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ROYAL THREE COUNTIES SHOW

13 – 15 June 2025 –

Future of Farming

Cultivating sustainability; looking after ourselves, the environment and our businesses

The Future of Farming area and theatre will once again be an important feature of the Royal Three Counties Show thanks to our returning sponsors Virgin Money and Lightsource bp.

It will provide specialist, farmers and special guests in panels on stage and hosted networking sessions over the three days of the show bringing together farmers, professional, those based in agriculture and land-based professions as well as working to inform all visitors to the show about agriculture and its role.

Business, environmental and personal sustainability and resilience will form the heart of our three days, supported by The Rural Planning Co and others. With expert insight speakers together with farmer case studies of business and technical excellence, to share applicable, relevant, applied actions and technology.

The Future of Farming area and theatre will enable visitors to enhance their skills and knowledge or to keep their skills and knowledge up to date (hopefully with associated BASIS points) as well as provide a social space for farmers, agricultural and land based professional at the show.

Farming special guests will include Charlie Ireland from CERES Rural chairing a session in the Future of Farming Theatre on Friday, Matt Baker MBE appearing in various locations across the show on Saturday and Kaleb Cooper also joining us on Sunday. Ally Hunter Blair will also be at the show across the whole weekend.

Timetable 

Friday
9.00 Networking hosted by FWAG SouthWest
9.20 Welcome
9.30 Local Nature Recovery and Biodiversity; making it work for you and the environment Katy McGuinness, Head of Environmental Planning, Northern Europe, Lightsource bp
Nicola Hillary, Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership Manager

Sarah Wells, Senior Farm Environment Advisor, FWAG SouthWest
Chaired by Iwan Williams, Partner, Michelmores
10.30 Royal Three Counties Show Opening Ceremony & Long Service Awards
11.30 Unlock the hidden potential of your farm assets
Join us as we embark on a virtual farm tour with a panel of experts who can help you enhance your assets and create additional income
Oliver Maxey, Regional Head of Agriculture – England, Virgin Money
Hannah Moule, Founder and Planning Consultant, The Rural Planning Company
Ben Allman, Partner and Head of Business Services, Ballards LLP
Antony Pearce, Partner, Dudley Peverill Associates
Stephen Kenyon, Regional Director Rural West England & Wales, Howden
Chaired by Nicola Palmer, Marketing Manager, The Rural Planning Company
12.30 Networking hosted by The Rural Planning Company
13.00 Using data trends to make decisions
Using the data farmers collect and have access to, to make better business decisions
Ben Thompson, Centre Manager, Hartpury Agri Tech Centre
Ben Butler, Co-founder, Soil Benchmark
Holly Shaw, Farmbench Manager, AHDB
Chaired by Charles Day, Gloucestershire NFU 
14.00 Networking hosted by Virgin Money
14:15 Benefits to your business of being better for the environment
Benefits to the farmer of reducing on-farm GHG emissions; how farmers can play their part and potentially monetise
Brian Richardson, UK Head of Agriculture, Virgin Money

Hugh Martineau, Technical Director of Sustainability, Map of Ag

Chaired by Charlie Ireland, CERES Rural 

15.00 Cattle – part of the solution, not the problem  Dr Lisa Morgans, Vet and Senior Lecturer in Animal Health & Welfare, Royal Agricultural University
Professor Jude Capper, ABP Chair of Sustainable Beef and Sheep Production, Harper Adams University
Arran Redman, Soils and Natural Resources Advisor, Innovation for Agriculture and Royal Agricultural Society of England
Chaired by Paul Westaway, Melview Farming
16:00 Farmers Club Members Only Reception
Saturday
9.50 Welcome
10.00 Water quality
How we can improve water quality and our businesses
David Johnson, Technical Director, Rivers Trust
Ben Nott, Agri-supply chain lead, The Wye and Usk Foundation
Billy Lewis, Farmer
Chaired by Paul Westaway, Melview Farming
11.00 An audience with Matt Baker MBE
12.00 Soil health
What farmers can do and why it’s important to farm businesses as well as the environment
Tim Hassell, Farming and Food Manager, Madresfield Estate

Arran Redman, Soils and Natural Resources Advisor, Innovation for Agriculture
Niels Corfield, Advisor

Chaired by Thomas Slaterry, UK Agri-Tech Centre
Further panellists to be announced

13.00 Succession; getting the right people to help you find the best way Lucie Hammond, Partner, Hazlewoods
Jon Johnson, Managing Director, Mountain Perspective
Martin Waite, Business Development Consultant, Ashbridge Partners
Chaired by Iain Morrison, Partner, MFG Solicitors LLP
13.45 Networking hosted by Lightsource pb
14.00 Alternative land uses
What are the options and what does this mean for you
Declan Keiley, Head of Development, UK & Ireland, Lightsource bp
Amy Watkins, Sustainability Project Manager, Agrii
Will Masefield, Severn Treescapes Project Manager, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
Graham Clark, Senior Planning Consultant, Berrys
Kate Speke-Adams, Managing Director, Herefordshire Rural Hub
14.45 Positive messaging in agriculture; working with the public Ruthie Peterson, Careers Manager, TIAH
Ernie Richards, Farmer

Oliver Surman, Farmer
Chaired by Iain Morrison, Partner, MFG Solicitors LLP

15.30 Young Farmers Club Reception
15.45 Positive messaging in agriculture; getting to grips with social media Ally Hunter-Blair, Farmer
Karl Franklin, The Pretend Farmer
Ben Andrews, Farmer Ben
16.30 Screening of documentary feature film ‘Six inches of Soil’
Sunday
10.20 Welcome and Young Farmers Club Reception
10.30 Getting into and growing your farming business
Looking at different business models to grow success
Jill Hewitt, CEO, The National Association of Agricultural Contractors
Ernie Richards, Farmer
Paul Westaway, Melview Farming
Tara Best, Bennetts Farm Shop
Martin Waite, Business Development Consultant, Ashbridge Partners
Chaired by Nick Dee, TCAS Council
11.15 An audience with Kaleb Cooper
12.15 Developing ourselves and those we work with for better resilience and mental health Gemma Johnson, Director, Mountain Perspective
Ben Andrews, Farmer Ben
Rachael Chamberlayne, Farmer

Chaired by Chris Lloyd

13.00 John Craven Q&A and Book Signing
13.45  Getting into Agriculture 

Developing your career in the diversity of agricultural roles and getting none-farmers into agriculture

Jonathan Powell, Agricultural Business Manager, Virgin Money
British Racing School
Helen Brookes, Engagement Director, UK Agri-Tech Centre

Carol Bramhill, British Racing School
Andrea Leach, Cotteswold Dairy
Chaired by Ally Hunter-Blair, Farmer

14.45 JB Gill – an audience with and book signing
15.45 Screening of documentary feature film ‘Six inches of Soil’ 

If you would like to be involved in the Future of Farming Theatre, please email helena.grant@threecounties.co.uk

If you would like updates about the Future of Farming Theatre as we draw closer to the show please complete the form here.

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