THE HOST farm was itself the epitome of diversification and the message that came out of NorthSheep 2017 was clear: farmers need to move with the times to survive.

Solar panels glinted, a biomass boiler burned and a 12.5 Kw wind turbine spun overhead as more than 7,000 farming folk poured into West Shields Farm in Tow Law for the region’s big biennial sheep event.

A platform for sharing knowledge and information about the most up to date technologies going, NorthSheep boasted more than 200 trade stands, 37 breed society stands, cookery demonstrations – branded A Festival of Lamb, and a programme of seminars that investigated subsidies, worm control in sheep and everything in between.

But the hot topic of the day was the future of the sheep industry post-Brexit, and specifically in the context of declining lamb consumption.

Patrick Begg, rural enterprise director for the National Trust, said: “People generally don’t eat as much lamb as they used to and people under 30 just don’t eat lamb.

“Our home market has become tougher and tougher. New Zealand seems to have stolen a march on us and has done for decades. That’s not going to change any time soon.”

However British farmers, and certainly those in the uplands, held several winning cards – their land management was crucial in terms of clean water, flood control, carbon capture, flora, fauna and wildlife, and the leisure and pleasure society as a whole drew from the countryside.

“Visitors love the uplands and so the people who are involved in its care, in its stewardship, have an ace card to play,” he said.

Remi Fourier, based in AHDB’s office in France, also offered reassurance that Britain’s sheep farmers were unlikely to lose their market over the Channel.

He said: “When you look at the EU, there is no other country that does things better than the UK in terms of animal welfare and product quality.

“For example, French lamb is poor quality and usually a by-product of the sheep dairy industry – these lambs are reared indoors and as such butchers do not like them.

“It is important to remember that UK lamb has a strong brand and quality standard across the EU and worldwide.”

As far as he was concerned, once the UK was out of Europe it would have greater control over its own standards and markets.

Opening the event, the Duke of Montrose, president of the NSA, emphasised the contribution that sheep farmers made at home to both ecology and the economy.

He too talked about the uncertain times that lay ahead, but felt understanding how to avoid disruption to sheep export markets would be the lifeboat that would carry upland farmers through.