21st IFCN Supporter Conference
Together we can do it: Transformation of dairy
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Registration is open for the 21st IFCN Supporter Conference in Chester, UK
Chester, United Kingdom | 25-28 September, 2023
LIVE PARTICIPATION
25.-28. SEPTEMBER 2023, CHESTER, UK

JOIN US LIVE AT THE 21ST IFCN SUPPORTER CONFERENCE 2023
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- Free participation for IFCN Supporter Partners
- Please check amount of the available live seats according to your company Partnership contract
Do you have additional questions? Contact us
ONLINE PARTICIPATION
27. SEPTEMBER 2023, ONLINE STREAM

JOIN THE EVENT ONLINE – IFCN SUPPORTER CONFERENCE 2023
Registration will open End of May
- Free participation for IFCN Supporter Partners
- Please check amount of the available live seats according to your company Partnership contract
Do you have additional questions? Contact us
The conference venue
This year, dairy industry representatives are meeting in Chester, United Kingdom.
Its bewitching beauty and unique atmosphere make Chester one of Britain’s most popular places for an unforgettable short break. The ancient city is a truly breathtaking experience. Each chapter of Chester’s history is etched into the very fabric of the city.
Chester has the most complete city walls, the oldest racecourse, and the largest Roman Amphitheatre in Britain, plus a 1000-year-old Cathedral with Europe’s finest example of medieval carvings – and of course the one and only 700-year-old Rows galleries where shopping is a double delight.

The IFCN Supporter Conference will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel from September 25 to 28.
BOOK THE HOTEL HERE →




The conference will start
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Be part of the IFCN Supporter Conference
Data and international perspective
Get a better understanding of your national dairy market in a global context and the latest analysis of recent developments in the dairy world.
Grow your expertise
Learn more about this year’s special topic and share your insights among experts from all over the world. We look forward to knowing more about your views and to providing further insights and expert opinions.
Networking and knowledge exchange
Meet other dairy experts from across the globe and be informed about the latest development in the IFCN Network.
80 live Participants from more than 30 countries for IFCN Supporter Conference 2022
500 online Participants from more than 80 countries for IFCN Supporter Conference 2022
Together we can lead the dairy world into a better future

Profile of participants at
IFCN Events
The dairy world comes together – under the organization of IFCN, passionate dairy professionals from all over the world meet to discuss and evaluate the latest developments. To identify the challenges and opportunities of the future and form an active and world-leading network.
Sponsorship opportunites
Chester, UK | 25-28 September, 2022 | 4-days sponsorship package
Be part of the IFCN event and get exclusive insights
during the IFCN Supporterer Conference in 2023.
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to better position your company.
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4 additional seats live
40 seats online
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GOLD
2 additional seats live
20 seats online
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Participation in the panel discussion
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SILVER
1 additional seat live
5 seats online
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The conference programme - day 1
Chester, UK | Monday, 25 September, 2023 | United Kingdom experience & networking
Main activity: City experience and networking
09:00 – 15:00
Experience Chester
Visit Chester! Its bewitching beauty and unique atmosphere make Chester one of Britain's most popular places for an unforgettable short break.
The ancient city is a truly breathtaking experience. Each chapter of Chester's history is etched into the very fabric of the city. Well, you are walking where Roman Legionnaires marched to war, Viking raiders wreaked havoc and Norman invaders conquered Anglo Saxons.
Chester has the most complete city walls, the oldest racecourse and the largest Roman Amphitheatre in Britain, plus a 1000 year old Cathedral with Europe's finest example of medieval carvings - and of course the one and only 700 year old Rows galleries where shopping is a double delight.
19:00 – 22:00
We welcome you and open the conference in the traditional IFCN atmosphere: a relaxed and family-style networking at the hotel

The conference programme - day 2
Chester, UK | Tuesday, 26 September, 2023 | IFCN Dairy Data & Insights Day
Farm Trip
09:00 – 11:30
Farm Visit Grosvenor

David Craven
Non-executive board member on the AHDB dairy board.


