Farming events and webinars
Quick links: ORFC 2025 | Other events | Innovative Farmers events | Watch again
Our sessions at ORFC
Oxford Real Farming Conference, Thursday 9th to Friday 10th January 2025
We’ll be out in force as ever at this year’s great coming together of the heart of the grassroots farming movement in the UK and beyond. As ever, the line up is eye popping. Here are some of the events we’re involved with, but there’s so much to see, in person, and – don’t forget – online.
Some (not all) of the sessions we're taking part in:
Systems thinking: exploring the benefits and barriers to whole farm approaches
Thur 9 Jan, 11am, Cheng Building Seminar Room
Farmers, growers and crofters are navigating increasingly challenging demands on land use - from food production to wildlife restoration and climate adaptation. A whole farm approach is often seen as the solution, but what does it look like in practice, and how can it be better supported by agricultural policy?
Increasing home-grown protein in an organic farming system
Thur 9 Jan, 11am, Town Hall Court Room
Find out how two farmers have reduced organic soya in animal feed by incorporating home-grown or UK-produced legumes into their dairy and poultry systems. Topics covered include clover-rich herbal leys, intercropping, strategies for poultry diets, growing pulses and how to select the right crops for your system.
Farming futures — a networking hour for emerging leaders and sector supporters
Thur 9 Jan, 6-7.30pm, Cheng Building Café
Come along and meet others passionate about the politics and practice of food and farming. We're keen to foster intergenerational cohesion so we welcome those newer to the movement and those established in it. Co hosted with Sustain, Emergent Generation and Roots to Work.
Ultra-processed foods: towards an agroecological solution
Fri 10 Jan, 9-10.30am, Town Hall Council Chamber
In the past year, concern about ultra-processed foods (UPF) has entered the mainstream. A growing body of research has linked UPF to poor health and environmental outcomes, and governments are asking how they should respond. This session explores agroecological solutions to the UPF challenge.
Progress towards a peat-free horticultural system
Fri 10 Jan, 9-10.30am, Town Hall Court Room
In one form or another, we remain reliant on peat in horticulture, despite the urgency to transition away from it. This session showcases efforts to remove peat from seedling blocks based on the experiences of a recent Innovative Farmers trial, and a desire to keep discussion and collaboration live.
Silvohorticulture — integrating trees into vegetable growing systems
Fri 10 Jan, 11am-12.30pm, Town Hall Council Chamber
Experienced agroforesters, Andy Dibben and Ben Raskin, explore the benefits of trees for horticultural crops, potential crops from trees, system design options, planting, early tree establishment, tree protection, tree understory, cropping tree crops and potential negative impacts of trees on horticultural crops.
Homegrown fashion: the British fibres regenerating landscapes and creativity
Fri 10 Jan, 11am-12.30pm, Town Hall Old Library
British fashion is known globally for its quality and creativity. Yet much of this ingenuity is brought to bear today through extractive supply chains in the Global South. Many rely on toxic materials and exploitative labour and agricultural practices. Panel participants share their transformative journeys, illuminating the challenges, potential and meaning of British fashion.
Workshop: creating solutions for farming on lowland peat
Fri 10 Jan, 11am-12.30pm, Cheng Building Seminar Room
Lowland carbon peat soils have become severely degraded, partly due to major horticulture, arable and livestock production. This session, led by Wildlife Trusts, Soil Association, and Greater Lincolnshire Food Partnership, brings together local growers and practitioners to look at local discourse and livelihoods.
Organic: the preserve of the privileged?
Fri 10 Jan, 2-3.30pm, Cheng Building Digital Hub
A panel of speakers working across the food supply chain explore the opportunities to make organic food more available, affordable to everyone and fair to farmers. They'll delve into the challenge of achieving optimal scale alongside ethical practice to enable access to organic for all.
Transition to agroecology — what role does ecocide law play?
Fri 10 Jan, 2-3.30pm, Wesley Memorial Methodist Church
In September 2024, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Samoa formally proposed an ecocide amendment to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The implementation of ecocide law could transform global food production by deterring harmful practices and creating a fairer playing field for those who farm sustainably and in harmony with nature. With author Sarah Langford and our Head of Policy (Food & Health) Rob Percival, and others.
Rooting for diversity: cultivating farms for neurodiversity to thrive
Fri 10 Jan, 2-3.30pm, Town Hall Old Library
Neurodivergent people bring traits and qualities that can benefit farms. This is an opportunity both for neurodivergent landworkers to voice and discuss their issues, and for farming generally to learn how the talents of neurodivergent people can benefit farms if hidden barriers are removed. With OGA's Jim Aplin and our farming advsor Karen Fisher, and others.
Other events
Planning for Change (Scotland)
Using Whole Farm Plans to build farm resilience
Thursday 16 January, 10.30am–2.30pm (includes hot lunch)
Lumphinnans Farm, near Cowdenbeath, KY4 8AA, Scotland
From 15 May 2025, in order to receive Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments, every farmer and crofter in Scotland will have to demonstrate that they have started to baseline land and livestock management practices, identified opportunities for improvement and are working towards being more sustainable, efficient and resilient.
Join us at Lumphinnans Farm in Fife for an interactive workshop to explore what Whole Farm Plans are, what the new requirements will mean for your farm, and how you can use the WFP framework to boost the resilience of your business.
Living Labs in Action: Mirafiori Sud, City of Turin
Thurs 23 Jan, 9am, online, free
The Nature-Based Solutions for Soil Management – NBSOIL – project is creating and testing a learning pathway for existing and aspiring soil advisors. As well as the Soil Academy, it also tests progress in 'Living Labs' based in farm settings across Europe. This event invites you to see how Living Labs work in practice, and how the framework can help improve soil health.
>> Reserve your place here and find out more about the project (including the Soil Academy)
Innovative Farmers events
No events coming up, but they often do, so please check back here or on the Innovative Farmers website
Find out more about Innovative Farmers.
Past events to watch again
Agroecology Transect - Exploring the barriers and levers to Agroecology
The Agroforestry Show 2023: links to audio recordings of all sessions. Find out more about the show on the Agroforestry Show website.
Groundswell 2023: links to recordings of our sessions and panel discussions.
Agroforestry carbon code: find out more, and scroll to the end of the page to see our recent event.
Agroecotech conference: watch our recent event on YouTube
Integrated pest management: watch these case study videos, showcasing participants of the Farming the Future programme with Nature Friendly Farming Network, RSPB, Pesticide Action Network and CoFarm Foundation on the Agricology website.
