The 2024 Norfolk Farming Conference is set to showcase a diverse line-up of speakers as it returns to the Norfolk Showground on February 6. Among the speakers are Grammy-nominated musician Andy Cato, who is also a mixed livestock and arable farmer involved in promoting nature-friendly practices through Wildfarmed. The conference’s opening session will focus on topics such as land use and the environmental cost of farming, with other speakers including Jules Pretty, Craig Livingstone, Philip de Jong, and Dr Lydia Smith. Session two will explore how data can enhance farm sustainability, featuring speakers such as Dr Tina Barsby, David Flanders, and Lee Leachman, as well as a case study on collaborative data sharing in Norfolk.
In the afternoon sessions, the focus will shift to the next generation of Norfolk Scholars, as well as a discussion on the importance of diet and health in farming, with speakers including Sophie Throup and Josiah Meldrum. The conference, hosted by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA) and chaired by Dr Belinda Clarke of Agri-TechE, will also feature an opening address by Defra farming minister Mark Spencer, and will be closed by Patrick Holden, founder of the UK Sustainable Food Trust. RNAA managing director Mark Nicholas expressed excitement about the program, describing it as a “fantastic” lineup of speakers set to discuss key themes relevant to farming.
In addition to Andy Cato, other notable speakers at the conference include Jules Pretty, professor of environment and society at the University of Essex, Craig Livingstone, director of farming at Lockerley Estate, Dutch agricultural attaché Philip de Jong, NIAB director Dr Lydia Smith, Dr Tina Barsby, chair of the British Farm Data Council, and Lee Leachman, CEO of Leachman Cattle of Colorado, USA. Also featured will be Poul Hovesen and Dominic Swan of the Catalyst Farming partnership, discussing a case study on collaborative data sharing in Norfolk, as well as speakers from Morrisons and Hodmedod in a discussion on diet and health in farming.
The conference promises to be an informative and engaging event, with tickets currently on sale for those interested in attending. With a focus on key themes such as land use, environmental cost, sustainability, data, and diet and health in farming, the 2024 Norfolk Farming Conference offers a valuable opportunity for those in the agricultural industry to learn from and engage with a diverse array of experts and thought leaders in the field.
