The National Sheep Association (NSA) is looking forward to welcoming Defra Minister of State (Farming Minister), the Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP, to its popular NSA Breakfast Club next month.

Giving the UK's sheep farmers one of the first opportunities to discuss their sector with the newly appointed head of Defra, 'What the future holds – a breakfast meeting with Defra Farming Minister Mark Spencer' is a free to attend online webinar and will take place on Tuesday 1^st November, commencing at 8.30 am.

Mr Spencer's previous role was as leader of the House of Commons. He also spent time on the parliament's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) committee. But an appealing factor to the farming community is Mr Spencer's long farming history having studied at agricultural college and being involved with the family farming business at home in Nottinghamshire.

Attendees to the NSA Breakfast Club will hear Minister Spencer's own priorities and goals for agriculture, land management and the environment in England, providing a unique insight into where sheep farming might be heading in the years to come.
 
NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker says: "NSA is very pleased and grateful that Mark Spencer has agreed to join us for our November NSA Breakfast Club. The opportunity to speak directly with a key decision maker such as Minister Spencer is one that we hope will appeal to the nation's sheep farmers. This is a chance to raise concerns and highlight the issues that really matter and we urge the sector to join NSA for this breakfast meeting to do just that."
 
NSA is looking forward to working closely with Mr Spencer as well as new Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Ranil Jayawardena MP to ensure that British producers can continue to provide high quality, sustainable food for the nation and beyond. The appointment of both roles was welcomed by NSA last month but emphasis was made that now is a particularly difficult and turbulent time for British agriculture.

Discussions on the pressures facing the sector as well as opportunities for the future will be the focus of the morning's webinar, registrations for which are open now at www.nationalsheep.org.uk/events.

Attendees wishing to submit a question to be asked to Minister Spencer should email them before 5pm on Monday 31^st October to enquiries@nationalsheep.org.uk, alternatively, a Q&A facility will be available during the webinar.