A SPECIAL one-day conference at Askham Bryan College will give beef producers ideas on how to survive the world of the new Single Farm Payment.

The event has been organised by the Beef Improvement Group on Thursday, January 27.

Richard Fuller, BIF technical director, said they were anxious about the industry's future and the radical changes farmers would have to make. "We decided to demonstrate just how seriously we are taking the situation by sharing our knowledge and information in this one-day, hands-on technical event," he said.

BIG is working with industry leaders and scientists to develop its Stabiliser programme. "Now in its eighth year, it has an overall objective of breeding a functional suckler cow that will make a major contribution towards the minimum £200 in cost savings producers will have to make just to stand still," said Mr Fuller, who is also National Beef Association technical committee chairman.

Speakers include Jimmy Hyslop from the Scottish Agricultural College who will emphasise how farmers need to change their entire mindset and adopt a performance monitoring system which throws up production inefficiencies and offers performance improvement indicators.

Claire Wise, of the Red Meat Industry Forum, will argue why group benchmarking is another positive exercise to take up and help all producers deal with the inevitable challenges ahead.

Alan Janzen, who farms in Nebraska, will discuss his business, which finishes more than 100,000 head each year and has 2,000 suckler cows with 90pc calving, with a tight six-week period and averaging ten calves per lifetime. He will also focus on why measuring cost per kg is a prerequisite and how to get there. Costs in the US are up to 20pc lower than in the UK.

The morning session, chaired by Sir Don Curry, will be led by Richard Fuller, who will explain that beef farmers must look closely at both fixed and variable costs and start to strip them out.

The afternoon presentations, chaired by Lord Haskins, will be rounded off by Duncan Davidson. He will summarise how his 28,160-acre Lillburn Estate in the Borders has started to implement changes, including replacing his 1,130 Holstein cross suckler cows with low input, high output Stabilisers.

Further information and tickets (£15 including lunch) from Linda Woodall on 01377 227 755