Event Category: Speaking Engagements

Webinar: Understanding the financial and climate impacts of regenerative farming practices

Posted on April 22, 2024 by -

An opportunity to dig into how adopting more regenerative farming practices will affect your farm business”

It is often said that a lack of information as to how the adoption of more regenerative farming practices will affect the bottom line is a barrier to their adoption. This webinar is an opportunity to fill some of that information gap. 

Over the last few months, Farm Carbon Toolkit has been working with Students for Sustainability to compile a report which answers some of these questions. You can find the full report here, but to hear about it from us, you are invited to join us on the 16th May at 2pm – 3pm.

This webinar is free. Please register in advance via the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0uduCvrzoiE9GYELTArQu49IbVvi1XPM44

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The Dung Beetle Conference 2024

Posted on April 25, 2024 by -

Biodiverse farming; making agro-ecology work for farmers, public and animal health and the environment

Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th June 2024

Yeo Valley Holt Farm, Bath Road, Blagdon, Bristol BS40 7SQ

Please join us for our inaugural Dung Beetle Conference kindly hosted by Yeo Valley Organics and co-sponsored by First Milk and Yeo Valley. 

About the conference

This practically applied gathering builds on the expertise of the Dung Ecology conferences which ran from 2009. Our Dung Beetle conference seeks to harness that body of work and apply it to stimulate action on integrating nature and farming and explore how we can enhance biodiversity to achieve regenerative farming outcomes. 

Grazing ruminants are vital to our farmed environment. We need to better integrate livestock into all types of farming and ensure management interventions are well thought out, to achieve animal, soil, and end-consumer health and productivity.

We focus on the dung beetle as a centre point. These soil engineers, climate enhancers, and pathogen reducers are a keystone species and a powerful proxy for soil health and the wider vibrancy of soil life. At this conference, you will hear from regenerative farmers, soil scientists, environmental experts, agroecologists and veterinary scientists. 

In the spotlight will be ‘integrated parasite management’ as a newly  proven and effective approach to reducing reliance on parasiticides. This easy to adopt approach, not only helps our dung beetles, but opens the door to many multi-beneficial interventions and outcomes.

The expert speakers have been selected to enhance learning and encourage the mutual exchange of knowledge and experience. 

For those interested in influencing policy, there will be an opportunity to be part of a consultation with the VMD, the body responsible for animal medicines in the UK.  

We would expect this conference to appeal to absolutely everyone! But we recognise special interest from farmers, vets, entomologists, ecologists, advisors and those involved in veterinary medicine and relevant policy.

All are welcome, but space is limited!

Programme

Please see an overview below and the full programme here

Day 1: Tuesday 11th June
Evening meal optional

Day 1 will appeal to farmers, vets, ecologists, and a wider interest audience. 

  • Session focused around the dung beetle and the services it provides to agriculture (parasite control, nutrient cycling, soil health, reducing methane emissions from manure). 
  • Session by farmers and vets discussing their farms & case studies where they have reduced wormer use by a range of means. 
  • Last session will be led by non-veterinary advisors for agricultural management, such as grazing to favour agroecological approaches. 
  • Dung beetle safari in the afternoon
  • Evening meal is an optional extra, payable separately
Day 2: Wednesday 12th June

We think Day 2 will appeal to those keen on finding and learning about ‘dungers’ and passionate about driving change across the industry.

  • Larger scale dung beetle safari in beautiful and rare agroforestry setting
  • Session demonstrating a wide array of positive impact projects and applied integrated parasite management practices across farms
  • Vet-led case studies demonstrating good practice
  • Industry change workshop: This session aims to bring people and ideas together from those passionate and experienced in this area with some of those working in policy to help find or start to drive solutions for the future

Tickets 

Tickets include admission to the event, refreshments during the day(s) and lunch.

Evening meal (likely to be a hog roast) on Day 1 is optional and payable separately. 

A pay bar will be available on the evening of Day 1.

Ticket prices

  • Day 1 only: £60.00
  • Day 2 only: £60.00
  • Evening meal on Day 1: £30.00
  • Day 1 and Day 2 (excluding evening meal on Day 1 which is payable separately): £90.00
  • Speakers (excluding evening meal on Day 1 which is payable separately): free admission

Booking details below.

