Farmers get a lesson in climate change

Feb 12 2009 The Journal

PREPARING for climate change will be one of the topics at a North East farming conference today.

The Great North Meet is being held at Newcastle Racecourse, with more than 200 farmers expected to attend.

The conference will focus on how farmers can sustain a living from their land.

It will be addressed by four North East farmers who have successfully diversified, while other sessions will focus on climate change, looking at both the challenges and opportunities that this will create.

Hugh Fell, managing partner of George F White who are supporting the conference, said: “We want to stimulate interest and encourage tenants and landowners to look at farming from different angles. We want them to think about how to ‘sweat their assets’ and get optimum returns. This may mean adapting or thinking about innovative ways to use their land.”

Other speakers will include Professor Stuart Lane, executive director of the Institute of Hazard and Risk Research at Durham University on drought and flooding and what farming life could be in 20 years’ time.