Cumbria is preparing to host the biggest and most important gathering for the UK’s beef industry, Beef Expo 2024, taking place at North West Auctions near Kendal on Saturday 27 April.
Organised to coincide with British Beef Week, Beef Expo has become the most significant one-day showcase for the British beef industry, attracting thousands of breeders, breed societies, farmers, suppliers and industry stakeholders from across the country to celebrate the UK’s world class beef genetics, and to share ideas and innovations for the industry’s future development.
This year’s programme of seminars will tackle some of the fundamental issues facing the industry in the current landscape of rising costs and falling government support.
Panellists, including government and shadow ministers, MPs, and leading supermarket procurement directors, will address issues including farming and finance and retailer requirements.
AHDB will lead a seminar focussing on the fundamental question of suckler profitability, and every seminar will give farmers and breeders full opportunity to seek answers to questions on the future of the industry and their own businesses.
This year’s programme will focus on the future of the industry in a year of political change, with speakers including the current Minister of State for Food, Farming & Fisheries, Sir Mark Spencer MP, and shadow ministers from the Labour and Lib Dem front benches.
John Powell, DEFRA head of agriculture will lead a panel of experts analysing the results of the recently completed Farmers’ Weekly annual survey on the state of the industry.
Senior representatives from four of the UK’s leading supermarket chains including Steve McLean, head of agriculture and fisheries for M&SS Food; Chris Brown, senior director for sustainable supply chain at Asda; Joseph Keating, senior agriculture manager at the Co-op; Nick Rose, buying director at Aldi; and Laurie Ibbotson, commercial director for Dovecote Park, the leading meat processors for Waitrose will discuss the future of their relationship with industry suppliers and livestock farmers.
In the National Commercial Cattle Show, over 100 heads of some of the UK’s best commercial cattle will come to Cumbria from across the country to compete for top honours, judged by a panel of leading British experts, and the stars of the future will be chosen from the next generation of commercial breeders and farmers aged between 14- 21 in the Young Handlers classes.
The event will also provide a vital platform for breeders, farmers, businesses, and stakeholders to showcase ideas and innovations for the industry’s future development, and an extraordinary line-up of high-level panellists will lead discussions on the threats and opportunities facing the beef industry today and tomorrow.
In this year’s Beef Expo trade exhibition, a record number of more than 100 trade exhibitors and 13 breed societies will highlight the latest research developments, technology, and innovation, giving beef farmers the chance to view demonstrations and discuss potential options and ideas to improve productivity and efficiency at home.
Throughout the day ScotEID will be giving a demonstration on Ultra High Frequency (UHF) tag types.
National Beef Association chief executive, Neil Shand, said: “The British beef industry has very deep roots in this part of the world, and we are absolutely delighted to be returning to Cumbria. The industry is very resilient and highly progressive, and this event will raise issues and answer questions on how we ensure the industry is future fit.
“Everybody involved in the industry and in Beef Expo is committed to maintaining the development and success of an industry respected around the world, and this year’s event will above all be a wonderful celebration of the health, strength and success of our outstanding beef farming sector.”
