The political and economic line-up at the 2012 Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) will not disappoint according to Cedric Porter, the 2012 Chairman. "We have Caroline Spelman and her shadow counterpart, Mary Creagh as well as the USDA Chief Economist Dr Joe Glauber kicking off the first morning. We have also secured George Magnus, Senior Economic Advisor to the UBS Investment Bank who will debate whether emerging markets have already emerged."

The Conference programme for the event, which runs between 3-5 January 2012, has been launched this week via the all-new OFC website www.ofc.org.uk. "For the first time this year we will be taking online bookings. Conference bookings will be taken from later this month and we're urging anyone who would like to come to book as soon as they can because we sold out of this year's conference in just over two weeks," Mr Porter added.

Since 2009 the OFC has conducted one piece of industry research which have previously examined the public perception of farming, where future agricultural R&D needs to be focused and the value and viability of UK farming. "This year Dr Alan Renwick's team at SAC is undertaking the OFC research which will examine who, where and how global power is exerted in agriculture and what impact this power base will have on British farmers and our domestic food chain in the future. The work is supported by funding from Volac, Lloyds TSB and Massey Ferguson."

In a session chaired by OFC Director Nick Tapp four speakers will tackle where there is cooperation or confrontation in the UK food chain. The speakers are Sue Davies, Which? Chief Policy Advisor, Andrew Opie from the British Retail Consortium, Nick Vermont, CEO of McCain Foods and Oliver Paul of the Suffolk Food Hall.

"We will also raise sustainable production in the context of the Foresight Report, our speakers are Professor Bob Watson, Juan Antonio Marhuenda Berenguer, Director of Production, at Primaflor in Spain, Martin Harper from the RSPB and Nigel Lok a South African Dairy farmer."

During this session on the afternoon of the 4^th January the first Oxford Farming Conference/RASE Practice With Science Award sponsored by AB Agri will be presented.

Other producers speaking include Andrew Blenkiron, Euston Estates Director, Mike Roberts Founder and Winemaker of Ridgeview Wines, Terry Hehir who farms in Australia and Andrew McCrea a pig farmer from Northern Ireland.

The conference will include more fringe events than ever from the afternoon of the 3^rd January onwards, while the Oxford Union debate motion This House believes British agriculture could thrive outside the European Union is bound to be entertaining as well as thought-provoking.

Tickets for the 2012 Conference will be available from the 21st October. A record amount of generous sponsorship means that ticket prices are just £312 for both days, excluding dinners and accommodation. Delegates will be able to book their places via the OFC website www.ofc.org.uk. 

“Tickets have sold out within just a few days in the last years, and because of the quality of the speakers we are expecting that to happen again this year. I’d advise you to book early to avoid any disappointment,” says Mr Porter.