Nature Means Business Online Conference

Right now, farm businesses are facing a multitude of challenges: climate change, unpredictable weather patterns, changes to future farm payment schemes and adjusting to new consumer demands. But as research shows, farm businesses can improve resilience by utilising the most powerful asset at their disposal: nature.

When farmers make nature a shareholder in their business by working with it instead of against it, there are real opportunities to become profitable and adaptable in the long term.

This conference, with guest speakers and a live Q&A, will tackle farm business concerns to show where and how this can be achieved. Our workshops will offer practical solutions for adapting your business and will provide actionable insights on working towards the Maximum Sustainable Output (MSO) of your farm, using real-life learnings from farmers who have changed their approach.

Accountants, economists, scientists and other supporting industry professionals will be showing how nature has an impact on both climate change and the ‘bottom line’ of business.

View our Nature Means Business resources page.

Programme:

• Welcome: 10.00am - Opening remarks by NFFN's Martin Lines and Sir Dieter Helm
• Session 1 : 10.15am - 11.15am – Starting Your Nature Means Business Journey. Covering the core principles of nature and its impact on your business. Guest speakers: Professor Tim Benton and Chris Clark, Nethergill Associates
• Session 2 :11.30am - 12.30pm - Practical Solutions for Practical People. A panel discussion with farmers who have changed their business to work towards MSO through a maximum sustainable business approach. Panel speakers: Jimmy Stobart, High Hall Farm, Cumbria; Patrick Barker, E J Barker & Sons, Suffolk; James Bonnar, livestock farmer, NI; Gethin Owen, Nant Yr Efail, Wales; David Lord, Earls Hall Farm, Essex
• Session 3 : 1.15pm - 2.30pm - Accounting for Nature. Showing the difference nature can make to your profitability. Guest speakers: Armstrong Watson Accountants and Brian Scanlon, Nethergill Associates
• Session 4: 2.45pm - 3.45pm - Nature as a Business Partner. Bring your questions to the panel. This session will include references to the new payment schemes being developed across the UK and the role of nature and the environment within these. Panel speakers: Jane Lane, Westmorland Limited, England; Denise Walton, Peelham Farm, Scotland; Charlie Cole, Broughgammon Farm, NI; Hywel Morgan, Esgairllaethdy Farm, Wales

Following the conference, our NFFN members will be opening their farm gates to free walk and talk tours to see how Nature Means Business in action. Click the links to explore farm visits in each country - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

For this Nature Means Business Conference, the NFFN is a delivery partner for Nethergill Associations.

Guest speaker bios:

• Chris Clark is a Partner in Nethergill Associates, a business management consultancy currently assisting with the conjecturing and management of future farming uncertainties in all four countries within the UK. He is co-author of The Less is More report commissioned by the RSPB, National Trust and Wildlife Trust.
• Sir Dieter Helm is Professor of Economic Policy, University of Oxford, and Fellow in Economics, New College, Oxford. He was Independent Chair of the Natural Capital Committee (2012–20), providing advice to the government on the sustainable use of natural capital, and feeding into its 25 Year Environment Plan
• Brian Scanlon has spent his career in management consultancy and in banking (treasury services) in USA and Japan. He works at Nethergill Associates as an analyst Associates as a Graduated in mathematics and physics. He is the author of The Marketing of Engineering Services and The Board Game.
• Professor Tim Benton leads the Environment and Society Programme at Chatham House. He was the champion of the UK’s Global Food Security programme which was a multi-agency partnership of the UK’s public bodies (government departments, devolved governments and research councils) with an interest in the challenges around food.
• Armstrong Watson Accountants been supporting, advising and protecting clients across the North of England and Scotland for over 150 years, providing a full range of specialist services and financial advice.

About Nature Means Business

Farming around the world is changing and farm businesses need to change to survive and thrive. For this to be possible - we must act now.

Working in partnership with nature allows farmers to embrace the opportunity to positively shape the sector's future by helping to achieve net-zero targets and reversing biodiversity loss, at the same time as securing profit and producing healthy, sustainable food.

To find out more about MSO or farming with nature, visit www.nffn.org.uk/resources/nmb/

About the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN)

The NFFN is a farmer-led independent organisation with over 2000 farmer members uniting farmers across the UK We are committed to advocating for sustainable and nature-friendly farming, working for better policies for food, farming, nature and climate.

For more info, visit our website https://www.nffn.org.uk/ or follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook