​I had the chance to attend this year’s AIC Conference, and it was one of the most thought-provoking events I’ve been to in a while. From global trade to AI and farmland values, the conversations all came back to one key theme - resilience. How do we build a food and farming system that can stand up to climate change, market shocks and political uncertainty?

A message of balance and resilience from Dame Angela Eagle

One of the standout sessions of the day came from Dame Angela Eagle, Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs. Her address really captured the complexity of the moment, blending urgency with optimism.

She spoke passionately about promoting food security, sustainability, and countryside stewardship, with a strong focus on nature recovery and soil health. She announced that the higher tier of Countryside Stewardship is now open, and that new investment is being directed towards nature restoration projects. Her core message was simple but powerful: farmers are vital not just to food production, but to the UK’s economic growth, environmental health and long-term resilience.

 Eagle also tackled the tricky issue of trade, acknowledging the need to remove barriers for agribusinesses while ensuring that new trade deals protect British farmers and uphold welfare standards. She highlighted how recent efforts to resolve trade barriers have already unlocked millions in export value, but admitted more must be done to make trade fairer and more accessible.

What stood out most, though, was her candour. She recognised the everyday realities farmers face from energy costs hitting horticulture to the challenges of linking diet, health and poverty. Her call for closer collaboration between DEFRA and the Department for Business and Trade was refreshing, as was her commitment to holding a roundtable with trade ministers to ensure the sector’s voice is properly heard. Eagle left us with a reminder that resilience isn’t just about production; it’s about safeguarding the entire supply chain against risks like war, disease and even cyberattacks. Her focus on confidence, cooperation and long-term planning gave her session a real sense of grounded leadership.

Scottish and Welsh Government

Wales’ Huw Davies and Scotland’s George Burgess both placed farmers at the heart of their governments’ rural strategies. The message was clear: climate change is already reshaping the seasons, and the best defence is smart data, soil testing and good advice. The new Sustainable Farming Scheme aims to make farms more resilient, and it’s encouraging to see devolved governments focused on harmonised, evidence-based action.

The AI wave

Dr Elliot Grant from Cambridge University gave one of the most fascinating talks of the day…data will become agriculture’s most valuable commodity. AI could soon be deciding everything from crop selection to marketing strategies and even designing new plant varieties faster than we ever imagined. The potential is huge, but so are the risks if we rush in without thinking through the consequences. 

Land, investment and the market

Savills’ team painted a mixed picture of UK farmland. Prices are softening slightly, but farmland still looks like a long-term safe haven compared with other assets. With growing interest in regenerative practices and environmental schemes, it’s clear that how we value land is evolving from pure productivity to long-term sustainability and capital growth.

Minette Batters on Farm Profitability

Batters highlighted the constant churn within DEFRA, noting the eighth Secretary of State since 2018 and five different Prime Ministers in that same period, a level of instability that makes it almost impossible for long-term agricultural policy to take root. Despite this, she spoke with determination about the need to create a fair and profitable environment for UK farmers.

One of her key points was that middle-performing farmers, around 65% of the sector, produce most of the UK’s output, yet are increasingly vulnerable. Without a fair, balanced system that supports both efficiency and diversity, the risk is clear: we could lose family farms and end up with a more uniform, less resilient farming structure.

She was also clear that food production and environmental goals must align, not compete. Drawing lessons from New Zealand and Ireland, she urged the UK to focus on partnerships, sector-specific missions and precision in supply and demand planning. Her frustration was palpable when she spoke about the lack of clarity around the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and how it sometimes seems disconnected from food production realities.

What I found most inspiring was her optimism despite everything. She called for a new kind of partnership between farmers, government, and the wider agri-food industry, built on mutual respect and shared goals. Her message was simple:

We can grow, we can change, and we can lead, but only if we act together.

Science, weather and what lies ahead

Finally, the Met Office’s Pete Faloon reminded everyone that climate change is not a distant risk but a present reality. Hotter summers, wetter winters and more extreme weather are already affecting yields and supply chains. But there are opportunities too, from changing crop cycles to smarter water management.

I left the conference feeling both cautious and energised. The challenges are complex, but the willingness across government, industry and research to work together felt genuine. If there was one message running through it all, it was this: resilience isn’t just about surviving, it’s about adapting, innovating and leading the change ourselves.

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