Every year Groundswell brings together some of the most innovative minds in regenerative agriculture, soil health and sustainable food production.

This year, Agriton UK is inviting visitors to join us at Stand A70 to explore one of the most important conversations facing farming, horticulture and our communities:

How do we turn waste streams into living soil systems?

Rethinking Waste

For decades, organic materials such as food waste, green waste, crop residues and farmyard manure have often been viewed as disposal problems.

But what if we looked at them differently?

What if these materials were seen as valuable biological resources capable of building soil fertility, improving resilience and reducing reliance on imported inputs?

At Groundswell 2026, we'll be exploring exactly that.

Through practical demonstrations, discussions and real-world examples, visitors will discover how composting, fermentation and biological management can help keep nutrients cycling locally while supporting healthier soils and more productive growing systems.

Healthy Soils Begin with Biology

Whether you're managing a farm, market garden, school project, community composting initiative or your own garden, the principles remain the same.

Healthy soils depend on living biology.

When organic materials are managed correctly, they become a food source for the soil food web. This helps build soil structure, improve water infiltration, increase nutrient availability and support healthier plant growth.

Rather than focusing solely on inputs, we'll be discussing how biological processes can help farmers and growers retain more value from the resources they already have.

Live Talks and Demonstrations

Throughout the event we'll be hosting a series of conversations and demonstrations focused on practical solutions that can be implemented at every scale.

Michael Kennard – Compost Club

Michael Kennard will explore how community composting, regenerative growing and local food systems can reconnect people with the soil beneath their feet.

Drawing on practical projects and years of experience, Michael will discuss how composting can become a powerful tool for building fertility, biodiversity and community resilience.

Martyn Richards – Agriton UK

Martyn Richards will explore how food waste, biological systems and community composting can help reconnect towns and cities back into regenerative agriculture.

Topics include:

Food waste as a resource
Fermentation versus rotting
Nutrient retention
Market garden systems
Circular food economies
Building resilient local soil systems

Laura & Dan – Ridan Composting

Laura and Dan from Ridan Composting will be demonstrating how practical composting systems can work alongside fermentation systems to create nutrient-dense composts and biologically active soil amendments.

Discussions and demonstrations will include:

Compost tumblers
Food waste composting
Green waste systems
Practical compost management
Composting in schools and communities
Growing space integration

Practical Solutions for Real-World Challenges

Agriculture today faces multiple challenges:

Rising input costs
Declining soil organic matter
Nutrient losses
Waste management pressures
Climate resilience concerns

The solutions are rarely found in a single product or technology.

Instead, they often come from understanding biological processes and working with natural systems.

Visitors to the stand will be able to see a range of practical approaches including:

Bokashi fermentation systems
Food waste to soil solutions
Market garden composting systems
Farmyard manure Bokashi heaps
Compost tumblers and aerobic composting systems
Biological and mineral amendments including Actiferm, Edasil and Aegir

Connecting Towns, Farms and Food Systems

One of the key themes running throughout the event is reconnecting nutrient cycles.

Food is grown in rural areas, consumed in urban environments and too often nutrients are lost from the system entirely.

Through composting, fermentation and local resource management, we can begin to close those loops.

By treating organic materials as resources rather than waste, communities, growers and farmers can all play a role in rebuilding soil health and strengthening local food resilience.

Visit Agriton at Groundswell 2026

Groundswell provides a unique opportunity to bring together farmers, growers, composters, educators and community groups around practical solutions.

Whether you're interested in composting, soil health, food waste, regenerative farming or simply want to learn more about how biology can support productive growing systems, we'd love to meet you.

📍 Agriton Stand A70

Join us for conversations, demonstrations and practical ideas that help turn waste streams into soil systems.

Because when we start with biology, healthier soils naturally follow.

Groundswell 2026: From Waste Streams to Soil Systems