Farmers Guardian
Alistair Driver Editorial

Adjudicator should have ‘parachute powers’ - TFA

21 May 2012

THE Tenant Farmers Association is calling for the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) to have ‘parachute powers’ to investigate retailers at no or very short notice.

Culling badgers can bring lasting benefits, farming and vet leaders claim

18 May 2012

FARMING and veterinary industry leaders have insisted culling badgers can deliver long-term, lasting benefits in bovine TB (bTB) hotspots in England and Wales.

FG web debate: Badgers and Bovine TB – the way forward?

18 May 2012

SHOULD badgers be culled to control bovine TB (bTB)? Is badger vaccination a better option? Or should the two policies be deployed in tandem, as part of a wider package of measures including cattle controls, in TB hotspot areas?

NFU accuses Defra over 'disproportionate' clampdown on SOAs

18 May 2012

A MAJOR row is brewing over a potentially onerous change to livestock movement rules in England the NFU claims has been imposed by Defra without proper consultation.

China trade deal 'huge opportunity' for UK pig producers

17 May 2012

THE UK pig industry could benefit to the tune of £100 million over the next two years, following the expected opening up of the lucrative Chinese export market this week.

Paice urges Ciolos to go further on CAP greening concessions

15 May 2012

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has told the European Commission it needs to go further in its revision of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) greening plans.

MPs urge Government caution on GM crops

14 May 2012

AN INFLUENTIAL committee of MPs has called on the Government to refrain from licensing genetically modified (GM) crops until their benefits have been proved.

Defra urges farmers not to plough up grassland

13 May 2012

DEFRA is urging farmers not to make ‘hasty decisions’ on ploughing up permanent pasture in a bid to avoid being penalised by Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform.

Supermarkets and suppliers battle over Adjudicator powers

11 May 2012

SUPERMARKETS and their suppliers are primed for a battle over the powers that will be granted to the new Grocery Code Adjudicator (GCA).

Farmers must find 'innovative ways' to deal with TB budget cuts

10 May 2012

THE farming industry has been urged to come up with ‘innovative new approaches’ to bovine TB (bTB) controls, as Defra sets about slashing its animal health budget.

Grocery Adjudicator Bill confirmed in Queen's Speech

9 May 2012

THE Government has confirmed the establishment of a Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) to ensure the fair treatment of supermarket suppliers.   

Retailers insist farmers don't need an Adjudicator

8 May 2012

THE British Retail Consortium (BRC) has insisted there is no need for a supermarket watchdog as farmers are already benefitting from retail investment in the food chain.

RSPB denies conflict over £5m CAP payment

4 May 2012

THE RSPB has insisted there is no conflict between its position as the UK’s second biggest recipient of Common Agricultural Policy funds and its strong lobbying position on CAP reform.

GM protestors pledge to press on with 'direct action'

3 May 2012

PROTESTORS threatening to destroy a trial of genetically modified (GM) wheat later this month have made it clear they have no intention of backing down, following a plea from the scientists behind the trials.

Paice announces tightening up of TB cattle controls

2 May 2012

THE requirements for pre-movement testing of cattle in England are to be stepped up this summer, as part of a range of measures to strengthen bovine TB (bTB) cattle controls.

EU move towards simpler 'active farmer' definition

2 May 2012

EU MINISTERS have unofficially agreed to drop much-derided proposals for defining ‘active farmers’ under the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Supermarket watchdog must have teeth - Labour

1 May 2012

LABOUR’S Shadow Farming Minister has called on the Government to ensure the Grocery Codes Adjudicator (GCA) Bill has sufficient teeth to address unfair behaviour in the supply chain.

Stroud councillors oppose badger cull

27 April 2012

STROUD District Council has passed a motion banning the culling of badgers on its land, despite not owning any land covered by the West Gloucestershire pilot cull area.

EU sow stall ban heading for 'farce', new figures indicate

27 April 2012

THOUSANDS of pig farms across 17 member states will still be using sow stalls when the method of production is outlawed across the EU next year, new figures indicate.

Take precautions if working with TB-infected animals

25 April 2012

THE Health Protection Agency (HPA) is advising farmers who work with animals at risk from bovine TB (bTB) to take precautions, including avoiding handling infected cattle where possible.

Free Range Dairy initiative to be rolled out nationally

24 April 2012

A SOMERSET farmer says he is receiving strong support from within the dairy sector for an initiative to ‘celebrate the benefits of pasture-based dairy systems’.

'Heroic' Mr Badger has clouded TB debate, research concludes

23 April 2012

DEEP-ROOTED cultural attitudes towards badgers, reinforced through literary works like ‘The Wind in the Willows’, have clouded the debate on controlling bovine TB (bTB), according to new research.

Natural England approves night vision technology for badger cull

22 April 2012

NATURAL England has given the go ahead for night vision thermal imaging technology to be used by contractors culling badgers in England, according to the NFU.

Leading food industry figure calls for GM rethink

21 April 2012

A LEADING representative of the food manufacturing sector has called for a major rethink on attitudes towards GM technology in the UK and Europe.

Glossop urges Wales to unite behind TB strategy

20 April 2012

WELSH Chief Veterinary Officer Christianne Glossop has urged farmers and badger campaigners to unite behind plans to tackle bovine TB (bTB) in Wales.

Kendall calls for Defra clarity on CAP

20 April 2012

NFU president Peter Kendall has called for greater clarity from Defra on its approach to CAP reform.

Removal of tax incentives a blow to drought battle - Kendall

19 April 2012

NFU president Peter Kendall has said it is ‘insane’ farmers cannot write off tax against the construction of on-farm reservoirs.

Badger cull legal action decision expected by Friday

18 April 2012

A DECISION on whether plans to cull badgers in England will be challenged in the High Court is set to be announced by the end of this week.

Watch out for Schmallenberg symptoms

16 April 2012

THE Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) is urging farmers to be on the look-out for signs of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in cattle over the next few months.

TFA calls for action to prevent landlords capitalising on CAP reform

8 April 2012

THE Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) has called for measures to prevent landlords capitalising ‘inappropriately’ on reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

EU shelves plans to reintroduce animal protein in feed

5 April 2012

THE European Commission has shelved plans to re-introduce processed animal protein (PAP) in animal feed.

Defra denies claims it is failing on the environment

3 April 2012

DEFRA has refuted claims that it is failing on a promise to reduce the impact of UK farming on our environment.

Farron calls for clarity on CAP delay

2 April 2012

LIBERAL Democrat MP Tim Farron has called for clarity on how a delay in the introduction of reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) would affect farm payments.

Defra extends CFE funding

2 April 2012

DEFRA has agreed to extend funding for the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE) for the rest of this year.

Ciolos criticised over lack of CAP 'set-aside' detail

29 March 2012

THE European Commission has been criticised for refusing to reveal what type of land will be eligible for the ‘set aside’ areas proposed under its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform package.

Two gangmaster defendants order to pay £1,300 costs

28 March 2012

TWO defendants in the long-running gangmaster legal case have been ordered to pay more than £1,000 in costs.

NFU director general to leave post in 2013

27 March 2012

NFU director general Kevin Roberts has announced he is to leave the post next year.

Kendall dismisses Bow Group findings on badger cull

27 March 2012

NFU president Peter Kendall has dismissed the findings of report calling for the English badger cull to be scrapped as ‘nothing new’.

Tory think tank calls for badger cull to be scrapped

26 March 2012

THE Government has come under pressure from inside the Conservative party to follow Wales and abandon plans for a badger cull in England.

Pig prices to rise on back of sow stall ban - Houston

22 March 2012

PIGMEAT prices could rise by more than 10 per cent as a result of the 2013 partial EU ban on sow stalls, according to National Pig Association director Stewart Houston.

Schmallenberg blood test moves a step closer

22 March 2012

SCIENTISTS are getting closer to developing a blood test that will provide a much clearer picture about how far Schmallenberg has spread within the UK.

Bourns ousted as NFU poultry chairman

21 March 2012

CHARLES Bourns has been ousted as chairman of the NFU poultry board, after nine years in the post.

Lyon launches dual EU sow stall campaign

21 March 2012

SCOTTISH Liberal Democrat MEP George Lyon has launched a campaign to up the pressure on the 15 member states that are not expected to comply with the partial EU sow stall ban by next January.

Commission condemns Russian Schmallenberg pig import ban

20 March 2012

THE European Commission has condemned the decision by Russia to ban EU livestock imports in response to the Schmallenberg outbreak.

NPA battles for British pig industry in Brussels

19 March 2012

THE British pig industry will this week call on EU policy makers to take action now to avoid a repeat of the fiasco surrounding the battery cage ban.

Quinney outlines frustrations of TB outbreak

15 March 2012

THE NFU’s newest officeholder has spoken of his frustration at a worsening bovine TB (bTB) problem afflicting his Warwickshire farm.

Northern Ireland considers badger cull

14 March 2012

THE Northern Ireland Executive is considering a badger cull, Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill has indicated.

EU stands firm on Schmallenberg trade restrictions

13 March 2012

THE European Commission has reiterated its determination to resist attempts by third countries to impose trade restrictions on the back of concerns over Schmallenberg Virus.

End in sight for US-EU beef trade war

13 March 2012

THE US Government has published a draft bill that will pave the way for an end to the long-running US-EU beef trade war.

'Unjustified' nitrate proposals will damage farming - TFA

12 March 2012

PLANS to tighten up nitrate rules in England and Wales fly in the face of efforts to reduce farming regulatory burdens in the two countries, according to the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA).

Battery cage ban egg shortages hit Northern Ireland

10 March 2012

NORTHERN Ireland is already showing signs of an egg shortage as a result of the EU’s Welfare of Laying Hens Directive, the Ulster Farmers’ Union has warned.

RSPCA published footage of dramatic sheep rescue

9 March 2012

THE RSPCA has published footage of a dramatic two-day sheep rescue that took place on Welsh cliffs.

Schmallenberg: Scientists outline the long-term prospects

8 March 2012

SCHMALLENBERG virus (SBV) could potentially go on to affect the whole of Britain, if the cycle of infection begins again when the midges return later this spring, scientists have warned.

Calls for labelling change after Countryfile questions Red Tractor

7 March 2012

ORGANISATIONS with an interest in animal welfare have joined forces to campaign for new compulsory EU labelling that recognises systems of production, such as ‘factory farming’.

Kendall hits out at BBC after Panorama programme

6 March 2012

NFU President Peter Kendall has accused BBC’s Panorama programme focussing on the ‘negatives’ in its half-hour exposé on the Common Agricultural Policy on Monday night.

AFS defends Red Tractor after Countryfile criticism

5 March 2012

ASSURED Food Standards (AFS) has insisted its Red Tractor logo represents more than baseline legal standards, after the scheme was criticised on Sunday’s BBC Countryfile programme.

EU young farmers call for overhaul of CAP greening plans

5 March 2012

The president of the EU’s young farmers organistation, Joris Baecke, has called for an overhaul of the European Commission’s plans to ‘green’ the CAP.

Spelmans decide not to appeal High Court judgement

2 March 2012

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman has decided not to appeal against a High Court decision to lift an injunction preventing a newspaper publishing a story about her son.

Northern Ireland TB compensations cuts ‘a new low’ - UFU

2 March 2012

THE Ulster Farmers’ Union has described plans unveiled by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) to cut TB compensation rates in Northern Ireland as a ‘new low point for farmers’.

All of the UK could see Schmallenberg infections

1 March 2012

Schmallenberg virus is likely to be around for at least another year and could spread much further across the UK, a leading animal disease expert has warned.

NBA calls for better communication of TB rules changes

1 March 2012

THE National Beef Association (NBA) has urged Defra and AHVLA to communicate important forthcoming changes to TB movements more clearly than it has done so far this year.

Lib Dems challenge Government on Schmallenberg response

29 February 2012

LIBERAL Democrats politicians have questioned Government policy on handling the Schmallenberg (SBV) outbreak in England and the preparations being made Wales.

Schmallenberg could ‘ruin the sheep industry’, expert warns

28 February 2012

A LEADING scientist specialising in emerging diseases has warned that Schmallenberg Virus could ‘ruin’ the sheep industry.

Defra announces 12 new nature areas

27 February 2012

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman has announced the location of 12 new nature zones that will receive millions of pounds of funding to boost their wildlife.

Spelman facing large legal bill over injunction case

27 February 2012

CAROLINE Spelman faces a huge legal bill after a judge refused a request by the Defra Secretary and her husband, Mark, to continue an injunction protecting the privacy of their son.

Schmallenberg ‘could have been here for two years’ - NFUS

25 February 2012

SCHMALLENBERG Virus (SBV) could have been affecting livestock in Europe last year, without its presence being detected, NFU Scotland President, Nigel Miller has suggested.

EID regulation to be challenged in European court

24 February 2012

THE controversial EU sheep electronic identification (EID) rules could be challenged in the European Court of Justice (ECJ), following a ruling in German court.

Seals explains why partnership is key for AHWBE

24 February 2012

Michael Seals bristles when the ‘f-word’ is suggested. “I don’t do failure. So we’ll all have to make sure we engage.”

EU sow stall ban will be widely flouted, Creagh warns

24 February 2012

UP TO 20 member states could be producing pigs in outlawed systems when he EU sow stall ban comes into force next year, Shadow Defra Secretary Mary Creagh has warned.

TB movement restrictions to be tightened further

23 February 2012

FARMERS face tighter TB movement restrictions over the next few months, Farming Minister Jim Paice has warned.

Adam Quinney elected NFU vice president

22 February 2012

WARWICKSHIRE farmer Adam Quinney has been elected as vice president of the NFU, joining Peter Kendall and Meurig Raymond at union’s top table.

Paice vows to help restore dairy sector to pre-eminence

22 February 2012

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has pledged to help the dairy industry regain its position as the pre-eminent sector in British farming.

Direct farm payments hold back competiveness - Spelman

21 February 2012

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman has upped the ante over the direction of Common Agricultural Policy reform by claiming direct payments hold back farming competitiveness.

Don’t disadvantage UK on CAP - Kendall

21 February 2012

NFU president Peter Kendall has warned Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman not to pursue Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms that could disadvantage UK farmers.

EU farm leaders demand overhaul of CAP reform plans

20 February 2012

EU FARMING representatives have called on the European Commission to ensure Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms boost, rather than hinder, food production.

Schmallenberg Virus discovered in Cornwall

17 February 2012

SCHMALLENBERG virus (SBV) has been identified in South West England for the first time.

NFU calls for common sense on CAP greening

17 February 2012

THE NFU has called for common sense to be injected into European Commission plans to ‘green’ future farm payments, following meetings at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Historic US-EU trade deal expected to boost organic market

16 February 2012

THE US and EU have signed an historic trade arrangement that will pave way for organic products certified in the US or Europe to be sold in either region from June 1.

Cattle slurry deaths prompt warning to farmers

16 February 2012

FARMERS are being warned over the dangers posed by stored slurry after the deaths of four cattle from toxic gas produced by a slurry store.

Farmer accused over cruelty found dead at Norfolk pig farm

15 February 2012

THE body of a 52-year-old man has been found at the Norfolk pig farm against which allegations of cruelty were aired this week.

NFU joins forces with Italian union in CAP fight

15 February 2012

THE NFU has joined forces with its Italian equivalent, the Confederazione Nazionale Coldirett, to fight for a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that puts food production first.

NFU Elections: Adam Quinney – standing for vice president

14 February 2012

Adam Quinney – standing for vice president

NFU Elections: Jonathan Brant – standing for vice president

14 February 2012

Jonathan Brant – standing for vice president

NFU Elections: Paul Temple – standing for deputy and vice president

14 February 2012

Age: 50

NFU Elections: Meurig Raymond – standing for deputy president

14 February 2012

Meurig Raymond – standing for deputy president

NFU Elections: Peter Kendall  - standing for president

14 February 2012

Age: 51

HMRC announces cold weather red diesel relaxation

13 February 2012

HM REVENUE and Customs (HMRC) has relaxed the rules on the use of red diesel to allow farmers to help grit and clear snow from public roads during ‘extreme weather’.

