An opportunity to experience Agribex – Belgium’s premier agricultural trade show – is open to a British Guild member who would like to travel to Brussels in December.
The biennial event, held 3-8 December at Brussels Expo– home to the legendary Heysel Stadium and the famous Atomium – will host this year’s European Network of Agricultural Journalists’ AGM.
Open to two delegates from each ENAJ member country, the AGM programme features free entry to the Agribex event, including a tour of the show and key exhibits, and a farm tour available only to ENAJ members.
Celebrating its 110th anniversary in 2019, Agribex includes exhibitors from the arable, livestock and amenity sectors, and features the Brussels Livestock Show, Belgium’s premier awards and breeder event.
“There’s always interest for a journalist in visiting an overseas agricultural show,” says Adrian Bell, one of nine members of ENAJ’s management committee, and the other British delegate.
“Every country has a different take on agriculture, and attendance at a show is one of the best ways to experience that.
“This year’s AGM is particularly important for the British Guild, as we have to discuss BGAJ’s continuing involvement in ENAJ after Brexit.
“The original charter did not foresee departure from the EU of a member state and therefore no post-Brexit membership category exists.
“I’m intending to propose a change to the charter, calling for a new category that will allow the British Guild to remain active in both ENAJ management and member participation.”
Adrian was one of ENAJ’s founding members in 2011, and the British Guild’s involvement is member-wide, with Britons regularly taking up places on ‘low-budget press trips’ organised by other member guilds.
Only last month, Jane Carley and Chris McCullough visited France, while other destinations featuring this year and last include Russia, Finland, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark and Germany.
In June, around 20 ENAJ and IFAJ members visited Scotland’s Highlands and Islands, on a BGAJ low-budget trip organised by Eilidh MacPherson, editor of Farming Scotland.
The ENAJ annual general meeting takes place at 5pm on 5 December.
Delegates arrive during the morning, to enjoy a press lunch at 12pm followed by the show tour. Dinner and networking follows the AGM.
On Friday morning, delegates can choose between the farm tour (details to be confirmed, but likely to be dairy) or further time at the show. The programme ends with lunch on Friday.
ENAJ will cover delegates’ accommodation costs but travel to and from Brussels is the responsibility of the delegate. Brussels is easy to reach, either by Eurostar from London or several London and regional airports.
Interested in representing your Guild, meeting fellow European journalists and visiting Agribex? Please contact Adrian Bell at adrian.bell@agromavens.com before 12pm on Friday, 8 November.
