The Farmers Mart Spring 2017 - Issue 50 | Page 45

Events NBA BEEF EXPO 2017: THE KEY BEEF INDUSTRY EVENT IS BACK! » » NBA BEEF EXPO IS A TRUE celebration of the strength of the great British Beef Industry and is the UK’s key annual event held on behalf of the industry. It brings together the very best British pedigree and commercial cattle. Hosted by the National Beef Association (NBA), the 2017 event will take place at the NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire on Thursday 18th May. The 2017 NBA Beef Expo provides British breeders and producers with an excellent platform to showcase the quality of their cattle, and visitors can expect to see some of the finest examples of British breeding from all corners of the UK. As the event will be the first of its kind post Brexit, there will undoubtedly be a focus on what this means for British farmers in terms of opportunities moving forward. A major feature of the event is the National Commercial Cattle Show (NCCS) which will see, as always, farmers from the length and breadth of the UK showing the very best cattle from their herds, all hoping for a share of the £5000 overall prize fund. Alongside the NCCS, visitors have the opportunity to browse in the region of 120 commercial and educational trade exhibits, as well as specialist Breed Society stands. NBA Beef Expo is a nucleus for knowledge sharing and networking. Trade exhibitors will highlight, through displays and demonstrations, the latest industry trends and developments as well as nutrition and genetics. Now a firmly established feature of the event is the Future Beef Farmer Challenge which was launched back in 2015 for beef farmers aged 36 and under. Entrants can take part as an individual or as a team and the winner of each section is presented with a trophy. The competition challenges entrants’ knowledge of the beef sector at both a practical and scientific level, which is fundamental to the future strength and success of the industry. As in previous years, the highly anticipated farm tours will take place on Wednesday 17th May giving people the opportunity to gain an insight into how various beef enterprises are managed. This year the farm tour includes three diverse beef farms all championing efficiency in their relative sectors and showcasing the very best of British beef production. Further information, trade stand applications, visitor tickets and cattle show entry forms are now available online on at www.beefexpo.co.uk www.farmers-mart.co.uk Spring 2017 45