Schmallenberg, 'there's more cases to come' - expert panel

10 February 2012

SCHMALLENBERG virus is likely to be discovered on an increasing number of farms as lambing and calving progresses during the spring, farming and veterinary experts have warned. 

Farm upbringing helps fight allergies - study

10 February 2012

GROWING up on a farm gives people a better chance of avoiding allergic disease, a new study has confirmed.

Badger Trust announces cull legal challenge

9 February 2012

THE Badger Trust has launched legal proceedings against the decision by Defra to sanction a badger cull in England.

IT crisis ‘should never have happened’ – AHVLA chief

8 February 2012

THE head of the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) has admitted the ongoing IT problems blighting the agency’s work on bovine TB (bTB) should never have happened.

Mycotoxin plans could slash UK oat production - NFU

7 February 2012

UK OAT production could be reduced by 16 per cent if the European Commission presses ahead with ‘unnecessary’ new EU Mycotoxin restrictions, the NFU has warned.

Schmallenberg: Farmers voice fear of the unknown

6 February 2012

SHEEP farmers in eastern England have spoken of their fear of living in the shadow of the newly discovered Schmallenberg Virus (SBV).

Huhne resigns over speeding offence allegations

3 February 2012

ENERGY Secretary Chris Huhne has resigned, after being charged with perverting the course of justice over a 2003 speeding case.

AHVLA apologises to farmers for IT 'chaos'

3 February 2012

THE Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) has apologised to livestock farmers in TB hotpsot areas for IT problems which senior management has privately admitted is a ‘crisis’.

Fatal salmonella outbreak linked to watermelons

2 February 2012

AN OUTBREAK of Salmonella that has affected 35 people in the UK, killing one, has been linked to watermelons.

Give animal health and welfare board a chance – TFA

2 February 2012

THE Animal Health and Welfare Board for England (AHWBE) must be given a chance to deliver Government-industry partnership, according to Tenant Farmers Association (TFA).

Lambing season will reveal true Schmallenberg problem - vet

31 January 2012

THE full extent of the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) outbreak in Britain will only become clear when the lambing season gets fully underway, a Norfolk vet has warned.

Kendall tells Cameron to get his facts right

31 January 2012

NFU president Peter Kendall has urged the Prime Minister to ensure he gets his farming facts right when he speaks in public.

Final two animal health board members revealed

31 January 2012

THE full make up the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England (AHWBE) has finally been confirmed.

Monsanto gives up on French GM maize

28 January 2012

BIOTECH giant Monsanto has announced it is giving up on plans to sell genetically modified (GM) maize in France, despite winning a key court ruling last year.

Farmers facing multi-million pound storage bill

27 January 2012

THOUSANDS of farmers face having to rebuild farm stores, under Government proposals the NFU fears could cost the industry tens of millions of pounds.

Schmallenberg: The Facts

26 January 2012

What are the symptoms? What to do if you suspect the disease? What’s happenening in Europe? A concise guide to this new disease facing UK livestock.

NFU attacks lack of farmer input on animal health board

26 January 2012

THE NFU has criticised the make-up and questioned the transparency of the new body intended to give farmers a greater say over animal health policy and costs in England.

Defra TB stats delayed due to IT chaos

26 January 2012

DEFRA has been forced to suspend the publication of key bovine TB disease statistics due major IT failings that are causing chaos for farmers and vets on the ground.

NBA welcomes key badger cull monitoring appointment

24 January 2012

THE National Beef Association has welcomed the appointment of Professor Christopher Wathes to oversee the two English pilot badger culls.

Farmers must lookout for Schmallenberg virus

24 January 2012

FARMERS across the UK have been urged to be ‘extra vigilant’ for signs of Schmallenberg virus (SBV), after the new disease was discovered in eastern England.

Schmallenberg virus detected in eastern England

23 January 2012

THE Schmallenberg virus (SBV) has been confirmed in the UK for the first time.

Badger cull farmers will be anonymous - NBA

21 January 2012

FARMERS who sign up to the pilot badger culls will be remain anonymous, the National Beef Association (NBA) has assured those who have security concerns over the policy.

Badger Trust considers pilot cull legal challenge

20 January 2012

THE Badger Trust has confirmed it is weighing up the prospects of a legal challenge to the Government’s to action pilot badger culls in west Gloucestershire and west Somerset.

Spelman outlines UK plans to re-write CAP greening proposal

20 January 2012

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman has outlined Government plans to re-write the European Commission’s controversial Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) ‘greening’ proposals.

France upholds GM maize ban despite court ruling

18 January 2012

THE French Government is to continue with its ban on a genetically modified (GM) strain of maize, even though the ban was ruled to be unlawful last year.

NFU hustings: Race for next NFU leader begins

17 January 2012

THE battle to become the next president of the NFU, after Peter Kendall, kicked off in earnest on the opening day of the union’s 2012 election hustings.

Only one Scottish farm flouting battery cage ban - NFUS

16 January 2012

ONLY one farm in Scotland will still be using battery cages by next week, according to NFU Scotland.

EU farmers urged to embrace cooperatives

15 January 2012

EUROPEAN farmers are being urged to look increasingly at the benefits of operating within a cooperative as a means of boosting their market power.

Kendall highlights 'scandalous' fruit and veg import levels

12 January 2012

NFU president Peter Kendall has highlighted the ‘scandalous’ quantities of horticultural produce imported into the UK.

BVA warns against disease surveillance cost cuts

12 January 2012

THE British Veterinary Association (BVA) has urged the Government to refrain from cutting the budget for disease surveillance.

Nine people to contest NFU elections

11 January 2012

NINE people will contest the three NFU officeholder posts in elections that will take place in Birmingham next month, the NFU has confirmed.  

NFU urges companies to use legal eggs

11 January 2012

THE NFU is urging retailers and other food chain companies that have not backed the pledge to ban imported battery cage eggs and egg products to do so quickly.

OFC 2012: UK must build on export sucess

11 January 2012

THE UK Government will help the UK food industry build on its recent export success, Mr Spelman told the conference.

Rural bodies demand fair HS2 compensation arrangements

10 January 2012

FARMING and countryside organisations are demanding fair compensation for farmers, landowners and rural businesses affected by the planned High Speed Two (HS2) rail line.

HS2 will devastate countryside – alliance warns

10 January 2012

THE Countryside Alliance has warned of the potentially ‘devastating impact’ on the countryside of the Government’s high speed rail plans.

Charity issues warning over illegal egg imports

9 January 2012

A CHARITY set up to protect British laying hens is warning consumers that they could unwittingly be eating illegally produced imported eggs in their ‘quiches, ice cream and ready meals’.

Red Tractor at the heart of London Olympics Games’ Food Vision

5 January 2012

THIS year’s Olympic Games, taking place in London in the summer, will provide an unrivalled opportunity to showcase British food and farming to a captive audience. Alistair Driver and Olivia Midgley look at the opportunities it will provide for the industry.

OFC 2012: 'Impossible' to keep badger culls secret

4 January 2012

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has warned farmers planning to sign up to local badger cull policies in England that there is virtually no prospect the areas will be kept secret.

OFC 2012: Creagh attacks Coalition over Grocery Adjudicator

4 January 2012

SHADOW Defra Secretary Mary Creagh has criticised the coalition Government over delays in introducing the Grocery Codes Adjudicator (GCA).

Government faces legal challenge over battery egg imports

3 January 2012

THE British egg industry is set to challenge Defra in the courts over its refusal to ban imports of illegally-produced battery cage eggs and egg products. 

Defra considers turning whole of England into NVZ

30 December 2011

THE Government is considering turning the whole of England into a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ), as part of series of changes to nitrate pollution controls.

Food inflation pushing up cost of Christmas dinner

23 December 2011

THE average cost of a Christmas dinner has risen by 5 per cent this year, due to food inflation, researchers have shown.

RPA announces record December SPS payout

21 December 2011

THE Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has achieved its December Single Payment Scheme (SPS) targets, nearly two weeks ahead of schedule.

Member states face legal action over battery cages

20 December 2011

THIRTEEN member states have been warned they face legal action because of their failure to comply with the imminent EU battery cage egg ban.

Badger cull decision: what happens next?

16 December 2011

DESPITE the industry welcome for Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman’s badger cull announcement, the cold reality is this is just the start of a long road towards a meaningful badger control policy.

Defra seeks views on RPA appeals process

15 December 2011

FARMERS are being asked for their views on how well the Rural Payments Agency’s (RPA) appeals panels work.

Badger cull decision a ‘massive step forward’ – Kendall

15 December 2011

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman’s decision to sanction a badger cull in England has been hailed by NFU president Peter Kendall as a ‘massive step forward’.

Eurozone crisis could hit UK farming, industry warned

14 December 2011

THE Eurozone crisis could have a profound impact on UK farming income, the industry has been warned.

Defra staff could be coming to a farm near you

12 December 2011

DEFRA staff could be coming to a farm near you soon. But the aim of this new Defra policy will be for civil servants to learn more about what farmers do, rather than to inspect them.

Defra announces badger population survey

9 December 2011

DEFRA has announced it is to undertake a new national survey of badger populations, ahead of an expected announcement on a badger cull in England before Christmas.

UFU quits TB stakeholders group

9 December 2011

THE Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has walked away from the Northern Ireland’s core TB Stakeholders group in protest at a lack of action on a badger cull.

Ministers set to announce English badger cull green light

8 December 2011

DEFRA Ministers are expected to confirm a decision to allow two pilot badger culls to take place next year in England within the next week or so.

Government slated over weak egg import controls

7 December 2011

THE UK egg industry, animal welfare campaigners and politicians have slated the Government over its response to the threat of illegal egg imports once the battery cages ban comes into force in January.

'Tough action' but no ban on illegal egg imports

6 December 2011

THE UK will not ban imports of eggs produced in battery cages after the system of production is outlawed across the EU in less than four weeks from now.

Clegg urged to push on supermarket adjudicator plans

6 December 2011

NFU president Peter Kendall has urged Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to help push forward legislation for the Grocery Codes Adjudicator (GCA) ‘as soon as possible’.

Farm incomes set to rise for 2011, early estimates show

5 December 2011

UK FARM income is projected to rise by 2 per cent in 2011 to nearly £5 billion, continuing the historically high income levels experienced since 2008, according to early Defra estimates.

UK to rely on EU FMD vaccine bank

2 December 2011

THE UK Government will rely on the EU foot-and-mouth vaccine bank in the event of a future outbreak.

Millions paid out in Single Payments today

1 December 2011

FARMERS across the UK will begin receiving their Single Payments today (December 1), as the European Commission payment window opens.

Better value for Scottish farmers

1 December 2011

David Barnes, the Scottish Government’s director of Agriculture and Rural Development, said Scottish farmers received some of the lowest payments per hectare in Europe.

RPA constraints

1 December 2011

DEFRA Minister Lord Taylor acknowledged the difficulties the proposed CAP reforms would pose for the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).

Future of Gangmaster Licensing Authority under reveiw

1 December 2011

THE future of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) is unclear, after Jim Paice said talks were taking place about moving it out of Defra’s control.

Abolishing sugar regime will boost UK economy - Paice

30 November 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has claimed liberalising the EU’s ‘protectionist’ sugar regime would bring ‘huge benefits for Britain’s economy’.

Meat industry will cope with strike action - BMPA

28 November 2011

THE meat processing sector will cope with Wednesday’s planned one-off strike but could face serious difficulties if the dispute escalates, the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has warned.

MPs criticise lack of progress on battery egg import threat

25 November 2011

MPS have expressed ‘disappointment’ at the lack of progress made by Defra towards protecting UK egg producers from illegal egg imports next year.

Science holds the key to food security - Kendall

25 November 2011

NFU president Peter Kendall has criticised the ‘run-down’ in Government spending on applied agricultural research over the past two decades.

Antimicrobials: Farming fights for a balance on the future use of antimicrobials

24 November 2011

AS the European Commission signals its intention to curb the use of antimicrobials, Olivia Midgley, Alistair Driver and David Boderke assess what a potential reduction could mean for UK agriculture. They consider arguments for and against a reduction and gather opinion from industry figures.

No agreement on milk contracts but Paice hails progress

24 November 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice said the dairy industry is moving closer to agreeing new voluntary contract arrangements, following a meeting of supply chain representatives on Wednesday.

Raymond considering NFU presidency challenge

22 November 2011

NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond is considering challenging Peter Kendall for the presidency of the union in February.

FWAG sends out SOS for industry funding

21 November 2011

THE Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) is appealing for financial support from the farming industry to enable it to continue as a national body.

Landlords urged to support tenant involvement in CFE

18 November 2011

THE organisations behind the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE) are urging farm landlords to support tenant farmers keen to take part in the campaign.

UK seeking agreements over battery egg import threat

17 November 2011

THE UK Government is seeking agreements with other member states to protect UK producers from illegal egg imports, in the absence of credible EU-wide protection measures. 

Vets welcome Brussels antimicrobial resistance plan

17 November 2011

VETS have welcomed plans by the European Commission to address the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in human and animal medicine.

Farm ATVs could be classified as road vehicles, Lyon warns

16 November 2011

ATVs used for farm work will be classified as road vehicles under legislation going through Brussels, Scottish Liberal Democrat MEP George Lyon has warned.

UK considering unilateral battery egg import ban

15 November 2011

THE UK is considering a unilateral ban on illegally produced eggs after the European Commission ruled out new legislation to enforce the imminent battery cage ban.

CAP greening plans 'unacceptable', UK tells Ciolos

14 November 2011

UK MINISTERS have told EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos his plans to ‘green’ the Common Agricultural Policy are ‘unacceptable’.

Pesticide legislation delayed as industry ‘demands gold-plating’

11 November 2011

THE introduction of new UK pesticide legislation is being delayed while Ministers consider a request by the industry to continue effectively ‘gold-plating’ EU rules.

Paice announces new £20m green farming fund

10 November 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has announced today (Thursday, November 10), a new £20 million fund to help farmers and foresters in England invest in green projects and new machinery.

Scientists find genetic resistance to bovine TB in cattle

9 November 2011

FARMERS could be able to select animals that are resistant to bovine TB (bTB) when breeding cattle in future.

NFU stress importance of tenanted sector

8 November 2011

NFU president Peter Kendall has stressed the importance of a strong tenanted sector ahead of a major conference for the sector later this week.

FWAG rescue talks continue

7 November 2011

THE future of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) remains in the balance, as talks continue on the possibility of its services being retained in some form.

CAP plans could damage agri-environment schemes - Kendall

3 November 2011

THE NFU has called on the EU Commission to give a clear commitment that farmers in agri-environment schemes will not be penalised by its Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reform plans.

UK chief scientist accuses EU of ignoring food production 

3 November 2011

GOVERNMENT chief scientist Professor Sir John Beddington has accused the European of failing to grasp the key messages about the need to increase food production.

FWAG to make announcement on its future

2 November 2011

THE Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) is expected to make an announcement on its future within the next 48 hours.

CropWorld  2011: EU politicians urged to show leadership on GM crops

1 November 2011

EU POLITICIANS have been urged to provide leadership on GM crops amid claims Europe’s refusal to embrace the technology is damaging farmers in the EU and Africa.

CAP reforms unlikely to be in place by 2014 - Paice

31 October 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has indicated it is very unlikely that the next Common Agricultural Policy will be in place by 2014 as intended.

AFS defends Red Tractor pig welfare standards after complaint

21 October 2011

ASSURED Food Standards is standing by claims that ‘Red Tractor pork is high welfare pork’, after an advert containing the slogan was reported to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

CAP greening costs could be €5 billion

21 October 2011

PROPOSED Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) greening measures could add €5 billion (£4.38bn) to EU farmers’ costs, according to a new report on the proposals.

Spelman warns EU ministers over CAP greening plans

20 October 2011

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman has warned fellow EU Ministers that taking farmland out of production under proposed CAP reforms is ‘not sensible’.

English TB compensation to be slashed if tests overdue

20 October 2011

FARMERS with significantly overdue TB tests in England will lose compensation for infected animals, under rule changes proposed by Defra.

Paice defends badger cull plans in fiery debate

18 October 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has defended Government plans for a badger cull in the face of fierce criticism of the proposed policy from Opposition MPs.

Planning reforms ‘hugely important for farmers’ – NFU

18 October 2011

THE NFU has urged the Government to stick with controversial plans to reform the planning process, as public opposition to the changes grows.

Government rejects calls to toughen up supermarket adjudicator

17 October 2011

THE Government has rejected calls from MPs to toughen up the proposed Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA).

Spelman pledges to work with UK regions on CAP reform

14 October 2011

CAROLINE Spelman has promised Defra Ministesr will work closely with their counterparts from the devolved regions to improve Brussels Common Agricultural Policy Reform plans.   

Defra plays down anthrax fears

13 October 2011

DEFRA has stressed that an investigation into a possible case of anthrax on a farm near Hereford is simply a case of ‘routine monitoring’.

Vets dismiss 'unrealistic spin' on badger vaccination

13 October 2011

THE British Veterinary Association (BVA) has described claims that badger vaccination represents a viable alternative to culling as ‘unrealistic spin’.

NFU pushes for cap sugar regime extension

13 October 2011

THE NFU is pressing for an extension of the EU sugar regime beyond 2016, the cut off date proposed under this week’s CAP reform plans.

Summary of CAP reform proposals

12 October 2011

EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos has finally unveiled his long-awaited and much-leaked CAP reform proposals.

NFU poultry board considering protests at illegal imports

11 October 2011

NFU egg producer members are considering dockside demonstrations in the New Year in protest at the likely import of illegally produced eggs. 

Kendall to stand again as NFU president

11 October 2011

PETER Kendall has told NFU council of his intention to stand for a fourth two-year term as the union’s president.

Farmer confidence soars as prices rise

10 October 2011

BRITISH farmers are making plans to increase production as industry confidence soars on the back of growing demand and higher prices for food, an NFU survey shows.

Record EU cereals harvest forecast

10 October 2011

THE EU cereals harvest looks set to hit record levels this year, despite difficult weather conditions, according to the latest estimates.

EU Commission condemned over battery cage 'negligence'

7 October 2011

EU Health Commissioner John Dalli has been accused of doing ‘too little, too late’, after he admitted a number of member states will fail to comply with January’s ‘battery cage’ ban.

GM wheat in the marketplace is still a long way off

October 7, 2011

THE GM wheat variety being trialled at Rothamsted will cost up to £10 million to get through the regulatory process, according to one of the scientists working on the trial.

NFU urges Defra to block quota extension calls

6 October 2011

THE NFU has urged the Government to try and block moves by some member states to gain extensions to their milk quota.

RSPCA calls for live export ferry to be stopped

6 October 2011

THE RSPCA is calling on the Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) to revoke the licence of a ferry being used to transport live animals from Ramsgate to Calais.

MEP accuses Ciolos of ignoring food production

5 October 2011

CONSERVATIVE MEP Richard Ashworth has accused Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos of ignoring the need for European farmers to produce more food.

CropWorld 2011: Foresight report making the case for food production

5 October 2011

THE Foresight report has changed the conversation about food security. The big challenge now, according to one of its authors, is ensuring its findings are put into practice.

Final decision on pilot badger culls imminent

4 October 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice said the final decision on implementing two pilot badger culls in England will be made within the next few weeks.

Caged egg imports may be banned, warns Paice

3 October 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has indicated the Government is considering a UK ban on imports of eggs produced in battery cages from next year.

Join Farmers Guardian's food security debate - October 7

3 October 2011

WHAT should the role of farmers be in feeding the world? 

2011 harvest sees record oilseed production

30 September 2011

OILSEED rape production soared to record levels as the 2011 harvest defied early summer expectations, final results from the NFU’s harvest survey have revealed.

Watch again: GM wheat debate

29 September 2011

GENETICALLY modified (GM) wheat will be a ‘non-starter’ unless public concerns over the technology are addressed, according to people on both sides of the GM debate.

Labour MP hits out at scandalous UK milk price

29 September 2011

SHADOW Defra Minister Willie Bain has described the UK’s position at the bottom of the EU milk price league as a ‘scandal’.

Labour pledges to push food security up the agenda

28 September 2011

LABOUR MPs have pledged to push food security up the agenda as the party carries out a detailed food policy review.

Badger Trust accuses Defra of 'shameful disregard' for science

28 September 2011

THE Badger Trust has accused the Government of showing a ‘shameful disregard for public opinion and independently-evaluated science’ in its plans for a badger cull in England.

A Labour Government would continue with a badger cull

27 September 2011

A Labour Government would continue with a badger cull, put in place by the Coalition Government, if it wins the 2015 election Shadow Defra Secretary Mary Creagh said.

2011 harvest a ‘mixed bag’

23 September 2011

THE 2011 harvest was a ‘mixed bag’ with winners and losers defined by location and crop and soil type, according to industry experts.

MPs urge Defra to embrace regulation culture change

23 September 2011

MPS have called on Defra to embrace ‘culture change’ in the way they regulate the farming industry, in line with the recommendations of Richard Macdonald red tape task force.

Kendall urges industry to promote GM wheat benefits

22 September 2011

NFU president Peter Kendall has urged the farming industry to go out and promote the potentially ‘phenomenal’ benefits of genetically modified (GM) wheat to consumers.

Lib Dems celebrate supermarket ‘victory’

21 September 2011

THE Liberal Democrat conference was told how the party had won a famous victory over the supermarkets, despite ongoing concerns over plans for a Grocery Adjudicator.

Global food security champion appointed

20 September 2011

A SCIENTIST from Leeds University has been appointed as a global food security champion.

Badger campaigners submit petition to Defra

20 September 2011

A PETITION of 32,000 signatures opposing Government plans to cull badgers in England is set to be handed into Defra’s Nobel House headquarters today.

Industry moves to fight EU 'food chain bullies'

19 September 2011

A GROUP of EU food chain representatives have come together to draw up a code of practice ‘to fight food chain bullies’ across Europe.

Defra approves first UK GM wheat trial

16 September 2011

DEFRA has approved the UK’s first GM wheat trial, which will be conducted by the Rothamsted Research institute in 2012 and 2013. 

'Sell-by' food labels reach sell-by date

15 September 2011

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman has announced new food labelling guidance intended to reduce the £12 billion worth of food needlessly wasted each year.

New animal health board sparks industry interest

15 September 2011

MORE than 60 people have applied for places on England’s new Animal Health and Welfare Board (AHWBE).

Tesco sausage ad banned for misleading consumers

14 September 2011

A TESCO advert for British sausages has been banned for ‘misleading’ consumers over how the pigs were reared.

UFU rejects NI independent environment agency plan

13 September 2011

THE Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has attacked plans to introduce a new independent environmental protection agency in Northern Ireland.

Government urged to reduce reliance on food imports

13 September 2011

THE Government has been urged to take steps to reduce the UK’s dependence on food imports.

Dairy Event sees increased attendance

12 September 2011

THE Dairy Event and Livestock Show continued to flourish in its second year at Birmingham’s NEC.

EU farmers call for increased organics support

9 September 2011

EUROPEAN farmers have called for improved measures to support the organic sector under the post-2013 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Limousin powers to inter-breed title

September 9, 2011

A ‘POWERFUL’ Limousin heifer from Oxfordshire overcame the challenge of an Aberdeen-Angus bull to take the beef inter-breed title at a sunny and well-attended Bucks County Show, Aylesbury, last Thursday.

Dairy Event 2011: One in five dairy calves failing to reach breeding age

8 September 2011

NEARLY one in five dairy calves fail to reach the breeding age of 15 months, according to recent research from the Royal Veterinary College.

Tackling the opposition to proposed badger cull

8 September 2011

GOVERNMENT plans for a farmer-led, licensed badger cull to help control bovine TB in England have been met with fierce opposition.

Dairy Event 2011: NFU accepts Paice milk contract challenge

6 September 2011

THE NFU has stressed its commitment to working with the rest of the supply chain to achieve fair and equitable contracts for dairy farmers.

Dairy Event 2011: Call for market-based TB clearance

6 September 2011

THE Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) has called for the Government to introduce a market-based solution to TB reactor clearance.

17 grower Producer Organisations suspended by RPA

5 September 2011

SEVENTEEN fruit and vegetable Producer Organisations (POs) have been suspended from the EU Fruit and Vegetable Scheme by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).

Eastern Europeans buying up UK egg cages, MEP claims

5 September 2011

A CONSERVATIVE MEP has claimed Eastern European farmers have been buying up defunct British ‘battery cages’ to use ‘in defiance’ of the new EU rules on egg production.

Fears for UK egg market as EU fails to enforce rules

2 September 2011

AROUND one-third of EU egg production will not be compliant with new rules banning conventional laying cages creating a potential disaster for UK producers, MPs have warned.

CropWorld Global 2011: Changing our global approach to farming

1 September 2011

IN the first of our features to mark the forthcoming CropWorld Global 2011 event, Alistair Driver heard from one of the speakers, Hans Herren, about why he believes the world’s bankrupt food system needs an overhaul.

Meat processors make case for private inspection

31 August 2011

THE meat processing industry has outlined its proposals for the use of private sector inspectors in ‘consistently competent’ meat processing plants.

UN issues H5N1 bird flu warning

30 August 2011

THE UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is urging ‘heightened readiness and surveillance’ against a possible major resurgence of the deadly H5N1 strain of Avian Influenza.

Melechett attacks over UK organic woes

26 August 2011

SOIL Association policy director Peter Melchett has attacked the Government and supermarkets for failing to support the UK organic sector through recent tough times.

Hill farmers missing out on support, TFA warns 

24 August 2011

MORE than one-third of English hill farmers who previously claimed the Hill Farm Allowance (HFA) are no longer receiving equivalent support, the Tenant Farmers Association has warned.

Natural England lacks confidence in badger cull plans

24 August 2011

THE body that would be responsible for issuing badger culling licences in England has said it has little confidence in the proposed policy.

MEP attacked over plans to ‘pinch’ CAP funding for Scotland

23 August 2011

UNIONS representing English and Northern Irish farmers have slated ‘divisive’ calls to hand over millions of pounds of their direct payments to Scotland.

Labour party launches campaign against badger cull

August 19, 2011

THE Labour Party has launched an online petition opposing Government plans for a badger cull in England.

RPA seeks evidence on dual use claim eligibility

17 August 2011

FARMERS involved in ‘dual use’ payment claims are being urged to seek professional advice if they are contacted by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) over the claims.

Growers in shock as Producer Organisations face abolition

16 August 2011

HALF of all fruit and vegetable Producer Organisations (POs) could lose their status, following a review by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), the NFU has warned.

Organic production falls as recession bites

15 August 2011

THE number of UK farmers producing organically has fallen for the second consecutive year, as falling demand for organic produce takes its toll.

New animal health board will deliver - Seals

11 August 2011

MICHAEL Seals has insisted the new Animal Health and Welfare Board for England (AHWBE), which he will chair, will make a ‘real difference’ to policy making and delivery in this often controversial area.

RPA clarifies cattle passport procedures

10 August 2011

THE Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has clarified the procedures for applying for cattle passports, following the introduction of the new single-page passport on August 1.

Vets call on FSA to prosecute animal abuse plant

9 August 2011

THE British Veterinary Association is calling on Defra and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to pursue a prosecution in light of evidence of animal welfare abuses at an Essex abattoir.

CFE to be Big Society failure - avery

23 July 2011

THE Campaign for the Farmed Environment will prove to be a Big Society failure, former RSPB chief executive Mark Avery predicted during a debate at the CLA Game Fair.

Plans already in place to tackle bTB problem in wildlife

21 July 2011

FARMERS in England’s bovine TB (bTB) hotspot areas are ‘ready and waiting’ to take on the challenge of tackling the disease in local wildlife.

National Trust acquires new farm in Cornwall

21 July 2011

THE National Trust has purchased a 124 acre (50 hectare) farm, near Mullion on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall.

A ‘black day for badgers’ - RSPCA

20 July 2011

THE RSPCA described the decision, in principle, to permit a badger cull in England as a ‘black day’ for badgers.

Eighty years of battling bovine TB

19 July 2011

OUR timeline shows the ups and downs of battling TB over the years, from the 1930s to present day.

Government set to back badger cull

18 July 2011

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman is set to announce the Government’s decision on a badger cull in England this afternoon (Tuesday, July 19).

Uncertainty over badger cull announcement

15 July 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice’s pledge to announce the Government’s decision on an English badger cull by the time Parliament breaks for summer recess appears to be in some doubt.

BVA backs tighter rules on internet pharmacies

July 15, 2011

THE British Veterinary Association (BVA) is backing plans to impose tighter controls on internet pharmacies, following the exposure of Europe’s biggest illegal veterinary medicine operation.

Former ISG scientists attack Government cull plans

14 July 2011

FORMER members of the scientific group who advised the previous Government against a badger cull have stated their opposition to the policy currently proposed by Defra Ministers.

Spelman confirms new GLA chair

14 July 2011

MARGARET McKinlay has been confirmed by Defra Secretary Caroline as the new chair of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA).

End of anti-potash dumping measures

13 July 2011

THE European Commission has intervened to effectively open up new sources of potash for British farmers and growers.

Date set for Gangmaster trial

11 July 2011

NINETEEN dairy farmers and farm businesses charged with employing labour from an unlicensed gangmaster are set to go to a full criminal trial in October.

Demand increases for welfare friendly pork

11 July 2011

THE amount of pigmeat sold under the welfare-friendly Freedom Food more than doubled in the first quarter of this year, following a big increase last year.

Badger cull ‘fundamental’ to TB control – Kendall

8 July 2011

NFU president Peter Kendall has insisted a badger cull is ‘fundamental’ to reducing the ‘needless slaughter’ of tens of thousands of cattle each year.

Government reiterates call to abolish direct payments

8 July 2011

THE UK Government has reiterated its determination to phase out direct payments, which it describes ‘undesirable and unnecessary’ in the long-term. 

RSPCA mobilises support to oppose badger cull

7 July 2011

OPPONENTS of badger culling are mobilising support in anticipation of an imminent announcement on a badger cull in England.

MEPs back return of animal feed protein

7 July 2011

MEPS have backed plans to allow protein from pigs and poultry back into EU animal feed.

Food inflation rises to highest level for two years

6 July 2011

UK FOOD inflation increased to 5.7 per cent in June, its highest level since May 2009.

Ministers to give green light to badger cull

5 July 2011

THE Government is understood to be on the verge of giving the go ahead for a badger cull in England.

Drop forecast for EU wheat harvest

4 July 2011

THE 2011 EU wheat harvest will be down by 3.5 per cent on last year, according to estimates released by European farm organisation Copa-Cogeca.

New dairy hygeine inspection regime begins

1 July 2011

THE number of dairy hygiene inspections on dairy farms will be significantly reduced under a new system that into force today. 

MPs urge Defra to withhold RPA bonuses

1 July 2011

MPS have urged Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman to withhold bonuses to Rural Payments Agency (RPA) staff until the organisation has ‘significantly improved its performance’.

Doing nothing on badgers and TB ‘unacceptable’- Paice

30 June 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has insisted, days ahead of an expected announcement on a badger cull in England, that maintaining the current policy is unacceptable.

Commission proposes cuts to CAP budget

29 June 2011

THE annual Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget is set to be steadily reduced between 2014 and 2020, the European Commission has proposed.

RPA chief pledges major improvements

28 June 2011

THE Rural Payments Agency’s (RPA) latest chief executive has delivered a damning assessment of his predecessors and pledged to drive through a vastly improved service.

EU confirms end of ‘zero tolerance’ GM feed policy

27 June 2011

THE European Commission has confirmed a change in the regulations that will end the EU’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy on GM contamination of feed imports.

Agri-environment schemes under threat

24 June 2011

DEFRA and the NFU have reinforced the RSPB’s warnings over plans to drastically cut rural development funding post-2013.

MEPs warn Commission against CAP cuts

24 June 2011

MEPS have warned against cuts to the Common Agricultural Budget to ensure farmers can provide ‘secure food supplies’ and protect the environment.

G20 Ministers agree international farm data system

23 June 2011

G20 AGRICULTURAL Ministers have agreed to set up a new international agricultural data system to improve transparency in the markets.

MEPs urged to reject Single Payment capping plans

22 June 2011

MEPS have been urged to reject plans to cap Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments, ahead of a key vote this week.

G20: Ministers warned over trade plans

21 June 2011

G20 AGRICULTURE Ministers have been warned to ensure their concerns about trade do not obscure the key issues surrounding of food security ahead of crucial talks this week.

High cereal and meat prices 'here to stay'

20 June 2011

HIGH global cereal and meat prices are here to stay, a new report has warned ahead of this week’s G20 summit of agriculture ministers in Paris.

UK farmers to bear the brunt of EU capping plans

17 June 2011

UK FARMERS would be among the biggest losers if plans to cap Single Payments are adopted, a leaked Brussels document reveals.

Cereals 2011: Kendall attacks Ciolos' vision of EU farming

16 June 2011

NFU president Peter Kendall has attacked Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos’ ‘Lark Rise to Candleford’ vision of EU farming.

Cereals 2011: Lowest wheat yields in 30 years as drought hits

15 June 2011

THE average English wheat yield in 2011 will be down by 14 per cent to around 6.5 tonnes per hecatre which would make it the lowest yields achieved since the late 1980s.

Farmers urged to take on the speculators

14 June 2011

FARMERS have been urged to come together and pool their knowledge to ‘outclass’ traders from the big financial institutions in the agricultural commodities markets.

Watch again: Wheat prices to remain ‘relatively strong’

13 June 2011

WHEAT prices should remain ‘relatively strong’ going into 2012, although they are set to drop below the peaks of the past few months, according to a leading market expert

CIWF wins award for Nocton campaign

10 June 2011

COMPASSION  in World Farming has won an ethical award for its campaign to halt the proposed Nocton mega dairy, in Lincolnshire.

Anglian farmers facing drought restrictions

June 10, 2011

HUNDREDS of farmers are facing water restrictions after Defra and the Environment Agency announced in the Anglian region is officially in a state of drought.

NFU communications director to leave post

9 June 2011

THE NFU’s director of communications Erika Coghlan is leaving the union after less than six months in the post.

Two-thirds of Britons oppose badger culling

8 June 2011

NEARLY two-thirds of Britons are opposed to culling badgers to control bovine TB, according to an opinion poll for the BBC.

Mixed reaction to Government's nature plans

8 June 2011

THE NFU has pledged to work closely with Government to find the right balance between food production and the natural environment.

Experts to debate wheat prices

7 June 2011

A PANEL of experts will discuss the complex manoeuvrings of the wheat market on this website on Thursday (June 9).

E.coli beansprout tests come back negative

7 June 2011

THE source of the e.coli outbreak that has killed 22 people and more than 2,200 ill remains unknown after initial tests on a suspect farm came back negative.

German beansprouts linked to e.coli outbreak

6 June 2011

GERMAN officials are awaiting the results of tests likely to confirm that a farm in northern Germany is at the heart of the e.coli outbreak that has claimed 22 lives.

Scots could go it alone on meat inspections

1 June 2011

THE Scottish Government is to investigate the possibility of going it alone on meat inspections, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has announced.

FSA will consider private inspections – Rooker

1 June 2011

THE Food Standards Agency (FSA) will consider allowing private sector companies to carry out meat inspections, the agency’s chairman Jeff Rooker promised meat processors.

Global food prices ‘to double’ by 2030

31 May 2011

OXFAM has called for the global food system to be overhauled in response to fears staple food prices could more than double over the next 20 years.

FSA to allow cloned offspring into food chain

26 May 2011

THE Food Standards Agency (FSA) is changing its advice to Ministers on allowing meat and milk from the descendants of cloned cattle and pigs into the food chain.

Farmers face £25m bill for meat inspections

25 May 2011

THE board of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has approved plans to transfer the full cost of meat inspections onto the industry.

Industry leaders fear adjudicator could ‘lack teeth’ 

25 May 2011

UK FARMING and manufacturing organisations have welcomed draft legislation for a grocery adjudicator but expressed concerns that it may ‘lack teeth’, as currently proposed.

Business Minister unveils plans for supermarket adjudicator

24 May 2011

BUSINESS Minister Ed Davey has taken the first step to setting up a supermarket adjudicator after he confirmed publication of a draft Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill.

Industry groups unite against meat charges

23 May 2011

THE Food Standards Agency (FSA) has come under renewed pressure to halt plans to pass the costs of meat inspection onto the industry, ahead of a crucial board meeting this week.

Peter Morris to leave NSA

23 May 2011

PETER Morris has resigned as chief executive of the National Sheep Association (NSA) after seven-and-a-half years in the post.

Farmers plead not guilty in gangmaster case

20 May 2011

EIGHTEEN farmers and farming businesses, including NFU vice president Gwyn Jones, have pleaded not guilty to charges of employing labour from an unlicensed gangmaster.

3,000 farmers in England still awaiting Single Payment

20 May 2011

AROUND 3,000 farmers in England are still awaiting their Single Payments, Farming Minister Jim Paice has revealed.

Ministers urged to implement red tape report

18 May 2011

THE farming industry has urged Ministers to press ahead ‘rigorously’ with the implementation of Richard Macdonalds’ farming red tape recommendations. 

AHDB appoints new chair

17 May 2011

FORMER National Pig Association chairman John Godfrey has been appointed chair of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Farmers await red tape review

16 May 2011

FORMER NFU director general Richard Macdonald is set to unveil his plans to ease the regulatory burden on farmers tomorrow (Tuesday, May 17).

Lochhead to be re-appointed to Cabinet

16 May 2011

RICHARD Lochhead is to be re-appointed as Scotland’s Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary, First Minister Alex Salmond has confirmed.

Farmers' fears over meat inspection costs

13 May 2011

NFU livestock chairman Alistair Mackintosh has warned that farmers will bear the brunt of plans by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recover full costs for meat controls.

Alun Davies handed Welsh farm brief

13 May 2011

ALUN Davies, a Labour Assembly Member, who has previously backed plans for a Welsh badger cull, has been given the agriculture brief in the new Welsh Government.

RPA fails to deliver on 700 payment promises

12 May 2011

THE Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has failed to deliver on promises to hundreds farmers who were told they would receive their Single Payments in April.  

EU trade soars to new high

10 May 2011

THE EU has become a net exporter again as world agricultural trade soared to an all-time high in 2010.

Food manufacturers hit out at adjudicator delay

9 May 2011

FOOD manufacturers have warned that consumers will be the ‘ultimate losers’ from the delay in the introduction of a grocery Adjudicator.

Adam Henson reveals extremist threats over badger cull

9 May 2011

TV PRESENTER Adam Henson has revealed that he has received hate mail, including threats to his children, from animal welfare extremists because of his comments on bovine TB.

Government to make summer badger cull decision

9 May 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has insisted the Government is still intending to make an announcement on a badger cull in England before the July Parliamentary recess.

‘Genuine farmers’ to be prioritised in RPA shake-up

6 May 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has revealed a planned shake-up of Single Payment delivery in England that he claims will result in a vastly improved service next year.

The coalition one year on: How has it been for farming?

May 6, 2011

A year has passed since the dramatic General Election that delivered a new coalition Government with Tory veteran Jim Paice finally installed as Farming Minister. Alistair Driver spoke to him about his views on the progress made so far.

The coalition's performance on farming's big issues

May 6, 2011

HOW has the coalition Government fared on key farming issues in its first year?

CLA hits out at ‘flawed’ Localism Bill

5 May 2011

THE Country Land and Business Association has warned that proposals in the Government’s Localism Bill will increase red tape for land-based businesses.

Cameron to discuss farmer drought fears

4 May 2011

PRIME Minister David Cameron has agreed to hold a meeting to discuss the problems the current drought is causing for farmers.

Soil Association launches low carbon project

3 May 2011

THE Soil Association is looking for farmers to get involved in a new Low Carbon Farming Project.

No need for animal board in Scotland - NFUS

30 April 2011

NFU Scotland has indicated there is little appetite north of the border to follow Defra’s move to establish an Animal Health and Welfare Board in England.

Nocton director ordered to pay £23,000 over rule breach

28 April 2011

PETER Willes, a director of Nocton Dairies, has been ordered to pay £23,190 in fines and costs for flouting environmental regulations, the Environment Agency announced this week.

NFU commits to working with Defra on new Board

27 April 2011

NFU president Peter Kendall said the announcement of a new animal health and welfare board has ‘gone some way’ to addressing the union’s concerns over the policy.

Animal Health and Welfare plans welcomed by industry

26 April 2011

FARMING and veterinary organisations have welcomed the announcement of a new Animal Health and Welfare Board to advise Defra Ministers.

New Animal Health and Welfare Board announced

26 April 2011

A NEW Animal Health and Welfare Board for England will be established later this year to give the livestock industry a greater say in policy, Farming Minister Jim Paice has announced.

UK is losing 'green' CAP battle

21 April 2011

THE UK is losing the battle to avoid the ‘greening’ of Pillar One in the next round of the Common Agricultural Policy, according to NFU policy director Martin Haworth.

Solar companies to challenge subsidy review in court

19 April 2011

A GROUP of solar companies has launched a High Court legal challenge against proposals to cut tariffs for larger solar energy projects.

A third of farmers applying for SPS online

18 April 2011

MORE than one in every three farmers in England is using the online option to apply for SPS 2011.

MPs slam Defra policy on CAP

April 15, 2011

AN INFLUENTIAL committee of MPs has warned that Defra Ministers are in danger of alienating the UK within Europe over Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reform.

BSE testing age set to rise to 72 months

13 April 2011

THE age at which cattle going into the UK food chain have to be tested for BSE is set to be increased to 72 months from July, under proposals published by Defra this week.

Defra to set up rural advice groups

12 April 2011

DEFRA Ministers are calling for people connected to farming and the countryside to come together form local groups to advise them on policy.

Bluetongue change hailed as ‘win-win for farmers’

11 April 2011

MOVING to bluetongue-free status will be a ‘win-win’ situation for UK farmers, according to the NFU.

Prince’s Fund gives money to farming charities

8 April 2011

THE Prince’s Countryside Fund has announced that it will be giving £40,000 to farming charities to help them respond to problems with Single Payments and forage production.

Minister denies delaying grocery adjudicator

7 April 2011

BUSINESS Minister Ed Davey has denied suggestions that the Government is kicking plans for a grocery adjudicator ‘into the long grass’.

Fatty acids prevent broken bones in hens

6 April 2011

ADDING the right combination of fatty acids to the diets of laying hens can significantly reduce bone breakage during lay, new research has shown.

UK moves closer to bluetongue-free status

5 April 2011

THE UK has moved a step closer to regaining bluetongue-free status after the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee voted to enable vaccination outside restricted zones.

NBA accuses Spelman of playing politics with TB

5 April 2011

THE National Beef Association’s (NBA) TB spokesman has accused Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman of letting concerns about her own career get in the way of the decision on a badger cull in England.

Organic food sales fall again

4 April 2011

UK SALES of organic products fell by a further 5.9 per cent in 2010, following a decline of nearly 13 per cent in 2009.

Farmers should abandon TB hotspots - Brian May

4 April 2011

ROCK star and animal rights campaigner Brian May has provoked anger among Welsh farmers by suggesting they should move cattle out of bovine TB hotspot areas.

UK to press on with green light for animal cloning

1 April 2011

THE UK is set to press ahead with a change in the rules to allow products from the descendants of cloned animals into the food chain, following the collapse of talks on new novel food rules in Brussels.

Animal Health merger 'will benefit disease control'

31 March 2011

THE merger of the Animal Health agency and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) will improve the UK’s ability to combat animal disease, according to Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman.

Industry calls for manual SPS payments

31 March 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice is set to reveal today whether he will sanction manual payments to farmers still awaiting Single Payments in England.

EU talks over cloned meat collapse

29 March 2011

EU TALKS on the regulation of food from cloned animals have collapsed again, leaving the issue clouded in doubt. 

TB substantially down in Wales, steady in England

28 March 2011

THE number of animals slaughtered because of bovine TB in Great Britain fell by 10 per cent in 2010 to just under 33,000 cattle. However, the headline figure masks significant variation between Wales, where the cattle was down by 26 per cent, and England, where the figure was broadly on a par with 2009.

Beetle could devastate potato crops

28 March 2011

THE NFU is calling for statutory measures to prevent a beetle that has the potential to ‘devastate’ potato crops from entering the UK.

Northern Irish farmers given £4m to modernise

25 March 2011

OVER £4 million of funding is to be made available to farmers in Northern Ireland for the third tranche of the popular Farm Modernisation Scheme.

CAP reform timetable slipping

24 March 2011

THE prospects of an agreement on Common Agricultural Policy reform before 2013 look slim, according to Scottish Liberal Democrat MEP George Lyon.

UK ready for FMD outbreak

24 March 2011

THE Government is well placed to deal with future foot-and-mouth outbreaks but question marks remain over vaccination remain, a major national exercise has showed.

Brian May urges AMs to ‘throw out’ badger cull

23 March 2011

ROCK star Brian May has urged Welsh Assembly Members to ‘throw out this inhuman act of vandalism’ ahead of their vote on the proposed Welsh badger cull.

Watch again: The green farming debate

22 March 2011

THE RSPB ‘loves farmers to bits’, the charity’s director of conservation Mark Avery insisted during a lively Farmers Guardian web debate this week.

Industry slams cuts to solar subsidies

22 March 2011

GOVERNMENT plans to slash the incentives available for solar energy installations have been condemned by farmers, landowners, environmentalists and the solar industry.

What new £26m uplands policty means to farmers

17 March 2011

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman took to the hills last Thursday to unveil Defra’s new £26m uplands policy. Alistair Driver examines what it means for farmers.

HLS educational payments restored

16 March 2011

DEFRA has announced that payments have been restored for some educational access visits within Higher Level Stewardship (HLS).

Cheap imports could ‘fatally undermine’ beef industry

16 March 2011

AGRICULTURE Commissioner Dacian Ciolos has been warned of the dangers facing Scotland if the EU opens its markets to large quantities of cheap meat imports from Brazil and Argentina. 

Government urged not to reduce solar subsidies

15 March 2011

THE Government is being urged to abandon plans to substantially reduce subsidies for most solar energy projects.

Wales and Scotland welcome animal health plans

15 March 2011

WELSH and Scottish Ministers have welcomed the agreement that will see their administrations finally take control of their own animal budgets.

Labour Party kicks off rural policy review

14 March 2011

THE Labour Party has commenced a review of rural policy, including farming’s role in the food security debate.

NFU to host flagship dairy seminar

14 March 2011

THE NFU has announced that it is to host a ‘flagship’ dairy seminar in May aimed at improving relations between the so-called ‘middle market’ and the farming industry.

Asulox gets 'temporary reprive'

11 March 2011

A BAN on Asulam, a chemical used to control bracken, has been averted for the time being at least.

Applying for SPS online is easy

March 11, 2011

THE Rural Payments Agency is encouraging farmers in England to apply for their SPS online this year. Alistair Driver finds out why.

Intensive farming can be the greenest - Foresight scientist

9 March 2011

INTENSIVE farming can be the most environmentally-friendly, a leading contributor to the influential Foresight report told an NFU West Midlands arable event.

AHDB gets green light to stay at Stoneleigh

8 March 2011

THE Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has finally been given the green light to move into permanent accommodation at Stoneleigh Park, in Warwickshire.

FMD wipes out one-third of South Korea’s pigs

8 March 2011

ONE third of South Korea’s pig herd has been wiped out by foot-and-mouth, an Asian veterinary conference has heard.

Transitional hill farm payments begin

8 March 2011

HILL farmers in England have started receiving money under the new Uplands Transitional Payments (UTP) scheme.

Wildlife trust to vaccinate badgers against TB

7 March 2011

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Wildlife Trust is to begin a programme of badger vaccination in its nature reserves this summer.

AHDB close to finalising new site at Stoneleigh

3 March 2011

THE Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s (AHDB) search for a new permanent home could soon be over.

CLA 'winning argument over CAP reform'

3 March 2011

CLA president William Worsley has claimed that his association is winning the argument in Brussels over CAP reform.

Kendall criticises absence of farming in report

3 March 2011

NFU president Peter Kendall has criticised Defra for ignoring farming in a new document that claims to ‘embed sustainability at the heart of Government’.

Retailers accused of charging ‘excessive’ food prices

1 March 2011

UK RETAILERS have been accused of charging ‘excessive’ and ‘unfair’ prices for food and warned that they should be facing a Government investigation.

University course to dispel GM 'Frankenfood myth’

1 March 2011

THE University of East Anglia (UEA) has announced a ‘groundbreaking’ new course that will explore farming’s role, including the use of GM crops, in addressing global food security.

Commission urged to ban battery egg imports

28 February 2011

THE European Commission has been urged to issue a firm guarantee that farmers who miss the 2012 battery cages ban deadline are banned from trading their eggs across the EU.

Government advises public to cut red meat consumption

25 February 2011

THE Government is urging the public to cut down on red and processed meat consumption in response to new advice on the health risks connected to eating it in large quantities.

Nocton Dairies - the demise of farming's most controversial project

25 February 2011

The Nocton Dairies project has raised fundamental questions about the direction of dairying in the UK. Alistair Driver looks at the fall out from the demise of the controversial project. 

Consumers seeking ‘value’ as food prices rise 

24 February 2011

THE vast majority of shoppers are expecting food prices to rise and are actively seeking out value in order to deal with this, according to a consumer survey.

Total GM plantings reach 1 billion hectares

23 February 2011

MORE than a billion hectares of genetically modified crops have been planted globally in the 15 years since they were commercialised.

Campaign to save solar power projects launched

22 February 2011

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to persuade the Government to shelve plans for a review of Feed-in-Tariffs (FiT) that could scupper numerous solar energy projects on farms.

Spelman secures battery cage victory in Europe

21 February 2011

UNDER-FIRE Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman has received a much-needed boost, after fellow EU Ministers backed her calls to prevent a delay in implementing the battery cage ban.

Farmers struggling to comply with NVZ rules

21 February 2011

NEARLY half of farmers will be unable to comply with new Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulations on slurry storage due to come into force next January, an NFU survey has found.

Twenty one farmers due in court over illegal workers

18 February 2011

TWENTY-ONE dairy farmers, including NFU vice president Gwyn Jones, are due to appear in court next month to face criminal charges of employing labour from an unlicensed provider.

Planners would have rejected Nocton application

17 February 2011

NOCTON Dairies’ application for a 3,770-cow dairy farm in Lincolnshire, which was withdrawn yesterday (Wednesday, February 16), would have been emphatically rejected by planners if it had made it that far.

Nocton Dairies scraps super dairy plans

16 February 2011

NOCTON Dairies have scrapped plans to set up the UK’s biggest dairy herd, blaming the Environment Agency for the decision.

NFU11: Farmers thanked for patience on TB

15 February 2011

CAROLINE Spelman has thanked farmers for their ‘patience’ on the announcement on a badger cull to control bovine TB (bTB).

NFU11: Kendall accuses Government of failing agriculture

15 February 2011

NFU president Peter Kendall has accused the Coalition Government of failing to push agriculture to the top of the political agenda.

NFU11: Kendall calls on Government to close ‘food gap’

15 February 2011

NFU president Peter Kendall will call on the Government to reverse the country’s growing dependence on imports during the NFU’s conference that begins today (Tuesday, February 15).

Food inflation hits 18 month high

10 February 2011

UK FOOD inflation has reached its highest level for 18 months as rising commodity prices continue to feed through the supply chain.

BVA warns of spending cut catastrophe

9 February 2011

THE British Veterinary Association (BVA) has warned that Defra spending cuts could have ‘catastrophic consequences’ for animal health and welfare.

Green schemes boost bird numbers

9 February 2011

A MAJOR research study has shown how agri-environment schemes can help restore populations of threatened farmland birds.

Paice threatens industry with compulsory set-aside

9 February 2011

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has threatened to introduce compulsory set-aside in England unless more arable farmers get involved with the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE).

Waitrose suspends farm after ‘shocking’ secret footage

8 February 2011

WAITROSE has suspended a farm that supplies it with free range ducks after ‘shocking’ secretly filmed footage exposed mistreatment of the birds by workers.

Report rejects all-in-one 'green' label

7 February 2011

A NEW report has outlined the difficulties of producing a single label that covers all environmental aspects of food production.

NFU expresses ‘disbelief’ at Unite pay demand

3 February 2011

THE NFU has expressed its ‘disbelief’ at the Unite union’s call for a substantial pay rise for farm workers and a public holiday to commemorate Workers’ Memorial Day.

Devolved nations furious over 'UK' CAP stance

3 February 2011

MINISTERS from the devolved administrations have reacted furiously to UK Government calls for a ‘very substantial cut’ to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget.

NFUS hits out at ‘absurd’ cow magnet suggestion

1 February 2011

THE EU’s Health Commissioner has suggested that magnets should be inserted into cows’ stomachs as a response to the threat posed by Chinese lanterns.

Nocton Dairies responds to concerns over plans

1 February 2011

NOCTON Dairies has responded to concerns over groundwater pollution, smell and noise raised during the consultation on its plans for a 3,770-cow dairy unit in Lincolnshire.

EU issues warning over EID rules

31 January 2011

THE European Commission is threatening to remove the UK’s derogations on sheep electronic identification (EID) if the UK does not introduce a database for the system, according to NFU livestock chairman Alistair Macintosh.

Retailers urged to follow Asda on pork

28 January 2011

THE National Pig Association (NPA) has praised Asda for ‘leading the way’ in helping pig farmers during the current crisis period.

Landmark ruling paves the way for more polytunnels

27 January 2011

THE Court of Appeal has paved the way for wider use of polytunnels in a key ruling described by the NFU as a ‘victory for common sense’.

NFU dismisses Radcliffe plan as a sham

27 January 2011

THE NFU has described proposals for a new ‘Partnership Board’ to give the livestock industry a greater say on animal health in England as a ‘sham’.

NFU Council: UK egg market over-supplied

26 January 2011

THE UK egg market is over-supplied resulting in cage eggs being sold at 33p/dozen, the price they were 30 years ago.

NFU Council: UK dairy crisis a 'disgrace'

26 January 2011

THE ‘massive failure’ of the UK milk market to operate properly was described as a ‘disgrace’, an ‘outrage’ and a ‘scandal’ by NFU dairy board chairman Mansel Raymond and president Peter Kendall at yesterday’s (Tuesday, January 25), NFU Council meeting.

EU Ministers agree crisis aid for pig farmers

25 January 2011

THE European Commission is to provide financial aid for Europe’s beleaguered pig farmers, whose incomes have been hit by low prices and soaring feed costs.

RPA unveils improvement to entitlement transfers

24 January 2011

THE Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has announced improvements to the process of transferring Single Payment entitlements.

Senior NFU official moves to FDF

21 January 2011

ONE of the NFU’s most senior officials is leaving the union to become the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) director of communications.

FFA and NFU join forces over milk price crisis

20 January 2011

THE NFU and Farmers For Action have agreed to join forces to tackle the issue of milk prices together. 

Dioxin crisis: UK sow meat demand plummets 

18 January 2011

ESSEX abattoir Cheale Meats is advising its suppliers to hold on to their old sows until the market recovers from the German dioxin crisis.

Farm shops take on supermarkets with ‘eco’ loyalty cards

18 January 2011

UK FARM shops have come together under a new ‘eco friendly’ customer reward scheme to hit back at supermarkets in the battle for consumer loyalty.

CAP money must target ‘active farmers’ - TFA

17 January 2011

FUTURE Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) support must be targeted at ‘active farmers’ only to make the policy more publicly acceptable, according to the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA).

Scientists create GM chicken to stop bird flu

14 January 2011

SCIENTISTS have developed chickens that have been genetically modified to prevent them from spreading bird flu.

‘Unprecedented’ response to Nocton Dairies plan

13 January 2011

OVER 14,000 people have formally objected to Nocton Dairies’ plans to build a ‘super dairy’ in Lincolnshire.

Judge asks FFA and Asda to settle differences

13 January 2011

A JUDGE has asked Asda and Farmers For Action (FFA) to try and resolve their differences between them, rather than have their ongoing dispute decided by the courts.

H1N1 swine flu found in UK poultry

12 January 2011

THE swine flu virus, H1N1, has been found in poultry for the first time in the UK.

Lochhead slams Spelman's CAP plans

11 January 2011

SCOTLAND’S Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has attacked Caroline Spelman’s CAP reform vision, warning that her plans could ‘devastate’ Scottish farms.

Thousands oppose Lincs 'super dairy'

10 January 2011

OVER 66,000 people have signed a petition opposing Nocton Dairies’ plans for a 3,770-cow dairy unit in Lincolnshire.

OFC 2011: Spelman to streamline farm inspections

5 January 2011

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman has signalled the Government’s intention to streamline the farm inspection regime.

OFC 2011: Conference calls for ‘joined up’ UK farm strategy

5 January 2011

THE farming industry should combine with Government and the food supply chain to develop a ‘joined up’ agricultural strategy to drive the sector forward, according to leading farming figures.

Scientists respond to ‘spin’ claims over TB research

4 January 2011

SCIENTISTS have been forced to clarify the results of recently published research on badger vaccination in response to claims that the benefits have been overstated.

TB controls to change from January 1

29 December 2010

CHANGES to enhance bovine TB (bTB) controls for higher risk herds and a new terminology to describe the status of herds in Great Britain will apply from New Year’s Day.

Meat and livestock bodies fight £32m inspection costs

22 December 2010

LEADING UK meat and livestock organisations have asked Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman to re-think moves to pass on the cost of meat inspection to the industry.

Fertiliser industry ‘ready for second global food crisis’

22 December 2010

THE fertiliser industry has warned of a ‘second food crisis’ but says it is investing heavily in capacity to help address the production challenges facing farmers.

Asda gains extension of FFA injunction

20 December 2010

ASDA’s injunction aimed at curbing farmer milk price protests has been extended until January 7.

Asda goes to court again over FFA protests

20 December 2010

A SECOND court hearing brought by Asda in a bid to curb farmer milk protests was going ahead this afternoon despite the absence of Farmers For Action chairman Dave Handley.

Nocton Dairies decision expected in March

December 17, 2010

A DECISION on Nocton Dairies’ plans for a 3,770-cow unit in Lincolnshire is expected in March, after the planning application was finally validated at the end of last week.

Cost Sharing Proposals

December 17, 2010

?Government plans for a new Partnership Board to give the livestock industry a genuine stake in animal health and welfare policy were unveiled this week. Rosemary Radcliffe described her group’s recommendations on Responsibility and Cost Sharing in England as a ‘fresh start’. Alistair Driver considers the ramifications.

Asda threatens legal action against farmer protests

15 December 2010

ASDA is threatening legal action ahead of planned protests by Farmers for Action (FFA) at three of its distribution depots tonight.

New RPA chief executive announced

14 December 2010

MARK Grimshaw, who has spent the last two years in charge of the Child Support Agency, has been appointed as the new chief executive of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).

Radcliffe unveils animal health shake-up

13 December 2010

ROSEMARY Radcliffe has told the livestock industry her plans for a ‘unique’ new Partnership Board will give it an integral say in animal health and welfare policy.

Government to give farmers a stake in animal health policy

10 December 2010

PLANS for a new ‘Partnership Board’  to give the livestock industry a genuine stake in animal health and welfare policy in England are set to be unveiled next week.

Rooker backs cull plans

9 December 2010

FORMER Farming Minister Jeff Rooker has warned that Ministers should not allow Natural England to dictate policy on the issuing of badger cull licences.

NBA calls for review of BSE rules

8 December 2010

THE National Beef Association is calling on EU decision makers to conduct an urgent examination of ‘astronomically expensive’ anti-BSE controls.

Threatened Farming Futures project wins award

7 December 2010

FARMING Futures, a project facing closure after Defra withdrew its funding, has won an award for its work in raising awareness about climate change among farmers.

Agriculture in the national news - December 6

6 December 2010

A daily look at how agriculture has hit the headlines across the country (Monday, December 6).

No action to be taken against farmer at centre of ‘cloned meat’ row

3 December 2010

STEPHEN Innes, the farmer at the centre of the ‘cloned meat’ scare in the summer, has learned that he will not face formal action over the incident.

NFU Mutual inundated with calls as big freeze bites

2 December 2010

THE UK’s leading rural insurer NFU Mutual said is being inundated with hundreds of claims from people hit by the arctic weather conditions.

UK farm incomes set for 13 per cent fall

30 November 2010

TOTAL UK farm income is set to fall by 13 per cent in 2010, following an 18 per cent drop in 2009.

Soil Association wants human waste to be spread on farmland

29 November 2010

THE Soil Association is calling for a change in the law to allow human sewage to be spread on farmland.

Farmers warned of complacency as anti-badger cull campaign is stepped up

26 November 2010

NFU president Peter Kendall has warned farmers that ‘complacency’ could cost the industry the opportunity of a badger cull to control bovine TB (bTB).

Turkey giant Bernard Matthews dies aged 80

26 November 2010

BERNARD Matthews, a legendary figure in the food and farming industry, has died at the age of 80.

Unions will continue to fight for mandatory labelling laws

26 November 2010

UK FARMING unions have vowed to continue pressing for new country of origin labelling legislation despite the voluntary guidance announced by retailers this week.

Farming Futures faces uncertain future

24 November 2010

A PROJECT set up to help farmers tackle the effects of climate change is facing closure unless it can secure industry funding.

CAP budget ‘not immune’ to cuts

23 November 2010

DEFRA Minister Lord Henley has warned that the EU farm budget will have to be cut, alongside most other areas of funding as ‘hard choices’ are made across Europe.

Commission confirms plans for ‘greener’ CAP

18 November 2010

THE European Commission has confirmed its intention to develop a ‘greener’ Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2013.

Nocton Dairies: Super dairies 'worse than organic farms'

18 November 2010

THE Soil Association has released a report it claims shows Nocton-style ‘super dairies’ result in ‘far worse environmental and animal welfare impact than organic systems’.

Nocton Dairies: The plans in full

18 November 2010

Sustainability is the buzz word underpinning Nocton Dairies’ resubmitted planning application for what is now a 3,770-cow unit, in south Lincolnshire. We take a look at the plans for the ‘super dairy’.

Nocton Dairies: Farmers plan to press ahead with 8,000-cow dairy

18 November 2010

THE directors of Nocton Dairies have boldly stated their intention to press ahead with an 8,000-cow dairy in Lincolnshire, despite unveiling substantially reduced plans.

Nocton Dairies: Super dairy could be a cow heaven - David Barnes

18 November 2010

THE scale and vehemence of the public backlash to their initial plans shocked Nocton’s directors. One of them, David Barnes, tells Alistair Driver why he believes they have got it right second time round.

Nocton Dairies: Is there a future for super dairies in the UK?

18 November 2010

NOCTON Dairies’ plans, for what will still be the country’s biggest dairy unit, has put the spotlight firmly on the UK dairy industry. Alistair Driver examines the fall-out from the controversial project.

NBA urges farmers to support badger cull

15 November 2010

THE National Beef Association (NBA) is urging anyone who supports badger culling as a means of controlling bovine TB to make their feelings known to Defra while they can.

Exclusive: Natural England draws up plans to charge for services

November 12, 2010

NATURAL England is drawing up plans to introduce new charges for the services it provides in response to far-reaching budget cuts imposed on it by Defra

Lib Dems deny wages board ‘betrayal’

11 November 2010

LIBERAL Democrat MP Andrew George has hit back at the Unite union for suggesting his Party had ‘betrayed’ farm workers over the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB).

Elliot Morley could face criminal trial

10 November 2010

FORMER Defra Minister Elliot Morley could face a criminal trial over his expenses claims, the Supreme Court has ruled.

Vaccination can reduce bTB levels in badgers

8 November 2010

VACCINATION can significantly reduce bovine TB (bTB) levels in badgers, newly-published research has indicated.

Campaigners descend on Parliament in 'rainforest food' protest

8 November 2010

CAMPAIGNERS dressed as cows are planning to descend on Parliament today to call on MPs to back Friends of the Earth’s campaign for ‘rainforest-free food’.

Spelman refutes ‘environmental vandalism’ claims

5 November 2010

DEFRA Secretary Caroline Spelman has insisted that England’s flagship agri-environment schemes will be maintained and expanded, as she was accused of ‘environmental vandalism’ in the House of Commons.

Raymond calls for new approach to EU regulation

4 November 2010

NFU Deputy President Meurig Raymond has warned that complex EU legislation is affecting the ability of farmers to increase productivity.

Home Office urged to back down on hemp rules

4 November 2010

THE NFU is urging the Home Office to ‘back down’ on the introduction of licence fees, linked to UK drugs legislation, for hemp growers

CFE birthday prompts calls for more environmental action

3 November 2010

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has called on farmers to show more proof they can look after the countryside as the first anniversary of the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE) looms.

Bluetongue virtually eradicated in Europe

2 November 2010

BLUETONGUE has been virtually eradicated from mainland Europe, figures released by the European Commission indicate.

Crop World 2010: Support growing for GMs in Europe

1 November 2010

MORE than 50 per cent of Europeans are in favour of biotechnology, according to the latest survey of EU opinions.

Industry calls on Defra to help curb TB in pigs

October 22, 2010

PIG industry leaders have asked Defra to work with them to develop a ‘sensible’ TB policy for pigs amid growing concern about current levels of disease in the species.

What the spending review means for farmers

21 October 2010

Defra has been criticised for a lack of detail on what its spending settlement will actually mean. Here is what we do know:

Where Defra’s axe will fall

20 October 2010

DEFRA’S budget will be cut by around 30 per cent over the next four years, Chancellor George Osborne has revealed in his Comprehensive Spending Review.

Defra cost sharing plans hit by spending watchdog

20 October 2010

DEFRA’S plans to introduce an animal health cost sharing policy have received a setback after its financial record keeping was criticised by the Government’s spending watchdog.

Brian May to receive animal welfare award

18 October 2010

QUEEN guitarist Brian May, a leading figure in the fight to prevent badger culling in England and Wales, has won a special award in recognition of his campaigning on behalf of animals.

Benn defends record at Defra

15 October 2010

“JUDGE me by what I do, not what I eat,” the vegetarian Hilary Benn famously implored in his first public appearance as Defra Secretary during the turbulent summer of 2007.

NFU eyeing single farm inspectorate to cut red tape

15 October 2010

THE farming industry could be better served by a single farm inspectorate, rather than the current mix of local authority and trading standards inspectors, according to a senior NFU official.

The fate of Defra's quangos - the full list

14 October 2010

CABINET Office Minister Francis Maude has announced the results of the Government’s review of its arms length bodies. Here is the full list of how Defra’s bodies are affected:

Farmers facing £40/tonne rise in feed bills - NFU

14 October 2010

FARMERS are facing a £40/tonne rise in animal feed bills by December, NFU head of economic and international affairs Tom Hind has warned.

Sugar beet growers receive contract boost 

13 October 2010

SUGAR beet growers will be permitted to grow 20 per cent on top of their British Sugar contracts next year, following unexpectedly low yields this year.

UK 'factory farms' destroying Brazilian rainforest - FoE

11 October 2010

UK ‘FACTORY farms’ are contributing to the destruction of an area of Brazilian rainforest and grassland twice the size of Greater London each year, Friends of the Earth has claimed.

Jim Begg wins top dairy industry award

8 October 2010

DAIRY UK director Jim Begg has won the prestigious Dairy Industry Award in recognition of his contribution to the ‘development of the dairy industry’.

Complex CAP plans detrimental to farmers – NFU

8 October 2010

THE NFU has expressed serious concerns over leaked plans for a ‘greener’ Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2013.

Leaked document outlines plans for a ‘greener’ CAP

7 October 2010

FARMERS could be required to undertake far-reaching environmental measures in order to receive direct payments in full from 2014, a leaked Brussels document indicates.

Coca cola executive to head up NFU communications

6 October 2010

THE NFU has announced that a senior communications director at Coca Cola is to become its new director of communications from January 2011.

TB outbreaks costing some farmers over £3,000 a month

6 October 2010

BOVINE TB outbreaks are costing some individual farms over £3,000 per month, research by the University of Exeter has revealed.

Pea growing returns to East Anglia

5 October 2010

EAST Anglian peas will be back on sale next summer after a brief gap caused by the cancellation Birds Eye’s contract with growers in the area.

‘We have no objection in principle to large dairies' - Paice 

5 October 2010

THE Government should have no objection ‘in principle’ to large scale dairies, Farming Minister Jim Paice has told a meeting at the Conservative Party Conference.

Limited companies option for badger cull considered by industry and Defra

1 October 2010

Alistair Driver reports on what happens next with the coalition Government’s proposed badger cull in England.

Kendall hits back at union concerns

1 October 2010

THE NFU has hit back in the row over the future of the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) after it was accused of having ‘no answers’ to the concerns of farm workers.

Benn pledges to fight to retain hunting ban and AWB

30 September 2010

HILARY Benn has told the Labour Party Conference he intends to fight Tory plans to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board and bring back fox hunting ‘every step of the way’.

Benn admits public opinion swayed badger decision

29 September 2010

HILARY Benn was heavily influenced by public opinion when he made his decision not to permit a badger cull in England, the former Defra Secretary has admitted.

50 bodies to go as further details of Defra cuts emerge

24 September 2010

AT LEAST 50 Defra bodies are to be scrapped under the Government’s cost-cutting drive, leaked plans reveal.

Farmers urged to respond to badger cull consultation

September 24, 2010

FARMERS have been urged respond to Defra’s proposal for a badger cull in England in expectation of a mass co-ordinated response from people opposed on animal welfare grounds.

Farron admits disappointment over Defra role

23 September 2010

LIBERAL Democrat MP Tim Farron admitted he was ‘disappointed’ to be omitted from the current Defra Ministerial but pledged to continue fighting for Britain’s farmers.

Kendall ‘excited’ by GM

22 September 2010

NFU president Peter Kendall has said he is ‘excited’ by GM crops but could not advocate growing them today because of ongoing consumer resistance.

Wales to push ahead with badger cull

20 September 2010

THE Welsh assembly Government is to push ahead with plans for a badger cull, Welsh Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones has announced.

CLA targets ‘cyber congestion’ with Internet Charter

20 September 2010

THE Country land and Business Association has launch and ‘Internet Charter’ which will aim to tackle problems caused by lack of access to broadband in rural areas.

Paice criticises ‘grandiose’ AHDB plan

20 September 2010

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has criticised the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) over its failed plans to build a £10 million new headquarters at Stoneleigh Park.

Why I am proposing a badger cull – Jim Paice

September 17, 2010

In the week he announced controversial plans for a badger cull in England, Farming Minister Jim Paice told Alistair Driver why believes it is the right way forward.

Badger cull: Badger Trust considers legal challenge

16 September 2010

THE Badger Trust has warned that it is gearing up for a legal challenge to Farming Minister Jim Paice’s plans for a badger cull in England.

Badger cull a 'significant day for farmers' - Kendall

15 September 2010

NFU president Peter Kendall has hailed Defra’s plans for a licensed badger cull in England as a ‘significant day for thousands of cattle farmers’.

Badger cull: Government plans will allow farmers to shoot badgers

15 September 2010

FARMERS in TB hotspot areas of England will be permitted to shoot badgers on their land, under plans unveiled by Farming Minister Jim Paice this morning.

Benn slams 'shabby plan' to axe wages board

13 September 2010

FORMER Defra Secretary Hilary Benn has condemned the decision to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) board as a ‘shabby little plan to cut the wages of agricultural workers’.

Arla confirm Aylesbury site for £150m 'mega dairy'

10 September 2010

ARLA Foods UK has announced that its £150 million ‘mega dairy’ is to be located in Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire.

Government cutbacks hit levy board HQ plans

10 September 2010

THE Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has been forced to shelve plans for a new headquarters at Stoneleigh due to Government spending cutbacks.

Dairy Event 2010: RABDF reiterates call for live import ban

7 September 2010

THE Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) has reiterated its call for a ban on livestock imports from areas where Bluetongue is rife.

Dairy Event 2010: Paice reaffirms commitment to badger cull

7 September 2010

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has reaffirmed his commitment to culling badgers in England, insisting it is impossible to combat bovine TB (bTB) without tackling the disease in wildlife.

Extension of Russian wheat export ban sparks food crisis fears

3 September 2010

VLADAMIR Putin has sparked fresh fears of a return to the 2008 global food crisis by announcing that Russia is to maintain its ban on wheat exports for another year.

Farmers on arson alert as third fire rages

2 September 2010

FARMERS in Northumberland are on high alert tonight after a spate of arson attacks on hay and straw barns this week.

Defra could scrap six-day standstill

2 September 2010

THE six-day standstill should only be relaxed if the authorities can be certain farmers will comply with the new rules, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has warned.

Wiseman staff enjoy £3 million windfall

31 August 2010

OVER 400 staff at Robert Wiseman Dairies are to share a £3 million windfall this autumn.

Why big dairies are not necessarily bad for cow welfare – RSPCA

27 August 2010

THE RSPCA’s John Avizienius has dared to question the assumption that large, mainly indoor dairy units mean a life of miserly for cows. He tells Alistair Driver why he believes big is not necessarily bad.

Fruit and veg task force calls for planning reforms

26 August 2010

THE importance of domestic food production should be stated in national planning policy to make it easier to get permission for the likes of polytunnels, a task force has recommended.

Kendall accuses 'bully boy' supermarkets on milk prices

25 August 2010

NFU president Peter Kendall has accused supermarkets of ‘aggressive cost cutting’ and ‘bully boy tactics’ in their dealings with milk processors.

‘Don’t cut the life from our countryside’, RSPB urges Ministers

23 August 2010

THE RSPB is stepping up its campaign to persuade Ministers to spare England’s agri-environment schemes from budget cuts.

Wales to strengthen bovine TB controls

19 August 2010

THE Welsh Assembly Government has unveiled plans to strengthen its powers to control bovine TB in camelids, goats and deer.

NBA board removes chairman

19 August 2010

CHRISTOPHER Thomas-Everard has been voted out as chairman of the National Beef Association (NBA).

Rural thieves target hay as price soars

17 August 2010

RURAL thieves are targeting hay and straw, as soaring prices make it an attractive commodity to sell on, NFU Mutual is warning.

EU will not punish UK over ‘cloned meat’

16 August 2010

THE European Commission has confirmed that no action needs to be taken against the UK, after it emerged that meat from the offspring of cloned animals has entered food chain.

Lords to investigate innovation in agriculture

30 July 2010

IS EU agriculture stuck in its old ways? Or could it get further down the road to profitability by being more innovative? That is the question being asked in a potentially ground-breaking inquiry into ‘Innovation and EU Agriculture’ launched by peers in the House of Lords this week.

Spending watchdog slams Defra/RPA over SPS penalties

29 July 2010

THE Government’s spending watchdog has refused to endorse the accounts of Defra and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) due to the huge sums of public money being frittered away in EU fines.

Dr Judge takes control at RPA

28 July 2010

A SENIOR Defra executive with experience in the nuclear industry has been named as Tony Cooper’s successor at the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).

Consumers unaware of animal welfare – Freedom Food boss

26 July 2010

THE head of the RSPCA’s food assurance scheme has claimed most consumers are ignorant about the lives of the animals that go into the food they buy.

Tractor thefts fuel big jump in rural crime

26 July 2010

RURAL crime is on the rise, led by a sharp increase in the theft of expensive tractors, new data published today shows.

Split reaction to wages board decision

23 July 2010

THE decision to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) has been described as a ‘relief’ for farmers but a ‘disaster’ for farm workers.

Agricultural Wages Board to be abolished

22 July 2010

DEFRA Secretary Caroline has confirmed that the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) is to be abolished.

Paice promises to 'revitalise' RPA

21 July 2010

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has pledged that he will seek to ‘revitalise’ the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) in the wake of this week’s damning review of its current state.

RPA to survive despite damning Defra report

20 July 2010

THE Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is poorly run and unfit for purpose, a damning Defra review of the agency concluded today (Tuesday, July 20).

Badger Trust hails cull decision

13 July 2010

BADGER Trust chairman David Williams claimed today’s ruling on its judicial review appeal demonstrated the ‘futility’ of culling badgers.

Badger cull plans quashed by High Court

13 July 2010

THE Badger Trust has won it’s appeal against the High Court’s refusal to grant a judicial review on badger culling.

BCMS launches automated phone service

12 July 2010

A NEW automated phone service for reporting cattle births, movements and deaths has been launched by the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS). 

Food Standards Agency to be axed

12 July 2010

THE Food Standards Agency (FSA) is to be axed, with Defra and the Department of Health set to take on various parts of its function, according to reports.

Exclusive: Brian May vows to fight ‘insane’ badger cull plans

9 July 2010

LEGENDARY Queen guitarist Brian May has outlined why he believes culling badgers to control bovine TB is morally wrong and scientifically flawed.

More delays for Ombudsman plans

9 July 2010

HOPES that a supermarket Ombudsman could be installed in the near future have been dashed after it emerged there will be yet more consultation before the relevant legislation is introduced.

Environment Agency slammed over pollution policy

8 July 2010

THE Environment Agency could be unfairly targeting farmers as it seeks to address the problem of diffuse pollution, a report by the Government’s spending watchdog has concluded.

300 farmers still awaiting SPS payments

6 July 2010

AROUND 300 farmers in England had not received their Single Payments by the EU payment deadline, Rural Payments Agency figures show.

Badger vaccination project was 'too expensive'

2 July 2010

DEFRA’S badger vaccination project was doomed all along because of the excessive costs attached to it, a contractor who was bidding for the work has claimed.

Big rise in on-farm deaths

30 June 2010

THERE has been a significant rise in the number of farmers killed at work, new figures released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show.

Defra begins quango cut-backs

29 June 2010

THE Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) is to be abolished and two agencies covering animal health will be merged, as Defra takes further steps to cut its budget.

Paice accused of gold-plating broiler rules

29 June 2010

NFU poultry board chairman Charles Bourns has criticised Farming Minister Jim Paice for ‘gold-plating’ the EU Broiler Directive.

Somerset’s disregard for farms bucks the trend - TFA

28 June 2010

SOMERSET County Council has been urged to rethink its decision to sell off its farm estate.

Badger vaccination project scrapped in all but one area

24 June 2010

THE coalition Government has scrapped plans to vaccinate badgers in all but one of the areas designated by the previous administration.

Defra faces 25 per cent budget cut as Osborne unveils budget

22 June 2010

DEFRA is likely to face cuts of around 25 per cent to its budget over the next four years, Chancellor George Osborne revealed in today’s emergency budget.

Future of Somerset council farms hangs in the balance

21 June 2010

SOMERSET County Councillors were due to meet this morning to discuss a proposal that could lead to the disposal of much of the council’s farm estate.

Herefordshire polytunnel legal battle to continue

18 June 2010

HEREFORDSHIRE County Council has won the right to continue a legal battle that could have profound implications for the future use of polytunnels in Britain.

Consumer demand driving better pig welfare - RSPCA

17 June 2010

CONSUMER demand is driving higher animal welfare standards on pig farms, according to officials from the RSPCA’s Freedom Food scheme.

Defra Chief Scientist wins £370,000 prize

17 June 2010

DEFRA’S chief scientific advisor, Professor Bob Watson, has won a prestigious international environmental award, worth around £370,000.

