Speakers

FILMMAKER & DIRECTOR CARBON COWBOYS AND ROOTS SO DEEP (US)

Peter Byck is leading a $10 million research project comparing Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) grazing with conventional grazing; collaborating with 20 scientists and 10 farm families, focused on soil health & soil carbon storage, GHG cycling, microbial/bug/bird biodiversity & water cycling. The research includes a 4-part docuseries, “Roots So Deep (you can see the devil down there),” directed by Byck, which is about the inventive farmers and maverick scientists building a regenerative path to solving climate. View the trailer and CNN segment.

Byck is a professor of practice at Arizona State University, where he teaches students to make short documentary films about sustainability solutions. He is the creator of carbon nation, and the short doc series carbon cowboys."

LinkedIn

Insta

FARMER, CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE (FRANCE)

Frédéric Thomas has been a French no-tiller for 30 years. Today, he also works as a trainer, teaching others about cover-crops and global Conservation Agriculture (CA).

Frédéric Thomas discovered minimum tillage and Conservation Agriculture during his agricultural training in the USA, Australia, and New Zealand, and through extensive travel. In 1991, he began promoting these techniques in France, driven by their economic, agronomic, and environmental benefits, and their adaptability to various local conditions.

In 1996, he took over his family's farm, which had challenging soil conditions, deepening his understanding of soil management and ecosystem sustainability. In 1999, he launched the TCS magazine (the French No-till Farmer)) to foster technical exchanges among early adopters and later co-founded the association BASE (Biodiversity, Agriculture, Soil and Environment), leading it for 15 years. He also supported the creation of BASE UK to promote Conservation Agriculture.

Today, Thomas is recognised as a specialist in this field, actively engaging with agricultural professionals worldwide.

LinkedIn

Twiiter

FOUNDER, CONSCIOUS TRAVEL (UK)

Anna Pollock is a regenerative tourism expert with 45 years of experience as a consultant, strategist, and international speaker. Her clients include major tourism bodies across Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Honoured as Visionary of the Year by the Canadian tourism industry, Anna is known for pioneering work in tourism education, sustainability, and technology.

A thought leader since the 1990s, she developed Scotland's first internet-based tourism strategy and co-created an early destination management system. Globally respected for her innovative thinking, Anna advocates for regenerative tourism that shifts from value extraction to revitalising people and places for long-term prosperity. She currently works with Visit Flanders and New Zealand’s Tourism Futures Task Force to reshape the future of tourism.

LinkedIn

Twitter

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE CONSULTANT (UK)

Niels Corfield has been working to deliver truly sustainable food and farming systems for more than 15 years. He is a researcher, adviser, educator, designer and tree nurseryman. He has 12 years’ experience teaching adults and is formally trained in Holistic Management and Regenerative Agriculture Design.

On a mission to create regenerative landscapes and farms in the UK and Europe, Niels focuses on agroecological systems that are low maintenance yet productive.

LinkedIn

Twitter

HEAD OF GARDENS & ESTATE, LOST GARDENS OF HELIGAN (UK)

Alasdair’s first horticultural job was as an assistant-gardener at Queen’s Park in London, before a life-changing year as a garden student in the Abbey Gardens, Tresco on the Isles of Scilly. Following training at RHS Wisley and working at West Green House, Hampshire, Alasdair returned to Tresco as Asst-Head Gardener, where he remained for the next ten years. During this time, Alasdair was a Winston Churchill Fellow, researching proteas in South Africa, and studied botanic garden management at RBG Kew.

Alasdair left Tresco in 2003 to write a book about the great Victorian horticultural figure Sir Thomas Hanbury ( “La Mortola – in the footsteps of Sir Thomas Hanbury”) and worked for a time as a freelance horticultural journalist (Gardens Illustrated, The Independent and the Telegraph). He also spent time as an international garden guide, leading tours to South Africa, the Riviera, Madeira, China and Japan. Alasdair returned to Tresco for another ten years, gardening and writing before becoming the island’s Marketing Manager. The lure of horticulture proved too strong and most recently Alasdair spent three years as Horticultural Manager of the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, before taking up his current post at Heligan.

