I joined 500 + farmers, landowners, agri‑professionals and rural champions at the Lincolnshire Farming Conference 2026, held at the EPIC Centre, Lincolnshire Showground on Thursday 12th February. The theme, “Roadmap to Resilience”, couldn’t have been more appropriate.
This wasn’t just another farming event. It was a day of reflection, a wake‑up call, a shot of inspiration, and a serious look at the future of British agriculture — all rolled into one conference.
A Full House & A Fired‑Up Crowd
With 500 people packed into the EPIC Centre, the atmosphere was electric. Hosted by the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society (LAS), the event drew everyone from students to seasoned farmers — all eager to make the agricultural sector more resilient in the face of continuing headwinds.
Victoria Atkins: Tough Times, Tough Talk
One standout presentation was by Victoria Atkins MP. She told it straight from her viewpoint when she talked openly about the “despondency and anger” running through the farming community over the last 18 months, with record farm closures, growing financial pressures, and rising mental‑health challenges across the sector.
She also tackled the elephant in the room: inheritance tax. Even with changes in government policy by lifting the threshold to £2.5 million, the looming 20% tax will still create challenges for many farming families.
Most notable were her stories of families under emotional strain — farmers having “heartbreaking conversations” about their future. She emphasised something crucial: despite the hardships, farmers she spoke to still believe in a brighter future with the right plan.
Panels, Presentations & Proper Insight
The conference delivered two brilliant panel sessions plus expert presentations — and two really stuck with me:
Ed Barker (AIC)
Ed gave a sharp, forward‑looking overview of the UK agricultural supply chain — everything from feed and fertiliser markets to upcoming regulatory shifts and the opportunities hidden inside all that change. Properly eye‑opening stuff.
He also highlighted a stat that hit home:
16% of farms produce 78% of all output.
A reminder of just how varied the sector really is — and why resilience can’t be one‑size‑fits‑all.
Digby Sowerby (Environmental Farmers Group)
Digby explained the real, tangible income potential of soil carbon credits, biodiversity net gain, and nutrient neutrality.
No longer buzzwords — they’re potential revenue streams. Real ones yet most farms aren’t tapping into them yet.
I found this session seriously exciting. It’s rare to walk out of a conference thinking, “We’re leaving money on the table — and we don’t have to.”
Workshops, Exhibitors & Proper Networking
Beyond the big keynote moments, the conference buzzed with workshops, farming innovators, energy generators, rural support organisations and exhibitors with the latest tech and tools — everything geared towards building a stronger, smarter, more adaptable and more resilient agricultural sector.
A Sector That’s Still Fighting
Kelly Hewson‑Fisher, the conference chair, summed it up perfectly: agriculture is in the middle of a massive transition — policy, climate, markets, etc. But if there was one consistent message, it was this:
Resilience isn’t just a theme — it’s the mission.
And British farming isn’t done yet, not by a long shot.
Summary
I left feeling positive and upbeat. Yes, the challenges are real — painfully real at times — but so are the opportunities. From environmental income streams to smarter supply‑chain thinking, there’s a future worth getting excited about.
The Lincolnshire Farming Conference didn’t just talk resilience — it showed what it could look like.