Join Piers Sangan of Sangan Conservation, Channel Islands, for an enlightening walk through the agricultural landscape. With his extensive ecological knowledge, Piers will guide you in discovering the rich and often overlooked connections between farmland, wildlife, and wider ecosystems. This engaging session offers a chance to deepen your understanding of local ecology, gain fresh insights into biodiversity, and appreciate the subtle balance between conservation and agriculture. 

Good, sustainably produced food remains inaccessible to many, often limited to those with privilege and higher incomes. The so-called “cheap” food that most people buy carries hidden costs, damaging the environment, biodiversity, public health and communities — yet these costs are not reflected in its price. This distorted system leaves polluters unaccountable and widens the price gap between quality food and cheap alternatives.

Patrick emphasises the need for farmers to adopt regenerative practices that restore soil health, enhance biodiversity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By making polluters pay and rewarding farmers for delivering social and environmental benefits, good food can become affordable for all.

Educating the public through farm visits, and empowering both consumers and independent retailers, is key. This session will inspire attendees to recognise that real change begins with informed choices from farmers and consumers alike, helping to create a fair and sustainable food future.

India Hamilton will be in discussion with Ben King, Josiah Meldrum and Patrick Holden, exploring how high-value and social markets influence the economics of place. The conversation will examine the barriers to building local, relationship-based supply networks, the need to develop skills across the food system, investment in infrastructure, and the importance of working with the right markets.

Each speaker brings years of experience across wheat and bread, legumes, fisheries, dairy and vegetables. Together, they have sought to integrate high-value and social markets, weaving values into their work and creating supply chains that aim to improve both public and environmental health.

Ian Wilkinson and Tim Parton will share their personal approaches and experiences of using and reducing glyphosate applications at FarmED and Brewood Park Farm. The discussion will be supported by evidence gathered from their soils, exploring glyphosate persistence; the impact of ploughing versus direct drilling on soil structure and nitrous oxide emissions; and the influence of ploughing or glyphosate use on soil microbial biomass and community stress markers.

The session aims to raise awareness of the consequences of management decisions and to highlight effective strategies for addressing them.

This talk follows the stories of two farmers, from different parts of the country, who turned to organic farming after questioning the reliability of chemical inputs in the face of changing weather patterns and unstable markets. One story begins in 1972 on a historic estate in Wiltshire; the other on a Cornish farm in 2015.

We will hear from Henry Edmunds, owner of the Cholderton Estate — a 1,000-hectare holding with 500 sheep, cattle and extensive wildlife habitats, which has been run organically for 50 years. Alongside him is Ben Richards, who fully converted to organic in 2021. Previously operating under a conventional milk contract until August 2024, Ben now supplies the Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo). His herd of 200 home-bred Jersey/Friesian crosses has been milked once a day since 2014, averaging 3,000 litres at 10% solids per cow, with a nine-month milking season and three months dry. The herd grazes on 270 acres of owned land.

The benefits of their transition are far-reaching — from flourishing wildlife in the hedgerows to a significant reduction in veterinary intervention. Though their journeys differ, both highlight how the shift to organic and regenerative practices serves as a great leveller across the economic spectrum. Each farm faces similar financial pressures, yet both demonstrate that the courage to build soil health and harness nature’s processes, rather than relying on chemicals, requires bravery — and a willingness to buck the trend.

Lunch and socialise

Come and help us imagine what an ideal food culture could look like in 20 years’ time — a Jersey ‘Foodtopia’. Bring your lunch and join a lively panel discussion on what makes a positive food culture, and how we might begin to shape this in Jersey.

Together with the audience, the panel will explore how Jersey’s rich culture, independence and heritage can be harnessed to build a food system — from soil to fork — that cares for everyone and everything involved in growing, producing, transporting, processing, selling and eating food.

After the discussion, a Graffiti Wall will be available throughout Regen for people to share and respond to thoughts, comments and ideas on how we might transform Jersey’s food culture into a true food utopia.

Hedgerows provide vital benefits for farming, from reducing soil erosion and offering shelter for livestock to supporting biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and reducing flood risk. This practical session at Le Tacheron’s field will explore the role of hedgerows in agricultural landscapes and encourage discussion.

Speakers include James Robinson, a Cumbria farmer who runs 300 acres of organic land with his family, home to 250 Dairy Shorthorn cattle and a mosaic of habitats including meadows, wetlands, ancient hedgerows, and woodland. The family’s conservation work was recognised with the 2022 FWAG Silver Lapwing Award. He will be joined by Ben Parkes, hedgerow manager for Jersey Trees for Life, and Alcindo Pinto, wildlife gardener and skilled hedge layer. Together, they will share practical insights into establishing, managing, and valuing hedgerows, while inviting questions and ideas from participants.

As food systems come under increasing pressure from global disruptions, the need for resilient local infrastructure has never been clearer. This talk will explore the vital role of regional abattoirs, meat processing and wholesale networks in creating a more secure, transparent and sustainable food economy.

We will consider how communities can reimagine and reinvest in local systems to shorten supply chains, support small producers and ensure food sovereignty. With a focus on innovation and investment, the session will highlight the transformative potential of modernised, community-rooted meat processing facilities that prioritise animal welfare, economic viability and environmental stewardship.

Join us to discover why now is the time to build the next generation of resilient, regenerative food infrastructure.

This talk explores how your horse’s health and the health of all herbivores is powered by sunlight, transformed through plants, and delivered by soil microbes. Plants capture solar energy via photosynthesis, then trade that energy as root exudates with microbes in exchange for essential minerals like magnesium, selenium, zinc, and copper.

When soil biology is disrupted by chemical inputs or poor management, this energy–mineral–animal link breaks down. The result is forage lacking key nutrients, which can contribute to:

Magnesium deficiency → muscle tension, excitability, tying up

Selenium deficiency → weak muscles, poor immunity

Copper/Zinc imbalance → brittle hooves, dull coat, skin conditions

By restoring the living connection between sun, soil, and pasture, we can grow forage that naturally supports stronger, healthier animals — reducing the need for supplements and interventions.

This presentation will include live soil demonstrations and microscope displays to help bring this hidden world to life.

Jersey is a rich cultural landscape, built up over thousands of years through the interaction of natural processes and human activity. We are surrounded by a tapestry woven from land, life, language and legacy, yet this so often remains invisible to us. Join us for an open discussion about how Jersey’s culture, nature and tradition are all connected, and how we can better work together to celebrate and protect this inheritance. There will be a short presentation followed by a panel discussion on the themes with sustainability advisor Georgia Drieu and architect Tim Norman.

Dig into the underworld of soil with a practical demo of how to do in-field observations for regenerative farming. Learn how to monitor the 10 Regen Indicators in the field with the Soilmentor team and supporting coaches. See how you can use the Indicators and many other observations to support you in deciding what actions to take (or not) on your land. Grow your regen mindset and change the way you see your farm by observing through the lens of the Regen Indicators.

Farming the Flood highlights farmers using nature-based techniques to tackle flooding, produced in partnership with the Dartmoor Headwaters Project. The film illustrates how farmers can enhance flood resilience while restoring biodiversity, all in ways that support their business interests.

Take the opportunity to meet some of the judges of this year’s £20K Food System Prize and hear what they look for in regional food initiatives. Learn what “good” looks like in farming and public health, and gain insights from experts experienced in supply chains, storytelling, marketing, and creating the niche markets your business might need.

This is an open question-and-answer session, just bring your idea and ask anything, no matter how obscure. Every question is welcome.

The inspiring story of British farmers challenging the industrial food system and transforming the way they produce food…restoring soil health, improving public health, and supporting local communities.