Preparations are well underway for Cultivate 2022, a business-led conference aimed specifically at farming and rural enterprises. With Farmers Guardian being the event's media partner we find out more about what January's event has in store.
Change is a constant for any business sector, but the shifting landscape of support means agriculture and rural areas will be strongly challenged in the coming years.
For the organisers of Cultivate 2022, however, change also provides huge opportunity which needs to be grasped.
Bringing together inspiring leaders and innovative entrepreneurs, the first Cultivate conference was held in 2020, with the subsequent event being one of many cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Organised by Andy Venables, who owns Hillsgreen marketing agency and runs a large dairy farm in partnership with his parents in Cheshire, and Simon Haley, who runs a suite of consultancy businesses focused on rural business advice and net zero carbon management plans, Cultivate 2022 will explore how to embrace the opportunities which come with the ever-changing landscape of the agricultural sector.
Mr Venables said: "Cultivate 2022 is about attendees taking the time out from their busy daily lives to reflect, to listen, to plan, and to act.
"Transitioning from being simply a business owner to having a fundamental business mindset is essential.
"It is very much about embracing the change thrown at the industry by Brexit, Covid-19 and the Agriculture Bill.
"There are big opportunities for British agriculture, but it is hard to see them when you do not want to change."
Mr Venables sees Cultivate 2022 as a ‘growth summit' - the only business mindset conference dedicated to rural and agriculture.
Backed by partners including the Co-op, Farmers Guardian, NatWest, Lely and Brightshire, the event will take place on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at Heaton House Farm, Macclesfield, Cheshire.
The aim of the event is to inspire a business mindset among ambitious attendees, giving them tools, strategies and motivation to face challenges head on.
Keen to build on the momentum of 2020's event, there is a brand new line-up of speakers and Mr Venables and Mr Haley believe the true value lies with in-person attendance, where the enthusiasm and energy generated from attendees is infectious and inspires a strong attitude.
"We really want to put on another fantastic modern business conference," said Mr Haley.
"The past 18 months for people have been hard in a variety of ways and this is the chance to learn new skills to deal with resilience, to handle risk and to build with courage and confidence."
Here are the speakers for the 2022 event:
Marcus Child
Award-winning speaker renowned for his wholeheartedness and positivity, focusing on self-improvement and developing habits and cultures that uplift and excite.
An expert in how to manage and embrace change, along with the nurturing of high-performing teams, he will be speaking on themes of people, customers and ambition.
Rosie Brown
Chief executive at Cook, the frozen food brand, she believes in people, community and business as a force for good. She will be expanding on the importance of relationships at work, especially when your colleagues are often family members.
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones
The founder of ‘The Black Farmer' range of food products will be discussing his passion for farming and his path to joining the agricultural sector. Well-known for his efforts in defying expectations, he will address the issue of diversity within the industry.
How to purchase tickets:
Tickets are launched Friday, October 1 and are priced at £145+VAT for a multi-ticket (two people or more), or £175+VAT for a single ticket.
The event will take place on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at Heaton House Farm, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 0RD.
The organisers are planning new features at the 2022 conference, which will be revealed closer to the actual event date.
For more information go to: cultivateconference.co.uk
