Grain Market Outlook Conference 2023: Optimising business potential

Join us at the 2023 Grain Market Outlook Conference. Across the day, experts will discuss what is driving global and domestic markets, how to optimise margins, as well how to deal with change. 

At this year’s conference in York, growers and trade alike are invited to focus on optimising business potential through making informed decisions.

Unprecedented challenges have characterised the past two years, with high costs and volatile grain and oilseed markets.

With the ongoing war in Ukraine and extreme weather events, uncertainty around global supply for the short and longer-term leaves markets changeable. On top of these challenges, we are in a period of policy change, with focus on payments for environmental benefits at the forefront.

This changing environment makes business decision-making more difficult across the sector, making it the key focus for this year's conference.
 

What to expect from the day

9:00am Arrival

9:30am AHDB Market Outlook

Our experts dive into global and domestic markets, looking at the potential future direction for cereal and oilseed prices. This session will also investigate business performance, optimising margins, as well as exploring life after direct payments with the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

AHDB speakers: Anthony Speight, Helen Plant, Megan Hesketh.

Break

11:00am Characteristics of Top Performing Farms

Graham Redman joins us from Andersons to present the latest insights on the Characteristics of Top Performing Farms.

11:15am Understanding mindset as a tool to release business potential

Becki Leach, Senior Consultant & Head of People at Kite Consulting, delivers a session that focuses on understanding change, the factors influencing mindset, building resilience and feeling energised to tackle the unknown. She’ll also cover actionable techniques to help optimise business potential in the face of the challenges faced by the UK arable sector.

Lunch

1:15pm A discussion on decision making in practice

This is an opportunity to hear firsthand from farmers and industry experts who are already implementing decision making strategies/supporting strategies on farm. Split into two sessions, the panel will discuss general decision making on farm, as well as making grain marketing decisions specifically.

Panellists:

• Neil White – Farmers Weekly’s Arable Farmer of the Year 2023, from Berwickshire
• Jock Willmott – Partner, Ceres Rural
• Laura Smith – AHDB Farmbench Manager

Thoughts from last year's event

Julius Deane, Carr’s Flour Mills, Wheat Director and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Sector Council Member, said:

"I had the pleasure of chairing the Grain Market Outlook Conference in 2022. This was the first one to be held outside London, and I think benefitted hugely from being in a key growing region like Lincolnshire.

"What is important about these events isn't just the key market information, but the discussions on broader topics that help focus the minds of growers, traders and processors."

We look forward to seeing you at this year's event in York.