BEEF EXPO SEMINARS - NBA to Focus on the Future for Beef
4th May 2022
Christine Middlemiss, UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Professor Alice Stanton noted specialist on the health benefits of red meat, and MP Daniel Zeichner to speak at NBA Beef Expo Seminars
The National Beef Association (NBA) has today announced an impressive line-up of speakers, who are all world leaders in their field, to deliver a series of seminars at the annual NBA Beef Expo. Also included in the expert panel is Will Jackson, Strategy Director for Beef and Lamb at AHDB, independent Livestock Sustainability Consultant, Dr. Jude Capper, Sarah Tomlinson, MRCVS, Technical Director for the TB Advisory service and she is a member of the bTB Partnership and Sophie Throup, Head of Agriculture, Fisheries and Sustainable Sourcing for Wm Morrison PLC, and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Ruminant Veterinary Adviser, Kath Aplin.
Facing significant challenge and change, the British beef industry is having to adapt quickly to thrive in today’s society, and these world leading experts will deliver a series of seminars exploring current industry issues, including sustainable beef production and its benefits to human health, future government support for agriculture, and animal welfare.
This year’s NBA Beef Expo takes place on Saturday 28th May, at Darlington Farmers Auction Mart. The topics on the agenda have been designed to equip farmers with the information they need to navigate an uncertain future and to tackle these important issues head on.
“Our industry is subject to endless scrutiny and challenges – and rightly so - with regard to sustainable food production and dietary requirements,” commented Neil Shand, CEO of the NBA. “This year’s seminars aim to provide an insight into both the benefits of red meat as an essential part of a balanced diet and address environmental advances in production.
Our speakers will be giving their views on several topics including an overview on sustainable purchasing, retail goals for net zero, and improvement of health and welfare in the national herd, and the value of food security. We will also welcome a representative from the Shadow Agriculture department to discuss Labour’s ambitions for future support. This year’s seminars are set to be informative and debate setting, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming all of our speakers to the rostrum.”
Professor Alice Stanton who has completed invaluable work within the beef industry on human health. Alice will focus on the concerns surrounding red meat consumption and the potential impact it has on wellbeing in a seminar entitled ‘Sustainable Beef Sourcing, Production and the Benefits for Human Health’. At the forefront of the ongoing conflict between consumers, plant-based alternative producers and the meat industry, Alice leads the way in research supporting the health benefits of red meat, whilst challenging misinformation and unreliable evidence, holding those who promote such findings to account.
The first seminar on ‘Future Agriculture Support’ will have a keynote speaker from AHDB, as well as John Powell, Head of Agricultural Sectors at DEFRA, and MP Daniel Zeichner, who currently serves on the Opposition frontbench as Shadow Minister for Food, Farming, Fisheries and Rural Affairs. They will discuss the potential support for those within the industry as we navigate uncertain times ahead with the loss of BPS and introduction of ELMS and other funding potentials.
Giving comment, Daniel Zeichner said: “Beef farmers face a perfect storm of uncertainty, with changes to support payments, rising fuel and input costs, homegrown red tape, and concerns over trade deals. Labour will back the sector through our plans to buy, make and sell more in Britain. We will negotiate trade deals that promote the UK’s high food standards and enshrine our food standards to ensure that the UK agriculture is leading the way around the world on the basis of fair competition.”
Heading up the third part of the programme on ‘Animal Health & Welfare’, is the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss. Appointed in 2018, Christine had previously acted as CVO in New South Wales, Australia where she led major improvements to biosecurity across many farming sectors. This work included implementation of new outcome focused, risk-based biosecurity legislation, online animal certification processes, improving evidence and risk-based disease control approaches. Prior to her move to Australia, Christine led DEFRA’s Animal Traceability and Public Health policy team.
A fourth seminar will offer visitors the opportunity to ‘MEAT the NBA Team’ who will give an update on their strategies to help the industry and intentions moving forward.
Seminar Timetable:
10:00 – 11:00 Future Agriculture Support
11:30 – 13:00 Sustainable Beef Sourcing, Production and the Benefits for Human Health
13:30 – 14:30 Animal Health & Welfare
15:00 – 16:00 MEAT the Team
