The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC)

What The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) does

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) is a UK-registered agricultural charity, founded in 1936 and constituted as a company limited by guarantee, that convenes the British farming and rural sector through an annual multi-day conference held each January in Oxford. Its audience spans commercial farmers, young farmers, government policymakers, agri-business leaders, researchers, and supply-chain participants, with the organisation explicitly positioning itself as a neutral forum where those groups can engage with a single themed agenda each year. Governance is delivered by approximately ten voluntary directors, and operational functions including secretariat, AV, and marketing are outsourced to specialist providers (British Growers Association, Hawk AV, and JCM respectively), giving OFC a lean in-house footprint relative to its convening role.

The core product is the January conference, historically hosted at Oxford venues such as the Oxford Union and Christ Church, complemented by year-round activity through the Inspire emerging-leaders programme. There is no proprietary software platform; the offering is fundamentally event-based, built on curated themes, speaker programming, networking sessions, and associated content. The intellectual and reputational capital of the brand rests on a 90-year institutional history, Oxford-venue association, and the recurring participation of senior sector figures.

Revenue is generated from three streams: delegate ticket sales, corporate sponsorship, and patron partnerships, with publicly named patrons including ABP UK, BASF, Hutchinsons, and Shakespeare Martineau. As a non-profit charity, OFC reinvests surplus into mission delivery rather than distributing profit. Recent strategic signals indicate programmatic expansion through the Inspire programme, ongoing board renewal, and operational restructuring via the British Growers secretariat transition, but no evidence of geographic expansion, fundraising rounds, or commercial diversification beyond sponsorship.

Name

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC)

Legal name

The Oxford Farming Conference

Website

https://ofc.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Oxford Farming Conference is a UK agricultural charity, founded in 1936, that organises an annual January conference in Oxford convening farmers, policymakers, and agri-business, supported by year-round outreach and an emerging-leaders programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Conference and Events

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Congresses (THAHAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Agriculture, Farming & AgriTech Shows Organizers (THAHABAM)

Keywords

• Agricultural conference
• Farming policy forum
• Agri-food events
• Rural leadership programmes
• Farmer outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Conference Delegate Tickets: Revenue from delegate registration fees for annual conference, including access to recorded presentations. Both in-person and digital ticket options available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Oxford Farming Conference is a UK agricultural charity that organizes a flagship three-day annual farming conference held each January in Oxford, bringing together farmers, agri-business leaders, and policymakers for keynote addresses, political announcements, and debate on UK agricultural policy. It also runs the Inspire Programme (leadership development), OFC Reports (annual research publications), the Scholars Programme (with McDonald's UK), bursaries, and the Breaking Barriers outreach initiative to widen access.

