The Oxford Farming Conference has announced six speakers for its inaugural Inspiring Innovators programme.

The individuals will take centre stage during the opening session of OFC25, which runs from 8th-10th January 2025, in Oxford and online.

With this year’s theme, ‘Facing Change, Finding Opportunity’, OFC25 said it would highlight how today’s challenges in agriculture can “spark groundbreaking solutions”. The Innovators exemplify this vision, bringing fresh ideas and actionable solutions to some of the sector’s most pressing issues, from sustainability and food security to market diversification and consumer trends.

The 2025 Inspiring Innovators are:

• Dr. Thomas Farrugia, Beta Bugs Limited – Farrugia will share how insect farming offers farmers new diversification opportunities while addressing feed shortages and sustainability challenges.
• Kate Drury, Sustainable Rope – Drury will highlight the market potential of natural fibres and the environmental benefits they offer.
• Michael Kavanagh, The Green Farm Collective – Kavanagh will present a vision for scaling regenerative practices, the challenges of engaging supply chain stakeholders, and the opportunities for farmers to access premium markets that reward sustainability.
• Dr. Lynda Perkins, Queen’s University Belfast – Perkins will showcase Rapid Evaporative Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (REIMS), a technology that rapidly analyses food safety and quality.
• Annie Weiss, Udderly Flavoured Milk – Weiss will share how Udderly is driving a “Dairy Renaissance” that supports dairy farmers and reinvigorates the market.
• Keir Doe, Renewables Connect – Doe will explore how his platform can simplify the process for farmers to engage with renewable energy projects.

OFC director Sheena Horner, who is supporting this initiative, said: “The Inspiring Innovators programme embodies the spirit of the Oxford Farming Conference – connecting people and ideas to shape a sustainable and progressive future for agriculture. Each of our Innovators brings a unique perspective, and their concepts are certain to captivate and inspire our delegates.  

“This initiative reaffirms that amidst significant challenges, there are countless opportunities for those willing to innovate and embrace change, aligning perfectly with our 2025 theme ‘Facing Change, Finding Opportunities’. We look forward to seeing how their ideas enrich the discussions at OFC25, and our thanks go to McCain for supporting these innovators, who are sure to positively impact the future of agriculture.” 

James Hopwood, McCain’s director of Agriculture, added: “We are delighted to be supporting the Inspiring Innovators programme for 2025, which is so important in providing an open platform for individuals from across all backgrounds to showcase their expertise, concepts and interests.

“It was brilliant to host a training day for this year’s cohort of innovators at our HQ in Scarborough, and to discuss innovation, sustainability and navigating the agri-food sector with such a talented and interesting group.” 

More information about the 2025 Oxford Farming Conference can be found here.