DAIRY EVENT: Moving The Industry Forward

UK - We want to put agriculture on the map, said Nick Everington, Chief Executive of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF), speaking at the 2010 Dairy and Livestock Event.
calendar icon 8 September 2010
clock icon 2 minute read

The event, held this week, has moved to the NEC, Birmingham after being staged at the Royal Agricultural Showground in Stoneleigh previously.

The NEC is a very central location, with visitors able to access the Event through a number of ways. Indeed this year, Mr Everington said he had spoken to farmers who were getting the train to the event. He also said that the location had made the event more accessible for Irish and Scottish vistors, due to the airport close by.

"The move has enabled exhibitors to expand trade stands. In fact, 21 per cent of last years exhibitors booked larger trade stands for 2010."

The increased space presents endless opportunities for the event, he said. In a few years, it may be possible to extend the event up the food chain, allowing the general public to see the full scale of the dairy industry.

However at the moment it is very much a business to business event, with a focus on knowledge transfer to the farmer, Mr Everington said.

Costs of the move are still unknown, RABDF has invested heavily into the site, laying a concrete floor for the livestock area. However, Mr Everington is confident that these costs will be covered through increased ticket sales and increased interest amongst exhibitors.

With the first day over, views amongst attendees and exhibitors were mixed. Many exhibitors appreciated the extra space, and indeed the quality of trade stands had indeed improved.

Visitors enjoyed the new look to the event, however there are always those who are skeptical. It is likely it will take the event a number of years to settle into its new location.

TheCattleSite News Desk

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