Grosvenor Farms is home to 2,600 dairy cows producing over 32 million litres of fresh milk each year along with growing 2,200 hectares of forage and grains for food production and animal feed. Grosvenor Farms ambition is to be the UK’s leading producer of milk and cereal grains, farming sustainability to become a net zero carbon operation by 2030.
Through a focus on genetic improvement of the herd, improved technical efficiency and operating an integrated farming system which means 80% of animal feed is produced without artificial fertiliser, instead recycling manure into organic fertiliser, they have already achieved an average 30% carbon reduction in their dairy activities since 2014. Read more about the farm.



12:00 – 13:30
Lunch and networking
Conference Opening
13:00 – 13:10
Opening

Amelie Kölbl
Event Manager at IFCN


Becki Leach
Senior Consultant at Kite

13:10 – 13:20
Welcome from IFCN Management

General Manager at IFCN

13:20 – 13:45
Introduction to UK Dairy

Director at Kite Consulting

13:45 – 14:15
Balancing food production, policy & the planet

Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change and Valpak Limited
14:15 – 14:45
UK Dairy Roadmap: Industry collaboration to transformation

Ash Amirahmadi
Dairy UK Board
14:45 – 15:15
Panel Discussion: What does a transformation need to deliver?

General Manager at IFCN


Director at Kite

IFCN Short Term Outlook
15:15 – 15:45
Status Quo of Dairy Industry – Where will the dairy market go in the next 12 months

Lead Product Development at IFCN

15:45 – 16:30
Panel Discussion: Price volatility, low milk availability – what to expect in the next months?

Jukka Likitalo


Philipp Goetz


John Lancaster

Status of the dairy farms worldwide
17:00 – 17:30
Challenges and opportunities of key dairy production systems over the world

Dorothee Bölling
Senior Dairy Economist at IFCN

17:30 – 18:15
Panel discussion: Farm resilience – are we ready for future changes?

John Allen


David Christenson


David Craven

18:15 – 18:30
Sum Up & Closing
19:30 – 22:00
Gala Dinner at Chester Cathedral
Time to dress up! For the first time in IFCN's history, we are hosting a highly official gala dinner and are guests at Chester Cathedral. Live music, seated dining and you as our guests will make this an exceptionally elegant experience.
The conference programme - day 3
Chester, UK | Wednesday, 27 September, 2023 | IFCN Knowledge Day
Farm Trip
09:00 – 12:00
Farm Visit Ty Newydd

Ty Newydd Farms consists of a total of 950 Crossbred, Spring block calving cows, producing almost 5.5 million litres of high component milk each year on 2 separate sites.
The farm is certified organic and focusses on growing and grazing high quality grass to maximise milk production from forage. They proactively endorse organic principles, minimising the use of external inputs, to deliver positive environmental outcomes.


12:00 – 13:30
Lunch and networking
Conference Opening
13:30 – 13:40
Opening

Amelie Kölbl
Event Manager at IFCN


Becki Leach
Senior Consultant at Kite

13:10 – 13:20
Together we can do it – Framework of today

General Manager at IFCN

Future of Dairy Consumers: Expectations vs. Reality
13:50 – 14:10
Sustainability Plans for dairy supply chain: Do you have the mandate to operate in the future?

Senior Director Sustainable Supply Chains for ASDA

14:10 – 14:30
The face of dairy demand in Europe and beyond – the human race is running out of space

Erik Elgersma
Visiting Lecturer at VU School of Business, Dairy Consultant

14:30 – 15:15
Panel discussion: Who is the future dairy consumer and how to align your business with market expectations?

Roxi Beck


Erik Elgersma


Chris Brown

Transformation of Dairy Supply Chain
15:45 – 16:15
Coorp. Policy Requirements & Strategies

Head of Sustainability at Kite

16:15 – 16:30

16:30 – 16:50
Coming soon
16:50 – 17:45
Panel discussion: Transformation of dairy supply chain. Will we have a mandate to operate?



17:45 – 18:00
Sum Up of the day 3
20:00 – 00:30
IFCN networking evening at Chester Zoo
The conference programme - day 4
Chester, UK | Thursday, 28 September, 2023 | IFCN strategic knowledge day
IFCN Long Term Outlook
09:00 – 10:00
IFCN Long Term Outlook | IFCN Philipp Goetz

Lead Product Development at IFCN

10:00 – 10:45
Panel Discussion: Shocks vs megatrends in dairy industry - how to be prepared for the future?

