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| Dairy Event expands |
 The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers has announced that the Dairy Event and Livestock Show is to be re-branded as the Livestock Incorporating Dairy Event from next year and re-scheduled to the first week in July from 2013 onwards,. Held at the NEC, Birmingham, Livestock 2012 will continue to build on the event’s current format offering technical, business and financial information for the UK ruminant sector, and provide a one-stop shop for not only dairy, beef and sheep farmers, but in future, it will also welcome pig and poultry producers. From 2013, Livestock will be staged annually on the first Wednesday and Thursday in July, dates said to be more in line with farmers’ buying decisions and avoiding overlap with the major regional shows. “We have organised and staged the UK’s leading event in the dairy sector for 136 years,” explains RABDF chief executive, Nick Everington. “Over the past 10 years, the number of UK dairy farmers has fallen to 15,000 yet at the same time exhibitor numbers have increased by 70 per cent, from 280 to 480, and visitor numbers by 42 per cent to more than 16,000 as we have widened the event’s appeal to not only beef and sheep farmers, but also to our dairy farmer visitors, almost 60 per cent of whom have additional livestock or arable enterprises.” “In future, there will be no dilution of the dairy content; the milking and genetic zones, foot trimming demonstrations and National All Breeds Show competitive classes will all remain key features. “However, being realistic, the event has become much more than a dairy show and its present title does not convey its true scope. Consequently, we are re-branding to appeal to, and embrace, all livestock farmers, in particular those specialist producers that previously may have been discouraged from visiting because of its strong dairy association. “Re-branding and re-scheduling will enable us to focus on the entire livestock industry and build on the event’s reputation and success. It will increase our target audience in the UK from 15,000 to more than 200,000 producers and thereby massively expand the potential for business, from both UK and overseas markets.” |