Organic in spotlight at forthcoming conference

The organic industry is set to converge in London for the Soil Association’s annual summit.

Helen Browning, Chief Executive, Soil Association

Tickets are now available for the organisation’s 2013 conference, which aims to be at the cutting edge in showcasing solutions and exploring new approaches to the environmental and public health challenges of our day.

Taking place on October 9 and 10 at Central Hall, in Westminster, the event brings together high profile speakers and people from a range of backgrounds to share and inspire best practice, raise new questions and champion the way forward.

Day one will be hosted by Soil Association President, Monty Don, with leading experts on health and food policy speaking, including Kevin Fenton, Director of Health Improvement at Public Health England, who will focus on how the new Health and Wellbeing Boards in England can drive local action on food skills, food procurement and food poverty. Also on the line-up is Myles Bremner, Director of the recently launched School Food Plan, and Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Society for Public Health. Day two will be chaired by BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today’s Charlotte Smith. Keynote speakers include Professor Tim Benton, champion for the UK Global Food Security Programme, Professor Norman Uphoff, from International Agriculture at Cornell University, and Ed Dowding, the founder of FoodTrade.com.

Helen Browning, Chief Executive of the Soil Association, said: “Our conference brings together the twin challenges of our day – enabling everyone, everywhere access to healthy food and the pressure on resources such as land, water, wildlife and soil. With some brilliant people showing what is possible if we work constructively and creatively, we will hear from practical programmes having great impact and explore new frontiers too.

“Many of our speakers will provoke us to think anew about what an ecological, organic future could look like, and how we may need to work differently to deliver a fair, healthy legacy for our children. I am most excited, and nervous, about the Innovation Awards; with over 20 teams pitching for votes on day two, it should be quite a buzz!”

Nicholas Saphir, Executive Chairman of the Organic Milk Suppliers Co-Operative (OMSCo), which is supporting day two, said: “OMSCo is delighted to be supporting this year’s conference. It provides a valuable forum for discussion and a showcase for the amazing work being undertaken by organic producers and farmers.”

Find out more at www.soilassociation.org/conferences/2013conference