Sheep farming in the UK is at a crossroads. Rising costs, shifting markets and evolving policies are placing pressures on farm businesses, while the demand for resilience, profitability and sustainability has never been greater.
Against this backdrop, the NSA is hosting the Sheep Farmers' Conference 2025 on Tuesday, November 18, at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate.
The theme, ‘Strive and thrive: Building profit and resilience in Sheep Farming', will be explored through seminars, interactive workshops and networking opportunities.
In the first seminar of the event, AHDB will draw on the experiences of sheep farmers who have participated in its Roots to Resilience programme, highlighting how business planning, goal-setting and efficiency gains can help deliver a more secure and profitable future.
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The panelists include Emily Grant, an independent consultant and facilitator based in Perthshire whose business, Forrit, specialises in helping sheep and beef producers develop resilient pasture-based farm businesses.
She is also a sheep farmer, growing on breeding rams for Innovis.
Matt Jordan farms sheep and beef cattle alongside his father near Alnwick, Northumberland.
He returned to the family farm two and a half years ago after completing his PhD on sustainable livestock systems looking at how farming practices affect soil carbon. He is also chief scientific officer at Regenerate Outcomes.
Rich Oglesby farms in partnership with his wife Jen at Coltpark Farm near Rothbury, Northumberland.
They farm on a contract farming agreement with Michael and Samantha Orde, running 1,730 ewes plus 350 ewe lambs, 100 Angus suckler cows and 100 red deer hinds alongside two Countryside Stewardship Schemes and a Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme.
A highlight of the day will be the afternoon seminar, where Baroness Minette Batters will discuss the Farm Profitability Review.
In conversation with a panel of UK sheep farmers, she will consider what the review, due in November, might mean in real terms.
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The conference will be spread between two rooms – the main conference hall where sessions involving industry-leading speakers and opportunities to interact on key topics will take place, plus a break-out room where delegates are encouraged to visit trade stands, participate in informal workshops and network with colleagues and speakers.
Two workshop booths will be located within the trade stand space, where delegates can don headphones to engage with a variety of topics on offer.
Whether running a hill flock, a lowland enterprise or something in between, the event is designed to offer fresh perspective on shared challenges and opportunities.
Event details
Where: Pavilions of Harrogate, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate HG2 8NZ
When: Tuesday, November 18, 2025.
Time: 9.30am to 3.45pm.
Tickets: £60 + VAT for NSA members and £80 + VAT for non-members and include all refreshments and hot buffet lunch.
For further information and to book your tickets visit www.nationalsheep.org.uk/events.
