eventguide2015

for NSA
a warm welcome to
nsa NORTH SHEEP 2015
By Greg Dalton Chairman of NSA Northern Region
As Chairman of the NSA Northern
Region I would like to extend a
sincere welcome to everyone
attending to this year’s NSA North
Sheep, being held in one of the
most magnificent areas of Cumbria.
The Northern region is one of
the largest regions within the NSA
and we are very proud to have a
diverse range of farmers from around our
region on our committee. We are constantly striving to
promote, as well as sustain, the long term growth of the sheep
industry within our area. We work as a team to deal with the
variety of issues, challenges and opportunities that are currently
facing the sheep industry. With a General Election this year,
change in inevitably afoot, and the Northern Region aim to be
proactive to ensure the industry’s long term sustainability.
Being held in our region North Sheep 2015 provides us with
the perfect forum to showcase all aspects of the sheep sector.
We are using this event to celebrate the ever growing sheep
industry and to highlight the new developments within the
sector. Not only are we looking forward to welcoming farmers,
breeders and shepherds, Millstone Moor Farm, Cockermouth by
kind permission of Neil and Sally Marston, we are also delighted
to welcome our auction companies, suppliers,manufacturers
and breed societies .
As a father of three children, I know that farming is rapidly
becoming one of the most difficult industries for young people
to get into ,so we need to look at every opportunity possible to
encourage and support new entrants into this sector. Events
such as North Sheep are a perfect platform to engage with the
younger farming community. They provide them with up-todate
information and are a forum to ‘voice’ their opinions as
well as giving them an opportunity to socialise with others in
the industry.
Neil and Sally are well known for their excellent quality of
sheep which are bred, shown and sold. In particular they have
had great success nationwide with their North of England Mules
and their ‘Highberries’ Flock of Blue-Faced Leicester’s. Millstone
Moor Farm is 650 acres where Neil Farms with his parents
Raymond and Frances.
On behalf of everyone in the Northern Region I look forward
to welcoming you to NSA North Sheep 2015.
02
Greg Dalton
General Information
Venue
Millstone Moor Farm,
Cockermouth, Cumbria CA13 0QA
Date
Wednesday 3 June 2015
Opening Time
9am to 5pm
Where to Stay
www.visitcumbria.com/cm/cockermouth
01900 822 634
How to find us
Post Code CA13 0QA
Dogs
Only assistance dogs will be permitted.
Disabled Facilities
Car parking and toilets available on site.
First Aid
Qualified first aid staff are
available at the event.
Food
Mobile units serving local produce will
be available, along with a licensed bar.
Information Point
Please ask at the event office.
Cash Machine
Not available.
Public Telephone
Not available.
Toilets
Ladies and gents toilets, including
disabled facilities, are available.
northSHEEP www.northsheep.org.uk
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Influencing the future
of sheep production
By Phil Stocker NSA Chief Executive
NSA Event Guide
This is a National Sheep
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Front cover
photograph of
Swaledale sheep
at Millstone Moor.
TT-COC-001975
NSA NORTHERN REgiON
NOrTHSHEEP2015
Free Entry
members
event guide
WEDNESDAY 3rD JUNE
Mi lstone Moor Farm
Cockermouth, Cumbria CA13 0QA
your business your future
Paper is FSC certified.
It is sourced from responsibly
managed forests.
Weather and farming policies are two things that have
a massive influence on the success of farming. One is
entirely out of our individual control and the other we
can influence to a limited degree, although far more
if we join forces through organisations like NSA.
Equally important are markets and prices. Some
would say these are out of our control too, but I
would disagree. What happens globally in terms of
demand and supply, and wider economic factors,
may well be out of reach, but understanding market
trends, hitting specifications, getting closer to the end user, and supporting
efficiency through the entire supply chain is within our grasp.
Similarly, efficiency and production costs are things we can do something
about and this is essentially about optimising the effectiveness of our investment
– whether that be investment in genetics, land and soil, seeds and fertilisers,
feeds or health treatments. We have to make sure we spend money on the things
that yield money, and not just in the short term.
When we look at farming policies the complexity of implementing the most
recent round of CAP reform defies the intention of simplification. The CAP
sometimes seems to be out of step with reality, and with global population
forecasts and food security getting more attention,you might think that
incentives might once again swing towards production.
Personally I wouldn’t hold my breath, and would predict in the future
we will see continuing moves towards free and unsupported market trade,
and incentives to tackle climate change, resource efficiency, environmental
enhancements, and more social gains such as alleviating poverty. For this read
‘public goods’ but don’t ask about the public good of feeding people because
that gets tangled up in markets and economies.
What does all this mean for your average sheep farmer in Northern England?
Well, stay abreast of new technology and combine this with the best of
traditional practice; do things as well as you possibly can and apply attention to
detail. Understand where policies are heading; be ahead of the curve if you can
or at least ride the crest of the wave. But unless you have other means don’t get
left behind, it will be an uncomfortable place.
Finally, if you haven’t already, then join the NSA. Collective strength will help,
the rewards are greater than the costs, and as NSA North Sheep will show, we
offer a great gateway for information and knowledge.
Phil Stocker
NSA’s invaluable sheep events would not be possible without the generous support of the hosts, in this case Neil and Sally
Marston, the organising committee and organiser Julie Sedgewick, the sponsors, trade supporters and organisations who
get involved, and of course the sheep people who come along on the day. NSA Northern Region has made a big investment
by offering free entry to all members as another way of optimising the value of and strengthening membership. If you
have not already joined up in advance of the event, take a look at page 16 for membership information.
northSHEEP event guide 2015
03