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Free event will help dairy farmers face new environmental rules
A SPECIAL conference is being held
to help dairy farmers meet tough
new environmental legislation.
The northern regions of the National
Farmers' Union have joined
forces with the Environment
Agency to stage a free, half-day
conference at The Pavilions, Harrogate,
on Tuesday, May 20.
It will explore how all those involved
in providing professional
advice to the dairy industry - from
banks to retailers - can help producers
meet ever increasing environmental
targets.
The challenges are immense.
The NFU's chief dairy adviser has
predicted that forthcoming nitrate
vulnerable zone legislation has the
potential to put more dairy farmers
out of business than rock-bottom
milk prices.
Laurie Norris, environment and
land-use adviser with the North-
East NFU, believes everyone interested
in achieving a vibrant, profitable
industry must get involved.
She said: "The onus is on everyone
to make sure they understand
the issues facing our dairy industry
and the potential impact of tighter
environmental regulations, at a
time when dairy farmers are already
facing spiralling input costs.
"Last week saw the launch of
Defra's new Milk Roadmap and last
year the industry's Environmental
Plan for Dairy Farming was published.
"Both these initiatives put environmental
considerations at the
top of the dairy agenda, but while
the aim is to be ambitious, we must
remember that profitability is essential
if farmers are to deliver the
required improvements.
"It's also vital that the challenge is
taken up by the whole supply chain
and wider industry, and that's what
this conference is all about."
Iain McDonell, agricultural policy
adviser with the Environment
Agency, welcomed the joint approach.
He said: "If we approach this
challenge in a fragmented way,
with different elements doing different
things in different ways, we
will never achieve the successful
outcomes we need.
"Only by working together will
we get a broad understanding not
just of the issues but of best practice
solutions being developed
across the industry."
The speakers include Martin
Coward, agriculture director with
HSBC; Emma Rutter, Tesco agriculture
manager for dairy; and Hayley
Campbell-Gibbons, NFU chief
dairy adviser.
Two dairy farmers from Lancashire
and Yorkshire will provide a
first-hand view of how the industry
is already responding.
The conference runs from 10am
until 1pm and is free. Places must
be booked by next Friday on
01904-451-550 or at
north.east@nfuonline.com.
2:02pm Friday 9th May 2008
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