October 2020
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will examine the next steps for agricultural land use, and the future for agricultural policy and regulation.
It will be an opportunity for stakeholders and policymakers to discuss:
- key developments in policy, legislation and regulation and priorities for stakeholders
- addressing the productivity and environment challenges for the sector
- the latest science and innovation in this area
We also expect discussion to reflect the impact on agricultural land use of the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
- the effect on farming communities and those living in them
- how environmental stewardship and land practices have been affected
- what can be learned from innovation in response to the crisis - and adaptation to new working, supply and market conditions - that can be taken forward
- support needed by the sector to recover from the extreme pressures of the pandemic on the sector and its suppliers, customers and partners
Why this is relevant now - the context:
- Government moving forward with major policy initiatives, including the updated Agriculture Bill and the Environment Bill, and the establishment of the Office for Environmental Protection
- Recently-announced government schemes to enable the agricultural sector to recover from COVID-19, including the Bounce Back plan aiming to support the UK’s supply-chain
- The EU Commission’s Farm to Fork Strategy - detailing plans to widen the practice of organic farming and reduce the likes of pesticide use, nutrient losses, and fertilizer use
- Government’s vision for the future of the sector, outlined in a ministerial speech to farmers, focusing on increasing sustainable productivity and rolling out new technology in agriculture
- Creation of the Trade and Agriculture Commission, to advise government on trade competitiveness that supports animal welfare and environmental standards, consumer interests, and export and other opportunities for the UK food sector
- Findings from the Committee on Climate change, including:
- the importance of sustainable land use in enabling the UK to meet the Government’s net-zero target, as highlighted in the Land use: Policies for a Net Zero UK report
- the latest progress report to Parliament finding that policies and national plans affecting sectors such as agriculture are not taking sufficient account of climate change
The discussion in detail:
The Agriculture Bill
Including moving to a system of payment for public goods in areas such as environmental and animal welfare standards, with discussion on:
- designing a payments system that promotes sustainability and stewardship, alongside enabling productivity and efficient and competitive farming
- the proposed Environmental Land Management scheme, and incentivising farmers and land owners for public goods such as soil health, reducing emissions, and protecting biodiversity
- initial thinking for how the scheme will be operated and issues emerging from Defra’s consultation feeding into structuring the detailed delivery arrangements
The Environment Bill
Including implementation of the Office for Environmental Protection, looking at:
- the role it will play in scrutinising environmental policy and law
- the potential future relationship between the regulator and the sector
Innovation and industry practice
- priorities for biodiversity and soil health
- technological and scientific innovation in the context of the CCC’s Land Use report
- equipping farmers with the knowledge and expertise to deliver sustainable land management, drawing on examples of best practice domestically and from international stakeholders
- further encouraging adoption of new farming methods - including among SMEs and small farms - and tackling barriers to the take up of innovation
- opportunities for cross-sector collaboration in both boosting research and improving take up
- improving the translation of research from industry and universities to the farm gate and realising the potential of disruptive technologies such as AI, drones, and robotics
- how best to harness new innovations to increase food production in a way that delivers environmental benefits
The agenda:
- Adapting agriculture to the challenges of climate change and the future of food security
- Transforming farming - sustainability, innovation, public goods and productivity:
- Developing an agricultural system that delivers public goods and improves productivity
- Increasing soil health - sustainable food production and regenerative agriculture
- Supporting biodiversity and species protection across agriculture
- Why trees will provide the roots for the new agricultural revolution
- Balancing domestic agriculture policy priorities - productivity, the environment and volatility
- Implementing new technology and addressing barriers to adoption
- International case studies on agricultural land use - increasing food production and improving environmental standards
- Next steps for policy in agriculture and land use management
Policy officials attending:
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders.
This one’s no different. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from both Houses of Parliament and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, and officials from Defra; the Animal and Plant Health Agency; BEIS; CAFRE; Department for International Trade; the Environment Agency; the Food Standards Agency; HM Revenue & Customs; the National Audit Office; DAERA, NI; the Northern Ireland Environment Agency; The Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.
This is a full-scale conference taking place online***
- full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
- information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
- conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
- speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
- opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
- a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
- delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
- networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!
Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference
