THE possible impact of Government plans for the countryside will come under scrutiny in North Yorkshire later this year.

The Great North Meet, the major agricultural conference for the region, will be taking place at Camp Hill, Kirklington, near Bedale, on October 27.

The keynote address will be made by Environment Minister Michael Meacher.

He will be talking on the theme of Changing the Countryside and the impact his department's new rural White Paper will have.

The issues of farming and finance will be examined by Ian Kenny, of the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Professor Gareth Edwards, of the University of Wales, will be looking at how new social factors could change farming.

There will also be input from abroad, with two Continental farmers giving their views on the impact of Europe on farming.

The president of the National Farmers' Union, Easingwold farmer Ben Gill, will chair the conference.