Insta

FOUNDER, REALLY REGENERATIVE CIC (UK)

Jenny is a regenerative practitioner and strategist, working with brands, organisations, and communities to build a regenerative economy. She leverages collective intelligence to create future visions and sustain long-term change, focusing on healing the divide between humanity and nature, and among people themselves.

With nearly four decades of experience, including work with brands like Patagonia and Timberland, Jenny brings a unique perspective on global systems and their local impact. A sought-after speaker, she delivers keynote talks, participates in panels, and hosts Connectle’s Regenerative Business webcast, engaging audiences with storytelling and data to drive systemic change for a sustainable future.

LinkedIn

Twitter

Medium

FARMER, MINDRUM ESTATE (UK)

Tom runs Mindrum Farm, a mixed farm nestled in the Cheviot Foothills of North Northumberland. The farm hosts 1000 Suffolk Mule Ewes, approximately 100 Shorthorn / Angus Suckler cows, and manages arable land, albeit with thin soil. With a longstanding commitment to agro-environmental practices, Mindrum Farm transitioned to a biology-led agroecological operating model in 2019 and successfully completed organic conversion by 2022.

Tom employs an array of regenerative tools and frameworks in his farming approach, notably using "on-farm microscopy" to monitor both soil and animal health, which, in turn, informs critical management decisions. The majority of inputs are sourced directly from the farm, reflecting a sustainable and self-sufficient ethos.

LinkedIn

Facebook

Insta

CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, HODMEDODS (UK)

Josiah Meldrum is co-founder of Hodmedod, a Suffolk company whose aim is to encourage us to grow and eat a wider range of British grown pulses, grains and seeds – creating healthier and more diverse diets and farming systems.

Working with farmers Hodmedod has pioneered ‘new’ crops for the UK, such as lentils and revived long-forgotten staples, like naked barley, central this has been finding engaged markets to support primary production. This enables change by encouraging the creation of more complex rotations, through more direct routes to market, and ultimately by adding economic and agroecological value.

Prior to Hodmedod Josiah worked for NGOs, farmers’ co-operatives and retailers whose aim was to create a more equitable and sustainable food system.

LinkedIn

Twitter

FARMS & ESTATE DIRECTOR, BALCASKIE / PITCH UP! (UK)

Sam Parsons is the Farms & Estate Director at Balcaskie, a modern working estate in the East Neuk of Fife, near St Andrews. He oversees the estate's commitment to environmental stewardship, local business development, and community support.

Under Sam's management, Balcaskie has transformed many old farm buildings into over 40 commercial units and 60 residential properties, fostering community growth. His experience in property renovation, planning, and infrastructure has been key to the estate’s sustainable expansion.

Balcaskie in Numbers: 1,800 Ha estate; 1,450 Ha organically farmed; 330 suckler cows, 1,750 ewes, outdoor pigs; 220 Ha arable land, 180 Ha woodland; 3 biomass heating systems, 5 solar arrays; On-site butchery, pub; 43 commercial units, 60 let properties; 29 staff, including 3 student placements.

LinkedIn

CONSERVATION FARMER DODGSON WOOD, CHAIRMAN RARE BREED SURVIVAL TRUST (UK)

John Atkinson, a sixth-generation Cumbrian farmer, is a dedicated conservationist and advocate for rare breed preservation. His family's roots in farming extend back 600 years within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of The Lake District National Park. With a 400-acre farm and over a thousand animals, John's lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship began with 25 years of service at the National Trust, where he contributed to various cultural and environmental initiatives, including footpath restoration and tenant farm support. Today, he manages his farm full-time, prioritising environmental land improvements and biodiversity. His focus on native breeds, especially rare ones like Whitebred Shorthorn Cattle and Castlemilk Moorit sheep, aligns with his role as the Chair of the Rare Breed Survival Trust (RBST). He also serves on the boards of the Federation of Cumbria Commoners and the Whitebred Shorthorn Society.

