Firstly a thanks to FW and Bayer for my ticket to this years OFC. Much more relevent this year than last.

Anyhow, hello to everyone who was there, and I wondered if you wanted to share your views on what you heard either from the speakers, or over the dinner table, or the hot topics mulled over serveral pints in the bar.

Glad you enjoyed it.

For those that weren't there (myself included - although I've read some of the speeches!) what were the top three points you will take away from it and how will that impact on what you are doing at home?

Here is the blog address:

http://www.fwi.co.uk/blogs/lincolnshire-farming-blog/

It also contains gossip about Britt Eckland (spelling?)....

Lol, yes i read it this morning, it had me chuckling away!! haha

May I also join Tesla Coils in thanking Farmers Weekly and Bayer Crop Science for my ticket too.  This is the first time that I have been to the OFC and I was not sure what to expect.  I was a little surprised but absolutely delighted to have enjoyed the conference.  I met a number of Scholars and speakers who inspired me to push my goal of starting in Agriculture. 

The points I will take away are :Agriculture has a great future ahead.

                                          Climate change is something we must be aware of and make steps now to combat it.

                                           If you are positive about Agriculture and strive for the top of the industry you will be profitable.

I'll have more comment later.

Yes, the mix of people in the industry is very good. And as a scholar, you have a certain leeway in being able to strike up random conversations with anyone about anything.

Only 11 months to find a sponsor for next year left...

Hi TeslaCoils

Great to meet you and the other Debate ticket winners at the OFC.  As a new director of the OFC, I suppose I'm biased but I thought it was another excellent event.  The best thing about it was the large number of younger farmers present this year. It was lively, thought provoking and appropriately challenging.

The big themes for me were:  

*  Climate change and the opportunities it presents for farmers

*  Food, energy and environmental security

*  Global population growth and the pressures that puts on farming

*  Entrepreneurs and innovators - the farmer case studies were so inspiring, particularly Kent Lavender grower Caroline Alexander, dairy farmer David Christensen, sheep and beef producer Marcus Maxwell and arable farmer John Latham.

*  Labour/workforce issues - so many people talking about the problems of recruiting and retaining the right people

*  The relationship the industry has with Government and its agencies.

Hilary Benn gave his usual performance - lots of ideas but no detail.   It's hard to dislike him because he comes across as a man of enormous integrity, genuine and honest.  But what do you think?

I think Benn won over some people when he admitted he knew absolutely nothing about one of the topics raised in a question by a delegate.  David Christensen's call for Government to "wake up and smell the coffee" and get behind British agriculture should have been the OFC campaign slogan this year.   Help us compete on a level playing field.  I thought David Christensen put it so well when he said:  "If I'm not good enough to survive against my colleagues on this basis then I don't deserve to be here.  But don't expect me to survive with one hand tied behind my back."   Great, stirring stuff.      

Jack Wilkinson, a Canadian arable and beef farmer and President of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, seemed to be a big hit with the audience.   Few would argue with his main point that farmers have got to do more themselves - stop naval gazing and talking to each other and start reaching out and connecting with the consumer.          

Overall, a great event which many said had given them  lots of fresh ideas to kickstart their business this year.  

All views on the event welcome whether you attended or not.... it's all useful as we plan for OFC in 2009.