Product overview

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) is a UK-based agricultural charity and event organization offering a suite of products and programmes centered around its flagship annual conference held each January in Oxford. The core offering is the annual Oxford Farming Conference itself, a three-day event bringing together agricultural leaders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. Supporting this are research reports published annually, the Inspire Programme (leadership development), bursaries, the Scholars Programme, and the Breaking Barriers outreach initiative. The organization also provides digital content including video archives and session recordings from past conferences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oxford Farming Conference Annual Event The flagship three-day annual agricultural conference held each January in Oxford, bringing together farmers, agri-business leaders, and policymakers for political keynote addresses, debate, networking, and thought leadership on UK agriculture. Suitable for farmers, growers, agri-business professionals, policymakers, and next-generation agricultural leaders.
• OFC Reports Annual research reports published by OFC covering major UK agricultural topics such as supply chain synergies, natural capital, and grasping the opportunities in UK agriculture. Targeted at farmers, agri-business, policymakers, and researchers.
• Inspire Programme Leadership development programme (formerly Emerging Leaders) supporting individuals with leadership potential in agriculture through networking, mentoring and skill-building, with annual cohorts supported by partners including TIAH and BASF Agricultural Solutions.
• OFC Bursaries Financial support scheme providing fully-funded conference attendance to individuals facing social or economic barriers, supporting more than 40 attendees each year.
• Scholars Programme Scholarship programme supporting young people to attend the OFC conference and gain skills to foster future agricultural leaders, partnered with McDonald's UK (which has supported the programme for 10+ years).
• Breaking Barriers Programme Outreach programme supporting individuals within rural and agricultural communities to broaden participation in the conference and the wider agricultural sector.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• British Growers AssociationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 9 November 2023Provides centralized shared administrative, accountancy, events and conference service. Lisa Eagles (Managing Director) and Pauline Sutton (Client Manager) heading up secretariat team responsible for administration, ticket sales, and outreach programmes.
• ABP UKcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPatron of Oxford Farming Conference. ABP UK is part of ABP Food Group, one of Europe's leading agrifood businesses providing quality fresh and frozen beef and lamb products. Employs over 6,000 people across 19 operational sites and partners with over 13,000 farming families.
• BASF Crop ProtectioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPatron of Oxford Farming Conference. BASF Agricultural Solutions connects seeds and traits, crop protection products, digital tools and sustainability approaches to help deliver best possible outcomes for farmers and growers.
• HutchinsonscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPatron of Oxford Farming Conference. Leading national agricultural and horticultural input advice and supply company providing independent agronomic advice and Omnia precision farming services.
• Shakespeare MartineaucoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPatron of Oxford Farming Conference. Law firm providing advice to farmers, food producers, landowners, and tenants on legal and business matters.
• Jane Craigie Marketing (JCM)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerManages marketing and PR activities for Oxford Farming Conference.
• Clare Greener (Head of OFC Partnerships)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerManages partnership and sponsor opportunities for OFC, including the Partnership Programme offering sponsorship packages.
• TIAH and BASF Agricultural SolutionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported OFC in announcing 15 individuals for the Inspire Programme supporting future food and farming leaders.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Farmers Union (NFU): UK's largest farming union, which runs its own annual conference and political engagement programme. Highly comparable to OFC in convening farmers, policymakers, and industry leaders, though with a more explicitly lobbying-driven mission.
• Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS): Runs the Royal Highland Show and other agricultural events in Scotland. Directly comparable to OFC as a chartered agricultural society holding a flagship annual event with significant political and sectoral reach in its home nation.
• Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE): Historic UK agricultural society running shows and events for the farming sector. Comparable to OFC as a long-established UK agricultural convener with a member and event-driven model, though more focused on livestock and machinery shows than policy congresses.
• LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming): UK charity promoting sustainable farming through events, demonstration farms, and member programmes. Comparable to OFC in its charity status, sustainability focus, and outreach to farmers and agricultural professionals, with overlapping staff (e.g., Vicky Robinson was LEAF Technical Director before joining AIC and OFC).
• Royal Bath & West of England Society: Long-established UK agricultural society running the Royal Bath and West Show and other food and farming events. Comparable to OFC as a chartered society using prestigious venues, with a focus on livestock and rural economy.
• AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board): UK statutory levy board running industry events, knowledge exchange programmes, and research reports. Comparable to OFC in producing annual reports and sector events, though funded by statutory levies rather than ticket sales and sponsorship.
• Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust: UK agricultural leadership development charity offering scholarships and an annual conference. Highly comparable to OFC's Inspire and Scholars programmes, with overlapping beneficiaries (e.g., Vicky Robinson, Dan Smith, and Jude McCann are all Nuffield Scholars linked to OFC's network).

Broad incumbents

• Farmers Weekly: UK's leading agricultural news brand, which also runs events, awards, and conferences. Comparable to OFC as a UK agricultural information and event platform, though with a broader commercial media footprint rather than a single flagship congress.

Regional players

• Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS): Runs the Balmoral Show and other agricultural events in Northern Ireland. Comparable to OFC as a chartered agricultural society with a flagship annual event, but operating in a different UK region.

Emerging players

• Low Carbon Agriculture Show: UK event focused on low-carbon and sustainable farming, covering renewable energy, agri-tech, and environmental land management. Comparable to OFC in drawing farmers and policymakers around sustainability themes, though newer and more trade-show oriented.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OFC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oxfordfarmingconference

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC)