| News
Market Harborough hosts “best ever”
Leicestershire County Show
Market Harborough hosted the biggest ever Leicestershire County Show
over the bank holiday weekend (Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th August).
rganised by the Leicestershire
Agricultural Society, this is the
second consecutive year that
Market Harborough has
accommodated the county
show at the Airfield Business
Park just outside the town centre.
Due to its popularity last year, 2017 is the
first year that the event has been held over two
days. Around 13,000 people passed through
the gates of the event that celebrates all
aspects of rural life; an increase on the 12,000
that attended last year.
The gates were opened at 8:30am on
Saturday and visitors were treated to a range of
activities on the day, including a motorcycle
stunt display, a dog show and a classic car and
tractor rally. These were held amongst the
O
range of trade shows, craft stands and rural
competitions. The opening day closed with a
luxurious banquet dinner and live music in the
member’s marquee at the showground.
Large crowds gathered on the following day
for more events and activities including the
grand parade that crowned off a successful
2017 Leicestershire County Show.
“This was by far the best show since we
began organising them,” explains David Young
of the Leicestershire Agricultural Society.
“There were more people, more activities and
more time to get around and fully enjoy the
event. We’d like to thank all of the visitors,
sponsors, exhibitors and of course the farmers
and animals for making it so great.”
Although there was a range of other events
and activities for visitors, the heart of the
Leicestershire County Show is rural life. “We
had plenty of entries for all of our cattle, equine
and livestock classes this year. It was good to
see so many people of all ages come out to
support the event and experience our
wonderful countryside and agriculture,” adds
David.
The Leicestershire Agricultural Society was
formed in 1833 by a group of Leicestershire
farmers to promote improvements in
agriculture.
Pictures and information about the event can
be found at
www.leicestershirecountyshow.co.uk
Pembrokeshire farmers raise concerns over
NVZ’s and bovine TB with Cabinet Secretary
Pembrokeshire farmers and Farmers’ Union of Wales officials met with Cabinet Secretary Lesley Griffiths at
Pembrokeshire County Show to discuss the NVZ consultation and bovine TB.
UW Deputy President Brian
Thomas said: “We had a very
good meeting with the Cabinet
Secretary and discussed the
timing of an announcement on
the NVZ consultation. It was
confirmed that a decision would be announced
by the end of the year.
“The length of any implementation period
was also highlighted as an issue, as the period
of time needs to be as long as possible to
F
enable the planning permission system to be
able to cope, to ensure the availability of
specialist contractors and to take account of
the fact that there will be periods of the year
when no construction work can take place due
to weather conditions.
“The NVZ consultation and the fact that 1800
farms in Pembrokeshire would be affected if
plans go ahead to designate the Milford Haven
and Cleddau catchment areas was also raised
along with the serious financial implications
08 | Farming Monthly | September 2017
which this would have for farmers.”
The changes to the TB regulations,
particularly with regards to enhanced
management herds and penalties being
applied due to late TB tests when health and
safety had been an issue, were also discussed.
“We discussed the issue of bovine TB here in
the county and look forward to continuing to
work with Welsh Government on progressing
the matter,” said FUW Pembrokeshire County
Chairman David Nicholas.
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