Shake-up planned for annual NFU Conference

The NFU has confirmed plans to alternate its annual conference between Birmingham and London, Farmers Weekly can exclusively reveal.

The conference will return to the ICC in Birmingham in 2024, where it will be held for two days from 20-21 February.

But as part of a trial, the event will switch to London in 2025 for a one-day event. The NFU has not yet named the venue.

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The decision has split opinion among NFU farmer-members and growers, raising concerns that members had not been asked for their views over the changes.

One senior NFU member, who did not want to be named, said: “The members were not consulted. How many people will be able to attend the one-day event in London?

“I heard it will be a smaller, more intimate venue. How much is it going to cost members?”

Hotel bookings

The member expressed concerns that the switch to London will “penalise northern members”, who face having to book a hotel for two nights to attend the conference just for one day – unless the NFU is going to foot the bill.

“The beauty of the ICC venue in Birmingham is its central location, which allows members to attend meetings with politicians in the nearby restaurants and stay overnight before they return home the following morning,” said the member.

However, another NFU senior member spoke out in favour of the switch to London.

The member said: “The NFU has got to save some running costs. At the moment, delegates get a free two days with fantastic food in Birmingham.

“Some NFU members won’t like the move to London as they will be expected to pay for, or at least make a contribution towards, their hotels.

“But change needs to happen and London is where it’s happening. That is where you are going to see MPs. You have got to be in the field of influence. Agricultural policy is going to become even more challenging as we get more urbanite MPs.”

NFU ‘evolving’

Asked if the NFU has considered charging members to allow the annual conference to continue to be held every year in Birmingham, a spokeswoman for the union said: “As it’s not being axed, how the NFU funds NFU Conference is a matter for the NFU and its members.”

NFU director of regions and membership Kevin Pearce said: “NFU Conference will continue to be held annually and is already booked into the ICC in Birmingham for 2024.

“To ensure maximum value for money for NFU members, and engage with its wider membership, NFU Council, the NFU’s sovereign body, took the decision back in January to move the conference to London for 2025 and trial a one-day event, with subsequent conferences alternating between the two locations.”