Countdown to 10 Years of Groundswell Begins with Seminar Programme Launched

Hosted by the Cherry farming families at Lannock Farm in Hertfordshire, the event selects a large proportion of its sessions from submissions put forward by businesses, farmers and industry experts.

“We were blown away by the number of high-quality session applications for this year, over ten times the available spaces,” says Event Director, Alex Cherry.

Over the past decade, Groundswell has grown from a small event attended by a few hundred people into a major international festival attracting thousands of visitors each year.

Widely regarded as the flagship event for those seeking practical solutions, innovative ideas, and seeking collaboration opportunities, Groundswell’s 10-year journey has helped shape the rise of regenerative agriculture and thinking differently. It continues to ensure all conversations are welcome, offering a platform that is both inclusive and challenging for the industry as farmers navigate the future of agriculture.

The programme has expanded to include hundreds of speakers covering topics such as soil biology, biodiversity, livestock integration, agroecology, food systems and climate resilience. For more practical learning, Groundswell is valued for its wide array of practical demonstrations, farm walks and machinery displays, as well as insightful safaris exploring what lives in the farm’s hedgerows, soils and wooded areas.

This year, almost 500 speakers will join the discussion including:

• Chris van Tulleken: Professor of Infection & Global Health at University College London (UCL) and a doctor at the London Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Chris studied medicine at Oxford University and has a PhD in molecular biology from UCL. He chaired the launch of The Lancet series on Ultra-Processed Food and works closely with UNICEF and the World Health Organisation.
   
• Allen Williams: a sixth-generation family farmer and founding partner of Libertas Land, Understanding Ag, Soil Health Academy, and Regenified. He has consulted on thousands of farms in over 45 countries, on operations ranging from a few acres to over 2 million acres. He is a former university researcher and author of more than 400 scientific and press articles.
   
• Will Harris: a fourth-generation cattleman, who farms the same land his great-grandfather settled in 1866. Born and raised on White Oak Pastures, Will left to attend the University of Georgia's College of Agriculture, where he was trained in post WWII industrial farming methods. He graduated in 1976 and returned to run the farm as a cattle factory.  After 20 years, he changed his farming operation, to focus on humane animal husbandry and land stewardship, and is now recognised as a leader in these methods.
   
• Elaine Patarini: with a background in nutrition, journalism, and work in Hollywood, she has found a passion for building community around regenerative agriculture. Through the NoRegrets Initiative and Paicines Ranch Learning Center in central California, she directs programmes including Learning Journey, Gathering Fire Facilitation Training, and workshops that support farmers.
  Commenting on the 2026 event, Alex added, “When we launched Groundswell back in 2016, we wanted to create a space where knowledge, innovation and practical, real-world experience could be openly shared. Over the years, our audience has evolved, and Groundswell now brings together farmers, researchers, food producers, policymakers and environmentalists to explore resilient, nature-friendly farming systems.

“Regenerative agriculture is gaining momentum worldwide, and this year we want to help move the conversation from pioneering examples to systemic transformation that benefits farmers, landscapes and society.”

To view the full seminar programme and speakers visit the website. Tickets are also on sale at https://groundswellag.com/. Visitors are encouraged to buy tickets in advance as the event traditionally sells out and tickets are not sold at the gate.