AIC’s Vicky Robinson to Speak on Regenerative Supply Chains at Groundswell
On Wednesday 1 July, Vicky Robinson, Head of Sustainability at the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC), will take part in a panel discussion at Groundswell, held in the Grass Tent from 17:30 – 18:25.
The session, titled “How are Supply Chains Evolving to Meet and Maintain Regen Principles”, will discuss the role that local supply chains have in providing diversity to the food system, whilst considering the reality that many farm businesses operate within a global trading environment. The panel will explore how global supply chains are evolving to support regenerative agriculture and how regenerative practices can be incentivised through trade.
Joining Vicky on the panel are:
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Angela Gibson - Quality & Sustainability Manager, Bunge UK Limited
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Emma Keller - Head of Sustainability, Nestle UK and Ireland
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Richard Pywell - Principal Ecologist - Biodiversity and Land Use, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
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Sam Thompson - Sustainability and Projects Director, The Billington Group
Vicky brings a wealth of experience to the discussion. Her career reflects a deep-rooted passion for both farming and the environment. She spent over 20 years at Natural England, delivering and shaping agri-environment policy, including Countryside Stewardship and the Environmental Land Management schemes. She later became Technical Director at LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) before taking up her current role at AIC. A 2019 Nuffield Scholar, Vicky also sits on the advisory group of Agricology and supports two farmer clusters. In 2025, Vicky was appointed an Oxford Farming Conference Director.
This marks the second consecutive year Vicky has contributed a panel at Groundswell. In 2025, she took part in a session titled “Does the Agricultural Input Sector Have a Role in Regenerative Agriculture?”, chaired by Kate Russell, Chief Operating Officer at Tellus Natural Capital Ltd. She was joined by Dr Lydia Smith, Head of Innovation Farm at NIAB (National Institute of Agricultural Botany), Ruth Grice, Farmer and Farm Liaison and Sustainability Manager at Long Clawson Dairy, and Heather Oldfield, Farmer and Cereals and Pulses Manager (UK and Ireland) at Limagrain.
As lead author of AIC’s Sustainability Action Plan, she has helped define how the agri-supply chain can contribute to a more sustainable food system, making her a highly relevant voice in this conversation.
The panel will include how value is recognised, how risk is shared across the supply chain, and how data is communicated to support confidence in measurement and transparency. Drawing on perspectives from across fresh produce, commodity crops, research and farming, the session will bring together a range of insights on this evolving topic.
This session will be of particular interest to farmers, agronomists, policymakers, and industry stakeholders committed to building sustainable food systems.
Tickets for Groundswell are available now: groundswell.org
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.
