NFU Brexit director to top bill at first farm expo

INTERNATIONAL agricultural trade expert Nick von Westenholz has been announced as the keynote speaker at Farm Expo – a new farm machinery, supplies and services show taking place next month. Nick is the NFU’s Director of EU Exit and International Trade and will be speaking about the wider consequences of Brexit on UK agriculture, as well as attempting to unpick the Agricultural Bill currently making its way through Parliament and what it means for British farming and associated industries. Farm Expo takes place at the Kent Showground on March 6, 2019. Nick said: “UK farmers are renowned throughout the world for consistently providing consumers with safe, secure and affordable food, produced to the highest welfare and environmental standards. “They are also the mainstay of two of the UK’s biggest economic drivers; manufacturing and retail. “With those facts in mind, it is imperative that the Government comes out of the EU negotiations with a fair deal for agriculture to protect farmers, the rural economy and British people by continuing to enable the production of safe, high-quality food in the UK. “At Farm Expo I will be speaking about the Agricultural Bill and assessing the possible outcomes of Brexit for British agriculture. Hopefully, I’ll be able to give some useful insight to the audience, to better enable them to prepare for Brexit.” Nick will be joined on the day by farming speakers Clive Bailye and Stephen Carr. Clive is the managing partner at TWB Farms, based at Lichfield in Staffordshire, and is renowned for his zero-till approach to drilling. He is also the founder of the Farming Forum and Direct Driller Magazine. Stephen is a columnist for the Farmers Weekly and South East Farmer. Based in Sussex, he is a farmer and publican. Farm Expo is a new event which has been organised by the Kent County Agricultural Society. Kevin Attwood, Chairman of the Society, said he was looking forward to some fascinating and insightful discussion. He said: “To secure Nick von Westenholz as the keynote speaker at the very first Farm Expo is a real coup. Nick is an extremely knowledgeable about Brexit and will be able to give the farmers visiting the show a real insight into what the industry might look like when we leave the EU. “Clive and Stephen are great speakers too and will no doubt give the audience plenty of food for thought. It’s a fantastic line up and I’m really looking forward to seeing them.” Farm Expo takes place on March 6, 2019, at Kent Showground. It is free to attend with free parking. For more information, go to www.kentshowground.co.uk/farmexpo.