TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE

At Rosuick Farm we're hosting the world's first Fossil Free Farming day.

Explore the future of farming with internationally renowned speakers, machinery and technology demonstrations, practical workshops and discussion groups.

We want everyone to attend, but farmers are the ones who will have to drive the change to a fossil-free future, so we've committed to offering FREE farmer tickets this year. Please let us know a little about your farm on the door.

We also know that fresh perspectives and ideas are needed to make sure we’re really achieving our goals, so student tickets are also FREE. Just bring your student ID to show on the door.

As a special offer, if you donate more than £15 on our crowdfunder, you get a free ticket - https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/fossil-free-farm

Fossil Free Farming Day 2025 - Programme

Barn Stage

9:00 - Welcome and what’s it all about?

9:30 - 10:15 - Farm Power Plants
Fin McCormick, Vertical PV - Rob Carey, Greengen - Jane Charman - GEL energy

Can farms become the UK’s energy security? We’ll be talking Vertical agri-solar, solar fencing, battery storage options and geothermal power. We’ll explore the opportunities for farms to diversify their incomes, lower their own energy costs and become an adaptable power source to help support our grid across the UK. And how can we maximise the value of every m2 of space and kw of generation?

10:30 - 11:15 - Funding the future
Chris Knight, Terranomics - Brian Harvey, PKF Francis Clark - Tom Slattery, ADOPT

Does a transition away from fossil fuels make financial sense, and who’s going to pay? We’ll dig into carbon markets, biodiversity net gain and private finance, while making sure that we’re not falling foul of any tax and accounting implications. We’ll also look at farmer-led innovation and the opportunities available through the new ADOPT fund.

11:30 - 12:15 - Maximising Muck
Chris Mann, Bennamann - Andy Hulbert, Biolectric - Andrew Sincock, Agritron

Storage, run-off, emissions and nutrient access of manure are constant issues for many farmers. We’ll be chatting shit to find out whether it can start paying its way? Bio-digestion, methane capture, and upgrading opportunities will be outlined, while we also consider composting and how to maximise the benefits from this underutilised nutrient resource.

12:30 - Lunch

13:30 - 14:15 - Solutions in Soil
Hannah Jones, Farm Carbon Toolkit - Anthony Ellis, Farm Carbon Toolkit

We now know that there is more life in the soil beneath our feet than there is up here on the surface. So how can we work with that biology to improve productivity, store more water, access more nutrients, lower costs with fewer inputs and store more carbon? We’ll break down a farm and look at all of the opportunities in crop rotations, grazing management, plant selection, bio-controls and careful soil management.

14:30 - 15:15 - Positive Policy
Mark Holmes, Cornwall Council - Victoria Vyvyan, CLA - John Weedon, Mitchell & Webber

Policy offers both the biggest barrier and opportunity for change. We’ll dig into where common sense needs to prevail and where the easy wins might be found. We’ll look at our local energy policy and work out where farmers might be able to step in. We’ll also look at the issues around the widespread adoption of bio-fuels in the UK.

15:30 - 16:15 - The Brazil Complex
Joao Lopes, GEO and Nuffield Brazil - Alex Melotto, Fundação MS and Nuffield Brazil

The delicate balance of nature, food and fuel is at the heart of debate all over the world. But nowhere has a bigger spotlight on it than Brazil. 60% of the country is still native vegetation, but spanning 851 million hectares, farmers are still able to produce enough food and fuel for over a billion people. But is it sustainable? Is there space for more expansion? And could we even learn a thing or two about environmental regulation and innovation from big Brazilian ag? This session will dispel the myths and give us an insight into where global agriculture may be headed.

16:30 - Open rants
Your last chance to ask questions, make your points and make your own plan of action.

17:00 - Conference end, but all welcome to stay for a Brazilian BBQ and networking into the evening


Field Stage

10:30 - 11:15 - Agroforestry Walk
Joe Harris, Forest for Cornwall - Dave Oates, Rosuick Farm

Trees are often touted as essential for carbon capture, but what other opportunities can they provide on a farm? We’ll look at a wide variety of planting options, cropping opportunities, funding options and the economics of whether agroforestry has a place in larger-scale, sustainable agriculture. Please bring suitable footwear for a farm walk.

11:30 - 12:15 - Better Bales
Martin Andrews, Tama - Grant Lightfoot, Kiwi Econet - Stuart Oates, Fossil Free Farm

Plastic net has taken over the round bale market completely. It’s quick to put on, lasts a long time, reasonably cheap and holds the bale together well. But it’s hard to ignore the microplastics which fly off into the environment every time you cut it off, it gets tangled in feed and equipment, it's very hard to recycle and has the potential to be ingested by animals. So we’re looking at alternatives, both natural and synthetic. What are the costs, the positives and the drawbacks of each type? We’ll also see the first demo ever in the UK of baling hay with a new jute net option, show a newly launched recyclable webbing and see the results of a year-long Innovative Farmers' trial, looking into whether sisal twine might be a solution for round bales.

12:30 - Lunch

13:30 - 14:15 - The Tractor of the Future
David Gardner, Researcher - Alec Vincent, Vincents - Jonathan Stephens, Truro Tractors

The tractors of today are still based on many of the innovations pioneered over 100 years ago. Yet with size increases and technological efficiencies reaching new heights every year, one operator is now capable of managing thousands of acres with just one machine. But we’re in an agricultural revolution, so what’s next? What will the fuels of the future look like? Hydrogen, HVO, methane, electric, ethanol, methanol; which one will win, or will it be a mixture of many? How close are self-driving tractors? Will they work in swarms of smaller machines? What will they look like? Everything is to play for.

14:30 - 15:15 - Homebrew Seaweed Biostimulants
Hannah Jones, Farm Carbon Toolkit - AJ Williams, Tregeague Farm - Tim Van Berkel, Cornish Seaweed Co

Rich in essential nutrients and natural growth hormones that boost plant health and development, seaweed holds huge potential for farms. It improves soil structure and water retention, as well as enhancing plant resistance to pests, diseases, and environmental stress. It’s a fast-growing, renewable resource, and it’s highly sustainable, so how can we harness this opportunity? Partway through an Innovative Farmers’ trial looking into home-brewing seaweed bio-stimulant, we’ll be sharing the learnings so far.


Lunch and dinner will be available - Gear Farm Pasties, home made sausage rolls, tea and cake for lunch. Brazilian BBQ from our own organic Welsh Black beef for dinner.

Discussions will carry on into the evening over a drink, so camping is encouraged