LinkedIn

FARMER, OLD HALL FARM (UK)

Rebecca farms with her husband Stuart and two children, Isobel and Jack in South Norfolk, where they’re converting the once intensively farmed 500 acres into a regenerative oasis. Enterprises include a 60 head raw Jersey dairy keeping calves and cows together, a suckler herd, sheep, pigs, goats, laying hens, and a farm shop, cafe, butchery and vineyard. Holistic Management training in 2020 has provided an invaluable framework for healing the farm, and helping run to run a diverse business, whilst engaging with other farmers, the public and local schools about climate change, farming practices and nutrient dense food.

LinkedIn

FARMER & FARM ADVISER, EARTHFARMERS (UK)

Tim has over 20 years’ experience within farming and associated systems – dairy, arable, deer, sheep & beef; both growing and processing; conventional and organic; large scale and small. This mass of experience has allowed the development of a wide range of experiential and theoretical knowledge, a key strength of Tim’s being his deep understanding of regenerative and low-input farming practices that work closely with natural systems and place soil health at the core.

LinkedIn

Insta

ENTREPRENEUR & CO-FOUNDER OF DODGSON WOOD, THE SOAP DAIRY, LAKE DISTRICT TWEED, & THE WOOL LIBRARY (UK)

Maria runs multiple ethical businesses utilising farm commodities and skills gathered from her and her partners farm in the Lake District. Including The Soap Dairy, utilising their Jersey Cow Honeysuckle’s milk, Lake District Tweed, bringing provenance-based textiles back to the Lake District using wool sourced from within the different districts, and off-grid accommodation development within their carefully farmed land.

LinkedIn

Insta

Facebook

Twitter

FOUNDER, TERRAFARMER (UK)

Based in Cornwall, Tom is an organic farmer and has worked as a livestock nutrition consultant for over 25 years. He farms around 600 acres with his wife, Nicola, where they put regenerative and biological farming into practice, running an Angus suckler herd and growing organic oats, barley, and fodder beet.

Tom’s view of regenerative farming changed fundamentally in 2017 after working in the states with the ‘father of biological farming’, Gary Zimmer of MidWestern Bioag.

Passionate about the wide-ranging benefits of good grazing management, diverse cropping, and soil health, Tom believes regenerative farming practices offer a win-win when it comes to farm profitability, public ecosystem services, and the wider environment.

LinkedIn

Insta

Twitter

FARMER, AMPNEY BROOK FARM, & SOIL TEST TRAINER, VIDACYCLE / SOILMENTOR APP (UK)

Annie wears several hats, she is full-time farmer at Ampney Brook Farm in the Cotswolds, producing organic vegetables, heritage and genetically diverse grains and pasture-fed beef. Alongside this, Annie trains farmers in how to use simple soil tests to visually assess soil health with Soilmentor and works with Pasture for Life on tools to support farmers with direct marketing.

LinkedIn

Twitter

Insta

FOUNDER, HARVEST CARE (NETHERLANDS)

Zuzanna began her journey in sustainable entrepreneurship while still at university. During her Global Nutrition and Health studies in Denmark, she initiated a start-up that upcycles coffee waste into food.

Her passion for soil, ecosystems, and food has led her to Fresh Venture Studio in Rotterdam, where HarvestCare was incubated.

Zuzanna employs systems thinking to integrate Food As Medicine models into European healthcare. This approach aims to combat the pandemic of chronic diseases while supporting the transition of the regenerative food system.