Parking

Free parking is available at the Yeo Valley site at: w3w///heads.checked.worms

Dietary requirements

Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements via [email protected]

Accommodation

Please see find local accommodation options here.

Booking

Please book via Eventbrite here

FarmED: Carbon Clinic

Posted on January 25, 2024 by -

Get your carbon questions answered as you delve into the world of soil carbon, sequestration, net zero and carbon credits. *5 BASIS points available*

About the Event

Farming is one of the few industries that has the potential to sequester more carbon than it produces. But it’s complex! Join this event hosted by FarmED and get practical advice on how to measure and improve your carbon management and learn more about carbon credits and trading.

Farm Carbon Toolkit’s Becky Willson and Duchy College will explore carbon and greenhouse gasses and their role in agriculture. Bring your laptop and have a go at producing a carbon calculation for your land using the Farm Carbon Toolkit, guided by Becky. Learn how to interpret the data and what to do next to improve your footprint.

The Day

Enjoy a farm walk and see what we are doing at FarmED to build soil health, reduce emissions and increase sequestration above and below ground. We’ll discuss the data that we are collecting.

Refreshments and a delicious and nutritious lunch from the FarmED cafe are included in the ticket price.

Who Is The Event For?

If you are interested in the carbon debate and potential farming solutions, this event is for you. This event is ideal for farmers, landowners and managers, consultants, advisors, researchers and students.

5 BASIS points are available for attending this course. 

Key Speakers

Becky Willson works with farmers, estates, supply chains and other businesses to help understand how to integrate soil health into carbon accounting systems. A passionate advocate for highlighting the economic benefits of sustainable farming, Becky currently divides her time between working for Farm Carbon Toolkit and the Duchy College Rural Business School as a technical specialist in resource management. In 2016, Becky was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to study further how to communicate carbon reduction schemes to farmers, which has fed into her work at FCT and Duchy College.

Testimonials

“Fabulous clear presentation – making calculating carbon clear and feasible.” – Attendee 2023

“[As] a postgrad with focus on sustainable soil management, the event is so beneficial”- Attendee 2023

“Becky was an amazing trainer – engaging, passionate, exceptionally understandable – probably one of the best trainers I have ever seen.” – Attendee 2023

Tiered Pricing

Delivery of our mission is a collective effort and our values embrace inclusivity and diversity. We don’t want price to be a barrier to anyone visiting FarmED or attending our events. Read more about our tiered pricing policy here.

North East Cotswolds Farmer Cluster

FarmED can offer discounted tickets to NECFC members, please email [email protected] for a discount code.

If cost is a barrier to you attending, then please do ask for financial support. The FarmED Bursary offers free or subsidised places to those that will benefit most.

We like to take photos and occasionally videos of our events to use on our website and social media, please advise if you do not want to be photographed.

Cancellation Policy

We understand that there may be times when you need to cancel your booking.  Our cancellation policy is outlined here.

Read More about this event

Reducing emissions – Carbon footprinting and the Farm Soil Carbon Code

Posted on November 14, 2023 by -

This webinar will explore the value of greenhouse gas and carbon footprinting to establish a benchmark of emissions within farm businesses. We will explore tools, data required and how to analyse results to identify key practices that can be implemented by the relevant farm system to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration options.

The Sustainable Soils Alliance will also deliver an update on the UK Farm Soil Carbon Code, covering the technical details and standards that are under review as part of the Code, as well as the progress being made to ensure that the soil carbon marketplace delivers for farmers, investors, and the environment.

Speakers: Thomas Vaughan (BASIS), Becky Wilson (Farm Carbon Toolkit), Matthew Orman (SSA). 

How to register

Please follow this link to register: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/73/ygyr5i5q

Shropshire: Carbon – balancing sustainability with profitability

Posted on August 9, 2023 by -

Join AHDB and Becky Willson (FCT) for Tim Downes’ last strategic farm meeting to review his journey and explore how he is reducing his carbon footprint while continuing to run a profitable grazing-based system which is fit for the future.

