Cereals and Groundswell 2026 - That's a Wrap

If you know us, you’ll know we’re no strangers to the world of farm trade shows. And Cereals, The Lincolnshire Show and Groundswell are just a few that regularly make it into the calendar.

Alongside other exhibitions and events, this trio of agricultural shows give us the chance to step away from the desk, get out and chat!

You may have seen our Lincolnshire Show wrap-up, where we talked about the value of face-to-face interaction and what those conversations can teach us about marketing in this sector. Cereals and Groundswell gave us two more opportunities to do exactly that - to have a proper nosey, listen to what people are talking about, and see first-hand where the industry is heading.

Getting out and learning properly

This year, it was Alex and Rowan who headed down to Cereals and a couple of weeks later Groundswell as well, where the great and the good of the arable world came together to talk markets, weather, change, and what the next twelve months might bring for a sector that already has more than enough challenges to contend with.

Both Cereals, held this year at Jeremy Clarkson's farm in Oxfordshire, and Groundswell, which took place at Lannock Farm once again, made for worthwhile road trips, each offering a unique perspective on the future of farming. There was plenty of curiosity surrounding Cereals' new venue and how it would compare to previous years, while Groundswell once again reinforced its reputation as the home of regenerative agriculture.

Despite their different settings and audiences, it was interesting to see how both events embraced the industry’s continued (but more noticeable) shift towards regenerative agriculture, sustainability, and diversification. Perhaps most notably, there was a growing recognition that farms of all types can adopt regenerative practices, creating hybrid systems that blend conventional and regenerative approaches.

That’s something we care about deeply at Knapton Wright. Not because it makes for a nice line in a blog, but because it actually connects directly with the kind of clients we work with and the kind of work we want to do more of.

Supporting our clients

We were also there to support our client, Sea2Soil, whose work sits right in the middle of conversations about soil health, sustainability, and the future of farming.

For us, being at events like Cereals and Groundswell is not just about being there for the sake of it. It’s about understanding the environment our clients are operating in. Seeing what their audiences are seeing, hearing what their customers are talking about, and spotting the themes that matter before they become another generic marketing trend.

That context helps us do better work. Better strategy, better messaging, better content, and better support for the people and businesses trying to move things forward.

A sector that still cares

Rowan’s first few weeks at Knapton Wright happened to include Cereals, the Lincolnshire Show and - as it turned out - Groundswell, which was a fairly fitting introduction to the way we work. We like to get out and about and build knowledge from real experience, not assumptions.

Across Cereals and Groundswell, one of the biggest takeaways was a simple but encouraging one: people really do care.

The whole world is not just about AI, automation, and whatever the next shiny thing might be. There is a huge portion of the population backing sustainability, better practices, and a stronger, more sustainable future for generations to come.

Why it matters for marketing

There’s nothing wrong with having a nosey. In fact, we’d argue it’s essential.

For us, events are part of the learning process. They help us keep our thinking sharp, refine our strategies, and find new ways to support clients working in fast-moving sectors.

Good marketing does not happen in isolation. It comes from understanding people, places, pressures, and priorities. It comes from listening before speaking. And sometimes, it comes from standing in a field, wearing Sea2Soil sunglasses, talking about what the future of farming might look like.

Were you at Groundswell or Cereals this year? If you fancy a chin wag over coffee, drop us a line at hello@knaptonwright.co.uk 😉