This year, the UK’s premier organic farming conference, OF & G’s National Organic Integrated Crops (NOCC), returns as a live event on July 6 with a series of presentations, seminars and farm tours.
NOCC is organized by OF&G (Organic Farmers and Growers), the largest certifier of organic soil in the UK, and includes the Center for Agriculture, Organic Research, Organic Consulting Support and Information Services, Organic Arab, Droidos Bank and Woodland Trust.
Last year, the conference took the form of a series of webinars. There are a limited number of venues to safely organize this year’s event.
The event takes place on a mixed farm and sheep farm Von John Powsey In Shimping, Suffolk. His family has been farming in Suffolk for four generations. Mr. Powsey began converting 650 acres of farmland to organic production in 1999. This decision, like many farmers, was initially motivated by business benefits, but also by concerns about over-processed soil and growing biodiversity.
As a past chairman of the NFU Organic Forum and a former member of the NFU Integrated Crop Board, he encouraged the use of modern technology to control weeds and diseases without the use of chemical pesticides. Using legumes and green manure Mr. Event participants will be able to see how Powsey naturally creates soil fertility, and visit this year’s crops such as wheat, spelled, heirloom wheat and the first crop of organic canola.
OF&G will be assisted by Defra’s Future Agriculture Group and the ORC and NIAB Crop Research Team, who will be on site to discuss seeds and soil. The main theme of the conference was “The Need for Seed Diversity”.
“It’s important to create a long – term recession in our farming systems. Said Steven Jacobs, OF & G’s Business Development Manager.
For more information:
OF&G
www.ofgorganic.org
