Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) is an annual conference on agroecology, food sovereignty and alternative food and farming systems, held in Oxford, England, and online. The event brings together farmers, growers, researchers, policy makers, activists, food workers and civil society organisations interested in transforming food and farming systems.[1]
The conference was founded in 2010 by Ruth West, Colin Tudge and Graham Harvey as an alternative to the Oxford Farming Conference, which is also held in Oxford in early January.[2][3]
History
The Oxford Real Farming Conference was established in 2010 to provide a forum for discussion of alternatives to conventional agriculture and industrial food systems.[2] It developed in parallel with the long-running Oxford Farming Conference, but with a stronger emphasis on agroecology, food sovereignty, small-scale farming, environmental justice and grassroots food movements.[3]
According to the conference organisers, ORFC began as a small gathering and later grew into a large annual event attracting participants from the United Kingdom and internationally.[1] The Organic Research Centre described the event as having grown “from a fringe protest of 50 people to a gathering of thousands”.[4]
Format
ORFC is usually held in January and includes panel discussions, workshops, talks, cultural events, performances and networking sessions. The conference combines practical agricultural sessions with wider discussions about food systems, land use, climate change, biodiversity, public policy and social justice.[1]
In recent years, the event has also included an online component. In 2021 and 2022 the conference was held entirely online, while later editions returned to Oxford with hybrid participation options.[5] The 2026 conference included more than 145 in-person sessions, with more than 45 sessions livestreamed.[4]
Themes
The conference focuses on agroecology, food sovereignty, ecological farming, land access, climate resilience, animal welfare, seed systems, rural livelihoods and the role of policy in shaping food and farming systems.[1] Its programme commonly includes contributions from farmers, growers, researchers, campaigners, policy experts and community organisations.
ORFC has also been used as a platform for wider debates about the future of farming in the United Kingdom, including post-Brexit agricultural policy, environmental land management, food supply chains and public access to land.[3]
Relationship with the Oxford Farming Conference
The Oxford Real Farming Conference is separate from the Oxford Farming Conference, although both events take place in Oxford in early January and address the future of farming and food systems. Media coverage has often contrasted the two events, with the Oxford Farming Conference associated with mainstream agricultural policy and industry debates, while ORFC is associated with agroecology, small-scale farming and grassroots food movements.[3][6]
Recognition
In 2025, ORFC co-founders Ruth West and Colin Tudge received the Derek Cooper Outstanding Achievement Award from BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme, recognising their contribution to food and farming debate in the United Kingdom.[7]
See also
References
- "About the Oxford Real Farming Conference". Oxford Real Farming Conference. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
- "How ORFC started". Real Farming Trust. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
- van der Zee, Bibi (5 January 2018). "Radical ecologists v Big Agriculture: the rival factions fighting for the future of farming". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
- "Oxford Real Farming Conference 2026". Organic Research Centre. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
- "What is ORFC?". Real Farming Trust. 17 January 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
- "Oxford Farming Conference vs Oxford Real Farming Conference". Agri-TechE. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
- "ORFC Founders Awarded Outstanding Achievement by BBC Food Programme". Real Farming Trust. 20 November 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2026.