FAS Connect Conference

The inaugural FAS Conference will be held on 31st January at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh. The conference will bring together members of the 45 FAS Connect groups from across Scotland. This event gives attendees the opportunity to take a step back from the day to day and look to the future. Panel sessions will form the basis of the day with a mixture of expert panellists and farmer speakers covering topics such as Global Outlook, Time and Technology and Carbon and Biodiversity. There will also be ample opportunity to network with members of other groups as well as visit a number of trade stands from relevant industry bodies. On 31st January we're hosting our first FAS Connect conference at Murrayfield, bringing together current and potential new members of FAS Connect groups to look towards the future. Booking is required for catering purposes.

Hear from speaker including:

• Andrew Lacey: Head of SAC Consulting

Global Outlook:

• Andrew Moxey: Freelance Agricultural Economist providing economic insight into future challenges faced by the industry.
• Claire Taylor: Journalist and Nuffield Scholar currently travelling the world researching “Turning the Tide on the anti-farming agenda”.
• Dr Jim Gibbs: Leading fodder beet and grazing specialist from New Zealand, providing advice on both sides of the world for a number of years.

Time and Technology:

• Michael Blanche: Farmer, consultant and host of the “Pasture Pod” including recent special series “It’s About Time”.
• Victoria Ballantyne: Farms at Clynelish in Sutherland, former QMS monitor farmer and Nuffield Scholar aiming to achieve profitability and a good work/life balance.
• George Chalmers: SAC Consultant with a background in pig farming and an interest in how lessons learnt can be translated to other sectors.

Carbon and Sustainability:

• Professor Fiona Burnett: An applied plant pathologist with SAC Consulting focussed on plant health and sustainable and integrated crop production.
• Professor John Gilliland: Respected farmer, researcher and policy expert with a focus on soils, carbon and sustainability.
• Stuart Mitchell: Farms at Whitriggs in the Scottish Borders, previous QMS monitor farmer and recent winner of Sustainable Farmer of the Year at Scottish Agriculture Awards.