RABDF National Dairy Conference
04/02/05

Facing the Future: Getting at the Facts is the theme of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers' National Dairy Conference to be held at the Cheltenham and Gloucester Moat House Hotel on 7 and 8 March, and sponsored by the National Westminster Bank and the Dairy Supply Chain Forum.

Key note speakers include Sir Ben Gill, chairman of Westbury Dairies who will challenge delegates with a paper entitled the UK Dairy Industry: Introvert or Extrovert; while David Drew MP chairman of the milk inquiry committee, efra.com will update delegates on its latest activities.

The National Westminster Bank's Ian Kenny will discuss the opportunities and financial implications of cross compliance after which, Duncan Forbes will explain on behalf of Defra's Cross Compliance Programme, how the new measures can be applied in practice. The two day's proceedings will be rounded up by FFA's David Handley providing the closing remarks.

RABDF is also pleased to host for the first time the Geoffrey Alderman Memorial Lecture which honours a ruminant nutrition scientist who made a significant impact on the industry. Sponsored by the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants, the lecture will be delivered by Provimi's Dr John Newbold and entitled Better Nutrition Means Better Health and Fertility.

"Dairy farmers are facing a plethora of new challenges generated by MTR," explains RABDF chief executive, Nick Everington. "This year's conference is designed to help them understand some of the facts associated with the inevitable changes and help them to plan more systematically to ensure they maintain a profitable business."