Quiz the speakers
Fantastic opportunity to put your questions forward and hear what the speakers have to say.
A series of regional LIVE debates
Policy makers and influential figures will be talking about key agricultural topics and current affairs that are relevant to your region.
Networking opportunity
Following the event, there will be an evening drinks reception where you will have the opportunity to network with likeminded peers in the industry.
Meet the QuestionTime host
Voice of the Farmers Weekly podcast and projects editor, Johann Tasker, is taking to the stage to host our new Question Time live show.
A long-standing and integral member of the Farmers Weekly team, he has been reporting and analysing the impact of government policy on agriculture – and how it affects farm businesses – for more than 20 years.
Most recently he has led our agricultural transition and farm safety (Dying to Feed You) projects alongside production of the weekly podcast with co-host Hugh Broom.
Running order:
- Registration: 17:30
- Live QuestionTime: 18:00 - 19:15
- Drinks reception: from 19:15
Speakers
Sir Robert Goodwill MP
Sir Robert Goodwill is a farmer on the 250-acre family farm at Terrington, near Malton, where the family has farmed since 1850 and was elected as chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.
Sir Robert Goodwill MP
Member of Parliament for Scarborough and Whitby
Sir Robert Goodwill is a farmer on the 250-acre family farm at Terrington, near Malton, where the family has farmed since 1850 and was elected as chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.
Sir Robert was born in North Yorkshire and was educated in York. He went to the University of Newcastle upon Tyne where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture.
Between 1999 and 2004 Robert was one of Yorkshire’s three Conservative members of the European Parliament. During his tenure, Robert was deputy leader of the Conservative MEPs as well as spokesman on environmental policy.
A staunch eurosceptic, Robert's commitment to restore vital powers back to this country has been reinforced by his spell in Brussels.
Robert has leant his support to local people's campaigns in the Scarborough and Whitby area. Most notably, pressing for the upgrading of the A64 which currently limits business and tourism development on the East Coast and campaigning to improve local health services.
Robert was first elected in May 2005, winning the seat from Labour. He served 18 months as a member of the Transport Select Committee. In 2006, Robert was promoted to the front bench, serving in the opposition whips’ office having departmental responsibilities for Defra business.
In July 2007, Robert was promoted again to the post of shadow roads minister in the transport team. Robert was re-elected for a second term at the general election in 2010 and increased his majority from 1,247 to 8,130, achieving a swing of 6.9% from Labour to Conservative.
In May 2010, Robert was appointed by the prime minister David Cameron as an assistant government whip and shortly after this was promoted to pairing whip in the Government Whips' Office.
In October 2013, Robert was appointed parliamentary under secretary at the Department for Transport, and in December 2015, Robert was promoted to a Minister of State.
In July 2016, the Prime Minister Theresa May moved Robert to the Home Office as a minister of state for immigration. After the snap election in May 2017, Robert retained his seat and has been re-elected as MP for Scarborough and Whitby for the fourth time. Robert was appointed as a minister of state for education in June 2017.
Andrew Swift
Andrew is executive director on the Fera Science Ltd Joint Venture Board and a strong advocate of technologies to reduce the environmental cost of food production and of the circular economy.
Andrew Swift
Since arriving at Fera, Andrew has been a strong advocate of technologies to reduce the environmental cost of food production and of the circular economy.
As well as executive director on the Fera Science Ltd Joint Venture Board and leading its Science Committee, he also leads for Fera on the Joint Strategy Board with Defra.
Early work focussed upon the transition to public-private-partnership and setting and implementing its growth strategy.
Since arriving at Fera, Andrew has been a strong advocate of technologies to reduce the environmental cost of food production and of the circular economy.
As well as executive director on the Fera Science Ltd Joint Venture Board and leading its Science Committee (https://www.fera.co.uk/corporate-governance), he also leads for Fera on the Joint Strategy Board with Defra.
Having served as a non-executive director of the Crop Health and Protection Centre Agri-Tech (Chap Ltd) and founded the UK Insect Bioconversion Forum in 2018, last year he was appointed as a commissioner on the Trade and Agriculture Commission supporting the Department of Business and Trade and continues to serve on the York and North Yorks Local Authority Business Board.
Andrew studied both of his degrees at the University of Manchester (1984 and 1988) and is a graduate of the London Business School Executive MBA programme (2008).
Robyn Vinter
Robyn Vinter is north of England correspondent at The Guardian and former Farmers Weekly reporter.
Robyn Vinter
Robyn Vinter is north of England correspondent at The Guardian.
Previously a reporter at Farmers Weekly, she has now written for most British national newspapers, as well as a number of international publications.
She won the local hero award at the AOP Awards in 2020 and has also received nominations at the British Journalism Awards, the Press Awards and the Paul Foot Award for investigative and campaigning journalism.
She was a fellow of the Reuters Institute at the University of Oxford in 2022. She set up and the ran the investigative news website The Overtake between 2017 and 2020.
Sophie Throup
Sophie heads agriculture and sustainable sourcing policy and programmes for Morrisons and is the technical and sustainability director for the manufacturing business.
Sophie Throup
Sophie joined Morrisons in November 2017, following 10 years in the veterinary sector running research and training programmes.
She heads agriculture and sustainable sourcing policy and programmes for Morrisons and is the technical and sustainability director for the manufacturing business.
Sophie is also non-executive director for AFS (Red Tractor), a steering committee member for the Food Industry Initiative on Antimicrobials and was part of Defra’s Animal Health and Welfare Pathway sub-group on legislation.