LinkedIn

CEO, NATIONAL TRUST, & FARMER, LE TACHERON FARM (JERSEY)

Alan Le Maistre , a seventh-generation Jersey farmer, owns and operates his family-owned farm, Le Tacheron, with his brother and cousin. Le Tacheron is an exciting heritage farm based in Trinity, growing and milling a range of organic cereals, including Spelt, Oats, Barley and Winter Wheat, brewing cider and rearing grass fed goat, sheep and cows. Their traditional mill produces high quality stoneground flour that is rich in oils and nutrients and perfect for bread baking. Le Tacheron use working horses wherever possible to minimise their impact on the environment and reduce soil compaction. When they can't use horses they use lightweight machinery to minimise carbon emissions. They plant 10% of their land with wildflowers. Le Tacheron are part of the Pathways to Organic Markets Initiative.

In February of 2024, Alan was appointed as the new CEO of the National Trust.

LinkedIn

Insta

DOCTOR, NUTRITIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE (UK)

Jenny Goodman is a rebel doctor and author. She is a long-time member of the British Society for Ecological Medicine and helps her patients to attain dramatically better health through changes in diet and nutrition and through detoxification. Jenny has taught at numerous places including the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, the College of Naturopathic Medicine and many more. She is the author of “Staying Alive in Toxic Times: A Seasonal Guide to Lifelong Health”, published in Jan 2020.

She has a new book coming out in July 2024, to be published by Chelsea Green.

LinkedIn

FARMERS & ENTREPRENEURS, SOIL FARM (GUERNSEY)

Sasha Marsh and Jock Pettitt, co-founders of Soil Farm, focus on holistic landscape management to regenerate soil and improve the Soil Food Web naturally. They specialise in composting, offering tailored advice for each project to enhance soil health. Soil Farm also advocates for complementary regenerative practices that reduce costs and labour while bolstering natural biological processes. Education and product sourcing for healthier landscapes are integral to their mission, available through Hedge Veg stalls and partnering organisations.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn

Insta

FIRST-GENERATION FARMER, LOMAH FARM (JERSEY)

Ollie is a first-generation farmer embarking on an exciting new chapter in his life. His farming journey began in 2017 when he discovered a passion for quality food grown in harmony with nature. Since then, he has been dedicated to learning about sustainable farming practices, seeking knowledge from both young and experienced farmers, organic and conventional, both at home and abroad.

In 2022, Ollie started farming on 3 vergees (1.5 acres) of family land in St. Johns, where he is now applying his knowledge and passion to create a thriving, profitable small-scale farm, committed to delivering healthy, organic produce to his local community.

Insta

GREAT PROJECT MANAGER / FARM ADVISOR AT FARMING & WILDLIFE ADVISORY GROUP (UK / JERSEY)

Ed Bonn is a Farm Environment Advisor for the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (South West) and originally hails from Jersey, where he maintains close connections to the island. At FWAG, Ed oversees the Upper Thames Catchment Partnership, bringing together partners from the farming sector, local communities, local government, and interest groups to promote a community-led, integrated approach to environmental resilience. In addition to facilitating the Upper Thames Catchment Partnership, Ed is co-delivering a ZeroDig project alongside multiple partners at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester. This project aims to convert a 7-acre field into horticultural production while rejuvenating soils and enhancing biodiversity. Ed is also passionate about woodlands and agroforestry, and a successful project is currently underway to integrate woodlands into farming systems. This initiative serves as a catalyst for stackable, mutually supportive enterprises and is a fantastic way to reconnect people with the landscape.

LinkedIn

FARMER, ALDERNEY ROOTS (ALDERNEY)

Sam Pycroft, market gardener and co-founder of Alderney Roots Farm, provides the Alderney community with fresh, organically grown produce through CSA subscriptions and supplying local shops and restaurants. Sam places a strong emphasis on eco-friendly practices, including no-dig/minimum till methods, cover cropping, and producing chemical-free crops.

Throughout his five years of farming on Alderney, Sam has encountered numerous challenges while striving to establish a conscientious and sustainable food system that is both economically viable and environmentally responsible. He has forged partnerships with the States of Alderney to repurpose green waste and collaborated with the Alderney Wildlife Trust to enhance biodiversity and support insect populations on his 2.5-acre site.

