A series of seminars hosted by H&H Land & Estate proved to be a huge success at Agri Expo.

THE key message taken home from the H&H Land & Estate seminar ‘UK Livestock Trading: Where Are We Headed’ at Borderway Agri Expo, is that although the industry is facing significant challenges ahead, farmers are resilient, and the future is certainly optimistic for those willing to embrace change.

There also needs to be a focus on the catering and hospitality industries where more transparency is needed.

Chaired by Chris Dodds, Executive Secretary of the Livestock Auctioneers Association, speakers Neil Shand and Phil Stocker, Chief Executives of the National Beef Association and National Sheep Association, discussed what the future holds for livestock prices and market demands in light of free trade deals and societal changes.

Giving an insight into the future of the British beef industry, Neil Shand assured a packed audience that, although consumer trends are changing, overall meat consumption has risen.

Seventy-five percent of beef consumed in the UK is produced on home soil, however the import trade could put pressure on our prices. “There is no reason or justification for farmgate prices to return to March 2020 levels,” commented Neil. “The price of beef prior to the first Covid-19 lockdown was unsustainable as it was below the cost of production. Through the pandemic, we have seen consumers reconnect with British agriculture and we need to work together as an industry to preserve this.”

Similarly, in the sheep industry, lamb prices have been good over the last 12 months and the market is also in a positive position in terms of cull ewes and stores. Phil Stoker explained how Brexit and Coronavirus caused a slight disruption to supply with a 10 percent decrease in the number of sheep slaughtered.

“The world is changing around us,” said Phil. “The economy is experiencing supply chain problems when it comes to transport and shipping. The sheep industry is not entirely immune, but it is resilient. Farmers must also be cautious of increases in other costs of production such as fertiliser, fuel and feed.”

A big focus throughout the seminar was the import and export market. Understandably this is a great concern for many beef and sheep producers across the UK, especially combined with the progressive reduction of the BPS scheme. UK production standards are unquestionably the highest in the world and this is an important area for farmers to invest in. “Producers should be looking at ways to invest in productivity by way of making use of vaccines and other health and welfare research,” commented Phil.

The inaugural series of seminars hosted by H&H Land & Estate proved to be a huge success with the aim of this new collaboration being to inform, debate and challenge. It certainly did this through its line-up of keynote industry figures and packed audiences.