Carbon emissions are being increasingly scrutinised by milk processors, and farms are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint through efficiency and with more accurate calculations to increase their carbon storage – but this must be at balance with profitability.

Tim is very conscious of protecting and enhancing the environment but also sees the positive impact of these choices on the profitability of his business.

In the last few years Tim has reduced his carbon footprint significantly. This event will investigate how he has done this and practices you can apply at home.

Becky Willson from Farm Carbon Toolkit will be talking about the potential to continually sequester carbon on a grassland system, taking carbon deeper and explaining how management practices can enable this: “its not the plough, it’s the how”.

The meeting will cover

  • Carbon footprinting as a tool for increasing productivity
  • Measurements of carbon sequestration – what do they mean?
  • Taking carbon deeper – Sequestration or storing
  • The role of biodiversity and the wider environment
  • Increasing profitability through carbon management
  • Plans for the future

Please note children under the age of 16 and dogs are not allowed at the event, even if they are staying in the car.

Find out more about AHDB’s health and safety guidelines for events

If you have any questions about this event, please contact AHDB using the details below.

[email protected]

To book:

Follow this link to book

Please note this event is not organised by Farm Carbon Toolkit.

FCT at Future Farming Expo Scotland

Posted on July 18, 2023 by -

FCT is excited to be presenting at the first Future Farming Expo in Scotland to be held on 10th – 11th October 2023 at the P&J Live in Aberdeen.

This event is publicised as ‘The event for agricultural change’ and we are glad to have been invited to participate and knowledge share.

The Future Farming Expo aims to support Scotland and its farmers in order to make Scotland a global leader in innovative, profitable and sustainable agriculture.

The event has been created by farmers, for farmers, after in-depth research looking at addressing the changing agricultural landscape.

Take positive steps for your farm’s future.

The agricultural industry is heading toward a more sustainable, profitable, and efficient future. Future Farming Expo aims to bring together forward-thinking Scottish farmers, advisors, and rural businesses over two days for knowledge hubs, discussion, and networking across a busy exhibition hall.

The event has four major themes:

  • Arable and livestock innovations
  • Farm business and diversification
  • Sustainability and carbon
  • Smart technology and AI

FCT at the Future Farming Expo

Farm Carbon Toolkit will have a stall at the event and is also running a session on ‘Myth busting for ruminants and carbon’ to fit under their topic title ‘What does carbon mean for farming systems?’. In our session we aim to discuss the role of ruminants in future food systems and how to minimise and appropriately account for emissions. We also plan to discuss the role of grazing livestock in supporting soil health and soil carbon, and GWP vs GWP*. 

To book:

Head here to book your free ticket, you need to complete a booking form and register for your free ticket.

To find out more:

Explore their informative website here.

Please note, FCT is not involved in the organsition of this event, it is an external event.

FCT at The Dairy Show 2023

Posted on July 18, 2023 by -

FCT is excited to be hosting a session at The Dairy Show to be held on Wednesday 4th October.

The shows theme this year will be “Reduce what you can. Offset what you can’t!“

The Dairy Show is a essential date in the farming calendar having supported British Farming for over 40 years. It combines a comprehensive plethora of trade stalls with an exhibition of dairy stock, the latest technologies and a compelling programme of expert speakers.

FCT’s session will be focusing on demystifying carbon for dairy farmers, but you can also catch us on our stall at the event too.

Please note, this event is not organised by FCT, but we will be there to give advice and support on how to start accounting for your greenhouse gas emissions across your dairy enterprise and on how to start reducing these emissions whilst maintaining productivity and profit.

Programme:

Keep an eye on their website for news on the seminar programme.

To book:

You can book tickets for the event here.

FCT at The Agroforestry Show

Posted on June 12, 2023 by -

Do you want to create resilient and productive farm and food systems?

​The Agroforestry Show, organised by the Soil Association and the Woodland Trust, is the first of its kind aimed at bringing together farmers, foresters, tree surgeons, growers, graziers, advisors, funders, food businesses and agroforesters!

Agroforestry has the power to improve biodiversity and soil health, cut carbon emissions and produce healthy nutritious food and sustainable timber.

