THE National Farm Management Conference is back for another year, with a new theme focusing on the future of agricultural management.

The conference, titled 'Agriculture 2028 – transitioning to life beyond direct payments', welcomes both members and non-members of the Institute of Agricultural Management (IAgrM) and will take place in London at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on November 16, 2021.

Speaking about the conference, vice chairman at IAgrM, Carl Atkin, said: “After over 20 years of direct payments coming to an end in the near future, we felt the industry needs to think about what’s next.

“There’s a lot of talk about the approaching changes, however, we want to take the debate forward, to what it will look like afterwards, delving into skills, competencies and issues that those working in agricultural management need to be aware of to future proof their farm businesses.

“Therefore, we’ve created a showstopping line up of key industry speakers, including those with the boots on the ground who are already putting these practices into place on-farm.”

Chair of the AHDB, Nicholas Saphir, will open the sessions by setting the scene on where the industry is likely to be in the next 10 years and highlighting where skillset and knowledge gaps may be.

This will be followed by a series of debates and panel discussions which will delve into these potential gaps, exploring a range of subjects including, trade and competitiveness, farm management skills, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Mr Atkin explained that this comes at the right time, following 18 months of no contact with peers: “This event isn’t just about the interesting and informative speakers but also gives attendees the opportunity to network with their peers and learn from one another.”

To book your tickets, visit the National Farm Management conference website: www.iagrm.com/conference.