Red meat supply debate planned

- Published: 13 November, 2009

A major debate on securing the future supply of red meat will be one of the key events on the first day of AgriLIVE Smithfield, organised by the Royal Smithfield Club (RSC) and the Royal Agricultural Society of England at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire next month.

The debate will feature speakers including the chairman of the NFU’s livestock board, Alistair Mackintosh, MEP Richard Ashworth, and Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College, London, David Hughes. It is being prompted by a range of issues facing the sector, including import prices and profitability.

RSC president Robert Stovold, speaking at the Worshipful Company of Butchers in London, said there were concerns over the declining number of farms, smaller numbers of livestock coming through despite good demand for meat, and worries that sons were not following fathers into farming businesses.

AgriLIVE Smithfield will be held at Stoneleigh on 11 and 12 December. The show, previously known as the Royal Smithfield Show, has moved to the more central location of Stoneleigh to attract more exhibitors and visitors from the north of England and Scotland.

The show will again feature a meat industry dinner at the end of the first day.