NBA (NI) takes to the road and the Irish Sea with tour

The National Beef Association (NI) has just announced its annual trip to NBA Beef Expo. NBA Beef Expo is returning to Derbyshire this year, and is to be held at the Agricultural Business Centre, home of Bakewell Market, on Friday 20th May.
Left to right Ernie Ritchie and Stephen HeenanLeft to right Ernie Ritchie and Stephen Heenan
Left to right Ernie Ritchie and Stephen Heenan

The tour from Northern Ireland will commence on 18th May concluding on 20th May, it costs £255 per person, and includes travel, two night’s accommodation, dinner, Beef Expo – Industry Dinner, entry to the farm tours and tickets to NBA Beef Expo.

A highlight of the tour this year will surely be the visit to Gop Farm, Flintshire, home of the Farmers Weekly Beef Farmer of the Year 2015, Meilir Jones. Meilir farms 69 ha, and finishes 1,300 cattle yearly for Morrison’s. What makes Meilir stand out from the beef producing crowd is his acute attention to detail and the constant monitoring of data, meaning he can improve production efficiency and profit margins.

Stephen Heenan, NBA (NI) Tour Organiser and NBA (NI) Board Member, commenting on visiting Gop Farm said: “The idea behind the visit to NBA Beef Expo and the farm tours is to really give our beef farmers a good insight into other beef farming enterprises. I am certainly looking forward to the visit to Gop Farm, we know from past years that the farm visits have been a great knowledge sharing experience, where visitors have been able to take new practices back to their home farms. To top that off we look forward to a tremendous day at NBA Beef Expo, where we will see the very best of British beef and the latest technology on display.”

Day one of the tour from Northern Ireland will see the contingency leave Dublin for Holyhead, and make their way by coach to Gop Farm, before heading to the Sandpiper Hotel, Chesterfield for the evening.

The tour on day two will take in the magnificent Chatsworth Estate to see their noted herd of Limousin cattle, their small pedigree herd of Hereford cattle, and the farm shop and on site butcher. Hopping Farm will be next on the agenda which is a prime example of a commercial cattle rearing unit comprising of 150 Black Limousin suckler cows from the dairy herd. Finally the tour will visit the Haddon Hall and Estate, an organic farm, home to a herd of Longhorn Cattle.

Day two will culminate in the NBA Beef Expo – Beef Industry Dinner at the Devonshire Dome at Buxton with guest speaker Philip Holland a Buxton poet, pianist and farmer.

The final day of the trip will be a visit to NBA Beef Expo the NBA’s annual showcase. The programme brings together over 150 commercial and educational stands, 20 beef breed society stands/demonstrations, seminars, “beef from the dairy and organic herd demonstrations, competitions including stockjudging and Future Beef Farmer Challenge and the very best in pedigree and commercial cattle will be shown at the National Spring Spectacular Show.

There is something for everyone involved in the beef sector, whether your interest is in pedigree, breeding and showing, or making the most from your commercial herd. This is the best opportunity of the year to network, meet potential new customers and take home new ideas than can help add profits to your business.

To reserve your place or for more information on the NBA (NI) tour please contact either Stephen Heenan on 07889 159496 or [email protected] or Ernie Ritchie on 07752 673227 or [email protected], to make sure you book your tickets by the deadline of 20th April 2016.