Farming Minister Mark Spencer will open the British Pig & Poultry Fair when it takes place at the new venue of the NEC, in Birmingham, in May.
He will be speaking about farming policy ahead of the upcoming election on the opening day of the two-day event on May 15, while Defra’s Janet Hughes will also be part of a packed forum programme, explaining the new environmental schemes and grants.
As ever, the Poultry and Pig Theatres will bring together some great speakers to explore the hot topics of the day, including the popular Pig, Egg, and Poultry Outlooks, which will consider the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Mark Haighton, of Sofina Foods, will be appearing at the Pig Outlook forum. “While the UK and EU herds have likely stopped contracting, further rationalisation looks likely to continue in the US and elsewhere, affecting global trade,” he said. “What is the demand going to be for pork versus other proteins and what is happening with the meat-free agenda? That messaging doesn’t seem to be as potent as it once was.”
Other hot forum topics include attracting, recruiting and retaining the next generation of farming talent, along with how to successfully market to the next generation of consumers.
This year’s key themes at the Fair are innovation, collaboration and sustainability, with a new Innovation Theatre to profile the latest cutting-edge products and ideas. Visitors can hear how new software can predict early onset of respiratory disease in pigs, or can take the stress out of contingency planning in the event of disease outbreaks or natural disasters.
They can also learn about generating potential new income streams from farming insects, or how new technology can help them to reach net zero by turning animal bedding into valuable crop nutrition.
“It’s most certainly been a challenging couple of years for everyone in the pig, poultry and egg sectors, but it does feel like the tide is turning, and there are some positive outlooks ahead,” said David Grint, CEO at the RASE. “Our industry never fails to impress me with its resilience, adaptability, can-do attitude and innovative answers to the biggest of challenges.”
This year’s Fair, which is now less than a month away will include 336 exhibitors and is expected to attract around 7,500 visitors.
- Note, the 2024 Fair will be taking place at a venue and on new dates – Wednesday and Thursday May 15 and 16, at the NEC, Birmingham.
- Visit the website to book your FREE ticket.
- The full seminar line up is available HERE.