Members Meeting 2024
We're hosting our annual meeting for our farmers on Wednesday, 27th November 2024 at Worton Park, Cassington, Oxfordshire and look forward to seeing members both old and new. We have an exciting programme of speakers so come along to learn, be challenged and meet up with organic farming colleagues and make some new ones.
Polly Davies kindly agreed to host part of the day and has invited some speakers she has heard over the last few months, found inspiring and felt more organic farmers should hear from. They will be covering a broad range of topics with the aim of challenging and inspiring.
Adrian Steele will be outlining his new project as he starts to explore and resolve the problems we experience in the organic cereal market.
After lunch we'll get a little more technical. We have worked hard over the last few seasons to improve information around varietal choice through our participatory trials and we will be disseminating these findings. In addition, we'll hear from Lawrence Morden from Walnes Seeds about how he selects varieties for organic seed production and he'll outline the seed certification and process and challenges of organic seed production.
We will also be discussing a new grain storage opportunity that will be developed for next harvest if we have sufficient interest and commitment from farmers.
We will also be offering you a new spring wheat supply opportunity to become part of a large-scale organic milling wheat supply relationship.
It is a full day which will provide some inspiration some challenge and something for you to think about within both your arable enterprise and wider farming system.
Programme for the day
Meeting opens
Introduction & Welcome
Andrew Trump, Organic Arable will introduce the day
The Value of Inspiration
Polly Davies, Slade Farm will introduce herself and the inspirational speakers she invited.
Wheat & Bean Bi-cropping
Imelda Uwase, University of Reading will speak about her PhD in intercropping beans and wheat. A topic many are working to implement or improve.
Human Health meets Soil Health
Hannah Flower, Fraser Farms is a medical doctor and organic farmer. The interaction between soil health or human health is her the topic of her Nuffield Scholarship.
Agricultural Diversity
We understand how diversity benefits farming systems, Navaratnam Partheeban (Theeb), suggests social diversity benefits both business and the agricultural industry.
Discussion
Does the organic cereal market work?
Adrian Steele has addressed this event several times about changing SFI policy. This year he will be outlining his new project to understand the market failure in the organic cereal market.
An update from Whites on the organic oat market
Steven McAllister, Agrisupply Chain Co-ordinator will update us on how Whites are finding the organic oat market.
He will also announce the Whites Organic Oat Growers of 2023
Lunch
80 minutes to eat, network and discuss
Varietal Selection & Seed Certification
Lawrence Morden, Walnes Seeds will outline his thought process and decision making when selecting new varieties to grow for the organic market and outline the seed certification process.
Trials Update
An update on this year's results from the participatory trial network.
New Grain Storage Opportunity
Andrew will outline the novel approach to developing a new store in Worcestershire that will be available to more farmers from next harvest.
Organic Wheat Supply Opportunity
With a nationwide baker backing organic a huge new opportunity is arising. Learn more about supplying this opportunity and how you can get involved.
Final Discussion and Close
Dr Suzie Haryanti Husain
Founder of the SHE™
A Global Soil Health Expert with over 16 years of experience working at the intersection of regenerative agriculture, soil intelligence, and systems strategy. She founded the SHE™ Framework (Soil | Health | Evidence) to help organizations shift from input-heavy models to biology-first solutions that are measurable, scalable, and rooted in real-world field data. Her approach blends scientific precision, strategic thinking, and deep respect for the land. She doesn’t just speak about sustainability. She builds systems that live it.
Adrian Steele
Soil Association
Adrian has been involved with the organic sector for many years as a farmer, and has been instrumental in creating and developing marketing initiatives in the livestock, seeds and cereals sectors. His farming business in Worcestershire also hosts vegetable production and dairy heifers, and is linked with other local landowners through share farm and rental arrangements. He has worked closely with food processors and marketing agents for over 25 years. Adrian is also a qualified solicitor and has served as a Trustee of the Soil Association.
Will Marris
Terrafarmer
Growing up on a mixed family farm in Lincolnshire sparked Will’s interest in sustainable farming, particularly how integrating livestock and arable systems can help to create a more robust and resilient business, centred around good soil management.
After studying at Newcastle University, Will worked as an agronomist for six years, delivering regenerative farming advice alongside SFI and soil consultancy. His passion is helping and supporting farmers on their transition to regenerative farming systems.
Tom Tolputt
Terrafarmer
Based in Cornwall, Tom is an organic farmer and has worked as a livestock nutrition consultant for over 25 years. He farms around 600 acres with his wife, Nicola, where they put regenerative and biological farming into practice, running an Angus suckler herd and growing organic oats, barley, and fodder beet.
Tom’s view of regenerative farming changed fundamentally in 2017 after working in the states with the ‘father of biological farming’, Gary Zimmer of MidWestern Bioag.
Passionate about the wide-ranging benefits of good grazing management, diverse cropping, and soil health, Tom believes regenerative farming V-practices offer a win-win when it comes to farm profitability, public ecosystem services, and the wider environment.
Speaker
Red Root Biotech
Isaac, Nicolas and Matthew work and study as part of the Schornack Group within the Sainsbury Laboratory at Cambridge University. This group is studying the benefits and disbenefits of plant and microorganism interactions and seeking to better understand these at a cellular and molecular level to help us manage pathogens and exploit beneficial symbiosis.