The 16th Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) got underway yesterday with an inspiring opening plenary that celebrated the power of connection, community, and care for the land, featuring music, poetry, and thought-provoking speeches from leaders of the real farming movement. The two-day event attracted an audience of over 3,500 in person and online.

The singer and harpist Siwan Clark set a reverent tone with land-inspired songs, invoking the audience to “raise our voices and hearts to make life and restore possibility.” The lyrical journey was completed by the dynamic artistry of Hot Poets, weaving verses of hope and transformation.

Highlights from the opening speeches

Andy Dibben on Solidarity:
“Farming and food have never had such a high profile, but with this has come division. Many challenges we face extend beyond the farm gate, but in civil society, allies are fighting on behalf of farmers. To overcome these challenges, we must work together. Together, we can deliver this revolution.”

Edu H Nualart on Sovereignty (words by Paola Laini of La Via Campesina):
“Food sovereignty is about the freedom to decide for yourself and your community the food you eat, the seeds you germinate, and the crops you tend. Sovereignty connects rather than divides—do not stand alone. Globalise the struggle, globalise hope.”

Sandra Salazar on Love:
“ORFC is more than a gathering; it’s a divine movement rooted in the love and power of those who nurture the soil and their communities. This movement is a force for healing and transformation.”

“We must resist the idea that farming isn’t important. We must resist the broken food system and empower young people, like my 17-year-old daughter, to see a future in the field”

James Rebanks on Resistance:
“When I was young, I thought farmers were old, grumpy men who knew everything. Now I know that the point of farming is to create a sustainable future. We must resist the idea that farming isn’t important. We must resist the broken food system and empower young people, like my 17-year-old daughter, to see a future in the field.”

• Session reports will be posted shortly 

Main image: Oxford Real Farming Conference 2025. Emma Brolly