Managing the margin squeeze
The 2009 Joint Venture Farming Group’s annual conference on 10 February features a line-up of top industry speakers and joint venture practitioners.
Focusing on the challenging future for farming, the conference looks at the global economic situation and how farm businesses can combat the combined threats of mounting production costs, restricted credit and increased working capital requirements.
JVFG chairman and Northants farmer Charles Matts says: "With production costs squeezing arable margins into the red, managing the margin has never been more important. My membership of the Joint Venture Farming Group helps me to focus on this."
"The programme of speakers at this year’s conference brings together a wide range of experience and skills. Mark Berrisford-Smith, HSBC’s senior economist is our key-note speaker – he’ll give a global perspective on food policy and prices," adds conference organiser and JVFG secretary, Simon Fisher. "Focusing back in on the group’s own businesses, we’ll hear from Gary Markham of Grant Thornton and Jamie Gwatkin, the JVFG consultant on how the JVFG members have fared this year. Benchmarking with other businesses is an important part of the group’s philosophy."
Other speakers at the all-day conference include Mark Tucker, head of agronomy for Yara UK, Antony Pearce of Manor Farm LLP a joint venture group in Buckinghamshire and the JVFG vice chairman and Gary Naylor of Worth Farms Limited, Lincolnshire. The day will be chaired by Steve Ellwood, the chairman of EFFP (English Food and Farming Partnerships).
This year’s conference is sponsored by HSBC, Anglia Farmers Ltd, East Midlands Development Agency (emda), Claas, EFFP, Grant Thornton, Simba, SOYL, Woldmarsh and Yara.
Places at the conference, which is being held at the Greetham Valley Golf Club, Greetham, near Oakham, Rutland, can be booked online at www.jvfg.co.uk or by freepost to Grant Thornton UK LLP, 18 Langton Place, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1BR. Each JVFG member is allocated two free places, but additional and non-member places will be charged a small fee to cover lunch and administration costs, of £24.15 (inc VAT at 15%).
