Outlook Conference 2025

Managing change –farming, food and climate

Tuesday 4 February 2025, 9.00am-4.30pm

Ramside Hall Hotel, Durham DH1 1TD

Tickets: £50 (includes conference, refreshments and lunch)

If you are eligible for the Future Farming Resilience Fund discount, please email your SBI number to phoebe.carter [at] niab.com to receive your discount code

Book here

Last held in 2019, the Outlook Conference returns to celebrate its 40th Anniversary in 2025 and we are developing an exciting programme of speakers for the event. The Conference always generates interesting debate, featuring leading names from across our sector and is an excellent networking opportunity for farmers and industry alike.

With thanks to our sponsors for the 2025 Conference - Agrovista and NatWest

Provisonal agenda:

9:00 Coffee and registration

9:30 Welcome and introduction - Prof Mario Caccamo (Niab, CEO)

9:35 Keynote presentation - (TBC)

9:50 Keynote presentation ‘What do we want to learn from today?’ - Tony Bell (WJ Bell & Co., Managing Partner)

Session 1

Economics and policy – where do we focus?

10:00 Session 1a: ‘The current state of agricultural economics’ David Eudall (AHDB – Economics & Analysis Director)

10:25 Session 1b: ‘Markets and finance’ - NatWest (TBC)

10:50 Session 1c: ‘A forward look at rural businesses’ - (TBC)

11:15 Session 1d: “The future of crop nutrition markets” - (TBC)

11:40 Q&A Session - Chaired by Patrick Stephenson (Niab – Regional Agronomist (North))

12:00 Lunch

13:15 Setting the scene – ‘The role of independent research in agriculture’ principles not prescriptions - Dr Mark Fletcher (Niab, Head of Agronomy Services)

Session 2

Principles not prescriptions

13:30 Session 2a: ‘Untangling carbon, soil health and farming’ - Dr Elizabeth Stockdale (Niab, Head of Farming Systems Research)

13:55 Session 2b: ‘Creating resilience in tackling crop disease’ - Prof. Fiona Burnett (SRUC, Professor of Applied Plant Pathology and Head of Knowledge Exchange)

14:20 Session 2c: ‘The future of agricultural technology’ - Clive Blacker (Agrivation, Director)

14:45 Session 2d: ‘Putting theory into practice’ - Tony Bell (WJ Bell & Co., Managing Partner)

15:10 Q&A Session Chaired by Patrick Stephenson (Niab – Regional Agronomist (North))

15:30 Closing remarks - Prof Mario Caccamo (Niab – CEO)

15:45 Light refreshments available