Cereals 2012 – building on success

May 17, 2012 - PRLog -- Cereals 2012 is set to be an even bigger draw than last year, when a record 27,000
visitors flooded through the gates to catch the latest technical and business advice.

“Grain prices may not be quite as high as last year but they remain strong, helped in no
short measure by the lack of rainfall in the UK and across Europe,” says event director
Jon Day.

“However, coaxing more yield from crops to make the most of those prices in this drier
environment whilst controlling costs is a real challenge. And it is something that more
UK growers may have to face if these long, droughty spells become more common.”

Cereals is the place to find all the expertise and advice to help growers tackle that and a
host of other technical challenges to keep their businesses profitable. he adds.

“Whether you are looking for the latest varieties, the most up-to-date advice on blackgrass control or how to minimise establishment costs, the answers will all be found at Cereals 2012.”

Over 470 exhibitors will attend the event on Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th June 2012, turning the 64ha site, mostly owned by host farmer Patrick Dean Ltd, into an
unparalleled collection of arable expertise.

Several specialist areas will help visitors make the most of their day. These include:

Crop Plots - more than 90 plots will be at the core of the event, helping researchers, manufacturers and advisers bring their technical messages to life.

Working Demonstrations and Machinery Showcase - tractors, cultivators and drills will be put to work and leading manufacturers will exhibit a vast range of machinery and equipment.

Sprays and Sprayers - a showcase of all the latest spraying technology and equipment plus 50 of the latest sprayers will be put through their paces.

Renewables sponsored by Drax Power – keep up to date with innovations in renewable energy and biofuels.

Potatoes - for agronomy, machinery, storage and handling advice.

Post-Harvest Technology - on show will be the latest drying, cleaning and handling equipment to ensure safe and efficient post harvest handling and protection.

Business Area - a great opportunity to keep abreast of the latest financial matters, including advice on containing those all-important costs.

The Arable Conference – this partnership between The Oxford Farming Conference and Cereals will tackle some of the key issues of the day, including attracting new farmers, increasing crop output, CAP reform and farming’s image. Speakers include farm minister Jim Paice.

New attractions include a careers initiative where several exhibitors will outline prospects for new entrants in their sectors to help attract new blood into the industry. A Soil and Water Management Trail will highlight the importance of managing these critical resources and the Chlorpyrifos: Say No to Drift campaign will also be aired.

HSBC Bank returns as principal sponsor for the ninth year, demonstrating the company’s commitment to the industry, says head of agriculture Allan Wilkinson.

"Agriculture and the food chain are vitally important sectors to the bank,” he adds. “It remains a key and very stable part of our funding to UK plc today.

“Cereal crops have probably the greatest impact of any part of the industry either as an income stream, or as a key input in the livestock sector, which uses 50% of all cereals produced here. Supporting a major technical event such as Cereals helps us support the development and adoption of best practice across the board, with the aim of improving efficiency and the bottom line.”

Tickets for Cereals 2012 cost £22 each (£18 for students) and are available at http://www.cerealsevent.co.uk/tickets.

Visitors qualify for 2 NRoSO points and 4 BASIS points for attending either day, plus there are other opportunities within the event to earn extra points.

For further information on Cereals 2012 go to http://www.cerealsevent.co.uk