FARMERS and rural business leaders are to be given the opportunity to discuss the influential Oxford Farming Conference report at the Three Counties Agricultural Society’s annual farming conference on Thursday, November 15.

Author Dr Alan Renwick, head of the rural policy centre at the Scottish Agricultural College, will present Power in Agriculture, which looks at where the economic, political and natural resource power lies in the world of agriculture, how it might change in the future and the impact of change.

In the power index, Britain’s political power is deemed to be strong, but its mineral and natural power and its trade and corporate influence leaves it lower in the rankings than the US, the EU, Russia and China.

The implications of the report are that Britain faces stiffer competition from emerging economies, such as China, and that farmers will need to improve efficiency in terms of resources and adopt alternative farming practice to sustain levels of production.

Dr Renwick will be joined by other high profile guests on the night, including Jon Duffy, Frontier’s trading director; John Berry, MD of Haygrove Tunnels; Simon Fryer, commercial manager for Meadow Quality Livestock, and Patrick Gethin; MD of Gamber Growers, potato wholesalers.

Showground spokesman Sharon Gilbert said: “The Oxford Farming Conference report has been the subject of much discussion to date and highlights a real need for the UK farming industry to respond to the challenges of an increasingly globalised agricultural system and greater pressure on resources.

“Those challenges are pertinent to the farmers and rural business leaders in and around our region, who will need to respond. We are extremely privileged to have Dr Renwick and other keynote speakers here to consider the impact on those living and working locally.”

Last year, the society introduced afternoon sessions to its conference format with great success and they are back by popular demand with talks by Nuffield scholar Jo Nash and NBA Beef Expo organising committee member Paul Westaway, who runs a suckler herd and finishes dairy beef.

The conference has been gathering momentum since its launch. It is now renowned as a useful and thought-provoking forum for discussing industry matters and an excellent networking environment, as well as an opportunity to meet up with colleagues and friends in convivial surroundings.

Afternoon sessions begin at 4pm, with registration at 3.30pm. The conference begins at 6.30pm with registration from 5.15pm. The event includes a trade show which is open from 3.30pm. Tickets are £15, to include supper (£7.50 for students) available on 01684 584924 or threecounties.co.uk.