Exciting plans are underway for a National Sheep Association (NSA) event this autumn that will bring together the nation's sheep farmers for a fresh style of enjoyable and informative farming conference.
 
The new NSA Sheep Farmers' Conference will take place on Wednesday 25^th October 2023 and, in its inaugural year, will focus on sheep health and its links to sustainability, production and welfare. It will offer a line up of the most experienced and knowledgeable experts from the UK sheep sector, ready to pass on valuable information through various interactive sessions and networking opportunities. Held at the convenient location of the National Conference Centre, Birmingham, very close to road, rail and air links, the day will be relevant and accessible to delegates from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
 
The new event will be the headline feature of NSA's Health and Welfare week, starting Monday 23^rd October.
 
NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker says: "All at NSA are excited to offer this new event to farmers from all over the UK. For this inaugural conference the vital topic of sheep health will take centre stage, with the one-day event as the centrepiece of a week-long focus on this subject.
 
"Given the importance of livestock within the 'one health' agenda, and how vital healthy sheep are to productive farming businesses with an eye on sustainability, lower emissions and a wide range of other public goods, we are bursting with plans for the first ever Sheep Health Week. In addition to the face-to-face conference on Wednesday 25^th October, there will be a range of free-to-access web-based activities from Monday 23^rd October, including three SHWAP online webinars."
 
Sheep Health, Wealth and Production (SHWAP) is an online activity organised by NSA South East Region, with three topics covered over three evenings on Monday 23^rd, Tuesday 24^th and Thursday 26^th October. These will complement the conference, picking up additional topics and themes.
 
As with the majority of NSA events, the Sheep Farmers' Conference will be a biennial event aimed at grassroots sheep farmers. NSA is confident it will be an appreciated addition to the diary, filling a gap for producers wanting practical information set within the bigger political and societal picture of the sheep farming industry.
 
Tickets for the conference will be priced to be affordable for all to attend but will be limited in number - so farmers are urged to put the date in the diary now and book as soon as tickets are made available in early summer. NSA members will be informed first and get a preferential rate.
 
Commercial companies interested in exhibition or sponsorship opportunities at the event are invited to get in touch with NSA, with a range of packages available to give businesses a valuable presence on the day.
 
Further detail on the conference will be announced soon but initial enquiries should be made to enquiries@nationalsheep.org.uk.