ECONOMIC AND MONETARY UNION -

Threat or opportunity for UK Agriculture ?

Farmer's Weekly Conference. 23rd February 1998. London.


LOVE or loathe the idea, Economic and Monetary Union promises to have a big impact on the health of UK businesses for generations to come. Even if the UK decides not to support EMU, monetary union on the Continent is likely to have powerful consequences for the U.K economy.

But what will EMU mean for UK agriculture? To answer that question, FARMERS WEEKLY has assembled a group of experts to address our conference Economic and Monetary Union - threat or opportunity for UK agriculture? at London's Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on Mon, Feb 23, 1998.

Would UK farming fare better within EMU or outside? How would monetary union affect support payments made to UK farmers? What would happen to support payments if the UK stayed outside monetary union?

To help separate the fact from the fiction over EMU membership, we will devote the morning session to studying what monetary union is likely to mean for the UK economy in general and farming in particular.

A MAFF spokesman will spell out the government's view on EMU membership, while shadow farm minister Michael Jack MP will explain the Conservative's policy. The new NFU president will detail his union's view on the implications of EMU.

The afternoon session will start with an insight into the European Commission's strategy on monetary union from a spokesman from the Economics Directorate DGII.

Next, two panels of speakers, one devoted to the livestock sector and one dealing with the arable sector, will focus on how supporting or shunning EMU membership is likely to affect UK farmers.

Livestock panel speakers include Mick Sloyan, the MLC's head of pigmeat strategy, David Yeomans, chief executive Milk Marque, Bill Madders, farmer and COPA milk committee member and Sean Ricard, Cranfield University.

Speakers on the arable panel include Stephen Thornhill, HGCA director of marketing information, Michael Banks, company director of Banks Agriculture, James Townshend, director of Velcourt and Michael Murphy of Cambridge University's Department of Land Economy.

There will be ample opportunity to ask questions. So make a date in your diary for Mon, Feb 23 at London's Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre. Whether you believe that EMU would be a blessing or a bane, make sure you have your say at our conference.

Farmers Weekly 5 December 1997


Back