Organised by Larking Gowen, a major regional independent accountancy partnership and one of the UK’s top 40 accountancy firms, in conjunction with the Country Land and Business Association East (CLA), the membership organisation for owners of land, property and businesses in rural England and Wales, it included a wide range of thought-provoking presentations from a group of speakers whose talents and experience span a range of complementary fields. A novel feature of the event was the ‘live poll’ of delegates to assess their views on the future of farming in the UK, with 50% being ‘optimistic’ and 40% going for the ‘it’s complicated’ option, while 10% were ‘not confident’.

Bruce Masson, Partner at Larking Gowen, originated the Autumn Farming Conference, which was chaired by CLA East Director, Cath Crowther.

The event included presentations from Steven Rudd, Larking Gowen’s Head of Farms and Landed Estates, Daniel Zeichner, Member of Parliament for Cambridge and Shadow Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries, Alec Smith, Director of highly respected agricultural and advisory business, Sentry Ltd, and Jason Cantrill, a Partner at farming consultancy Ceres Rural. Emma Haley was there to represent YANA (You Are Not Alone), the farming charity which provides mental health support for the farming and rural community, which received a £1500 donation from the event.

The Autumn Farming Conference also included two fascinating yet very different presentations from Norfolk farmers Stuart Mayhew and Izzi Rainey.

Adapting Regenerative Farming Methods

Stuart Mayhew and his wife Rebecca farm 500 acres in Woodton, South Norfolk; the audience was captured by Stuart’s passionate speech entitled ‘Our regenerative journey’, which outlined how the couple had come to completely change their approach to farming. He stated:

“Despite all of humankind’s achievements, we owe our existence to six inches of soil and the fact that it rains. But now the soil is going out to sea, and it has stopped raining, so we cannot just sit back, carry on with business as normal and do nothing. For the first time in my life, when I see clouds of dust rising as fields are cultivated, instead of thinking, ‘Great, they’re all cracking on, being industrious and getting ready for the next crop’, I think, ‘That’s topsoil blowing away.’ Two millimetres of erosion per year over an average life of seventy-five years is six inches of topsoil lost, and as an industry we do not have that much to lose.

“Since our break with nature came with agriculture, it seems fitting that the healing of culture should begin there. Agriculture should take the lead and all of us who are involved must ask: ‘What can we do as a collective, as an industry, to give ourselves back the power that has gone to big industry?’ I am not suggesting that I have all the answers, but what I have discovered is that the key to anything is to ask better questions. The more of us who ask better questions, the more control we might be able to give ourselves and the better the future that we might leave behind.

“My aim is that I hand the farm over in a better condition than I found it, and if we are to go on feeding the world for the next 50, 100, 250 years, we must start doing something different.”

In Stuart’s case, doing something different has involved a complete change of approach. The birth of their children, followed by a series of personal and business challenges, had a very profound effect, and made them look at life in an entirely new light. As a result, they decided to move away from farming very conventionally and became a founding member of Regenerative Agriculture Community East (RACE). Formed in April 2022, it aims to help connect the region’s farmers, retailers, and consumers, shorten supply chains, support sustainable farming, and help to improve food security.

Stuart went on to say, "When my children ask me: ‘When the world was going wrong what did you do?’ I want my answer to be: ‘Everything that I could.’ I am not for one second suggesting that I have all of the answers, but what I have discovered is that the key to anything is to ask better questions. And the more of us who ask questions, the more control we might be able to give ourselves and the better the future that we might leave behind.”

Diversification in the Next Generation

Izzi Rainey grew up on her family’s Bates Moor Farm at Foulsham in Norfolk and, after graduating from the Glasgow School of Art, established IzziRainey, a farm-based textile company. Passionate about her work, she presented a first-hand experience of diversification without stewardship, talked about the success of women in agriculture and outlined her perspective on the role of the next generation in the industry.

“Growing up on a farm has been a huge influence on my life, especially working with cattle. After graduating from the Glasgow School of Art and having spent four years in the city, I was ready to return to Norfolk. My final project at Art School drew inspiration from life on our family farm; the textures, shapes, and colours found within the machinery, buildings, and surfaces.”

This became the concept for IzziRainey Limited, which aims to bring a small part of farm life into its customers’ homes through the products which it designs and produces. The business was established in the summer of 2014 by Izzi and long-time friend Lara to design and manufacture high-quality stationery and homeware products in the heart of Norfolk. Izzi’s prints contain a rich hand-stamped quality, and this textural detail is retained within the fine digitally printed fabrics and designs.

Izzi is also a trustee of the Highland Cattle Society, her passion for the breed coming from her father who established his fold of Highland cattle in 1989. In addition to her own Highland cattle, she established a herd of Lincoln Reds in 2017 and two years later launched Bates Moor Farm Beef which delivers beef boxes to customers throughout the UK. Through her extensive use of social media, coverage in print media and appearances on BBC’s ‘We are England’ and ‘The Farmers’ Country Showdown’ programmes Izzi has promoted her brand and products to a countrywide audience. The latest development for the business came in May 2022 when she launched a series of workshops and meadow walks.

Watch the video of the day here!