Oxford opportunity for three

Three Scots will be amongst a group of the UK’S top farmers to gain funding to attend the 2017 Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) – giving them the opportunity to rub shoulders with royalty, agribusiness leaders, international politicians and entrepreneurial young farmers.

Theevent,whichisheldat Oxford University from 3-5 January 2017, has invited these developing farmers to join its emerging leaders initiative, which builds on the OFC’S successful UK and international scholars’ programmes. The three are Susannah Pate, a cereal and turkey farmer from outside Dundee, dairy farmer, Tracey Roan, from Dumfries and Galloway, and Niall Blair, a livestock farmer from Blairgowrie in Perthshire.

The conference delegate places were offered to people aged 30-45 years of age who were developing their skills and passion for leadership roles within the global agri-food sector, funded with support from Massey Ferguson.

“At the heart of every farm and rural business there is someone responsible for the key decisions – individuals who drive the business forward. They recognise the opportunities, seize the agenda, and forge the path that others will follow,” said Martin Davies, the OFC’S 2017 chairman.

“The OFC offers an excellent opportunity for these individuals to develop their networks and sector knowledge and the OFC Council feel that this is something that we can support them with by their attendance of the conferences.

“We attract the best speakers to a farming conference in the UK, people that will inform, challenge and inspire those with a determination to succeed.”