Commons motion calls for end to 'factory farming'

15 June 2010

MPs are being urged to back a new motion calling for an end to the ‘factory farming of dairy cows’.

US 'super dairy' guru defends intensive units

11 June 2010

ONE of the architects of the inexorable move towards ‘super dairies’ in the US has defended the trend as ‘inevitable economics’.

FSA under pressure to abandon GM debate

3 June 2010

THE Food Standards Agency (FSA) is coming under pressure to abandon its plans for a national GM debate, following the resignation of another member of the project’s steering group.

Britain on course for new bluetongue status

3 June 2010

BRUSSELS officials are set to decide today on a request to grant Britain a new bluetongue risk status that would see tighter controls placed on imported livestock.

Farmer shot dead by Cumbrian gunman

2 June 2010

A FARMER is among those shot dead in a series of shootings in Cumbria, according to reports.

FSA accused of wasting money on GM debate

1 June 2010

THE Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been accused of wasting £500,000 of taxpayers’ on its attempt to hold another debate on the merits of GM crops.

Government shelves cost sharing plans

28 May 2010

PLANS for a new independent animal health body in England have been put on hold by the coalition Government and could eventually be dropped.

What the coalition Government has in store for farmers

27 May 2010

THE Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition has outlined its ‘programme for government’. Alistair Driver looks at what lies in store for farmers.

'Incredible' new data backs calls for badger cull

26 May 2010

FARMING organisations in England and Wales say the case for a badger cull has been significantly enhanced by ‘incredible’ new data suggesting the benefits are greater than originally thought.

RDAs face squeeze in Osbourne's budget cuts

24 May 2010

DEFRA funding for Rural Development Agencies (RDA) will be reduced as the Department slashes £162 million from its 2010/11 budget.

We will back British farmers - Spelman

21 May 2010

NEW Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman has promised that her department will continue to ‘promote British farming’, as it copes with inevitable cuts to its budget.

Paice seeks to reassure farmers on badger cull

21 May 2010

FARMING Minister Jim Paice has reassured farmers in Devon that the coalition Government is committed to implementing a badger cull in the South West.

Coalition Government sets out farm policies

20 May 2010

THE coalition Government has outlined plans to cut red tape on farms, introduce a badger cull in TB hotspot and share the responsibility for animal disease policy.

Scottish livestock imports bring bluetongue threat

19 May 2010

NFU Scotland has warned that farmers who are flouting Scotland’s voluntary ban on livestock imports are ‘threatening the nation’s freedom from Bluetongue’.

Industry welcomes new Defra team

18 May 2010

THE farming industry has warmly welcomed the appointment of a new Defra Ministerial team that comes to Nobel House with a wealth of experience in agriculture.

SPS deadline today

17 May 2010

THE deadline for submitting Single Payment applications without penalty is only hours away.

All corrected RLR maps now out - RPA

14 May 2010

EVERY Single Payment applicant in England will have received confirmatory Rural Land Registry maps ahead of Monday’s (May 17) SPS deadline, according to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).

Kendall welcomes new Defra chief

13 May 2010

NFU President Peter Kendall has ‘warmly welcomed’ the appointments of Caroline Spelman as Secretary of State at Defra and Chris Huhne as the new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

Uncertainty over Defra's future

12 May 2010

DEFRA could be involved in a significant Departmental shake-up, according to rumours rife in Westminster today (Wednesday, May 12).

Gangmasters authority descends on dairy farms in criminal investigation

11 May 2010

UP to 70 dairy farmers have become caught up in a criminal investigation into the potential exploitation of workers and offences under Gangmaster legislation. 

SPS deadline fast approaching

10 May 2010

WITH the May 17 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) application deadline just a week away, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has issued advice to farmers in England. It includes clarification on outstanding mapping queries.

CLA in plea for new Government to support the rural economy

7 May 2010

THE Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has issued a plea for the rural economy not to be forgotten when a new Government is formed in a hung parliament.

The big challenges facing the next Government

6 May 2010

THE election, whatever the outcome, is likely to herald a new Ministerial team at Defra. Alistair Driver outlines some of the big issues they will face as a new era dawns.

EU farm body demands help for farming co-ops

5 May 2010

COPA-COGECA has called for competition rules to be changed across Europe to enable farming co-operatives to wield more power in the supply chain.

Vets warn of bluetongue threat from ‘selfish’ farmers

30 April 2010

VETS are warning that the actions of some ‘thoughtless and selfish’ farmers are placing the entire UK livestock industry at risk from a recurrence of the 2007 bluetongue outbreak.

Farming organisations have ‘lost confidence’ in RPA

29 April 2010

THE NFU, Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) have issued a statement saying they have lost ‘confidence’ in the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).

RABDF calls for more information on cost sharing

27 April 2010

THE Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers has called for Defra to provide more ‘basic information’ on how a new independent animal health organisation (AHO) would affect farmers.

John Humphrys to give up farming

26 April 2010

ONE of the Britain’s highest profile ‘celebrity farmers’ has decided to pack it in because he admits he feels like an ‘amateur’.

Badger Trust slams Tory cull policy

24 April 2010

THE Badger Trust has disputed claims by the Conservative Party that any badger cull it introduces would be ‘science led’.

NFU furious over RPA debacle

23 April 2010

ANGER over the Rural Payments Agency’s ‘manmade bureaucratic incompetence’ erupted at an angry NFU meeting this week as the spectre of a second Single Payment crisis loomed.

Janet Street-Porter to front Red Tractor campaign

20 April 2010

HIGH profile media personality Janet Street-Porter is to spearhead a campaign to promote the Red Tractor during the summer.

England must learn from Welsh badger cull case

20 April 2010

THE Welsh Assembly’s Government’s High Court victory over the legality of a badger cull shows the importance of developing a legally watertight policy in England, according to the NFU.

UFU calls on NI to follow Welsh badger cull

19 April 2010

THE Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has called for a badger culling policy to be put in place in Northern Ireland, following last week’s High Court decision in Wales.

Rural vote key to General Election

April 9, 2010

THE rural vote could be decisive in the outcome of this General Election, politicians and farming industry leaders are stressing as the campaign gets underway.

Local residents reject ‘super dairy’ plan

8 April 2010

NOCTON parish council has declared its opposition to the proposed Lincolnshire 8,100-cow ‘super dairy’.

NBA adds to calls for modulation cut

7 April 2010

THE National Beef Association (NBA) has added its voice to calls for English modulation rates to be cut in light of fears some of the funds raised could have to be returned to Brussels.

MPs line up to oppose ‘super dairy’ plan as election looms

6 April 2010

A HOUSE of Commons motion opposing the planned Lincolnshire 8,100-cow dairy unit has received huge levels of support among MPs.

Defra could be forced to pay millions back to EU

31 March 2010

DEFRA is likely to have to return millions of pounds of unused EU money, including funds taken from Single Payments, to Brussels because it has over-estimated uptake of its flagship English organic scheme.

TFA ‘will not tolerate’ Defra cost sharing plans

29 March 2010

THE Tenant Farmers Association has said it will ‘not tolerate’ Government plans to shift more of the costs of animal disease control onto farmers.

Nocton Dairies - is this the future for British dairying?

29 March 2010

The road to prosperity for an ailing dairy sector? Or the road to ruin? Alistair Driver looks at the controversy surrounding plans for an 8,100-cow dairy unit in Lincolnshire. 

Farming Minister backs 'cider tax'

26 March 2010

THE cider industry is still benefiting from significantly lower rates of duty than its main competitor, Farming Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has said in response criticism of the new ‘cider tax’.

Defra to cut costs as Darling slashes budget

24 March 2010

DEFRA has announced plans to cut back on its use of consultants and make major cutbacks across its agencies as it seeks to reduce its spending by nearly £200 million by 2012/13.

Tesco denies 'cash for influence' claims

23 March 2010

TESCO has denied claims that former Government Minister Stephen Byers managed to get food labelling laws watered down on its behalf.

TB infections fell in 2009

March 19, 2010

INCIDENCE of bovine TB (bTB) in the national cattle herd fell during 2009, following the record levels seen in 2008, latest Defra figures show.

Bovine TB found in sheep and wild boar

18 March 2010

CONCERNS that bTB is becoming increasingly prevalent in species other than cattle and badgers have been heightened by the discovery of the disease in sheep and wild boar.

Full CAP payment details to be published

16 March 2010

DETAILS of all Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments made to UK farmers in the year to October 2009 are to be published online within the next few weeks.

Supermarkets deny blame for mistreatment of abattoir workers

15 March 2010

UK supermarkets have insisted they are working to ‘drive standards up’ in abattoirs, after they were criticised in a damning report on the treatment of workers in the meat processing sector.

Nocton Dairies forced to cancel public meeting

12 March 2010

NOCTON Dairies has been forced to cancel a public meeting it was organising for Monday (March 15) due to the threat of disruption by animal welfare campaigners.

Hundreds of farmers relieved of NVZ rules

12 March 2010

HUNDREDS of farmers across England are being released from onerous Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) restrictions in an appeal process that appears to have exposed flaws in previous designations.

'Super dairy' farmers confident despite protests

11 March 2010

THE farmers behind the proposed Lincolnshire ‘super dairy’ say they are confident their planning application will be accepted, despite the largely negative public response to the plan.

David Jones wins NSA award

9 March 2010

DAVID Jones, the recently retired Welsh and Southern England regional manager for the British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB), has won the 2009 George Hedley Memorial award.

Badger Trust branded 'ridiculous' by ex-Defra advisor

5 March 2010

THE Badger Trust has been accused of making ‘ridiculous’ claims over the suffering of badgers affected by bovine TB (bTB). 

Defra and FSA call for CCTV to be installed in UK abattoirs

4 March 2010

DEFRA and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are calling for all UK abattoirs to install CCTV cameras to ensure operators comply with food safety and animal welfare legislation.

Manufacturers pull plug on cypermethrin sheep dips

3 March 2010

CYPERMETHRIN sheep dips will not be returning to the market following their suspension four years ago, manufacturers have confirmed.

Fitzpatrick 'wrong' on TB claims - Badger Trust

1 March 2010

THE Badger Trust has told Farming Minister Jim Fizpatrick he was wrong to suggest badgers suffer when they contract bovine TB (bTB).

New assurance scheme launched

25 February 2010

THE NFU and the Environment Agency have launched a new farm assurance scheme to cut red tape and reduce costs for pig and poultry producers.

NFU 2010: Tories 'will not disadvantage farmers on CAP'

24 February 2010

CONSERVATIVE Shadow Defra Secretary Nick Herbert has insisted his party would not negotiate Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reform that resulted in an ‘uncommon policy’.

NFU 2010: UK could ban egg imports

23 February 2010

DEFRA Secretary Hilary Benn has revealed that the Government could ban egg imports from member states that refuse to outlaw ‘barren’ laying cages by 2012.

NFU 2010: Benn under fire on TB decision

23 February 2010

DEFRA Secretary Hilary Benn came under sustained attack over his policies on bovine TB as he delivered his address to the NFU conference.

NFU 2010: Kendall calls for fight on CAP

23 February 2010

NFU president Peter Kendall has made a plea to all the major political parties ahead of the General Election to fight for a strong Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

EU dairy fund must be shared by all - RABDF

22 February 2010

THE Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) has called for all producers to receive a share of the £25m EU dairy aid package.

Fitzpatrick denies bowing to welfare lobby on TB

18 February 2010

FARMING Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has denied claims that Defra’s refusal to sanction a badger cull is borne out of fear of the animal welfare lobby.

Farmers urged to build on CFE's bright start

15 February 2010

ARABLE farmers in England have been urged to build on the ‘encouraging start’ to the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE).

Industry coalition condemns proposed building tax

15 February 2010

A COALITION of industry organisations have attacked Government plans to introduce a levy on new farm buildings.

Badger cull research 'flawed' and 'insulting'

11 February 2010

NEW research concluding badger culling is unlikely to be a cost-effective way of controlling bovine TB (bTB) has been condemned by the farming and veterinary industries.

NFU elections 2010 - meet the candidates

11 February 2010

FIND out everything you need to know about the NFU elections. From how the election will be decided to profiles of all those in the running for the top jobs to take place at the Union’s annual conference on February 24.

Badger cull ‘not cost-effective’ claim scientists

10 February 2010

SCIENTISTS analysing the long-term impact of badger culling have concluded that, while it can reduce bovine TB (bTB) levels in cattle, it is unlikely to be a cost-effective way of tackling the disease.

Benn faces MP hearing over refusal to pay SPS compensation

5 February 2010

HILARY Benn will be hauled before MPs for an extraordinary hearing unless Defra backs down from its decision not to compensate farmers affected by the Single Payment crisis.

Supermarket ombudsman to hear complaints anonymously

5 February 2010

THE new body set to enforce the grocery supply Code of Practice will hear complaints anonymously, the Government has confirmed.

NFU urges Birds Eye to reconsider East Anglia pea decision

4 February 2010

THE NFU has called on Birds Eye to reconsider its decision to stop sourcing peas from East Anglia.

Supermarkets 'bullying farmers ahead of new code' - Kendall

3 February 2010

NFU president Peter Kendall has accused supermarkets of ‘bully boy tactics’ in the days leading up to the introduction of the new Grocery Suppliers Code of Practice (GSCOP).

Warning to pregnant women during lambing season

2 February 2010

FARMERS have been reminded they have a responsibility to minimise the risks to pregnant women during the lambing season.

Consumer support for local food increases

1 February 2010

THE proportion of shoppers actively seeking local food has doubled since 2006, with many citing a desire to support farmers as the reason, new research shows.

Leading millers drop mycotoxin test requirement

28 January 2010

CEREAL growers have been warned they will only have themselves to blame if the nation’s leading millers demand a return to compulsory mycotoxin testing for milling wheat.

Supermarket ombudsman 'must name and shame'

27 January 2010

THE supermarket ombudsman must be proactive and have the ability to name and shame retailers who transgress, the NFU will say in the forthcoming consultation on the issue.

Tories distance themselves from Cost Sharing plans

26 January 2010

THE Conservatives have said there is no guarantee they would implement the Government’s Responsibility and Cost Sharing plans if they come to power.

Defra unveils plans to link disease compensation to biosecurity

25 January 2010

DEFRA has announced controversial plans to link animal disease compensation payments to biosecurity standards on farms.

Anti-GM lobby anger at new Rothamstead director

22 January 2010

THE appointment of a leading biotech scientist as head of the UK’s biggest agricultural research body has angered the anti-GM movement.

Tough year ahead for arable farmers, experts warn

21 January 2010

ARABLE farmers face a tough year ahead, with many likely to struggle to break even without the benefit of Single Payments, leading farm consultants, Andersons, have warned.

FSA calls for switch to 1 per cent fat milk

19 January 2010

THE Food Standards Agency is encouraging consumers to switch to 1 per cent fat milk, which contains almost half the fat of semi-skimmed milk.

NFU election nominations are in - the race is on

14 January 2010

A TOTAL of 14 candidates will be vying for the top three jobs at next month’s NFU elections.

Ombudsman plan 'a victory for consumers'

13 January 2010

NFU president Peter Kendall described the Government announcement on the supermarket ombudsman as ‘a victory for common sense and the consumer’.

Government to set up supermarket Ombudsman

13 January 2010

THE Government has announced that it will set up a supermarket ombudsman to protect suppliers from abuses of power by the big retailers.

Environment Agency relaxes rules on milk and slurry spreading

11 January 2010

THE Environment Agency has temporarily relaxed some of the restrictions on spreading milk and slurry to help farmers during the big freeze.

Soil Association farmers to stop culling bull calves

8 January 2010

THE Soil Association has announced it has decided to end the practice of culling male dairy calves at birth within five years.

OFC '10: Benn ‘funked’ badger cull decision – Herbert

7 January 2010

NICK Herbert accused his counterpart Hilary Benn of ‘funking’ the decision on a badger cull as he sought to emphasise the gulf between the two on bovine TB (bTB) policy.

RPA makes good progress on Single Payments

7 January 2010

OVER 91,000 farmers in England received a full Single Payment by the end of December, the latest Rural Payments Agency (RPA) figures show.

