Lord Henley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is to give the keynote speech at the inaugural Northern Farming Conference at Newcastle Racecourse on October 15.

Speakers from across the farming industry, universities, representative bodies and the Government will address Conference, with a closing speech being given by Anne McIntosh, MP for Thirsk and Malton, and chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee

The organising committee, which includes the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), the Farm and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) and Catchment Sensitive Farming, hopes the conference will equip those involved in agriculture and land management with the information needed to better plan their business future at a time of market volatility, environmental constraints and the prospect of industry reform.

Harry Chrisp, a farmer from near Alnwick and Chairman of FWAG in Northumberland, is chairing the committee says: "As a farmer, I wanted to go to a conference for farmers about farming. My philosophy behind the Northern Farming Conference is very simple - it is a conference for ‘muddy-boot’ farmers who will be able to go home at the end of the day satisfied that they have learned something of direct benefit to their business."

Alistair Cochrane, Partner at Strutt and Parker and North East Regional Chairman of the CLA, says: "Farming faces a time of extraordinary change and uncertainty. "The prospect of CAP reform post 2013, volatility in agricultural commodity markets, climate change, environmental constraints, regulatory legislation and the spectre of swingeing public sector cuts all conspire to make it hard for farmers and land mangers to plan with confidence.

"The aim of the conference is to inform farmers and others involved in the agricultural industry so as to aid them in their business planning. Our excellent platform of speakers has been assembled with a view to meeting this aim and includes representatives from central government, industry bodies, universities, and respected figures from each of farming’s mainstream sectors".

Entitled "A Bright Green Future?”, the conference will include morning and afternoon sessions on the profitability of farming and conservation, technical advances, Government support and land management considerations.

It is sponsored by Strutt & Parker, the CLA, the Environment Agency, FWAG, Dickinson Dees Solicitors and the England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative. Organisers are hoping that it will become a regular fixture.

Tickets cost £30 and include a hot buffet lunch and refreshments and trade stand enquiries are welcome.

Conference speakers: George Dunn, Chief Executive of the Tenant Farmers Association; Kim Haywood, National Director of the National Beef Association; Robert Sullivan of Strutt & Parker Farm Management Department; Stuart Nelson, a hill farmer in Breamish Valley in North Northumberland; Dr Robert Shiel of Newcastle University; George Dodds, Northumberland advisor for the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group; Christopher Price, CLA Legal and Policy Director; Simon Lunnis, Operations, Mapping and Customer Relations Adviser for the Rural Payments Agency; Jim Smyllie, Executive Director of Regional Delivery, Natural England; Ian Brown, Rural Director, One North East; and Toby Willison, North West Regional Director of the Environment Agency.

Trade stands are available at £200 each. Tickets cost £30 and include a hot buffet lunch and refreshments.