She also was a driving force in setting up the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University, to help set research, training and innovative support for current and future farmers on the path to net zero and sustainable farming.
Robbie Moore
Robbie Moore is Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Robbie Moore
Robbie Moore was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 13 November 2023.
His responsibilities as a minister include flooding, water, resources and waste, air quality and noise, environment regulation and rural growth.
He is also ministerial lead for the Environment Agency and joint lead for Natural England. Robbie was appointed the Conservative MP for Keighley in 2019.
Prior to becoming a MP, Robbie worked as a chartered rural practice surveyor and farm business consultant for 10 years, as well as being involved in his family’s farming and plastic recycling business based in Lincolnshire.
Robbie completed a Nuffield Farming Scholarship in 2016.
Venue
The Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate HG2 8NZ
Parking at the Yorkshire Event Centre
All our parking is free. Priority parking spaces are available for blue badge holders at every event. Parking stewards will be on hand to help park and direct you to the most convenient spaces. At large events or for visitors that are not blue badge holders, golf buggies can take you to or from your car.
Getting there by car
We offer free parking at every event, walking distance from the venue. Priority parking is available for blue badge holders. When you arrive, please follow the signs for your chosen event for the best car park. Parking Stewards will be on hand to help direct you.
There are directions for North, South, East and West approaches into Harrogate that you can view these on Google Maps.
Electric cars – Should you wish to charge car your car please contact us in advanced.
Getting there by bus
Bus Services from Harrogate Town Centre (drops off at Sainsburys on Wetherby Road):
Less than a mile’s walk to the main entrance gate around the perimeter of the Showground.
Visiting by bike or foot
Harrogate offers some scenic off road cycle path links and the Yorkshire Event Centre has direct links with the Showground Greenway. We offer bike racks outside the venue. Details and directions for the Showground Greenway here.
Getting there by train
Harrogate is located midway between Leeds and York, with regular commuter train services on the local line.
The venue is about 2 miles from Harrogate train station, where taxis and buses are available to complete your journey.
Hornbeam Park station is about 1.5 miles from the venue, but there are no taxis available at this station without pre-booking. The station is connected to the Yorkshire Event Centre by a Showground Greenway so if you’d prefer a short walk or cycle, directions are here.
LNER run a regular schedule from London Kings Cross to Harrogate, including the new AZUMA service. Please visit the LNER website for timetables and booking information.
The Yorkshire Event Centre has been designed to be a level access venue, great for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The centre offers entrance ramps and double doors to both halls and automatic doors in the main entrance. All entrance steps and ramps have handrails.
The facility in Hall 2 makes the Showground more accessible during events being held at the Yorkshire Event Centre It has more space and the right equipment, including a height adjustable adult-sized changing bench and a hoist, for visitors who can’t use standard accessible toilets. This includes people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, as well as older people.
Both of the cafes are located on the ground floor.
There are six disabled toilets and additional accessible toilets and a spacious Changing Places facility, fitted with a range of equipment to assist visitors. More information can be found by following this link.
We use pictorial symbol signage across the venue to direct visitors.
Assistance and guide dogs
We welcome assistance dogs on-site and can ensure drinking water is made available. If required, we also have space for assistance dogs to be exercised.
Wheelchair and scooter hire
We work with a locally based company to provide visitors with wheelchair and scooter hire. Please contact Able to Enable to discuss your requirements on 01423 880 882.
If your application is successful, please inform us of any dietary requirements two weeks prior to the event. You can contact us at our eventsandprojects email.
Sponsors
TIAH
TIAH is agriculture and horticulture’s professional body. As the home of skills and careers support, TIAH helps people and businesses to fulfil their potential, and the industry to thrive.
Lightsource bp
Lightsource bp is an international solar business. We develop, finance, build and operate utility-scale solar power projects through smart and sustainable solutions.
Since 2010 we’ve been partnering with UK landowners on solar projects, providing secure, long-term income for farms and rural businesses looking to diversify their operations.
Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond solar – we’re creating projects that benefit the local environment and provide multi-land-use opportunities, as well as providing sustainable and affordable energy to businesses and communities throughout the UK.
GSC Grays
As industry experts, we offer specialist support to farming businesses in the North of England for FREE through our Farm Business Advice Service.
Funded by Defra’s Future Farming Resilience Fund, we have helped over 700 farmers to tackle the challenges of the agricultural transition and develop businesses which are profitable and sustainable without support.
Pictures of the event
Upcoming events
Past events
The Great Yorkshire Showground
Great Yorkshire Showground,
Railway Road,
Harrogate,
HG2 8NZ
Newcastle University Campus
Agriculture Building
King's Rd
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4LB
Royal Agricultural University Campus
Cirencester,
Gloucestershire,
GL7 6JS
Harper Adams University
Edgmond,
Newport,
Shropshire,
TF10 8NB
FAQ's
Yes, but you need to inform us at least 24 hours before.
We aim to select a panel of influential figures within the agricultural industry who have a broad range of views, knowledge, and experience. Where possible we try and select panellists who are relevant to the area in which the event is taking place.
To make the audience diverse and to ensure a range of different views and opinions are reflected, we try to select audience members of varying age groups and occupations. The successful audience members will be contacted by a member of the Farmers Weekly team and asked to provide two questions for the panel.
Following the event, there will be an evening drinks reception where canapes and light refreshments will be provided.
Yes, the event is free to attend, however you do need to apply to be a member of the audience.
- © 2023 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company