DAIRY farmers from across East Lancashire are being urged to take part in this year’s Northern Dairy Conference.

The half-day annual conference, which is scheduled to take place on December 9 in Skipton, will see discussion on the 'severe problems' affecting the sector in 2014. Debate is raging about the best way of responding to and planning for the market volatility that has left many dairy farmers fearing for the future.

“As always, a solution that would work for everyone is difficult to achieve in such a complex sector, but all are agreed that this is a vital discussion to protect the industry going forward,” said regional dairy adviser Adam Briggs, from the National Farmers Union.

“With contracts still at the heart of the problem and only very few milk buyers taking direct action to put safeguards in place to secure future supply, it is now crucial that all sectors of the industry pull together.”

The conference will hear from speakers including George Eustice MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defra. Chairman of the NFU national dairy board Rob Harrison will set out the NFU’s future strategy for the industry and the new chairman of Dairy Co, Gwynn Jones, will look at the role of the levy board in supporting the development of a profitable dairy sector.

To book a place, contact the NFU North West regional office on 01695 554900 or send an email to adam.briggs@nfu.org.uk