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A host of big industry names have joined the line-up for the first-ever Yorkshire Farming Conference, held by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society at the Great Yorkshire Showground in January.

The Yorkshire Farming Conference is an event for everyone working in agriculture and takes place in Harrogate on Wednesday 28 January 2026 at the Great Yorkshire Events Centre from 9am to 5pm.

Newly confirmed speakers at the Conference include a trio with national profile and decades of senior-level experience in the industry:

• Professor Jonathan Statham, Chair of Bishopton Veterinary Group and Chief Executive of RAFT Solutions Ltd, a cattle vet and past-president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association. Jonathan holds various senior positions in the veterinary industry. He is part of the Veterinary Products Committee and the steering group of the Ruminant Health and Welfare Group. He also chairs the Innovate UK Agriculture Sector Group, the Defra Pathway Chairs Group, and the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England.
• Olivia Midgley, Editorial Director of Farmers Guardian, a journalist and editor with 20 years’ experience of working in publishing. Olivia is a Director and Deputy Chair of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists and a mentor with the Creative Mentor Network.
• James Young, Vice President, Agriculture at McCain Foods (GB) Ltd, a division that is responsible for sourcing more than 700,000 tonnes of potatoes annually from trusted growers across the UK, seed operations based in Montrose and the initial stages of potato processing in its plants.

Featuring in talks at the event’s Keynote Theatre, sponsored by Barclays, Jonathan will give a livestock and animal health update as part of a wider ‘What You Need to Know’ 2026 briefing for farmers. Olivia will chair a session with Future Farmers of Yorkshire on whether UK agriculture is more in control since Brexit. James will contribute to an interactive Farm Smarter panel led by the Farmer Scientist Network, sponsored by Agri-Sense UK.

They join best-selling author and Lake District farmer James Rebanks on the bill for the Yorkshire Farming Conference. As keynote speaker, James will give an inspiring address to farmers. Other speakers confirmed so far include Anna Jones, founder and Managing Director of Just Farmers and Yorkshire farmers Graham Potter, Anna Pennell and Richard Barker.

Agriculture’s big topics will be discussed during a wide range of talks and workshops. There will be a trade show and opportunities throughout the day for networking. Farmers can claim BASIS and NroSo (CPD) points at the event.

Stephen Crabtree, farmer and Chair of the Charitable Activities Committee at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, said:

“We need to take opportunities like this, as farmers, to learn something new, and there is still no better way, in my opinion, than getting together in-person and having proper conversations. If you come away from the conference with one idea that’s good for your business, it’s been a good day.”

This is the first landmark event brought together by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s farming networks – Future Farmers of Yorkshire, Farmer Scientist Network, Yorkshire Rural Support Network, Women In Farming Network and Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Network. Each of these networks is guided by farmers and funded and coordinated by the Society to support those working in the industry.

Throughout the year, the Society’s farming networks offer skills training, bursaries to attend other industry events, knowledge exchange and networking opportunities and mentorship support.

Tickets for the Yorkshire Farming Conference are available to purchase online in advance only and are priced £25 + VAT. To buy tickets, for more details and announcements about the conference line-up, visit yorkshirefarmingconference.co.uk.

Steven Crabtree farms at the Bolton Abbey Estate, North Yorkshire and he Chairs the Charitable Activities Committee at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Here, Steven explains why he is looking forward to the Yorkshire Farming Conference.

A little over a week ago, I was asked to pose for the camera alongside a rather large tractor at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. This isn’t how you would normally find a hill farmer but this was a special occasion. I’d come down from the farm on the Bolton Abbey Estate to the home of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society for the launch of the Society’s new event.

On Wednesday 28 January, the Society will hold its first-ever Yorkshire Farming Conference, a timely event that I’m really looking forward to, and I hope to see plenty of other farmers come together for.

Most sectors of farming are experiencing difficulties and we have to look for ways to move ourselves forward. Everyone is looking at their own position right now and this new conference will inspire us to look at different things and consider new ideas. We can’t afford to leave any stone unturned if we want profitable and productive businesses in the future.

The demise of the Basic Payments Scheme for us, as a hill farm, has been massive. Nearly every hill farm needs some support to keep going. I’ll be heading to the conference hoping to be inspired by the ideas I hear.

Much like the Great Yorkshire Show is about more than showing livestock, the social side of the conference is important too. There will be plenty of networking time to mill around and catch up with people. I’m looking forward to that at the start of a new year, and at just £25, it is hopefully accessible to everyone.

I would like to think that the conference theme, ‘Every Field, Every Farmer’, is all encompassing. Whether you are a farmer in the Wolds or at the top of the Yorkshire Dales, the conference programme and the speakers will deliver something for everyone.

In my role as Chair of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Charitable Activities Committee, I am delighted that all of the Society’s farming networks – Future Farmers of Yorkshire, Women In Farming Network, Yorkshire Rural Support Network, Farmer Scientist Network and Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Network – are combining for this event. It will give attendees the understanding, if they don’t know already, what is at the core of what the Society offers all year round.

