Charles Mills: Great Yorkshire Show aims to fly flag for best of region's farming

Not only does it mean a lot to so many who like me will have memories of coming as a youngster, but it is also an important fixture in the calendar and is an event of national significance.

The show attracts more than 130,000 visitors over three days which, for a midweek show, is certainly something to be proud of. It also hosts national competitions which keeps the standard of entries extremely high, showing some of the best livestock in the UK and we now have long waiting lists for cattle and sheep classes.

We strive to achieve a balance between attracting visitors who know very little about farming and the countryside, as well as celebrating, supporting and showcasing agriculture for those living and working in the sector.

Agriculture is at the centre of the show’s fabric and this is something we are fiercely proud of. Divert away from this and you lose the meaning of the show.

For many it is a week-long holiday, attracting farmers and competitors from across the UK and the world. This year we have young farmers from Adelaide helping out in the cattle parade after they won a South Australian Rural Ambassador Award. We also have sheep shearers from New Zealand including current world champion Johnny Kirkpatrick.

One of our key aims as an agricultural society is to encourage and promote innovation and efficiency in the British farming industry.

There’s cutting edge machinery on display, for example live milking at the Lely stand, where for the first time visitors will also see calves being trained to feed on an automated calf feeder.

We also look back in time and celebrate the evolution of farming with the Ford and Fordson Association which is celebrating the 100 year anniversary of tractor production with a display of tractors and machinery

Once again we will have a seminar programme with guest speakers who will advise and examine current farming issues facing farmers. From cyber fraud to Farmer’s Health Checks, we want to make sure we offer support where we can.

We want to continue flying the flag for the farming industry as the political climate undergoes a period of change, to make sure the rural economy is front of mind.

Our partners at the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) work with the Society to make this happen and they have prominence at the show to reflect this.

Brexit has left us all facing an uncertain future, but we want to play a pivotal role in supporting farmers and have created a Brexit group to make sure their – our – voices are heard.

We have invited Yorkshire MPs and Government Ministers to come and see the show for themselves, then they can see all aspects of farming and countryside pulled together in one place. We hope to generate their backing for the educational strand of the show because although 5,500 pupils will be visiting on official school trips (we offer a discount), we want to make it easier for parents to be able to bring their children.

The Government has tightened the laws around term time trips following a recent High Court ruling and we find that head teachers are unclear whether they can sanction a child’s absence.

Educating the next generation about the importance of farming and the countryside is vital and key to keeping the sector buoyant and successful in the future. We are passionate about helping youngsters understand why the countryside looks as beautiful as it does and how food arrives onto our plates. We strive to do this through a series of educational days and programmes the Yorkshire Agricultural Society rolls out throughout the year, with the Great Yorkshire Show as the flagship event. There are hands on workshops, scientific challenges, circus skills and dry stone walling to name just a few activities in the Discovery Zone designed specifically for children.

We also try and offer some wow-factor and some stardust across the showground, and this year the RAF Falcons military parachute display team and the Atkinson Action Horses TV stunt horses are guaranteed to do just that in the main ring.

Again we aim to strike that balance between attracting the farming community and those unconnected to agriculture and ensuring they both have the best experience that we can create.

For first timers, we know that once they come, they will fall in love with the Great Yorkshire Show and become part of its fan base of loyal visitors who come year after year.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Charles Mills is director of the Great Yorkshire Show.