With costs remaining high and margins under pressure, farm businesses are being forced to make sharper decisions about where profit is protected.
This 草榴社区 Guardian 鈥楩uture of Farming' webinar, in partnership with Lloyds, brought together voices from finance, farming and the wider supply chain to explore what profitability really looks like in today's environment and how farm businesses can position themselves to remain viable.
The panel, chaired by deputy editor Alex Black, examined the choices that matter now as well as how farmers can move beyond short-term survival towards sustainable, long-term profitability.
Panelists
Rebecca Wilson
Rebecca Wilson is a fifth-generation farmer, podcaster and advocate for British agriculture, passionate about ensuring farming and nature thrive side by side. Educated at the University of Cambridge and the Royal Agricultural University, she previously worked as a rural surveyor and poultry-sector project manager before returning full time to her family farm in the Vale of York. There, the business runs a 200-ewe breeding flock integrated with an arable enterprise, focusing on soil health, herbal and clover leys, and cover crops. The farm also hosts the Hutchinsons North Helix demonstration site, trialling new technologies and sharing innovation with the wider industry.
Named in The Times Young Power List in 2025 and a recipient of the Royal Agricultural University Alumnae of the Year Award, Rebecca champions farmers as custodians of the countryside and amplifies their voice in national conversations on food, sustainability and the environment. She shares her experiences through writing, social media, public speaking and the Wilson & Ashley Podcast, which she co-hosts with dairy farmer Charlotte Ashley.
Ben Makowiecki, Agriculture Sustainability Director from Lloyds
Ben has worked in the agriculture industry for听over听25听years.听As听Agriculture听Sustainability Director at Lloyds Banking Group, he听leads the Bank's听agricultural听sustainability proposition, develops products and tools for customers and colleagues and听works on听internal and external policies.听 He has regular engagement with听farmers, retailers,听DEFRA,听politicians听and NGOs, driving collaboration across the value chain听to help farming customers become more听economically and environmentally resilient.听
Webinar hosted in partnership with Lloyds
