Isle of Wight Farming Conference 2025
Isle of Wight Farming Conference 2025
Striking the Right Balance
Join us at the inaugural Isle of Wight Farming Conference for a day of learning, networking and celebrating all things agricultural on the Island.
Date and time: Thursday 27 February 2025 09:15 – 15:15
Location: East Afton Farmhouse, Newport Road, Yarmouth PO40 9UF
Welcome to the Isle of Wight Farming Conference! Join us at East Afton Farmhouse for a day filled with insightful and challenging industry discussion, including a keynote speech and panel sessions. Whether you’re a seasoned farmer or just starting out, this event is for anyone passionate about agriculture and its future on the Island. Learn from industry experts, share your own experiences and connect with like-minded individuals. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to grow your knowledge and expand your farming community.
The ticket price of £15 includes lunch and refreshments. With grateful thanks to our headline sponsors: BCM Wilson-Hill, Southern Water, Moore Barlow, Wight Rural Hub & Isle of Wight National Landscape, who are supporting this event. Any surplus funds will be donated to the RIWAS Rural Careers Fund to support training and development opportunities for members of the Island’s farming community.
This event is hosted by Natural Enterprise and supported by Catchment Sensitive Farming IW.
Isle of Wight Farming Conference Timetable
9:15 AM – 9:45 AM
Registration & refreshments
9:45 AM – 10:00 AM
Opening remarks
Graham Biss, Managing Director – Natural Enterprise
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Keynote speaker plus Q&A
Robert Shepherd, Director – Environmental Farmers Group
11:00 AM – 11:20 AM
Refreshments & comfort break
11:20 AM – 12:10 PM
Panel Session 1 – The Future of Farming Subsidies
Direction of travel and ways to maximise benefit for farming businesses
Sponsored by Godwins Solicitors
Chaired by Robyn Munt – Wight Rural Hub Delivery Partner
Panel Members
1 Claire Robinson, Senior Countryside Adviser – NFU
2 Richard Dormer – Farmer
3 Andy Guy Consulting
12:10 PM – 1:00 PM
Panel Session 2 – Farming in a Changing Climate
How climate change is impacting on the landscape and the role farms play as part of the solution to climate change
Sponsored by The Garlic Farm
Chaired by Tom Ormesher, Catchment Delivery Manager
Southern Water
Panel Members:
1 Matthew Doran, Land Use Policy Adviser – CLA
2 Becca Osman – Warren Farm
3 Henrietta Goddard – Ellen McArthur Foundation
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Lunch – cold buffet & dessert
1:45 PM – 2:30 PM
Panel Session 3 – Land Use on the Isle of Wight
An assessment of the competing uses of land and its impact
Sponsored by Forestry Commission
Chaired by James Attrill – BCM Wilson Hill
Panel Members:
1 Debbie Tann – HIWWT
2 Ollie Boulter – Local Planning Authority
3 Richard Williamson – IW Grain
4 Marjorie Glasgow – Ridge Green Energy
2:30 PM – 2:45 PM
Refreshments & comfort break
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Session 4 – Wight Rural Hub
Overview of Wight Rural Hub’s activities delivered for the benefit of island farmers, achievements to date and an outline of the future
Sponsored by NFU Mutual
Speaker – Robyn Munt – Wight Rural Hub Delivery Partner
3:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Closing remarks
Speaker – Robyn Munt – Wight Rural Hub Delivery Partner
