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Good morning,
With just a few weeks to go until the South of England Agricultural Society’s 2026 Farming Conference, we are excited to announce that Joe Barrett, Regenerative Agriculture Manager at Nestlé UK & Ireland, will be joining the line up as a guest speaker. This year’s event will focus on how responsibility for the next generation of farming businesses is shared and contested in a time of economic, environmental, and social change. Can the industry really afford to cling to traditions, or is it time to back bold alternatives? Expect challenge, debate, and ideas that push the boundaries of what farming could, and should, look like. Please find the full press release below. Journalists, photographers and film crews are welcome to attend the event. Please let me know if you are interested. The conference is also available online. Best regards,
Suzanne Starbuck
South of England Agricultural Society welcomes Nestlé’s Joe Barrett as guest speaker at 2026 Farming Conference
Pictured: (top left) Charlotte Smith, (top right) Matt Naylor, (bottom left) Holly Morgan, (bottom right) Joe Barrett
Click here to download high-res images
The South of England Agricultural Society is delighted to announce Joe Barrett, Regenerative Agriculture Manager at Nestlé UK & Ireland , as a guest speaker at its 2026 Farming Conference, taking place on Wednesday 11 th November at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, West Sussex, as well as online. This year’s conference will explore the theme: ‘ Who’s responsible for the next generation? ’. Joe is responsible for the operational delivery of Nestlé’s UK&I Regen-Ag programmes. Working directly with farmers, suppliers, and industry partners across cereals & grains, dairy, and sugar beet supply chains, he helps drive the adoption of regenerative farming practices that support both environmental and business outcomes.
Coming from a family which has been farming in the Oxfordshire area for over 100 years, Joe has a deep appreciation of the realities facing farmers today and is committed to ensuring that those perspectives are represented throughout the supply chain. As a speaker at the South of England Agricultural Society Farming Conference, he will be sharing insights on how organisations and farmers can work together to advance regenerative agriculture, climate action, and sustainable food systems.
Led once again by the highly respected Charlotte Smith, broadcaster and presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today, this year’s event will focus on how responsibility for the next generation of farming businesses is shared and contested in a time of economic, environmental, and social change. Can the industry really afford to cling to traditions, or is it time to back bold alternatives? Expect challenge, debate, and ideas that push the boundaries of what farming could, and should, look like.
Also speaking at the 2026 Farming Conference are:
Matt Naylor – Group Managing Director, Naylor Flowers, and Co-Managing Director, Socius
Matt is a Lincolnshire farmer. Since incorporating Naylor Flowers, he has grown it into one of the UK’s largest flower businesses supplying supermarkets in the UK and the EU. Naylor Flowers supports Open Farm Sunday and hosts school visits at the farm. Matt is also co-managing director of Socius, a labour agency, which employs up to 300 people.
He chairs the trustee board for the Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture and is also a past trustee of LEAF and a LEAF Marque farmer. He undertook a Nuffield Scholarship on the perception of the British brand in international markets and is a past chair of the Oxford Farming Conference. Matt is also the co-originator of the Agrespect initiative in 2018 which aimed to promote inclusivity in the countryside.
Holly Morgan – Farmer, Butterbox Farm, Scaynes Hill, West Sussex
Holly is a first-generation farmer who, alongside her husband Gavin, runs Butterbox Farm in West Sussex. In 2024 Holly and Gavin opened a farm shop, through which they sell all their homegrown beef, lamb, pork and chicken direct to the public. They welcome hundreds of visitors to their farm every weekend and are passionate about connecting people with where their food comes from, helping to bridging the gap between local farmer and consumer.
The South of England Agricultural Society’s Farming Conference has established a reputation for tackling the industry’s biggest issues, bringing together influential speakers and delegates from across the sector for informed discussion, practical insight and valuable networking.
Commenting on the upcoming event, Mark Campbell, chair of the conference organising committee, said:
“British farming is facing enormous change, bringing both challenges and exciting opportunities. This year’s conference is designed to encourage honest discussion about the future of our industry and how we can support the next generation of farmers so that farming businesses can thrive in the years ahead.
“By bringing together farmers, landowners, advisers, policymakers and others from across the food system, we hope to inspire fresh thinking, constructive debate and greater collaboration. The conversations we have today will help shape the future of British agriculture for generations to come.”
The Farming Conference will run from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday 11 th November 2026 (6pm to 10pm if attending in person, including pre- and post-event refreshments and networking opportunities). The conference is FREE to attend, in person or online, but visitors must register at https://www.seas.org.uk/professional-development/farming-conference/
Source: press release issued by Pmwcom.