Event Date : January 22, 2014
to 23 January 2014
Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET
With the recent launches of Defra’s CAP consultation and Sustainable Intensification Research Platform, as well as the government’s Agri-Tech Strategy, is there any place left for organic farming and similar agro-ecological approaches to sustainable food production?
Are the concept of sustainable intensification and the new strategies broad enough to not only focus on techno-fixes or can we find better ecological and knowledge-based solutions to meeting sustainability challenges?
Is producing ever more food really the priority, or are the climate change, environmental pollution, soil and water degradation and biodiversity loss problems now too great? Should our real focus be on intensifying the sustainability of our food systems, rather than intensifying production with questionable sustainability benefits?
We’ve restructured our traditional conference format to enable participants to debate these questions and help find real, innovative solutions.
ORC’s annual Organic Producers’ Conference is the event where organic and other producers interested in ecological approaches to sustainable food production come together with researchers and advisers to share ideas on making agriculture perform better, for their businesses and society.
Come and join like-minded people in a process of challenge and discovery!
More information on the conference including the booking form is available here (405 kb pdf file). Online registration and payment facilities available here
This offer is available to English producers and others reliant on agriculture or agricultural products. For more information and details of eligibility click here.
Please see the outline conference programme and registration form for details.
Bursaries for apprentices and students are available again this year thanks to sponsorship from Abbey Home Farm, Cirencester, and the Organic Growers Alliance. We also have some funding for young Berkshire residents to attend the conference thanks to the Gordon Palmer Memorial Trust. If you are interested, please indicate this under ‘other requirements’ on the form on page 4 of the booking form and do not submit payment at this stage.
We are looking for additional sponsors for bursaries, also to assist producers attending – please contact Nic Lampkin if you think you can help.
The full programme (correct as of 15/1/14) can be downloaded here (107kb pdf file)
We have not planned a formal poster session, but there will be some space to display research posters. If you would like to bring one with you, please contact Sally Howlett with details. There is a separate area for trade stands, please contact Gillian Woodward to book a space.
Conference proceedings for this conference will be made available on-line after the conference. You can find proceedings of previous conferences here.
Aston University Business School, Birmingham, offers first rate conference facilities and high quality accommodation. For further details, see: www.conferenceaston.co.uk.
Why not bring your partner to the conference, for a small additional fee, and they can enjoy the varied facilities that Birmingham has to offer. For further details, see: www.conferenceaston.co.uk/Content.aspx?PageID=1678.
The venue is in central Birmingham, easily accessed by public transport and less than 15 minutes walk from Birmingham New Street station. For further details see: www.conferenceaston.co.uk/Content.aspx?PageID=1695.
Car parking is available on site at a delegates rate of £4.50 for 24 hours. You must pre-book directly with the venue. Details will be provided on booking. Parking will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so book early!
