Oxford Farming Conference 2024 - the social media roundup

Students, staff and alumni from Harper Adams have once again marked the start of the year at the Oxford Farming Conference.

The theme of this year’s conference – chaired by Harper alumnus Will Evans - was The Power of Diversity, and Harper Adams Vice-Chancellor Professor Ken Sloan was among speakers on a panel which examined the strengths diversity brings to agriculture – and ways in which we can work to increase the variety of voices and experiences in the industry.

Elsewhere, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Lee sparked discussions and debates with his panel appearance examining the role of grazing livestock in a warming world - ruminating over the values we place upon the food we eat.

Throughout the week, whether via our staff, the participation of our current students, or the contributions of our alumni, Harper Adams was well represented - as our whistle-stop roundup of social media highlights shows!

The most exciting part for me was meeting my LinkedIn connections in real-time. Though I couldn't snap photos with everyone, it was a pleasure to see online familiar faces, including Professor Ken Sloan CPA FAHEP FRSA MIAgrE of @HarperAdamsUni#OFC24 #theglobalfarmer #farming pic.twitter.com/V7pJNYsrfP

— Kenneth Obayuwana (@theglobalfarmer) January 3, 2024

I feel privileged to be at the @oxfordfarming conference.
“The power of diversity” the theme for this year.
I look forward to sharing with you some of the interesting points raised. #OFC24 pic.twitter.com/XBiv0Kuohc

— Berkshire Farm Girl ???????? (@LittleBigFarm) January 4, 2024

Micheal Lee from @harperadamsuni - We need to look at the net balance of emissions on farms when talking about livestock systems and not just the singular emissions of aminals #ORFC24 pic.twitter.com/HWSTqZt2As

— Agricology (@agricology) January 5, 2024

Professor Michael Lee of @HarperAdamsUni “Ruminant agriculture has been getting a bad press, driven by a metric used to define sustainability and measure emissions - C02 equivalents per kg of food. But is the value of food its weight? No, it's far more than that!”

— Global Farm Metric (@GFMCoalition) January 5, 2024

It was excellent, joined online. Appreciated your question very much.

— Sarah Hawkes (@HawkesSj) January 5, 2024

“What role for grazing livestock in warming world?” with Michael Lee of @HarperAdamsUni, Robert Barbour of @SusFoodTrust, Karl Williams of @FAIfarms, and organic dairy farmer @sophieaplin.
Thought-provoking, accessible, informative, inspiring and fun. What #ORFC24 is all about.?? pic.twitter.com/GjcdtRxd2f

— Farm Carbon Toolkit (@FarmCO2Toolkit) January 5, 2024

Not there, unfortunately (too much going on at home), but keeping an eye on it. With people like Michael Lee and @howemill, the conference is in good hands.

— Frédéric Leroy (@fleroy1974) January 5, 2024

Fantastic panel really making us think about how to get people into agriculture @oxfordfarming Prof Ken Sloan from @HarperAdamsUni pointing out we need to, “get our doors open as wide as possible; need to get to young people when their minds are wide open.” #OFC24 ?? pic.twitter.com/DxFfwKgSgB

— Hannah Lloyd (@Hannah___L) January 5, 2024

We must get out of this mindset that to be a farmer you need to own/rent/control land.

Land (and capital) access is a barrier to any business; not just agriculture. We must be realistic in our expectations.

I would dearly love to own a few thousands acres, but….

— David Hill (@TheHillsCountry) January 5, 2024

Many of us do not own or rent land, but are farming either directly or as a part of farming businesses.

There are so many options available to us all if we want them. #OFC24

— David Hill (@TheHillsCountry) January 5, 2024

@HarperAdamsUni Vice Chancellor explores the pathways for young people into #agriculture and the role of #diversity in fixing the #farming recruitment gap @oxfordfarming with fellow panelists Nick Evans, Donna Edmunds, Rory Christie and Amie Burke. #OFC24 pic.twitter.com/GMpDCYf6ml

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) January 5, 2024

Delighted to have been awarded a @oxfordfarming bursary to attend #OFC24 there’s a great line up of speakers considering the diversity of #farming pic.twitter.com/QScjrVU7mJ

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) January 4, 2024

What an interesting debate at the #OFC24

Motion: “this house believes that farming for food is holding back nature recovery in our natural landscapes”

@AG_LLP @Savills @IAgrM @birkettsllp pic.twitter.com/JCH6xrurOW

— Berkshire Farm Girl ???????? (@LittleBigFarm) January 5, 2024