Chaired by NFU President Tom Bradshaw, the conference, titled ‘Adapting Farming for the Future: Sustainable Production, Products & Markets’, will occupy part of the Lady Eastwood Pavilion at Newark Showground during the event on Wednesday, 19 November.
It will be the fourth successive year we have hosted the conference at the popular show, which has switched to a new one-day format featuring a compelling line-up of exhibitors and attractions.
NFU Midlands Policy Manager Emily Wood said: “We’re excited to welcome NFU President Tom Bradshaw and to host our environment conference at the Midlands Machinery Show – we thank organisers Newark & Notts Agricultural Society for accommodating the event at the heart of their show."
Our speakers
Our 2025 environment conference panel includes:
“As always, the conference boasts a panel brimming with experts offering thought-provoking insights on a range of topics specifically aimed at our farming and growing members and their businesses – we look forward to seeing you there.”
Emily Wood
Dmitry Feoktistov
The NFU’s Sustainability and Climate Change Adviser. He leads the NFU's work on climate adaptation, engaging with members and key external stakeholders such as Defra and the Climate Change Committee to help build a more resilient agricultural sector in the UK. He also supports on broader climate mitigation and sustainability topics including methane accounting.
Ryan McCormack
Farm manager at Dennington Hall Farms based in Suffolk, an NFU Combinable Crops Board appointee and recently named farm manager of the year at the Farmers' Weekly Awards. Ryan will cover how they are approaching soil health, biodiversity and carbon sequestration across both arable and livestock enterprises.
Tom Allen-Stevens
Arable farmer, founder of BOFIN, award-winning farming journalist and a former director and chair of the Oxford Farming Conference. Tom will cover the Precision Breeding Act and what its implementation means for UK farmers, including developments from the PROBITY Project, the role of legumes and pulses in arable rotations, including insights from the NCS Project.
Ed Strawson
Digital Services Specialist at Hutchinsons, has been involved with precision farming since graduating from Harper Adams. Ed has over ten years' experience working with machinery manufacturers and dealers, helping customers get the most from the latest technology. He joined Hutchinsons in 2024 and is responsible for the Central Midlands area.
How to book your place
If you want to attend, you need to register for the Midlands Machinery Show and the NFU Midlands Environment Conference separately – both are free.
To get into the showground itself and for free parking for the event, visit: www.midlandsmachineryshow.com and click on the ‘Visitor Registration’ tab at the top of the page.
To register for the Environment Conference please use button below
Tom Bradshaw
NFU President
The home farm is based around arable production but has also diversified into equestrian and renewables.
Tom has represented the NFU from Local Branch Chairman through to Chair of the National Combinable Crops Board.
Tom was elected to the position of NFU President in February 2024.
Responsibilities
- Animal health and welfare incl. bTB
- Trade and standards
- Climate, energy and net zero
- Food supply chain (fair dealing, mergers and acquisitions, competition, regulation)
- Animal ID and movements
- Assurance review
- Taxation and fiscal policy
- Immigration
Dmitry Feoktistov
NFU Sustainability and Climate Change Adviser
Prior to joining the NFU in 2025, Dmitry worked in the financial services sector and as a climate policy specialist at ActionAid. Dmitry holds an MSc in Food Security from the University of Edinburgh.
Ryan McCormack
NFU Combinable Crops Board appointee, East
Since joining the business in May 2022, Ryan has developed a diverse cropping rotation, set a new machinery strategy to suit a regenerative approach and is creating a forward-thinking team culture.
With a key focus on soil, air and water health, Ryan now operates a 12-year cropping rotation, integrating grazing livestock across arable land, moving to variable rate liquid
fertiliser, reduced tillage and a block of Wildfarmed Bi-cropping.
Ryan is BASIS and FACTS qualified and has a continued passion for data, innovation and technology.
Ryan achieved silver in the British Farming Awards, ‘Arable Innovation’ award in 2019.
A member of the 68th Worshipful Company of Farmers, Ryan completed his Advanced Business Management Course in 2018.