A NEW regenerative farming conference is taking place next month in Somerset. 

LandAlive will take place at the Bath & West Showground on November 22 and 23 2024.

It will feature talks on climate-friendly farming from leading practitioners, advisors, soil specialists, policy makers, wildlife organisations and representatives from across the food supply chain. 

There will also be an exhibition which will showcase the latest innovations, services and support to help farmers transition to a more environmentally friendly way of farming. 

Graham Harvey, programme director, said: “We’ve got the best of regenerative farming expertise in one place with content tailored to the particular needs and interests of farmers in the South West, but drawing in the country’s top speakers and farmer-pioneers.

"We’ll be looking at the nuts and bolts of regenerative farming practice, but also covering what’s new in soil science, technology, changing supply chain dynamics and, of course, the shifting subsidy landscape.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for farmers to get up-to-speed on the huge changes going on in farming. Paying attention to soil quality, rebuilding biodiversity and reducing dependence on chemical inputs is very much in the mainstream now.

"Given the bottom-line cost of inputs, and rising consumer demand for planet-friendly, gut-friendly food, it’s simply good business sense to look at more nature-based solutions.”

Highlights include: 

  • How to weatherproof farms with farm advisor Niels Corfield and farmer Silas Hedley-Lawrence
  • Regenerative farmer Matt Chatfield discusses the need for suppliers of nutrient-dense foods to build relationships with everyone in their food chain – abattoir, butchers and chefs
  • Farmer and ecologist Rob Havard will explore ways to match the genetics of beef cattle to diverse pastures
  • Vet and regenerative dairy farmer Lucy Noad, who works with LandAlive sponsors First Milk, will reveal why her focus is on improving soil health and biodiversity, demonstrating how dairy farming can balance cow yield and environmental benefits
  • Professor Andy Neal, Rothamsted soil scientist, will outline the importance of pore-space connectivity in making soils productive
  • Martin Lines, CEO of the Nature Friendly Farming Network and farming consultant Tim Williams (Earth Farmer) will show how biodiversity and profitable farming belong together, with Tim looking at ways to increase productivity on regeneratively managed farms
  • Nikki Yoxall, small-holder grazier and Head of Research at Pasture For Life, joins Ian Wilkinson of FarmEd to talk about ‘the magic of diverse pastures’; while Philip Lymbery, farmer, author and global head of Compassion in World Farming, will report on regenerative farming around the world
  •  Exmoor farmer Holly Purdey will explain why she believes regenerative farming will provide a better future for her three young boys and their generation
  • A policy makers forum, and talks by talks by Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive of the Food and Farming Commission, and DEFRA’s Helen Coates

Carol Paris, chief executive of the Royal Bath & West of England Society (co-hosts of the event), said: “It’s an incredible line-up, but LandAlive isn’t just about the speakers. It’s designed to maximise interaction between delegates, giving farmers plenty of opportunity for peer-to-peer learning and mutual support and collaboration.

"Delegates can enjoy great local food and drink, connection with old friends, a chance to make new contacts and exchange ideas over ‘a pie and a pint’ – it’s going to be an exciting place to be! We want this to become a major social event in the farming calendar.”

If you are interested in exhibiting at the event, contact paul.waterer@bathandwest.co.uk. 

The conference is a collaboration between Sustainable Food Somerset and The Royal Bath and West of England Society, supported by DEFRA’S  ‘Farming in Protected Landscapes’ (FIPL) fund through Mendip, Quantocks and Exmoor National Landscapes, with support from Somerset Council.