Ipswich prepares to host Regenerative Farming Conference

Ipswich's Museum of the Environment (MOTE) is hosting a Regenerative Farming Conference on Friday, November 24.

The all-day event - organised by MOTE committee member and Suffolk County Councillor Debbie Richards - will bring together farmers and farm conservation bodies as well as representatives from Suffolk Constabulary and the council.

Among the speakers will be Ned Harrison, manager of the county council's Carbon Negative Nature Positive Programme, who will be announcing a new strategy to help transition the county's tenant farmers to regenerative farming methods.

There are about 90 farm tenants across the council's sizeable 4,960ha estate. These smallholdings provide an income stream for the council - as well as providing farming newcomers with a route into the industry.

"With the growing awareness around the ecological crisis, the county council adopted a target for enhancing nature across 30% of the land we own by 2030," explained Mr Harrison.

"Roughly speaking, we think about half the tenancies (which typically run for about five years but are variable) will have changed hands by then or might have been renewed."

The aim was for the sites to continue with their primary purpose of producing food - but also to support farmers to embrace nature-friendly measures, including cutting their carbon footprint and reducing their use of chemicals, he explained. This may be through working with partner organisations in the county.

Many of the county's new tenants were already embracing regenerative aims such as min-till and low-till methods which involves less or no ploughing, he said, and the aim was to encourage rather than be prescriptive about changes.

"Early conversations have been very positive but we are really hoping this is something the tenant farmers want to work with us on.

"We want to try and remove some of the things that might make it more difficult."

He added: "It's what will work for them bearing in mind who they are and what their produce is."

Ms Richards said she was "excited" and "pleased" at the move. 

"This shows that Suffolk County Council is serious about meeting its commitment to increase biodiversity by 30% on 30% of its land by 2030 and its commitment to increase carbon dioxide sequestration," she said.

"It will improve the quality of the soil, the crops grown on it and the health of the people who live in Suffolk.

"Farmers are already suffering from the high prices of fuel, fertiliser and insecticide.

"Suffolk County Council can’t force its tenant farmers to change the way they farm and wouldn’t want to even if it could, but this is about leading the farming community in the right direction towards a lower cost, sustainable future."

Also among the speakers at the event will be Suffolk FWAG (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group) chief executive Anna Beames who will give the keynote speech about the future of regenerative farming, soil improvement and grants for farmers.

Jenny Rawson, senior farm adviser at Suffolk Wildlife Trust will discuss biodiversity, collaboration and farming for wildlife.

Alex Dinsdale of Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths, and Dedham Vale Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) will explain the Farming in Protected Landscapes grant programme to delegates.

Also among the line-up are Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) representatives Caroline Nicholls - ambassador for the Farming & Countryside Programme - and Nicola Robinson, Environment Agency lead for landscape recovery, who will be discussing how DEFRA can help farmers transition to regenerative farming.

Arlingtons restaurant will provide a buffet lunch and in the afternoon, Joolz Thomson, farmer and business development consultant at Suffolk FWAG, will talk about vertical farming.

Five regenerative farmers - Chris Knock, Tom Jewer, Jeremy Squirrel, David Bird and Martin Lines of the Nature Friendly Farming Network - will be holding a question-and-answer session on why they switched, the challenges they faced and how they overcame them.

Sergeant Brian Calver and PC Colin Taylor of Suffolk police's rural crime division will round up the afternoon with their own insights.

The conference is at Arlingtons Restaurant Conference Rooms, 13 Museum St, Ipswich, IP1 1HE, on Friday, November 24, at 10am for a 10.30am start.

Entry costs £25 plus booking fee and includes coffee and a buffet lunch with a discount for students. Tickets are available from Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/regenetrative-farming-conference-tickets-695557841227?aff=oddtdtcreator