An international agricultural trade expert has been confirmed as keynote speaker at a major rural event taking place in the county next month.

Nick von Westenholz, the NFU's direction of EU exit and international trade will appear at Farm Expo, taking place at the Kent Showground in Detling on Wednesday, March 6.

The event is a new farm machinery, supplies and services show.

It takes the place of Agri Expo which pulled out of the venue at the end of last year, citing a sharp increase in hosting the event at the site.

Mr von Westenholz will be speaking about the wider consequences of Brexit on UK agriculture, as well as attempting to unpick the Agricultural Bill currently making its way through Parliament and what it means for British farming and associated industries.

He said: “UK farmers are renowned throughout the world for consistently providing consumers with safe, secure and affordable food, produced to the highest welfare and environmental standards.

“They are also the mainstay of two of the UK’s biggest economic drivers; manufacturing and retail.

“With those facts in mind, it is imperative the government comes out of the EU negotiations with a fair deal for agriculture to protect farmers, the rural economy and British people by continuing to enable the production of safe, high-quality food in the UK."

Farm Expo is a new event organised by the Kent County Agricultural Society.

Kevin Attwood, chairman of the society, said: “To secure Nick von Westenholz as the keynote speaker at the very first Farm Expo is a real coup. Nick is an extremely knowledgeable about Brexit and will be able to give the farmers visiting the show a real insight into what the industry might look like when we leave the EU."