OFC 2025: A message of optimism for the new year

UK agriculture is facing its biggest period of upheaval since the Second World War.

Following Brexit, farmers are grappling with a series of massive policy reforms.

They are now expected to deliver more public goods, such as clean water, clean air, fewer emissions, public access and nature restoration, all while receiving less public funding.

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More extreme weather has also become the norm, making growing crops and rearing animals challenging.

Trading relationships with the rest of the world are changing, increasing potential threats to domestic production.

Hiring new staff has also become more difficult, with immigration never far from the headlines.

All of this has contributed to a sense that farmers are besieged, with poor mental health in the industry being a growing concern.

But Geoff Sansome, Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) chairman, wants to reframe the conversation, so has chosen an optimistic conference theme for 2025 – facing change, finding opportunity. 

“It’s very easy to be downbeat and focus on the problems,” he says.

“But our industry is full of innovation. It’s full of successful people. There’s a lot of young people unencumbered by policies and baggage of the past.

“I believe every change creates an opportunity. I’m very keen to explore the challenges head on.

“But I really do want the conference, the speakers and the discussion to focus on the opportunities, so delegates can go away inspired and with some real tangible ideas to seize those opportunities.”

Unique event

OFC is a three-day event, first launched in 1936, held at the beginning of January every year. Over 550 farmers and leaders in the agri-food industry make their way to Oxford University to attend.

Geoff describes the conference as “unique”, and is a key date in the farming calendar, widely credited with setting the agenda for the year ahead.

“It’s not a technical conference,” Geoff says.

“It delivers many things that are best reflected in our strapline, which is to include challenge and inspire.

“There will be a range of speakers across a range of subjects, from a range of perspectives.”

One of the things the conference is renowned for is its networking opportunities, with delegates able to meet the “movers, shakers and change-makers” in agriculture.

“There are young people who’ve had their lives changed just by having the opportunity to sit next to people who are at different career stages, or people of considerable influence,” says Geoff.

“The networking opportunity and the social side which surrounds the content of the conference is immensely valuable.

“And then as silly as it sounds, we are a modern conference which is driving forward the industry, set in the hallowed halls of Oxford.

“There is undoubtedly something about that atmosphere and the blending of tradition with looking forward that makes OFC unique.”

Question Time

This year, for the first time, Farmers Weekly will be hosting one of its Question Time events as part of the partnership with OFC.

Other highlights include the policy session, where delegates will be hearing from agriculture ministers from across the UK, who are in very different places on farm support post-Brexit.

But the closing session, where “inspiring farmers” speak, is one of the most well-loved parts of conference.

“There are some wonderful, magical moments from past conferences where people have shared their personal life experiences,” says Geoff.

“It’s not all about big corporate issues and politics. There are some great people stories we will always share in the conference programme.”

• To buy tickets for OFC 2025, visit ofc.org.uk.