Oxford Farming Conference 2025: “Facing Change, Finding Opportunity”

Oxford Farming Conference 2025: “Facing Change, Finding Opportunity”


By Ed Mayell (Group 55)

During August last year, I was accepted as an Oxford Farming Conference 2025 (OFC25) Scholar on behalf of The Farmers Club. What has followed has been a thoroughly interesting five months, involving a 1-day in-person training forum at McDonald’s Head Office in London, as well as two online bespoke webinars on topics of ‘inclusive leadership’ and ‘equity, diversity and inclusion’.

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the OFC itself, an experience that truly brought the programme to life.

Exploring the Future of Farming

The OFC25, themed “Facing Change, Finding Opportunity”, brought together industry leaders, policymakers and agricultural professionals to explore the future of farming. This year’s event investigated how ever-changing farming policies, scientific advancements, and innovative practices are creating opportunities amid the challenges facing agriculture today.

The Farmers Weekly Question Time, on day one, sparked passionate debate on critical issues such as “Do farmers need to be more business-minded rather than taxpayer-focused?”, and the last day featured Anthony Murphy’s session titled, “For the Love of Grass-Fed Beef”, in which he outlined his inspiring Herefordshire story founding a group of award-winning burger restaurants – ‘The Beefy Boys’ – and how they have looked to foster strong connections between producers and consumers. But it was the second day session titled “Responding to Changing Policies” featuring Phil Jarvis of Albanwise, Neil Heseltine, a livestock farmer from North Yorkshire, and Lisbeth Henricksen the Executive Director of Innovation at Seges Innovation in Denmark, that I found most thought-provoking. The OFC encourages delegate participation, and when an audience member asked, “Can we realistically become self-sufficient in the UK, given the diminishing land availability for producing food”, the response that maybe we should consider wasting less, rather than producing more, struck me. It shifts the narrative from focusing on increasing production to improving efficiency and sustainability in the supply chain. This perspective challenges the traditional mindset of driving yields at all costs, and instead highlights the potential of supporting UK farmers by addressing waste further down the food supply chain – a focus that closely aligns with my experience on the Management Development Services (MDS) graduate scheme, where I have spent two years gaining in-depth exposure to various aspects of the food, farming, and fresh produce industry.

Reflections and Lessons Learned

The OFC Scholars programme has provided me with a wealth of learning and networking opportunities to develop and build on during my career. The training on ‘inclusive leadership’ and ‘equity, diversity, and inclusion’ prepares me with the skills to lead diverse teams, particularly relevant given businesses in agriculture are increasingly recognising the importance of inclusivity in decision-making. Understanding the role of policy has shown me the importance of staying informed and proactive about the issues that affect the farming communities around me. The ‘technology and innovation’ sessions were extremely engaging and I am looking forward to learning more about the cutting-edge tools used in agriculture and how they can be utilised to optimise resource use, enhance productivity, and reduce environmental impact within our food systems. Finally, the ‘people’ sessions highlighted the importance of fostering collaboration and building strong relationships within agriculture, and that by prioritising people you ensure that innovation and policy are implemented effectively with buy-in from those around you – ultimately creating better team cohesion in support of a more sustainable industry.

A Lasting Impression

The ‘Post-Debate Supper’ in the historic Christ Church College dining hall was a setting that perfectly encapsulated the sense of history associated with the OFC. It has offered me an unprecedented opportunity to network with industry leaders and broadened my knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing the rural, agricultural and food production sectors in 2025 and beyond.

The OFC25 Scholars Scheme has been an enriching experience, leaving me inspired by the resilience, creativity, and collaboration within UK agriculture. I would highly recommend the programme to anyone keen to gain unique insights, invaluable networking opportunities and promote personal development within this dynamic industry.