The best agriculture events of 2019
In the fast moving world of agriculture, neglecting to stay up to date with developments can quickly leave you behind your competitors. Nobody wants that. Thankfully developing your skills doesn’t have to mean long nights of careful study and reflection. In the UK there are tonnes of great farming events where attendees can exchange ideas, learn new skills, experience the latest technologies and sometimes have a chuckle too. In the spirit of education (and fun), here are ten of 2019’s best farming events.
See you there!
LAMMA
8th January, Birmingham NEC
You know what’s worse than having to pay for parking? Paying for parking and then spending the day stood outside in the cold. Well, don’t worry about that at LAMMA. With free parking, free entry and all thankfully sheltered from the January cold within the Birmingham NEC, this event should tempt even the most winter weary. The 11 halls of the building will be choc-full of the latest in agricultural machinery, equipment and services. With over 600 exhibitors taking part in the event, the wide range of traders ensure that whatever you’re looking for, you’re likely to find it.
AHDA Conference
16-17th January, Birmingham NEC
Also taking place in the Birmingham NEC, this event promises to host an exciting range of expert speakers over two days. Two workshops will operate throughout the event, addressing farm animal and non-farm animal topics, while the exhibition hall will play host to over 50 stands of exhibitors showing off their wares. After you’ve expanded your mind by learning about the latest developments in agriculture, be sure to attend the gala dinner on Wednesday night for some food and entertainment after a day packed with activities.
NSA Central Region Early Gathering
24th January, Bakewell
Vital information for an uncertain future: that’s the theme for this event. So along with the extensive array of exhibitors there are opportunities to skill-up and prepare for future developments in the industry. Seminars will take place throughout the event, aiming to give attendees the chance to gain valuable insights into developments in sheep farming. These seminars are designed to encourage debate and discussion amongst participants, so be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in!
Dairy Tech
6th February, Coventry
Dairy Tech aims to showcase the dairy industry’s most cutting edge technology to its audience of farmers, managers and technicians. Amongst its world leading speakers are figures who will reflect on how different nation’s farmers overcome obstacles and how British dairy farmers can apply this knowledge. Attendees will enjoy exposure to the industry’s latest technologies and methods, giving them a great opportunity to develop their businesses and prepare for the future.
ScotGrass
15th May, Dumfries
If you’ve got a farm, chances are you’ve got a fair amount of grass. ScotGrass is all about addressing issues related to the green stuff. Livestock farmers and grassland contractors will converge on Chrichton Royal Farm in May to witness the latest grass conservation methods and machinery in action via practical demonstrations that’ll give attendees the chance to consider how to get the most out of grassland in the coming season. There will also be industry experts available for discussions, along with advisors on silage production and forage conservation.
Royal Cornwall Show
6th June, Wadebridge
The Royal Cornwall Show is a huge event in the agricultural calendar. With a whopping 1,000 stands and attendance of over 100,000 each year, you could say this is agriculture’s Glastonbury Festival. Visitors to the show will enjoy hundreds of classes and competitions along with an extravaganza of entertainment, food and shopping. This one’s not to be missed!
UK Dairy Day
11th September, Telford
This single day event packs a whole 300 trade stands into the Telford International Centre, offering visitors an invaluable chance to engage with other industry figures, investigate new products and learn new skills at seminars and demonstrations. The event is free to attend and no pre-registration is required, so there’s little reason to miss it. The activities on offer over the day include a cattle show, knowledge sharing zones, a champion’s dinner and awards ceremony, among many others.
The National Ploughing Championships
17th September, County Carlow
It began in 1931 as a way to settle an argument between friends over which county produced the best ploughmen. Since that day the National Ploughing Championships has gone from strength to strength, with each passing year growing in size and popularity. Expanding from an area of 26 acres initially to cover over 700 acres, this annual event has become an integral part of Irish agricultural life. You can see why. It’s a great opportunity to network and learn new skills as well as experience some of the best in Irish food, farming and culture.
The Bath and West Dairy Show
2nd October, Shepton Mallet
Dairy has pride of place at this one day event in Somerset. The organisers aim to provide dairy farmers with a one stop shop that meets all their needs, bringing together milk buyers, feed suppliers, AI companies and consultants in an opportunity to do business, learn and have fun. Networking opportunities are here aplenty and topical seminars and guest speakers inspire and inform guests throughout the day.
AgriScot
20th November, Edinburgh
As one of the most widely regarded events in UK agriculture, AgriScot must be doing something right. The event attracts figures from all sectors of agriculture who come to seek out products, services and advice for their businesses. In the Lowland Hall, AgriScot have created the country’s largest winter display of machinery, giving visitors a useful opportunity to view the latest hardware and technology. Not only that, the event organises competitions for the younger farmers, business seminars, practical demonstrations and over 240 trade stands, all taking place over four exhibition halls.
Over to you...!
So there you have it. Events like these are among the reasons the UK is such a great place to be working in agriculture. So why not get involved and see how your business can benefit from new and exciting ways of doing things? Oh and be sure to come and say hello to Megalac. Don’t be shy!