Retirement age to be debated at Oxford Conference

The sensitive issue of when farmers should retire will be debated at the 2010 Oxford Farming Conference.

“This House believes that all farmers should retire at 60” will be the motion for debate in the Oxford Union on Tuesday 5 January 2010.

Proposing the motion will be Joanne Moss, a Barrister at Falcon Chambers and opposing the motion will be Andrew Densham CBE, former senior partner at law firm Burges Salmon and current Chairman of RABI.

Douglas Jackson and Katherine Sealy, both office holders with the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, will be acting as seconders.

The Oxford Union Debate welcomes contributions from the floor and anyone attending is encouraged to prepare their views on the motion.

“There have been many erudite, exceptional and highly amusing contributions from the floor over the years of Oxford, so we’re encouraging conference delegates to spend some time over Christmas preparing some verbal ammunition to throw into the ring,” said conference director Jack Ward.

To get things started, Farmers Weekly will be airing some thoughts on this issue in our issue of 18 December and will be encouraging readers to pitch in with their thoughts on the forums.

The OFC will be held at the Oxford University Examinations Halls on 4-6 January 2010.

The conference will explore how British farmers can respond to the immense agricultural challenge of feeding a world population of 9 billion by 2050 with minimal environmental impact.

Bookings are still being taken, but places are now limited.