Lead Product Development at IFCN


Erik Elgersma
Visiting Lecturer at VU School of Business, Dairy Consultant

11:15 – 12:15
IFCN 2025: future perspectives and what does it mean for your business
12:15 – 12:30
Closing of the Conference
12:30 – 14:00
Lunch
Panellists & Speakers












Moderators

Amelie Kölbl
Event Manager at IFCN

Becki Leach
Senior Consultant at Kite
Gallery from our previous events





















Contact
September 25-28 — Join our conference live in United Kingdom
IFCN Dairy Research Network ifcndairy.org
Schauenburgerstr. 116 – 24118 Kiel, Germany
+49 431 530 240 0
events@ifcndairy.org
VAT-ID no: DE 295011907
Copyright © by IFCN 2022. All rights reserved
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Grosvenor Farms
Grosvenor Farms is home to 2,600 dairy cows producing over 32 million litres of fresh milk each year along with growing 2,200 hectares of forage and grains for food production and animal feed. Grosvenor Farms ambition is to be the UK’s leading producer of milk and cereal grains, farming sustainability to become a net zero carbon operation by 2030. Through a focus on genetic improvement of the herd, improved technical efficiency and operating an integrated farming system which means 80% of animal feed is produced without artificial fertiliser, instead recycling manure into organic fertiliser, they have already achieved an average 30% carbon reduction in their dairy activities since 2014.
The Rt. Hon John Gummer, Lord Deben, set up and now runs Sancroft, a Corporate Responsibility consultancy working with blue-chip companies around the world on environmental, social and ethical issues. Lord Deben is Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change and Valpak Limited.
He was the longest serving Secretary of State for the Environment the UK has ever had (1993-97). His sixteen years of top-level ministerial experience also include Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Food, Minister for London, Employment Minister and Paymaster General in HM Treasury. He has consistently championed an identity between environmental concerns and business sense.
Ash Amirahmadi is one of the most high-profile leaders in the UK food and farming sector. Since 2018 he has been the Managing Director of Arla Foods UK, a cooperative owned by farmers which is the biggest dairy firm in the country and one of Britain’s largest food and beverage companies. He is also the current Chair of the boards of both Dairy UK and IGD.
Chris is the Senior Director Sustainable Supply Chains for ASDA. Previous to this appointment he held positions in Government and at the Meat and Livestock Commission where he was Beef Strategy Manager.
He moved into retail as Agricultural Technologist with Marks and Spencer before joining ASDA. His remit covers supply chain standards development, Greenhouse Gas management and new product development. He was a member of the Bioscience for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Strategy Advisory Panel of the BBRSC (2016 -2022).
David runs Kingston Hill Farm Ltd, his family-owned farming company operating dairy and beef farming enterprises in the Thames Valley some 10 miles to the west of Oxford. After graduating from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in 1990 he spent 9 months milking cows in New Zealand before joining the family business which farms 1600 acres of rented land on which 950 cows are milked and up to a further 1300 cattle are reared.
He is a former chairman of the Maize Growers Association, has been a director of the Orion Farming Group (a farm input buying group), was a farmer director of Milk Link and is now a member of the Board of Representatives for Arla. He sits on the Midlands and East Regional Advisory Board for the NFU Mutual and chaired it from 2017 to 2022. He is an advisor to Reading University for the National Institute for Research into Dairying Trust.
David is a Trustee of the Oxfordshire Agricultural Society Trust, a charity which gives financial assistance for training and development to young people living in Oxfordshire and engaged in the agricultural sector. He is married to Catherine and they have three children, Thomas age 25, Matthew age 21 and Nancy age 16. In any spare time left after the above he acts as an unpaid taxi driver for his daughter and suffers the emotional rollercoaster of being a Gloucester Rugby fan.
An active speaker, trainer, facilitator and a trusted advisor to food system thought leaders, Roxi Beck helps audiences think differently about earning trust. As consumer engagement director for The Center for Food Integrity and president of Look East, Roxi brings nearly 20 years’ experience working with clients across the food system, directing strategy and activities for consumer-facing food and agriculture initiatives.
Whether working with registered dietitians, toxicologists, corporate executives, communication directors, restaurateurs, farmers, non-profit leaders, even consumers, Roxi connects the dots on the varied pressure points that shape today’s food system and helps organizations incorporate transparency principles and trust-growing approaches into their culture.
