BIG changes are planned by the Royal Show as a result of the loss of this year's July event due to the foot and mouth crisis.

The changes relate directly to the Royal Agricultural Society of England's vision of rural Britain to provide a countryside that is truly sustainable in every sense of the word - technical, economic, social and environmental.

The emphasis and content of future shows are to reflect the broader use of the countryside, looking at food production for commodity and niche markets, leisure and tourism opportunities and business strategies for alternative land management.

"The show has changed because the countryside has changed," said RASE's chief executive Mike Calvert. "Fundamentally over the last decade there have been changes in attitudes to farming, the environment, access to the countryside and the uses of land."

He explained: "Five years from now we see food production remaining at the core of agriculture but it will inevitably account for a smaller proportion of land use with farming skills being used to provide other goods and services.

"In addition to food production, the Royal Show will now be focused on the challenges these changes present and will remain at the heart of country life, addressing the needs of this new agriculture and helping to provide valuable answers for the future."