BEEF Expo, one of the UK’s key annual knowledge-sharing events bringing together the best of pedigree and commercial cattle, opens its gates to the public on Friday, May 25, at Halls Shrewsbury Livestock Auction Centre.

A nucleus for networking, the event which is held in a different location in the UK every year,

will again feature numerous displays and demonstrations of the latest machinery and equipment, highlight trends and developments within the industry, as well as nutrition and genetics.

In addition, some 120 trade stands, to include 11 breed society displays, the ever popular National commercial cattle show which attracts stock from all over the country, and the South Devon's technical championships, will, as always, be the main attractions for many.

This year's event is titled 'Beef Up Our Future,' so the seminars staged throughout the day look set to stir the thoughts and opinions of all attending as politicians and industry experts will be discussing the future of the industry.

Neil Parish, chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) select committee, Robin Manning agriculture policy and trade specialist for DEFRA and Chris Mallon, chief executive of the National Beef Association (NBA) are lined up to debate ‘Post Brexit, Regulation and Mechanisms’ in a seminar chaired by Chris Dodds of the Livestock Auctioneers Association.

Neil has served continuously on the EFRA select committee since he was first elected, and as of 2015 was elected chair of the committee. The committee is a cross-party group of MPs appointed by the House of Commons to scrutinise Defra.

Before entering politics Neil was a farmer, and since then he has focused on supporting farmers and the food industry, improving air quality, protecting the environment and promoting animal welfare.

Robin Manning has more than 30 years experience in agricultural policy, working on policy development, legal drafting, negotiation and implementation. Between 2009 and 2016 he worked for the European Commission (AGRI) before moving to trade policy issues in Defra.

Chris Mallon, is the driving force of the NBA, representing the views of British Beef farmers in Westminster and the devolved administrations. Chris is passionate about the industry and ensuring that it is supported in ways that champion productivity and advances in technology, encourage new entrants and protects the environment, air, water and soils.

The seminar will begin at 11.30am in the main auction ring of the market.

Further seminars will run throughout the day to include the first titled ‘Managing Health for Profitability in Commercial Cattle Herds’ at 10am chaired by Bill Harper, chair of the NBA SW region and NBA TB committee.

It will include Bob Bostelmann, chairman of the South Devon Herd Book Society, farmer and former vet, speaking on the importance of maintaining production through TB eradication and Matt Yarnell of Boehringer Ingelheim who will present the second session on the results of the second year of the UKs BVD survey.

The final seminar at 1.30pm will be on organics and will be chaired by Ralph Human, managing director of Organic Livestock Marketing Co-operative (OLMC). Speakers include: Steven Feehan, group livestock manager for ABP, Richard Thompson, organic farmer from East Yorkshire, Richard Smith from Daylesford, Clare Hill, agricultural strategy manager for FAI Farms in Gloucestershire and Tim Leigh of OLMC.

Tickets are £15 or £10 when pre-booked online at www.beefexpo.com. For more information please call 01434 601005 or visit our website.

National commercial cattle show

NEIL Slack, a former overall champion winner at the Beef Expo at Hexham, from Penrith, will be the main man at the National commercial cattle show, selecting the winners in the native and continental classes as well as the supreme champions.

Michael Alford of Foxhill pedigree Limousins, Devon, will also have his work cut out for him judging the baby beef classes, baby championships and young handlers classes.