AIC Conference 2026 to Tackle Five Big Questions Facing the Industry
The agricultural supply industry is operating in a world of continuous change. Political developments, global markets, international trade, changing consumer behaviour and workforce challenges are all creating new considerations for businesses.
That changing landscape will be at the heart of the AIC Dinner & Conference 2026, taking place in Peterborough on 10 and 11 November, as we explore this year’s theme of ‘Delivering for the Agri-Food Supply Chain in a Changing World’.
Tickets are still available, with delegates able to view the programme and book their place.
John Kelley, AIC Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of AIC Services, said this year’s Conference will consider some of the key changes affecting the agri-supply chain and the opportunities and challenges they present for AIC Members and stakeholders.
“Businesses need to adapt and evolve to take on these new challenges. Without detailed knowledge of these changes and their likely impact, businesses may be blindsided.”
Bringing together speakers from politics, farming, international trade, consumer insight and business, the Conference will help delegates look beyond the immediate pressures and consider some of the bigger questions facing the industry.
1. What will the changing political landscape mean for the agricultural supply industry?
Political decisions have a direct impact on the environment in which agricultural supply businesses operate, from regulation and trade to food security and investment.
Speaking on The AIC Podcast, John Kelley said one of the messages AIC will be driving home at the Conference is that “food security is national security”, alongside the need to support a sustainable and thriving agricultural and agri-supply industry.
The Conference will open with AIC Chief Executive Robert Sheasby setting out AIC’s lobbying priorities for the year ahead, followed by political perspectives from across the UK and an opportunity for debate and questions.
This will give delegates an opportunity to hear directly about the political priorities that could shape the operating environment for their businesses.
2. What opportunities could changes in UK-EU trade create?
The proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement will be particularly timely, with the second EU-UK Summit taking place in Brussels on 20 November, just nine days after the AIC Conference. Leaders are expected to review progress since the first Summit in 2025, including work on agrifood rules and the next steps in the UK-EU relationship.
The UK Government has said it will use the Summit to pursue practical measures to cut costs and reduce red tape for British farmers and food businesses, putting UK-EU agricultural trade firmly in the spotlight.
John Kelley believes the developing SPS Agreement should be approached as an opportunity. Speaking on The AIC Podcast, he reflected on the additional costs, paperwork and bureaucracy businesses have faced when trading with Europe and the opportunities that reducing those barriers could present.
The AIC Conference will give delegates the opportunity to hear the European perspective ahead of the Summit. Alexander Döring, Secretary General of the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC); Garlich von Essen, Chief Executive of Euroseeds; and Stéphanie Pelet-Serra, Director of Agri Policies at COCERAL, will explore the opportunities and challenges surrounding a pragmatic SPS agreement and what it could mean for businesses on both sides
3. How will geopolitics and global markets affect UK businesses?
Developments elsewhere in the world can quickly make themselves felt throughout UK agricultural supply chains.
John Kelley highlighted the close connection between UK businesses and global events, pointing to climate pressures, political intervention and supply chain disruption as factors affecting AIC sectors.
Arnaud Petit, Executive Director of the International Grains Council, will provide an international and macroeconomic perspective on the key drivers affecting the UK, while Tom Bradshaw, President of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), will consider the challenges and opportunities facing UK farming and agriculture.
Together, the sessions will help delegates consider how wider economic and geopolitical developments could influence the markets and supply chains in which they operate.
4. How could changing consumer behaviour reshape the supply chain?
Change is also coming from the other end of the supply chain, as changing diets and shopping habits influence food demand.
This year’s Conference will explore the potential impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) appetite-suppressing drugs on food demand and UK agriculture, alongside wider consumer trends.
Vanessa Adamson, Retail and Consumer Insight Manager at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), and Daniel Clarke, Health and Sustainable Diets Manager at the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD), will examine how shoppers are changing their buying habits and the wider trends affecting the supply chain.
John Kelley said understanding what happens at consumer level is important for the agri-supply industry because changes in diets and purchasing behaviour could ultimately influence what is planted and how products are processed further up the supply chain.
5. Where will the industry's future workforce come from?
Alongside the immediate political and market challenges sits a longer-term question: how does the industry attract and develop the people it needs for the future?
The Conference will see the launch of AIC’s new Agri-Supply Careers Booklet, showcasing the breadth of careers across the industry and helping to raise awareness of the opportunities and routes available.
John Kelley said the new resource will “shine a light” on the careers available across the industry and the training and opportunities available to young people.
The discussion will then move from attracting people into the industry to working effectively across generations. Workplace and generational researcher Dr Paul Redmond will examine intergenerational working in the modern workplace.
With several generations now working alongside one another, John Kelley highlighted changing aspirations, expectations of work and emerging technology such as artificial intelligence as some of the issues businesses need to consider.
From challenges to opportunities
The programme will conclude by shifting the focus towards a practical UK business example, with a session looking at the story behind the development of British Wagyu beef.
But the wider aim of the day is to encourage delegates to step back from day-to-day business and look ahead.
As John Kelley explained on the AIC podcast, he hopes the Conference will give people an opportunity to have their “eyes lifted” to what is happening at a strategic level, from politics and economics to markets, skills and the future of the industry.
Alongside the speaker programme, networking remains an important part of the event, giving delegates the opportunity to exchange views with Member companies, stakeholders and the AIC team.
Journalist and broadcaster Anna Jones will chair the Conference, bringing the different discussions together throughout the day.
We’re proud to support the the Addington Fund, this year’s charity partner. The event is kindly supported by US Soybean Export Council (USSEC), Kiwa UK, RDP Communications, Eden Search, Sustainable Foods 2027, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Fund and UK Agri-Tech Centre. This year's charity partner is the Addington Fund.
The AIC Dinner takes place on Tuesday 10 November, followed by the AIC Conference on Wednesday 11 November at the Holiday Inn West, Peterborough.
View the full AIC Conference programme and speakers
Author
Wendy Ford
Wendy Ford is Communications Manager at AIC, creating and overseeing the content published on AIC's website, emails, Member briefings, print publications, and social media.