Together with his partner, Rose and two young children they are working on creating a food system designed to endure not only for the present but also for future generations on Alderney. Sam and Rose share a profound belief in the resilience and significance of small-scale farming, recognising its far-reaching economic and social advantages.

Insta

Facebook

AGRIBUSINESS CONSULTANT, TERRAFARMER (UK)

After working on numerous mixed farms and estates across England and Scotland, Jack decided to pursue a career as an agribusiness consultant to drive sustainable, efficient, and profitable farming. Graduating from Harper Adams University, he spent two years working for a large rural consultancy and management firm in the Southwest.

Jack specialises in helping farms through the agricultural transition and unlocking grant funding opportunities, with a particular interest in using innovative technology and practices to increase productivity and performance. Jack is a committee member of Wiltshire Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution charity.

DEPARTMENT HEAD AGRI CONSULTANCY, KNIGHT FRANK (UK)

Simon Britton is a Partner at Knight Frank and is National Head of Agri Business Consultancy. He is a Fellow of the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants (BIAC), and is current Chairman. His also a Fellow of The Institute of Agricultural Management. Previous to this Simon has been a Partner in Strutt & Parker, Director of Savills and also a partner in Andersons The Farm Business Consultants.

Over the last 28 years, Simon has gained extensive experience in Agriculture and Rural based Consultancy and all its aspects, including dealing with private, corporate and institutional landowners to provide tailored consultancy and business management solutions. He adopts a holistic approach, ensuring that every aspect of client’s rural business is carefully considered to maximise its potential. He delivers sustainable solutions while balancing financial performance, environmental enhancements and social inclusion.

LinkedIn

FOUNDER, HARA HEALING, & CERTIFIED HOLISTIC HEALTH COACH (JERSEY)

Susie Woods is the founder of HARA Healing, a space dedicated to nourishment and restoration. Her journey into alternative medicine began years ago when she faced her own health concerns and found traditional approaches lacking. This led her to study at the Academy of Healing Nutrition, where she became a certified Holistic Healing Practitioner and Coach.

In 2019, Susie created HARA, where she integrates various healing modalities, including food, herbs, lifestyle practices, and somatic therapies, to support healing and revitalisation. Central to her work is the alignment with nature's rhythms, which she considers essential to her practice. More recently, Susie has focused her studies on womb healing, deeply embodying this practice and continually witnessing the profound healing that occurs when the body is given the space to heal itself.

Insta

REGENERATIVE BUSINESS CONSULTANT, MAKE HONEY (GUERNSEY)

Jamie Prow, a regenerative consultant, leverages his experience in start-ups to drive innovation and change. With skills in research, analysis, and strategic thinking, he offers creative solutions to organisations. His work spans tech, manufacturing, and agriculture, enabling cross-industry insights in impact, sustainability, and corporate responsibility. Jamie's freelance services through Make Honey aim to help brands thrive in a changing world.

LinkedIn

FOUNDER, THE PEOPLE AND PLANET COMPANY (JERSEY)

Sarah founded The People and Planet Co to align her values with her work. She helps her clients develop and deliver authentic sustainability strategies aligned to sustainable development principles.

She has a unique blend of extensive consulting skills, technical sustainability knowledge and experience at the grassroots level working on projects tackling societal and environmental issues during her extensive global travels. A GRI Certified Sustainability Professional, ISO14001 Lead Auditor, and Associate Member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), Sarah has a keen interest in emerging models that measure true impact, along with systems that consider planetary boundaries, and value social and ecological returns.

LinkedIn

FOOD SYSTEMS RESEARCHER PHD, & CATALYST, HYPHA CONSULTING (JERSEY)

India has 14 years experience in food systems, engaging in systems innovation in multiple countries. Her passion for impactful work has led me to support various startups in from food system shops, cultural events, restaurants, biotechnology. Currently, she is working on food system transformation on the Island of Jersey, backed by the Adam Smith Business School Scholarship for Postgraduate Research in Management at the University of Glasgow. India runs HYPHA Consulting, a regenerative consultancy committed to pioneering sustainable futures within the rural economy and food system.

