Optimism and opportunity tops the agenda at the Great North Meet

Optimistic young farming speakers heralded a future with opportunity and change very much at the forefront at the 2008 Great North Meet presented by the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

Held at the Newton Rigg campus of the University of Cumbria, this major annual conference opened with a paper from local liberal democrat M.P Tim Farron. It then saw two teams of young farmers debate the future of the industry, and how they view their places within it, to a sell-out audience. Battling natural factors such as rainfall (measured in feet not inches!) and soil fertility, the Cumbrian Young Farmers embraced the challenges surrounding global food supply and energy security, seeing opportunity from the threat.

Practicing young farmers assembled by Reaseheath College provided a provocative debate, illustrating their will to succeed. Determined to find solutions to a subsidy-free future dominated by World Food prices, the team spoke about their own experience in adding value, co-operating and seizing opportunities in a fast changing environment.

The afternoon saw Mark Atherton - Northwest Regional Development Agency, David Hugill – farmer and Nuffield Scholar and Trevor Wilson – recent NFU County Chairman, outline the affects of the carbon footprint and climate change on farming. With flooding risk set to increase in Cumbria by the end of the century, and soaring summer temperatures, any short term benefits realised by farmers could spell disaster in the long term.

The award for best morning speaker was presented to 28 year old Will Case from Cumbrian Young Farmers. Mr Case saw advantage in population growth and the probability of increasing food demand which provided real opportunities for his market-led free-range egg enterprise. He received a membership of the Royal Agricultural Society.

Commenting on the Conference Sir Ben Gill, mentor and advisor to the two young farmer teams, said: "Our industry has many challenges to face, yet the optimism and determination of our young farmers to turn these changing circumstances to advantage is a lesson to us all. Having reviewed all the pressures that our society is currently facing, all of the participants recognised that the status quo is not an option. The quality of presentations was extremely high and the senior members of our community would benefit from listening to their refreshing and often radical approaches".

John Moverley, Society Chief Executive, said: 'The Great North Meet has re-established itself as the agricultural conference of the North. Next year, due to demand, there will be further expansion. The Conference is just one of the many ways the Society seeks to facilitate debate on key issues facing our sector'

The Conference was supported by Lycetts, NWDA, Smiths Gore and Dickinson Dees. To obtain copies of the presentations, visit www.greatnorthmeet.co.uk.