The National Sheep Association (NSA) will welcome Baroness Minette Batters to its 2025 NSA Sheep Farmers’ Conference later this month, fresh from submitting her recommendations to Defra from the recent Farm Profitability Review.
Taking place on Tuesday, November 18, at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, Baroness Batters will share her reflections at the event on how UK farming can build profitability and resilience at a time of rising costs, changing markets and evolving environmental priorities.
Baroness Batters was appointed by Defra earlier this year to lead the independent review. She has now presented a comprehensive report setting out more than fifty recommendations to boost farm business performance and support the long-term health of the agricultural sector.
At the NSA conference Baroness Batters will be joined by a panel of farmers and industry experts for the session: ‘Profitability in practice: What could the Farm Profitability Review tell us about the future of sheep farming in the UK?’, giving attendees an opportunity to hear directly from the author of the review and to discuss what its findings could mean for their own businesses.
NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: “NSA is honoured to welcome Baroness Batters as our headline speaker at the Sheep Farmers’ Conference.
“Her review goes right to the heart of what sheep farmers are asking – how do we make our businesses more profitable and resilient in a complex and changing environment?
“The timing of this discussion could not be more relevant, and I believe her insights will help shape both the conversation and subsequent actions for years ahead.”
With the conference theme ‘Strive and Thrive: Building profit and resilience in sheep farming’, the one-day event will also include an opening seminar led by AHDB sharing snippets and farmers discussion from its successful ‘Roots to Resilience’ development programme.
In addition, attendees to the conference will have the opportunity to join up to eight industry workshops passing on practical tips on a range of topics from parasite control to ewe nutrition pre lambing and current disease management strategies.
Main sponsors of the conference Shearwell Data will be in attendance leading an interesting workshop on the value of data recording and a selection of sheep farming focussed trade stands will also be in attendance for delegates to network with throughout the day.
