Insights from the Oxford Farming Conference 2026
By Anuj Mathur (Group 57)
Attending the Oxford Farming Conference 2026 was an incredible opportunity to learn, connect, and be inspired. Thanks to the NFU bursary, I spent three days immersed in conversations about sustainability, leadership, and the future of farming, alongside industry leaders and fellow scholars.
The conference commenced with a tour of the Examination Halls, where the conference was held, and a chance to meet other bursary recipients and conference chairs, including Mario Caccamo, CEO of NIAB. Wednesday featured partner events such as the Farmers Weekly Question Time, followed by the Chairs’ Welcome Reception – a fantastic networking opportunity where I spoke with speakers like Mike Rivington, Jack Bobo and Louise Manning.
On Thursday I attended partner events A Landscape for Hope: How Farming is Transforming Nature’s Decline (RSPB) and Building Smarter Farm Assurance: From Review to Reality, as well as the main conference sessions. The headlining politics session saw Emma Reynolds announce new funding for agriculture, including for a Farmer Collaboration Fund and Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) reforms. This was highly awaited as there is a consensus in the community that the government is not doing enough for agriculture. These announcements represent a growing ambition for the agricultural industry; however, almost all the farmers I spoke to afterwards warned that the reforms and funding lack detail and fall short.
The audience was honoured by a speech from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne – blending humour with thoughtful insights. She reflected on farming’s progress over the past 90 years, noting that many concerns remain the same, and posed questions about where farming will be in the next 90 years, linking this to the upcoming debate.
The day concluded with a lively debate at the Oxford Union: “Farming will become a one-day-a-week job in the next 90 years.” The debate had two distinct sides – the house arguing that AI will have profound impacts on farming, and the opposing side arguing that regardless of AI innovations, farming was a way of life as opposed to a way to make money. The popularity of this idea was evidenced by the landslide majority voted against the motion – which further highlighted the passion and the pride within the industry. These results were announced at the post-debate supper at Christ Church College, which was a real treat – especially for a Harry Potter fan!
Friday’s focus shifted to positivity and mental health in farming – an area I believe is vital for the industry. I attended Tesco’s partner event on supporting the future of agriculture, which emphasised sustainability, aligning with my ambition to build a career in this area. The conference closed with the announcement of next year’s chair and theme, leaving attendees inspired for what is ahead.
I’m extremely grateful to the NFU for covering my ticket, accommodation at Christ Church College, transport, and additional events. It was a privilege to represent MDS and connect with others linked to the scheme, such as alumni James Bradshaw, ex-chair Christine Tacon, and current trainee Jamilla Mohammed – a scholar from the Breaking Barriers scheme. (You can learn more about the Breaking Barriers scholarship on Jamilla’s blog.)
OFC 2026 was more than a conference – it was a chance to learn, hear perspectives from a broad range of people, network, and reflect on the challenges and opportunities shaping agriculture. Conversations with industry leaders gave me insights which may shape my future in the sector and has reinforced my commitment to shaping a resilient and sustainable future for farming.