lockhart, CEO Fane Valley

2024 NUFFIELD FARMING CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

Presentation Session 6: Community and Health in Agriculture Chaired by David Rose Sponsored by AHDB

• Hannah Batty - People. Processes. Potential: a blueprint for great team management on UK dairy farms (Sponsored by The Trehane Trust)

09.50

• Hannah Fraser - Displacing empty calories with nutrient dense food: How can UK farmers be rewarded for practices that promote nutrient density? (Sponsored jointly by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and Worshipful Company of Fruiterers)

• Tom Pearson - What can farmers do to make a positive impact on the health of their local community? (Sponsored by NFU Mutual Charitable Trust)

• Claire Taylor - Turning the tide on the anti-farming agenda (Sponsored by The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland)

11.10 BREAK - Tea/coffee in Exhibition & Concourse areas

Presentation Session 7: Supply, Data and Technology Chaired by David Gardner Sponsored by NFU Mutual

• John Gray - Fresh produce supply chain excellence - Growing our share of the value chain (Sponsored by The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and Worshipful Company of Fruiterers)

11.40

• Ed Towers - The integration of new technologies to incentivize environmental services (Sponsored by the John Oldacre Foundation)

• Jamie Lockhart - End to end automation of field scale vegetable production, incorporating data driven solutions (Sponsored by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association)

• Izak van Heerden - Agrileadership for tomorrow’s world; The future of work is not what you think it is! (Sponsored by East Sussex NFU)

13.00 2025 Nuffield Farming Conference – Jenna Ross

13.05 LUNCH – Exhibition area

14.00 Announcement of the New Trustees

Presentation Session 8: Livestock, Environment and Regenerative Agriculture

Chaired by Jim Baird Sponsored by Phileo UK & Ireland

• Claire Whittle - Can regenerative agriculture improve the health and welfare of livestock? (Sponsored by McDonald’s UK& Ireland)

14.05

• Ruth Grice - Working together: How dairy farmers & environmental organisations can achieve sustainable food security & combat climate change (Sponsored by AHDB)

• Rob Howe - Leveraging vets to help farmers maximise natural capital value (Sponsored by AHDB)

• James MacCartney - UK red meat production: How to win the battle for environmental sustainability in the mind of the consumer (Sponsored by Worshipful Company of Butchers)

2024 NUFFIELD FARMING CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

Nuffield Farming Awards Ceremony Chair Jim Baird, Presented by Tom Rawson Sponsored by NMR

• Nuffield Farming Greener Future Award – sponsored by LEAF

15.25

• Steven & Gillian Bullock Award for Innovation

• Nuffield Farming Frank Arden Leadership Award

• Nuffield Farming Best Report

• John Stewart Award for Best Presentation

• Presentation to outgoing Chair – Wyn Owen

16.05 Future Announcements

• 2025 Nuffield International Triennial – Jason Rankin

16.10 Closing comments and acknowledgments by Chair Tom Rawson

16.25 Tea/coffee and pastries in the Exhibition area

16.45 Conference Ends

The Home of Mozzarella

Leprino Foods Ltd are delighted to sponsor the 2024 Nuffield Farming Conference. As part of Leprino Foods Company, we are part of the largest mozzarella manufacturing businesses in the world, with expertise in mozzarella like no other.

The success of our business is tied to one ingredient- milk. We are proud processors of milk from Northern Irish, Welsh and English farms.

We look forward to this year’s Nuffield Farming Conference and meeting so many of you. We wish the Scholars the best of luck with their presentations.

ADMINISTRATIVE NOTICES

HELP DESK

Conference information can be found at the Nuffield Farming reception desk. Lindsay, Claire and members of the Conference Committee will always be available to assist. If they are not at the desk, please contact them via Lindsay’s mobile: 07772 485123 and Claire’s mobile: 07833 904778

In case of matters concerning the general hotel services, please contact a member of hotel staff.

BADGES

FOR SECURITY PURPOSES PLEASE WEAR YOUR BADGE

The badges are designed to confirm your Conference booking. If any badges are incorrect, please let Claire know as ‘new ones’ can be readily issued.

PLEASE RETURN BADGES TO THE RECEPTION DESK AT THE END OF THE CONFERENCE.

THE EUROPA HOTEL

Rooms will be available from 3.00pm. Check out is by 11.00am on the day you are leaving the hotel. Payment to be made on departure.

Full English & Continental Buffet Breakfast from 7:00am

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CONFERENCE SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS

We are as ever most grateful to all our sponsors; in particular:

AHDB - Main 2024 Conference Sponsor

Fane Valley – Northern Ireland Principal Sponsor

Visit Belfast – Supported by

Farmers Guardian - Media Partner

Leprino

Danske Bank

Dale Farm

John Thompson & Sons Ltd

McDonald’s UK & Ireland

World Wire Sires

Germinal Seeds

Strathroy Dairies

Barenburg

ABP Linden

Roy Lyttle

Kennedy Bacon

Ballylisk

JANS Group

NMR Ltd

Cargill

Yara UK Limited

NFU Mutual

Phileo UK & Ireland

Taggart Jack

Gouldings Fertiliser NI

Coca-Cola HBC Ireland & Northern Ireland

O’Donnels crisp

Glastry Farm Ice Cream

2024 NUFFIELD FARMING ANNUAL DINNER

The 2024 Nuffield Farming Annual Dinner will take place on Wednesday 20th November at the iconic Titanic, Belfast. The evening will start with a Drinks Reception and entertainment that will lead into the Annual Dinner with an impressive menu.

