Organisers say there is something for everyone at Groundswell 2022

• The UK’s largest regenerative agriculture show takes place on 22nd and 23rd June 2022 at Lannock Manor Farm, Hertfordshire and is hosted by the Cherry family.

Groundswell’s programme goes live, revealing the breadth and depth of topics on discussion at this year’s event.

Whether you’re a livestock or arable farmer, a newbie or an old timer in practising regenerative methods; whether you are a foodie, a policy maker or someone attending through general interest there is plenty to inform and delight you.  Hear first-hand the successes and failures of others that have stepped into regenerative agriculture, explore alternative perspectives and methods and see for yourself the innovative technology at work in trials plus new varieties, blends, machinery and more.

Shaun Dowman, Affinity Water Agricultural Advisor explains why they are the headline sponsor for the fifth year: “As a water supply company operating in the south-east of England we want to protect the environment for the sake of our 3.6 million customers and future generations. Our headline sponsorship of the Groundswell event goes hand in hand with our work on catchment management. We are doing all we can as a Company to promote sustainable agriculture in the UK alongside protecting the environment.”

Created and hosted by farmers for farmers, Groundswell’s programme is jam-packed full of down-to-earth content.

For arable farmers that includes the seminar ‘Three Transition Tales’ in which farmers, David White, George Fraser and Peter Cartwright share their experiences of moving to regenerative farming.  With three very different businesses spread across the UK, the seminar is guaranteed to be rich in challenges, successes and failures. In ‘Learn from My Mistakes’, Cambridgeshire grower Tom Martin puts pride to one side and bears all, giving the audience the opportunity to take away lessons from his journey.

Groundswell is among the first to ask exhibitors to drill their varieties into a cover crop, providing a more realistic environment for growers to assess their performance in a regenerative system.   Among the demonstration plots, there’s a wide range of herbal leys, cover crops, wheat varieties and blends to explore, as well as one of the first comparative biostimulant trials. In the demo field, growers will find drills and machinery from 15 manufacturers in action.

Livestock farmers are sure to find Greg Judy’s session, ‘How to think like a grazier,’ thought-provoking. How often do beef, dairy or sheep farmers consider themselves in the solar energy business? There are also sessions looking at managing swards in the real-world context of climate change and increasing fertiliser prices, and an exploration of different approaches to grazing. Five grassland farmers – from a small part-time beef breeder to a large first-generation tenant dairy farmer – will take to the stage and share their regenerative journeys.

In the demonstration plots, livestock farmers will find a range of grasses and herbs, grown individually and in mixes, with experts on hand to discuss optimising swards.

Diversification for resilience is one of the founding principles of regenerative agriculture and for those seeking fresh ideas, inspiration or insights, Groundswell has it all. NIAB has two sessions on the topic. The first explores the opportunities within supply chains while the second considers agroforestry.   You can hear farmers’ experiences of growing woodchip and grass seed, as well as those who’ve delved into the world of horticulture and how a new enterprise is producing leather from animals raised on Pasture for Life farmers in the UK.