We have to be joined up in farming now. Historically, it’s been ‘horn versus corn’, but we all need to be going in the same direction. Poor returns in any sector are not sustainable and we need to work together.

It’s definitely a good thing to get off the farm. We get all consumed by everything we’re dealing with and we need to take opportunities like this to learn something new, and there is still no better way, in my opinion, than getting together in-person and having proper conversations. If you come away from the conference with one idea that’s good for your business, it’s been a good day.

Tickets for the Yorkshire Farming Conference are available to purchase online in advance only and are priced £25 + VAT. To buy tickets, for more details and announcements about the conference line-up, visit yorkshirefarmingconference.co.uk.

Best-selling author and farmer James Rebanks will be the keynote speaker at the first-ever Yorkshire Farming Conference, held by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society at the Great Yorkshire Showground in January.

The Yorkshire Farming Conference is an event for everyone working in agriculture and takes place in Harrogate on Wednesday 28 January 2026 at the Great Yorkshire Events Centre from 9am to 5pm where the Keynote Theatre is sponsored by Barclays. The Conference will see agriculture’s big topics discussed during a series of talks and workshops featuring farmers, industry leaders and innovators.

Keynote speaker James is a farmer and writer based in the Lake District, where his family has lived and worked for more than 600 years. An advocate and practitioner of farming with nature, James is a graduate of Oxford University and has worked as an expert advisor to UNESCO on sustainable tourism. He has authored bestselling books, including The Shepherd’s Life, English Pastoral and The Place of Tides.

James, who runs a flock of Herdwick sheep and a herd of Belted Galloway cattle said:

“I’m looking forward to speaking at the Yorkshire Farming Conference and meeting other farmers at the Great Yorkshire Showground. It promises to be an interesting and informative day of conversation about the future of farming, and I’m delighted to have been asked to share what I have learned on my own farming journey.”

Allister Nixon, CEO of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society said:

“We are delighted to reveal James Rebanks as the Yorkshire Farming Conference’s keynote speaker. As a progressive advocate of working with nature and as a farmer who is so passionate about what he does, his session is not to be missed.”

Among other speakers confirmed so far is Anna Jones, founder and Managing Director of Just Farmers which aims to improve communication between the farming community and urban audiences. Anna will host a session looking at how the perception of farmers by those outside of the industry has never mattered more.

Yorkshire farmers who will speak at the conference include fourth-generation arable farmer Graham Potter based near Thirsk, Anna Pennell who runs pedigree flocks of native sheep breeds near Richmond, and Richard Barker, of Lingy Moor Farming who finishes Aberdeen Angus cattle.  

Topics include farming smarter, policy implications and strengthening supply chains, with talks pitched for everyone in farming regardless of the size of their businesses or how long they have been in the industry. The theme of the conference is ‘Every Field, Every Farmer’ to reflect its inclusive spirit.

As well as a packed programme of talks, the conference will feature a trade show, opportunities for networking and the chance for farmers to claim BASIS and NroSo (CPD) points.

This is the first landmark event brought together by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s farming networks – Future Farmers of Yorkshire, Farmer Scientist Network, Yorkshire Rural Support Network, Women In Farming Network and Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Network. Each of these networks is guided by farmers and funded and coordinated by the Society to support those working in the industry.

Throughout the year, the Society’s farming networks offer skills training, bursaries to attend other industry events, knowledge exchange and networking opportunities and mentorship support.

Tickets for the Yorkshire Farming Conference are available to purchase online in advance only and are priced £25 + VAT. A discount is available for group bookings of 10 or more. Buy tickets here.

We are delighted to announce that Barclays are the sponsors of the Keynote Theatre at the first-ever Yorkshire Farming Conference.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society and Barclays have a longstanding relationship, with the bank having generously supported many other Society initiatives over a number of years, including as long-term sponsors of the Society’s Women In Farming Autumn Gathering.

“Barclays agriculture has been supporting UK farmers and landowners to innovate, learn and grow as businesses, since 1744. Whether you’re an estate owner looking to diversify, or a farmer wanting to invest in new technologies, our expertise, banking services and understanding of UK agriculture could help you make the most of every opportunity. We’ve helped nurture generations of UK farmers with the solutions and support that’s right for them – and will continue to do so for the many agriculture businesses that have chosen to bank with us.

“We welcome the opportunity to support the Yorkshire Farming Conference and are thrilled to be part of such an inspirational event. Your local Barclays Agricultural team will be on hand to offer support and answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to seeing you all there on the day!”

The Keynote Theatre at the Yorkshire Farming Conference features a packed full-day’s programme of inspiring and interesting talks and discussions, starting from 09:30.

These sessions include 7 year Itch: Is UK agriculture more in control since Brexit?, Farm Smarter: Less In, More Out and What You Need to Know: The 2026 Briefing for Farmers, followed by an inspirational address by our 2026 Keynote Speaker.