Learn to see the wood for the trees through two days of:

  • Inspiring workshops and talks
  • Farmer and forester-led discussions
  • Agroforestry farm walks
  • Field demonstrations
  • Exhibitions and market stalls

Hannah Jones, one of our Farm Carbon and Soils advisors will be facilitating what is set to be a very interesting Q&A session ‘Trees for forage’ with Matt Chatfield who grazes his woodland with sheep in the South West.

Come and say hello

We will also have a stand where you can come and say hello and learn more about what we do and how we can support you in your agroforestry journey. We look forward to seeing you there.

To book

To book your place head to The Agroforestry Show ticket page here

To find out more

You can read all about the event and other speakers here.

Free Webinar – Measuring and Managing Carbon on Commons: Opportunities, Challenges and Funding

Posted on February 20, 2023 by -

Carbon-footprint, carbon capture and net-zero farming are all terms upland farmers hear. But what do they mean for a farm business? A FREE webinar on Monday 6 March (7:30pm-9:00pm) will help commoners answer this question.

Hosted by the Foundation for Common Land (FCL) it should help farmers understand how they can map and manage their farm’s carbon footprint across in-bye and common land. It will also provide guidance on how farmers can reduce their greenhouse emissions and increase the carbon stored in their land. And it will help to answer the question of where the money will come from to pay for this, explains Project Manager Sam Caraway.

Tom Stratton from the Duchy of Cornwall will be talking about the work they have been doing to manage natural capital and reach net zero across their extensive common land and tenanted estate. Becky Willson from the Farm Carbon Toolkit will also be there. Becky will be joined by commoners from Kinniside common to talk about the work they’ve done to ‘commons-proof’ our carbon calculator, which will be free for any farmer to use.

David Jones, Executive Director of CO2eco will lead a session on carbon finance. He will outline how carbon finance can support nature recovery and farming resilience and how farmers can access this. And Rosie Snowden, from Yorkshire Peat Partnership, will talk about how farmers can identify, plan and fund peat restoration on their common.

Throughout the 90-minute session, people can ask questions and be guided to other sources of help. Sam Caraway says:

“There is plenty to interest any upland farmer who wants to understand how carbon affects them. If you can’t make the webinar do signup to get a link to a recording of the event on YouTube, to watch when convenient.”

To sign up:

Follow the links to sign up from the events webpage here.

Low Carbon Agriculture 2024

Posted on February 8, 2024 by -

Come and see the FCT team at the Low Carbon Agriculture Show on the 6th and 7th of March. 

The show is a vibrant event for forward-thinking farmers, landowners and industry operators. The event will explore ways to address climate change through the generation of renewable energy, the implementation of low-carbon technology and best practices in both carbon and environmental land management.

Our CEO, Liz Bowles, will be speaking on Thursday 7th March at 1.10pm – 2.20pm, in the session dedicated to the reduction of on-farm GHG emissions.

Free drop-in consultations on farm carbon footprinting

As part of our presence at the show we will be offering free 15 minute sessions for farmers and growers looking to understand more about their carbon footprint. In these sessions our Farm Carbon and Soils Advisors alongside the Farm Carbon Calculator team can answer any questions you may have and talk you through the process of creating a footprint for your farm enterprise or understanding the results of a previous report, the first steps towards reducing your footprint.

  • Understanding what data is required for a carbon footprint and the best approach to collating and entering this information into the Farm Carbon Calculator
  • By creating a baseline carbon footprint, you can measure your current emissions and sequestration across the farm business
  • The team can provide interpretation of the results of previous carbon footprinting reports, helping to identify ‘hotspots’ where there may be opportunities to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration

We recommend booking so you are not disappointed.

The times for the 15 minute consultations are:

  • 6th March: 11am – 1pm and 2.30pm – 3.30pm
  • 7th March: 10.30am – 12.30pm 

To book:

Please book here:

Make sure you select the month of March. You will see there are only options on 6th and 7th March, click on the date you prefer and your time preference.

Where:

We will be on stand 122.

Of course you are welcome to come by our stand at any time, the times above are just for the consultations. We look forward to seeing you there!