Please note that the dress code for the evening will be lounge suits or smart evening wear (no jeans). There will be a table plan displayed at the NFST reception and it can be viewed, along with the menu, at the QR code below.

If you have booked a seat on the coach, it will leave from the Grand Central Bus Station at 6.30pm. Departure times from the Titanic Belfast are 11.00pm, 11.45pm and 12.45pm. Pre-booked seats only. To check your bus number and return time, please scan the QR code below.

The UK’s leading sustainable forestry and timber harvesting company

As a part of the BSW Group and a member of binderholz, Tilhill Forestry is uniquely positioned to offer integrated forestry and timber services across seeding, harvesting and production.

Tilhill Forestry has, over the last 75 years, planted more than 1 billion trees and has the greatest number of professionally qualified forest managers in the UK. People are our greatest asset and we take growing our people as seriously as we grow our trees.

We offer an industry-leading graduate programme and actively encourage our staff to develop professional qualifications. It is a very exciting time to be a part of the forest industry, and Tilhill Forestry is a cutting-edge company, playing a significant role in the climate change aspirations.

career with Tilhill Forestry visit tilhill.com/careers

1423 - BSW Nuffield Adverts A5 Landscape v4.indd 1

Are you a passionate agricultural professional, eager to shape the future of British agriculture and make a positive impact on the industry? We invite you to join us on an exciting career journey!

Mole Valley Farmers is proud to be a ‘Friend of Nuffield’, and to share the same passion as the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust – to create positive change in agriculture by developing future leaders, like you. A career with us goes beyond the ordinary; agriculture is on the brink of monumental change, and we are at the forefront of this transformation.

We are committed to collaborating with farmers, growers and industry experts, to shape the future of British agriculture. Your fresh ideas, energy and enthusiasm could have a significant impact on the challenges facing the industry today.

Take the first steps towards a rewarding career in agriculture – join Mole Valley Farmers and become part of a team that drives change, embraces innovation, and shares a passion for British agriculture. Contact us today to explore career opportunities or visit moleonline.com/careers.

Let’s create a sustainable and prosperous future together.

FRIEND OF NUFFIELD FARMING

BECOME A ‘FRIEND OF NUFFIELD FARMING’

As a charity organisation, the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust requires financial support, not just for our Scholarships, but also to deliver our Alumni programme and administrative function. Investing in Nuffield Farming delivers a lifetime of change for Scholars and ignites a spark for lifelong learning and benefit. The value of a Scholarship far exceeds the initial period of study, as many emerge as leaders and mentors for future generations. Your support can help to ensure that we are able to deliver this essential programme, improve our offerings and use our position to continue making a difference.

My Nuffield has really opened doors for me. Towards the end of my travelling, I started a company with the aim of reducing the need for antibiotics. We’ve inspired positive change in agriculture on over 1500 UK farms and, as of June 2020, are also now operating in Southern African countries. From concept to international business in 3 years… Thank you Nuffield!

Aled Rhys Davies NSch

Our ‘Friend of Nuffield Farming’ package will help you deliver commercial and corporate social responsibility (CSR) objectives and align your business or brand with one of the industry’s most high-profile organisations.

Our communications reach a large and influential audience of Scholars, industry leaders and media outlets through a variety of channels:

• E-Newsletter circulated to ~900 recipients

• 21,600 unique visitors to our website in 2020

• 15,500 followers across Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube

This support package includes a range of benefits:

• Two tickets for each Nuffield Farming Annual Conference for the duration of your commitment, including all sessions over both days, the Annual Dinner and VVIP Reception and Lunch;

• Receipt of all electronic Newsletters and the Annual Reports

• Space for your one page advertisements in each Annual Report and a half page promotion in each Annual Conference programme;

• Access and networking opportunities for all Regional and Study Groups’ Events except those at which personal information is discussed;

• Display of your logo on the Nuffield Farming website along with links to your own;

• Messaging on behalf of your organisation through the electronic Newsletters and/or direct emails;

• Potential to display the Nuffield Farming logo on your own website;

• Potential for reciprocal benefits, for example, with assistance to senior management training.

Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust and our supporters are proud to have played a role in the careers of our Scholars and the change they bring to the industry.

For more information email Rupert Alers-Hankey, Director: rupert@nuffieldscholar.org

2024 CONFERENCE SPONSORS

Main Sponsor

Northern Ireland Principal Sponsor

Supported by

Media Partner Gold Sponsor

Annual Dinner Sponsor Programme Sponsor

Silver Sponsors

Thank you to all our Conference Sponsors