Take a look at the full schedule here for more details.

Allister Nixon, CEO of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society previews the Yorkshire Farming Conference.

The first-ever Yorkshire Farming Conference on Wednesday 28 January is an event I’m really looking forward to as it brings together all our work as a Society by drawing on the expertise of our farming networks, all of which are steered by farmers to provide relevant support to those working in the industry.

The success of this approach was highlighted a couple of weeks ago, when on a farm near Boroughbridge, some 125 women were brought together for our Women In Farming Autumn Gathering. They heard three speakers talk with great passion about how they had taken innovative approaches to their food and farming businesses, from diversifying into fresh milk and rare breed meat vending machines to sell direct to the public, to pioneering the way in the UK for premium British pasta production.

Given the feats of entrepreneurial flair explained so well by Helen Stanier, Louise Day and Kathryn Bumby, it was fitting that the venue for the Gathering, Lodge Park Farm, had successfully diversified as a wedding venue and pick your own pumpkin patch. This determination to adapt and drive income in support of core agriculture is replicated at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has diversified over the years to safeguard its ongoing investment in our objective to support and champion farming across the North of England. Profits generated by all our businesses – Fodder, the Great Yorkshire Events Centre and Harrogate Caravan Park – as well as by the Great Yorkshire Show, give us that backing to pursue our goals as a charity.

It is this set up here in Harrogate that gives us the platform to launch the brand-new Yorkshire Farming Conference, to celebrate the brilliance of farming people and businesses like those involved in our Autumn Gathering.

Tickets are on sale now for the conference which will spotlight big topics with leading lights from across farming. It is an event for everyone in the industry, backed by a trade show and with a full day to make connections with others in farming, hear and take part in topical talks and to find out more about what the Society offers.

There will be sessions covering many different topics including farming smarter, policy implications and strengthening supply chains, and others looking at subjects like the world of livestock showing and wellbeing support.

One of the workshops will be about professional development and the power of mentorship programmes. The Society’s Goodall Agri-Development Pathway is a prime example of this kind of support for young people who are starting out in their agricultural careers.

Open to those aged between 23 and 40 who work in farming and allied industries in the North, the Goodall Agri-Development Pathway is a fully-funded training programme. It supports farming’s next generation by developing skills and experience and preparing younger people in the industry for taking on more responsibilities as their careers evolve. There are just five weeks left to apply to be part of the Pathway in 2026 so please do take a look at yas.co.uk for all the details if this is something that may benefit you, a colleague, friend or family member.

Tickets for the Yorkshire Farming Conference at the Great Yorkshire Showground on 28 January 2026 are on sale now priced £25 + VAT and are available to buy online in advance only, here.

Tickets are now on sale for the first-ever Yorkshire Farming Conference, a brand-new event to be held in January by the organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show.

The conference on Wednesday 28 January will be held at the Great Yorkshire Events Centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground from 9am to 5pm, organised and hosted by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.

Agriculture’s big topics will be in the spotlight at the event during a series of talks and workshops as the Society’s farming networks collaborate to deliver a landmark event for the first time.

The conference theme is ‘Every Field, Every Farmer.’ to reflect its inclusive spirit. Talks will be pitched for everyone in farming regardless of the size of their businesses or how long they have been in the industry.

Farmers attending the conference will be able to claim BASIS and NroSo (CPD) points.

Allister Nixon, CEO of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society said:

“This is an invitation to everyone who works in farming and allied industries to join us for a day of inspiration, insight and connection. The Yorkshire Farming Conference will celebrate and strengthen the future of farming across Yorkshire and beyond by bringing people together to discuss ideas, trends and best practice that can shape farm business decisions.”

Dairy farmer Rachel Coates, Show Director of the Great Yorkshire Show said:

“This is going to be another brilliant event at the Great Yorkshire Showground, specifically for farmers and others in the industry. It is fantastic to see all of the good work that the Yorkshire Agricultural Society does across its farming networks brought together in this way.”

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society funds and coordinates the work of farming networks – Future Farmers of Yorkshire, Farmer Scientist Network, Yorkshire Rural Support Network, Women In Farming Network and Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Network – to support farmers and champion agriculture.

Together, these networks have collaborated with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society on a conference programme which features a trade show, networking opportunities and in-depth discussion and insight across topical industry issues. Topics include farming smarter, policy implications and strengthening supply chains, with industry leaders and innovators helping to unpick key challenges and opportunities across farming sectors.

The conference schedule has been put together in the spirit of celebrating the people, families and businesses behind British farming and there will be sessions looking at the power of mentorship, the world of livestock showing and wellbeing support.

For the first time in one place, the conference will showcase the breadth of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s work, from supporting education and development, and promoting innovation, to helping Yorkshire farmers meet challenges and seize opportunities.

Tickets for the Yorkshire Farming Conference are available to purchase online in advance only and are priced £25 + VAT. A discount is available for group bookings of 10 or more.