Date/Time
Date(s) - 26/02/2014
5:00 pm

Location
Northern ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland



United Kingdom

The Northern Ireland Institute of Agricultural Science (NIIAS) will host its annual conference for 2014 on Wednesday February 26th. The venue is the Hilton Hotel Templepatrick: starting time 5.00pm.

“The theme for this year’s conference is Consumer Confidence in Farming,” confirmed NIIAS Chairwoman Dr Marian Scott.

The prospects for agriculture and food remain extremely positive. Our theme reflects the growing optimism within the sector. Our speaker line up will help identify how all of this potential can be converted into profitable reality in terms of improved marketing and delivering new food products that are fully in line with consumer expectations.”

Steve McLean from Marks & Spencer will address conference delegates. He will speak from a large retailer’s view point in terms of the steps they take to ensure that consumers have confidence in the products they sell and the farms they come from.

Peter Hannan, founder of Hannan Meats will also be speaking at the event. Over the past number of years Peter has built up a strong business, supplying high quality meat products to a selection of the top retail and catering outlets in the British Isles. In achieving this, Peter has developed close supply relationships with local producers of high quality Glenarm Shorthorn and European Angus beef.

The final conference speaker is Henry Horkan, from Bord Bía’s London Office. Courtesy of his presentation, Henry will highlight the research that Bord Bía has carried out into consumer confidence in food and farming, plus the other aspects

Of consumer confidence and what the consumer expects in terms of confidence in the food they purchase and the farms it comes from.

Marian Scott continued:“The upcoming conference will reflect the latest thinking on how our farming and food sectors can best meet fast changing consumer expectations. As a

Consequence, the event will be of specific interest to all NIIAS members and those with a professional involvement with the various agri food sectors.”

Events get underway at 5.00pm with a hot finger buffet. The conference will commence at 6.00pm. The fee is £15 for NIIAS members and £20 for non members. For registration and further information contact NIIAS Secretary Kate Curran on (028) 9268 1078 or e mail: secretary@niias.co.uk. RSVP by Friday February 21st 2014