Roxi received bachelor’s degrees in psychology and public relations from Coe College. She serves on the board for Iowa State University’s Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative, is a graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute, is past-president of the National Agri-Marketing Association’s Iowa Chapter, and most importantly, is wife to Chris and mom to two active kids.
Jukka has around 15 years of experience in the dairy sector, food industry and EU affairs. He has been heading Eucolait, the voice of the European dairy trading community with more than 400 members, since 2014.
His responsibilities include the day-to-day management and representation of the organisation, dairy policy and market analysis, as well as advising member companies. In addition to his role in Eucolait, Jukka is the treasurer and a member of the presidium of CELCAA, the European Liaison Committee for Agri-Food Trade. Jukka has previously worked as a Legal & Policy adviser at Eucolait and on fisheries policy at the European Commission. He holds a Master Degree in European and international law from the University of Nice and a Management Diploma from the Solvay Business School in Brussels.
Łukasz has worked in the dairy industry topics for last 10 years now. He is the General Manager of “IFCN AG – The Dairy Research Network” and not only a member of the IFCN AG management for strategic decision & company development but also a specialist in the dairy market analysis.
His focus is on the dairy value chain analysis, dairy market forecasts and structural dairy market development.
David leads the dairy operations at Grosvenor Farms, producing safe, healthy nutritious food while ensuring the highest standards of health and welfare of its animals. Employed by Grosvenor Farms for over 30 years, David has gained a wealth of experience, particularly in cattle housing and infrastructure.
In 2010 a review of the dairy enterprise was undertaken with a decision to create Grosvernor’s state-of-the-art dairy unit, Lea Manor Farm, committing to the future of dairying on the estate and to the wider industry for future generations. David was tasked with leading a team to research, design and ultimately create the new facility.
David is currently a non-executive board member on the AHDB dairy board.
He studied at Reaseheath College, one of the leading specialist land-based colleges in the UK.
Hayley Campbell-Gibbons, Head of Sustainability at Kite has worked for over fifteen years in the food and farming sector. Most recently, Hayley became the youngest appointed non-executive board member of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, where she stayed for three years.
On leaving AHDB Hayley started her own agri-policy consultancy business, focusing largely on providing sustainability advice to farmers and food businesses. In August 2022 Hayley was ministerially appointed to the board of the Food Standards Agency.
Ms Dorothee Boelling, PhD, is an internationally experienced agronomist with diversified working experience in scientific research and livestock development in various countries around the world, especially in Nepal, Cambodia, and Latin America. Her practical work experience in dairying includes long-term farm stays in several European countries, New Zealand, and Peru.
She has proven research skills in animal breeding and economics, particularly in the dairy sector, data collection and analysis of large data sets. Since 2011, she has worked as a consultant with the International Farm Comparison Network Dairy Research Center, regularly collecting and analysing dairy data at sector and farm level in over 100 countries. Her work focusses on the development of the dairy sector in different countries, based on the evaluation of the economic, environmental, and social performance of dairy farms.
Philipp is working since 2017 at IFCN and is focusing on modelling the milk production and price developments.
He started as a dairy economist analysing, presenting and collecting dairy sector data in over 100 countries, he is now the Lead of Product Development, managing, planning, analysing and developing the IFCN data services and insights.
Visiting Lecturer at VU School of Business, Amsterdam, independent dairy consultant)
Erik has been Director of Strategic Analysis in Friesland Campina up to Dec. 2018, where he worked for 20 years. He is now independent consultant to the global food industry, having among others consulted to five of the world’s top-20 dairy companies in the last 2 years. He is also a visiting lecturer at the Free University Amsterdam, School of Business & Economics, Faculty Management & Organization.
Dr. Torsten Hemme is the founder and CEO of the IFCN Dairy Research Network.
He studied agricultural economics at the University of Göttingen in Germany and at Texas A&M University in USA.
His doctoral thesis set the basis for the IFCN, whose mission is to create a better understanding of the dairy world by providing comparable data, knowledge and inspiration.
In 2022, researchers from more than 100 countries participated. Moreover, more than 140 agribusiness companies are members of the network and use its data and knowledge base for their strategic planning.