Organic Arable Annual Members' Meeting 2023
We're hosting our annual meeting for our farmers on 29th November 2023. We will be having technical and marketing sessions and plenty of opportunity for networking and chatting with other organic cereal farmers.
With the introduction of SFI bringing significant changes to Environmental Stewardship exciting opportunities for organic producers exist and we will be learning how some farmers are responding to these opportunities.
We also here of increasing demand in the poultry sector indicating some recovery on our market (if not immediate) we have invited Stonegate Farmers to talk about the opportunities they can offer for to generate income form the fertility building phase of your rotation and the opportunities for your feed grains.
We will be rounding up our variety trials results from the 2023 harvest providing insights into the most appropriate varieties to use. We will also be explaining the ongoing trials for the current season.
Please check your diary and book now.
Agenda
10:00 - Arrival (for 10:30 start)
Morning Session
10:30 – Welcome and Introduction to the day
Operations
10:40 – Annual Report, Market Update & Outlook
11.10 - Update on the Organic Oat Market -James Mathers, White's Oats
11.20 - Income from Fertility Building - Jim Turner & Gabriella Whorwood, Stonegate Farmers
Strategy
11:30– How should Organic Arable develop? John Pawsey & Tim May
Connecting
12:15 – Lunch
Afternoon Session
Research
1:45 –Research Update form the Variety Trials - Dominic Amos
Policy
2:45 –How organic farmers are responding to SFI
3:15 – Summary and Actions
3:30 – End of Day
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.