Groundswell 2025

Join us at Groundswell 2025 to explore evidence-led, actionable insights for resilient and sustainable farming businesses.

We have put together a thought-provoking seminar programme to cement our place as a must-visit stand at the annual festival.

Seminars

We will host four seminar sessions on our stand each day, which will see farmers and the wider community discuss the importance of independent, data-driven solutions for nature-based farming.

Each seminar lasts about 30 minutes, with times and locations clearly displayed at key locations across the Groundswell site.

Groundswell speakers for 2025

Session 1 – Cultural controls: Don’t let weeds take the lead

This session will tackle how regenerative farming practices are shifting the weed management dynamics on farm.

With the first case of glyphosate resistance in a UK weed species (Italian rye-grass) recorded earlier this year, the need to proactively manage herbicide resistance risks has never been greater.

We will unearth lessons from Strategic Cereal Farm East, including results from in-depth studies of the farm’s weed seedbanks and assessments of non-chemical control approaches, and debate the latest herbicide resistance management tactics.

Session 2 – Food first: The ultimate nature-based solution

In the race to meet environmental and climate targets, the focus on offsetting others' environmental footprints often overshadows a critical truth: food production is the ultimate nature-based solution.

This session challenges conventional narratives, arguing that natural capital ‘investment’ on-farm is not just an environmental nicety but a business-critical strategy to secure resilient and sustainable farming businesses for decades to come.

Join the debate about whether natural capital markets can build resilience or if they risk becoming distractions from or threats to the long-term survival of UK farming businesses.

Session 3 – The green food rebellion: How can farms feed values, not just bellies?

We will explore what consumers want from food, whether they really care about sustainability, how those ‘wants’ and values are communicated back to farmers and whether they then influence decision making on farm.

We will also look at the practical ways management, genetics and innovation are driving sustainability, improving farming efficiency, and delivering high-quality, eco-conscious food to meet consumer expectations.

Once we have food that feeds values, and not just bellies, how do we communicate that back to the consumer?

This panel features perspectives spanning the food supply chain—from field to fork—it will inspire fresh ideas and provide practical insights into how sustainable farm practices are shaping the future of farming and food production.

Whether you’re a farmer, grower, retailer, or food enthusiast, you’ll gain valuable insights into the decisions shaping the food on your plate.

Session 4 – From run-off to resilience: Land management for cleaner water

Farmers are under pressure to deliver food and protect natural resources, including our waterways.

This session will dig into the latest developments in soil health monitoring and management. It will explore the innovative and practical ways that reduce nitrate and phosphate leaching risks and improve a farm’s bottom line.

We will discuss the unique approaches required in regenerative systems.

Session 5 – Trials and tribulations: How to get more from on-farm trials

A panel of experienced farmers and researchers will discuss how to turn data into decisions.

They will explore how farmers can ensure that trials produce meaningful results, what data should be collected to make informed decisions and how insights from individual farms can be shared to create broader industry change.

The panel will draw on the experience of farmers who have used data to shift their management approaches and researchers who assist in on-farm data collection, knowledge exchange networks and understanding leverage points for uptake of sustainable food production in the UK.

Workshop session at the Earthworm Arms – Cover Crop Clinic: I’m begging you for MERCI

New for this year, we will be hosting an interactive cover crops and herbal leys workshop at the Earthworm Arms.

AHDB and the Cover Crops Guide steering group will be digging into the most practical aspects of species selection, establishment, grazing, nutrient dynamics, and biodiversity. All with a focus on financial return and practically realising the benefits to the rotation that we hear so much about.

Come and see us at the AHDB tipi at stand c40 in the demonstration field.