The question of whether farmers can make do without EU subsidies is expected to trigger lively debate at the Three Counties Farming Conference to be held at the Malvern Showground on Thursday November 12.

Rural property specialists Bruton Knowles will sponsor the conference, which will feature speakers from across the political and farming spectrum.

Philip Cowen, Head of Rural at Bruton Knowles, said the conference would debate the potential impact pulling out of the EU would have on the agricultural sector.

He said: “This conference will enlighten farmers as to the likely policies parties may take post an EU exit. It should be a very lively debate.”

EU membership would be particularly hotly debated in the Three Counties region due to the high concentration of smaller farms – which made do without the economies of scale of the large scale operations in some parts of the UK.

He said: “Without their subsidies some family farms in the 100 to 200 acre bracket will cease to exist. Many farming businesses cannot afford to live without subsidies. The average farm size is smaller than they are in the East of England, but correspondingly bigger than those to the South West and West.”

Speakers for the 2015 Farm Conference will be UKIP MEP, George Eustice, Minister of State at Defra, Mike Gooding, Managing Director of FAI Farms Ltd and Graham Redman, a Partner at specialist agriculture consultants the Anderson Centre.

In addition there will be a huge number of trade stands from all sectors of the farming industry.

For tickets call 01684 584924.