LinkedIn

DIRECTOR, HYPHA CONSULTING (JERSEY)

Taylor is a systems thinker, climate researcher, ecosystem builder, and social entrepreneur. She has worked extensively in communities in Nepal and Sri Lanka to implement community-led solutions to climate, circular economy, waste, food and water security. Her dynamic curiosity has led her to develop disruptive organisations that are challenging traditional notions of economics. Currently, she is based in the Isle of Jersey with HYPHA Consulting working to leverage potential across the food and agriculture system.

LinkedIn

JERSEY HERITAGE EDUCATION (JERSEY)

Sarah was a teacher for 15 years before pursuing her interests in agriculture, completing a traineeship in 'Farming and Community Engagement'. Sarah is currently working as part of the Education team for Jersey Heritage, where she has launched a new education programme called, 'Farming for the Future'. The aims of the programme are to connect children to their rural heritage, teach them about where their food comes from as well as the importance of healthy soils, biodiversity and why this matters.

Alongside HYPHA, Sarah is now working to extend Farming for the Future to include an industry focused element with a farmer curated learning and development programme, the theme for 2024 being ‘Farm resilience’.

LinkedIn

Insta

CULTIVATE EDUCATION LEAD, FARM JERSEY, & LIFESTYLE CONSULTANT, JOY BY JESS

Visit the Cultivate Theatre, where storytelling about land based careers, apprenticeships, secret gardens, flowers and outdoor living awaits!

Wills Baker former apprentice, now landscape business owner, will share his experience of how he trained in horticulture virtually whilst as an apprentice at Trinity Manor as well as trained in garden design also. Learn about the process involved and get to ask Wills your own curious questions.

LinkedIn

CEO, JERSEY BUSINESS

Paul has been supporting Jersey businesses for over 20 years as a B2B supplier and more recently growing one the largest ecommerce operators in Jersey. As CEO of Onogo Paul led the organisation to double its size, developed the team culture and gained the recognition of the “Jersey Good Business Charter” and was awarded IOD Director of the year “large business” in 2022.

LinkedIn

RESEARCHER, HYPHA CONSULTING (JERSEY)

Rachel Wijsmuller is a dedicated foodie, researcher, and gardener with a deep passion for living soil. She thrives on forging connections between unlikely collaborators and approaches problem-solving with a reflective curiosity. With a strong affinity for data and technical detail, Rachel is most content when engaging in hands-on activities, acquiring new skills, and tackling whatever tasks come her way. Currently, she is pursuing an MSc in Resilient Food and Farming Systems at Wageningen University and is involved in research aimed at supporting agroecological futures in Jersey.

LinkedIn

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, BOWHOUSE AT BALCASKIE ESTATE (SCOTLAND)

Rosie Jack is the manager of Bowhouse, bringing extensive experience in event and project management within the Scottish food and drink industry. With strong skills in communication, team leadership, and social media, she is dedicated to strengthening the local food supply chain by connecting small growers and producers with restaurants and shoppers in the East Neuk. Under her management, Bowhouse plays a vital role in ensuring that the area's finest ingredients and produce remain accessible to the local community.

LinkedIn

FARM MANAGER, COWLEY DAIRY FARM (JERSEY)

Peter Le Cornu began working at Andrew and Lorraine Le Gallais's Cowley dairy farm in 2018. Cowley Farm, located on Jersey, is a dairy farm with a milking herd of just over 200 high-yielding, all-pedigree Jersey cows. The farm currently operates on just under 900 vergées (400 acres) spread across approximately 120 different fields. Peter's family has a farming history on Jersey dating back to the early 1500s. Prior to 2018, he had spent his entire working life dairy farming with his parents and brother, until they made the difficult decision to sell their herd and cease dairying independently.