We are always hearing that, when it comes to food, people only really care about price. But is this really true? Last summer and autumn, the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission (FFCC) began its National Conversation about Food. Working with partners, FFCC set out to talk to citizens about what they really want from food. Through rigorous in-depth sessions and national polling the project asked about food’s relationship with health, farming, land use, nature, and more. It explored citizens’ appetite for policy change and built on many years of campaigning and research to influence government and big business about food. At ORFC we will talk with some leading figures in this debate about what we've learned so far, what it means for farmers and food businesses and how we can mobilise citizens' voices to create an unstoppable movement for change.

Chair:

Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive - Food, Farming and Countryside Commission

• Sue is the Chief Executive of the Food, Farming, and Countryside Commission. Her role involves leading efforts to address climate, nature, and health challenges through sustainable food systems and rural community development. With a background in leadership for systemic change, she collaborates across sectors and serves as a Trustee at CoFarm Foundation. Additionally, she serves as an independent Governor at the Royal Agricultural University.

Speakers:

Dan Crossley, Executive Director - Food Ethics Council

• Dan is the strategic leader at the Food Ethics Council and has over 20 years of experience in food sustainability. He spearheads initiatives that address diverse issues and is recognised for his expertise through advisory roles at Defra, the Food Standards Agency, and the University of Leeds. He's a respected columnist for The Grocer and previously led sustainable food initiatives at Forum for the Future.

Guy Singh-Watson, farmer and founder of Riverford

• Guy Singh-Watson is a renowned advocate of organic farming. He is the founder of Riverford, a vegetable box delivery scheme, serving 50,000 customers every week for over three decades. Guy has been named BBC Radio 4 Farmer of the Year twice. He is recognised for his candid newsletters and viral videos on organic farming. In 2015, Riverford won the Ethical Product of the Decade award, highlighting Guy's commitment to ethical and sustainable practices.

Sarah Pullen, Food Systems Lead - Birmingham City Council

• Sarah is the Food Systems Lead at Birmingham City Council, and she is passionate about using communication and science to tackle societal challenges. She is skilled at connecting diverse perspectives and identifying partnerships to translate ideas across sectors. Sarah is also the Co-Founder of LABS Innovation Ltd and Leading Applied Behavioural Science Ltd, and she authored Healthy Profits: How to Promote Healthy Choices that Grow Your Food Business

This session is available to ticket holders of the online 2024 Oxford Real Farming Conference. You can watch the session back through the link provided below.