4 reasons to visit the National Beef Association Expo

The National Beef Association’s flagship Beef Expo will be held at Melton Mowbray livestock market on Saturday 30 May.

The biannual event – this year held under the theme “Beefing up food security” – will critically examine the government’s commitment to food security.

Findings from the National Beef Association (NBA) and Farmers Weekly State of the Industry Survey will also be released at the event, laying bare farmers’ political allegiances and spotlighting confidence levels within the beef sector.

See also: Outlook 2026: Cautious optimism for beef sector

What visitors can find on the day

1. Cattle showing

More than 100 cattle will compete across 10 classes in the National Commercial Cattle Show.

This year’s classes will be judged by two respected Welsh cattle breeders: Glyn Howatson from Denbigh, who will preside over the native and continental classes before deciding on the overall championship; and Tracey Jones from Builth Wells, who will judge the baby beef and young handler competitions.

The event will also host the South Devon Herd Book Society’s Performance Championships. Cornish breeder Ashley Rowe will be appraising animals based on their performance data and visual appearance.

2. Seminars not to be missed

Labour MP and former Defra minister Daniel Zeichner is a confirmed panellist in the hotly anticipated session, “What the government’s commitment to food security looks like”.

He will be joined by Kent Bacus, executive director of government affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in the US, and attendees will be able to see how the two countries’ perspectives differ.

Representatives from other political parties will take part in a second political seminar debating the value of domestic food production.

NBA chief executive Neil Shand encourages beef producers to make their voices heard.

“England is the only country in the EU not directly supporting food production. Despite the government claiming it has invested £12bn in agriculture, not one penny is guaranteed to deliver food,” he says.

“England has been left isolated. We have a Climate Act which has made environmental policy law.

“We need a Food Security Act, or as a minimum, a commitment within the upcoming King’s Speech, that the government will take food security more seriously.”

There will also be a technical seminar on innovation in beef production, and the AHDB has organised for dietician Kate Hilton to talk about why education matters more than ever when it comes to beefing up the UK diet.

3. SRUC bovine health hub

New to the event will be Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) bovine health hub, where farmers can get one-to-one advice on a range of animal health topics from leading vets, consultants and livestock researchers.

Areas covered include herd health planning, biosecurity and cattle sourcing.

Farmers will be able to receive guidance on funding opportunities through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway (AHWP). They can also engage directly with UK chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss during the day.

With the AHWP set to become mandatory in England pending current consultation, Neil says the hub will also help farmers ensure they remain compliant with any changes.

4. Tradestands

More than 15 breed societies and about 80 trade stands will be present, including the Livestock Information Service, which will be demonstrating its long-awaited livestock database.

Farmers can also see first-hand the latest technological innovations, from livestock monitoring to ear tags, that aim to help increase profitability and efficiency.