THE Northern Sheep Fair takes place at Skipton mart on Tuesday.

John Thorley, chief executive of the National Sheep Association, will officially open the event at Skipton auction mart at 10.30.

He will be followed at 10.45 by Dr Duncan Pickar. A former lecturer in animal nutrition at Leeds University, Dr Pickar and his family have farmed 1,100 acres in Fife since 1992.

In May last year he published a controversial book Lie of the Land which questioned past and present agricultural policies and suggested an alternative way forward.

Mike Keeble, D&S Times columnist and Wensleydale beef and sheep farmer, will speak at 11.15. He is organising the group structure of the Red Meat Industry Forum and will be followed by a cutting demonstration supported by the English Beef and Lamb Executive.

The talks and demonstration will be repeated in the afternoon from 1.45.

This first time the event, organised by Trident, has been staged at Skipton. It also features trade and breed society stands.

George Perrott of Trident said the company was delighted to maintain its support for the sheep industry in the region. "This year the event has been moved to Skipton as part of an ongoing effort to give everyone in the North access to the fair over the coming years," he said. "I'm sure this year's event will be the biggest and best yet.