Farming without Chemicals – The Countryside Forum

The 87th Meeting of The Countryside Forum will be held on Thursday 12th May 2022.  It was intended to hold it in person at 33 Margaret Street, London WIG 0JD by kind invitation of Savills, starting at 11.15 am.  Unfortunately that has not proved possible, so the meeting will be held online via Zoom. 

The Meeting will first consider Current Affairs, including a report of European and International Matters by Mr Ian Bell of BASC and FACE UK and a report on Parliamentary Business by Mr Christopher Graffius of BASC.  These reports will be circulated in advance of the meeting.

The Theme is:  ‘Farming without Chemicals’. One legacy of the Covid pandemic has been rampant inflation exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. The cost of gas has led to soaring prices for nitrogen fertiliser and many plant protection products. Farmers are urged to reduce the use of fertiliser and pesticides to meet targets for carbon sequestration and wildlife recovery but increasing costs now making this more urgent. Our research leads the world in this area but how can this be exploited on a farm basis? The speakers will include Rt Hon George Eustice MP, Secretary of State at Defra, James Clarke, Head of Communication and Public Engagement at Rothamsted Research, Clare Bend, Head of Product Development and Sustainability with Origin Enterprises, and Mark Dewes, farmer and agronomist with Agrii. 

TIMINGS

14.00 – 14.10        Current Affairs

14.10 – 14.25        Rt Hon George Eustice MP, Secretary of State at Defra

14.25 – 14.50        James Clarke, Rothamsted Research

14.50 – 15.15        Clare Bend, Origin Enterprises

15.15 – 15.40        Mark Dewes, Farmer and Agronomist with Agrii

15.40 – 16.00        Discussion

16.00                   Closing remarks

ADMINISTRATION

• The Meeting will be held via Zoom and will last approximately an hour and a half.  The cost is £50 per head to cover the cost of administration.
• Please complete this application form  87th Meeting – Application Form.docx and return to A A Davis by email or post by Friday 29th April 2022: The Smithy, Hamstead Holt Farm, Kintbury Holt, Newbury, Berks RG20 0DD. email: countrysideforum@gmail.com (Telephone: 01488 658 056)
• A link to join the conference will be issued to all those who have returned the application form and paid the fee in advance of the meeting.
• The full agenda and conference papers will be issued to those attending in the week prior to the conference.