What is the Government's food strategy?

5 January 2010

AS Hilary Benn takes to the stage at the Oxford Farming conference to unveil the Government’s highly anticipated food strategy, we take a look at the blueprint for future policy and what it entails.

OFC '10: Tories 'will introduce supermarket Ombudsman'

5 January 2010

THE Conservatives will introduce a supermarket Ombudsman if they win the forthcoming General Election, Shadow Defra Secretary Nick Herbert has pledged.

Benn to unveil food strategy

31 December 2009

DEFRA Secretary Hilary Benn is set to unveil the first Government Food Strategy in 60 years at next week’s Oxford Farming Conference.

VMD accused of secrecy over sheep dip information

28 December 2009

THE Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has been found to have illegally withheld information on the environmental impacts of synthetic pyrethroid sheep dips.

Environment Agency price hike proposals anger industry

21 December 2009

PROPOSALS by the Environment Agency to increase the price of new environmental permits has provoked an angry response from the industry.

Farm waste plastic recycling scheme unveiled

18 December 2009

PLANS to recycle up to 80 per cent of farm plastic waste across Britain have been unveiled.

RPA meets first formal target six weeks ahead of schedule

18 December 2009

THE Rural Payments Agency has met its first formal 2009 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) target six weeks ahead of schedule.

Defra to limit chicken stocking density

17 December 2009

DEFRA is planning to introduce a maximum stocking density of 39kg/m² for conventionally reared chicken in England.

‘Negligent’ Defra slammed in new Single Payment report

16 December 2009

DEFRA has been accused of paying ‘negligible attention to taxpayers’ interests and branded ‘complacent’ in the latest damning report on the Single Payment Scheme fiasco.

Irish beef will not use Red Tractor logo

10 December 2009

ASSURED Food Standards (AFS) has reassured British beef farmers that there is no possibility that Irish beef could be sold in British stores with a Red Tractor logo.

Kendall could face NFU leadership challenge

10 December 2009

NFU president Peter Kendall could face a leadership challenge next February.

Lib Dems call for 'fair' CAP

7 December 2009

THE Liberal Democrats have called for a more equitable Single Payment Scheme in light of figures showing that £120 million was awarded to just 387 recipients last year.

How the NFU elections will work

4 December 2009

The elections for president, deputy president and vice president will be decided by the 93-strong NFU council at the end of the union’s conference and AGM, in Birmingham, on February 24.

Sir Don Curry to chair Better Regulation Executive

4 December 2009

SIR Donald Curry, until recently Defra’s sustainable food and farming adviser, is to become the new chair of the Government’s Better Regulation Executive.

Christensen confirmed as Natural England chair

3 December 2009

POUL Christensen has been confirmed as the new chair of Natural England, after he received the approval of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee this week.

RPA pays out majority of Single Payments

2 December 2009

THE vast majority of farmers in England have already received their Single Payments, just two days into the payment window.

1 in 4 English farmers 'living in poverty'

2 December 2009

A QUARTER of farm households in England are living in poverty, according to official figures released by Defra.

Benn relaxes cross compliance rules to aid flood hit farmers

27 November 2009

DEFRA Secretary Hilary Benn has temporarily relaxed cross compliance rules to help famers hit by the floods in Cumbria.

Romanian to take over as EU farm chief

27 November 2009

A FORMER Romanian Agriculture Minister is set to be the new EU Agriculture Commissioner.

Finding a home for dairy calves on TB-restricted farms

26 November 2009

THE loss of young dairy calves is one of the most miserable consequences of our bovine TB problem. Now something is being done to address it.

Goverment report backs reduction in livestock numbers

26 November 2009

A GOVERNMENT-BACKED report calling for significant reductions in livestock numbers to tackle climate change and health problems has provoked anger within the farming sector.

Farmers to learn new TB test regime

25 November 2009

FARMERS across England are being informed of their new TB testing requirements this week.

RPA re-opens offices after flood chaos

24 November 2009

THE Rural Payments Agency’s (RPA) Workington site has re-opened for business after being closed for two days due to the flooding in Cumbria.

Cumbria flood damage bill £3m and rising

23 November 2009

CUMBRIA’S floods have already cost around £3 million worth of damage, says the countryside’s biggest insurer.

Warwick accused of 'scientific vandalism'

19 November 2009

THE University of Warwick was accused of ‘scientific vandalism’ after it unveiled proposals to close down the 192-hectare Wellesbourne site of Warwick HRI, formerly Horticulture Research International.

Defra confirms cost-sharing timetable

18 November 2009

DEFRA has given official confirmation that it intends to publish a draft Animal Health Bill in January, as the Queen’s Speech set out the Government’s programme of legislation today (Wednesday, November 18).

Farmers must address pesticide concerns regardless of Georgina Downs case

13 November 2009

FARMERS will have to address public concerns over crop spraying whatever the outcome of the Georgina Downs legal case, NFU president Peter Kendall has told a conference.

Kendall spells out need for investment in productive agriculture

13 November 2009

NFU president Peter Kendall has warned that Governments across the globe must not be dissuaded from investing in productive agriculture as they seek solutions to the problem of food security.

BCPC 2009: Food security challenge ‘cannot be met without GM’

11 November 2009

WORLD leaders will have ‘no chance’ of dealing with the long-term food security problem if they ignore science, including GM technology, a spokesman for the biotech industry has warned.

BCPC 2009: Kendall spells out need for investment in productive agriculture

9 November 2009

NFU president Peter Kendall has warned that Governments across the globe must not be dissuaded from investing in productive agriculture as they seek solutions to the problem of food security.

Badger Trust calls for judicial review on culling decision

5 November 2009

THE Welsh Assembly Government faces a legal challenge over its decision to implement a badger cull to control bovine TB (bTB).

Report highlights benefits of agri-environment schemes

4 November 2009

AGRI-ENVIRONMENT schemes (AES) have brought huge benefits to wildlife and society over the past two decades, according to a report by Natural England.

Defra and RPA accused of cover up over data loss

30 October 2009

DEFRA and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) are facing accusations of a cover up, after it emerged that the agency has lost tapes potentially containing farmers’ personal data.

Farming industry must deliver on its promises

29 October 2009

ARABLE farmers in England have been told they hold their future in their own hands in terms of how they are regulated, ahead of next week’s launch of the Campaign for the Farmed Environment.

RPA lost farmers’ personal data, Benn admits

29 October 2009

THE Rural Payments Agency has lost CDs and tapes containing farmers’ personal data, including bank details, Defra Secretary Hilary Benn has admitted.

RPA announces flat rate 2009 SPS values

20 October 2009

THE Rural Payments Agency has confirmed a big rise in flat rate values for the 2009 Single Payment Scheme in England.

Celebrity chefs urge restaurant goers to ask about origin of food

19 October 2009

SOME of Britain’s best known chefs are backing an RSPCA campaign to encourage restaurant goers to ask where their food came from.

One last push on OP issue by NFU director general

16 October 2009

DEPARTING NFU director general, Richard Macdonald, has vowed to put pressure on the Government to speed up research on organophosphate (OP) poisoning during his last days in the post.

TB measures will make little difference without badger cull

14 October 2009

MEASURES recommended by the Government’s bovine TB advisers will have little impact in the absence of a badger cull, the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) has warned.

£75 million food production research project unveiled

13 October 2009

A MAJOR new £75 million investment programme to increase ‘sustainable food productivity’ has been unveiled.

CAP vision ‘devastating’ for UK beef and sheep sectors

9 October 2009

DEFRA is facing calls to retract its stance on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform in light of research showing its plans would wipe out large sections of the UK beef and sheep sectors.

TB Eradication Group report – the recommendations

8 October 2009

THE TB Eradication Group for England has made a number of recommendations in its progress report published on October 8.

Flouting of fallen stock rules ‘concerns’ Defra

6 October 2009

EVIDENCE is emerging that suggests some livestock farmers are ignoring the ban on burying fallen stock, according to the National Fallen Stock Company.

Ombudsman would be bad for consumers, retailers claim

1 October 2009

A LEADING retail representative told a fringe event that a retail ombudsman would actually damage consumers, rather than benefit them as the Competition Commission has suggested.

We must support our farmers, Benn tells Labour conference

29 September 2009

HILARY Benn has told the Labour Party Conference that the Government must support farmers in their various vital roles for the country.

2009 UK wheat production down as plantings and yields drop

25 September 2009

UK WHEAT production fell below the average of the past five years this harvest, according to NFU estimates.

RABDF calls for clearer labelling of cheese to halt imports

23 September 2009

THE Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) is calling for tough new labelling laws to ensure the country of origin of cheese is clearly defined.

Victory for ‘pony paddock’ claimants as new SPS threshold set

22 September 2009

THE majority of ‘pony paddock’ claimants in England will retain their Single Payments, after Defra agreed to set the new claim threshold at just one hectare.

Third farm closed due to E.coli

18 September 2009

A NOTTINGHAMSHIRE farm claiming to be ‘one of the East Midlands’ most popular visitor attractions’ has become the third farm to be closed to the public due to concerns over E.coli.  

Responsibility and cost sharing takes next steps

17 September 2009

FARMING Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has revealed the 16 people who will oversee the development of Defra’s Responsibility and Cost Sharing (RCS) plans in England.

Dairy Event 2009: Young people want a future in dairying RABDF survey

16 September 2009

YOUNG people are interested in a career in dairying, according to a survey by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF).

EU paves the way for pooled levy funds to support Red Tractor

11 September 2009

THE European Commission has paved the way for an enhanced Red Tractor scheme promoted with pooled levy funds from across the farming sectors.

Abattoir hits back at Animal Aid claims

10 September 2009

ONE of the abattoirs named by campaign group Animal Aid in its investigation into welfare standards at slaughterhouses, has been described as ‘blameless’ by industry experts.

Scotland granted TB free status

8 September 2009

NFU Scotland has hailed the decision to grant Scotland TB Officially Tuberculosis Free (OTF) status as ‘marking a new era for animal health and welfare in the country’.

Kendall voted sixth ‘most powerful’ person in the countryside

7 September 2009

NFU president Peter Kendall has been voted the sixth ‘most powerful’ person in the countryside today.

Farmer speaks of his worries regarding a new bTB hotspot

4 September 2009

A FARMER in West Yorkshire, whose herd has been slaughtered because of bovine TB (bTB), has spoken of his fears a new disease hotspot could be emerging in the previously clean area.

Natural England accused of misleading public on coastal access

1 September 2009

LANDOWNERS have accused Natural England of ‘misleading’ the public by understating the amount of coastal land available to walkers.

FSA seeks to reassure parents over processed meat

27 August 2009

THE Food Standards Agency (FSA) has weighed into the controversy over the cancer risk associated with feeding children processed meats.

NFU issues advice to walkers on risk from cattle

24 August 2009

THE NFU has reiterated its advice about the dangers posed by cattle when walking in the countryside, following a series of high profile incidents over the past three months.

Dairy outlook gloomy despite optimism in beef and sheep – survey

20 August 2009

DAIRY farmers are becoming increasingly pessimistic while sheep and beef farmers are becoming more upbeat about the future, a new survey of over 6,000 farmers has revealed.

Police investigate fire engine link to cattle stampede death

19 August 2009

POLICE are investigating claims that a fire engine sparked a cattle stampede that resulted in the death of a Somerset farmer.

New test hailed as a step forward in battle against bluetongue

19 August 2009

BRITISH-based scientists have hailed the latest development in the battle against Bluetongue in Europe.

The human cost of bovine TB is revealed

31 July 2009

THE immense human cost of bovine TB (bTB) has been laid bare in a new report by the Farm Crisis Network (FCN).

Organic food provides no nutritional or health benefits - FSA

29 July 2009

ORGANIC food provides no nutritional or health benefits, compared with conventionally produced food, the Food Standards Agency has stated.

Arable farmers urged to sow flower rich margins to boost wildlife

29 July 2009

THE RSPB is calling on farmers to create flower rich margins around arable fields in response to new research showing they provide greater wildlife benefits than grass-only margins.

NFU issues swine flu advice for farmers

28 July 2009

THE NFU has issued advice to help farmers cope with a swine flu pandemic.

Did Government delay research on OP poisoning?

25 June 2009

DEFRA’S new spokesman in the House of Lords has been forced to deny the Government is deliberately delaying research into organophosphate (OP) poisoning.

Former firefighter Jim Fitzpatrick replaces Kennedy at Defra

8 June 2009

EAST London MP and former firefighter Jim Fitzpatrick is to replace Jane Kennedy at Defra, it has been confirmed.

Natural England attacks Option B

5 June 2009

NATURAL England (NE) has joined the RSPB in rejecting the industry-led proposals for a voluntary post set-aside policy.

Lords committee backs controversial Brussels LFA reforms

4 June 2009

A HOUSE of Lords committee has backed controversial European Commission proposals to reform the definition of Less Favoured Areas (LFAs).

RSPB rejects ‘unambitious’ industry post-set-aside plans

29 May 2009

THE battle over a policy to replace set-aside in England has intensified after industry proposals for a voluntary approach were dismissed as ‘a backward step’ by conservationists.

NFU and CLA set land target for voluntary post set-aside policy

27 May 2009

THE NFU and Country Land and Business Association (CLA) have set a land coverage target of 142,000 hectares for their Campaign for a Farmed Environment (CFE).

Suspended dip’s return is ‘justifiable’

22 May 2009

THE future availability of cypermethrin sheep dips, as potential alternatives to organophosphate (OP) dips, is to be discussed again this spring.

Anger over plan for spray notification

21 May 2009

NFU president Peter Kendall has defended the union’s decision to consult its members on a voluntary approach to notifying neighbours about crop spraying.

NBA urges farmers to tap into £119m grant pot

19 May 2009

THE National Beef Association is advising English livestock farmers that millions of pounds of grant money could be available to them.

Defra appeal against Georgina Downs pesticide verdict begins today

18 May 2009

AN appeal hearing was due to begin today that could have profound implications for the way pesticides are used in Britain.

Research exposes health problems of low level OP use

15 May 2009

NEW research published by Defra has revealed the extent to which even low level exposure to organophosphate (OP) sheep dip appears to have caused health problems in farmers.

FSA agrees move to risk-based OTM cattle inspection regime

15 May 2009

THE Food Standards Agency (FSA) has agreed a move to a ‘more proportionate and risk-based’ BSE control regime for over-30-months (OTM) cattle.

Defra suffers £200m financial penalty after SPS fiasco

14 May 2009

DEFRA has been forced to pay back more than £200 million of EU money over the last five years, largely because of its mishandling of the Single Payment Scheme (SPS).

Lib Dems call for ombudsman to aid ailing dairy industry

12 May 2009

THE Liberal Democrats are calling for ‘immediate action’ to save Britain’s dairy industry, in light of figures showing 8,000 dairy farmers have quit since 1997.

Dramatic rise recorded in TB spread to other species

11 May 2009

THE number of cases of bovine TB found in animals other than badgers and cattle soared to a record level in 2008.

Farmers urged to consult banks over receiving Single Payments in euros

8 May 2009

FARMERS are being urged to consult with their banks before deciding whether to receive their Single Payments in euros.

New initiative seeks to reverse decline of ‘Arable Six’ birds in South West

5 May 2009

ARABLE farmers across the South West of England are to be given free one-to-one advice about how to conserve wildlife on their farms.

Landowners hit out at possible 5ha Single Payment limit

5 May 2009

THE Country Land and Business Association has warned Defra that limiting Single Payment claims to a minimum area of five hectares (12.4 acres) could damage the environment.

Target TB: ‘Curious and social’ cattle at higher TB risk, says research

30 April 2009

CATTLE deemed to be more ‘curious and social’ than others in a herd pose a higher bovine TB risk and should be ‘targeted’ in disease control policies, new research suggests.

Defra issues bTB costs denial

24 April 2009

DEFRA has been forced to deny its plans to share the cost of disease outbreaks include passing the Government’s costs of bovine TB onto farmers.

Tough legislation could follow if farmers do not back campaign

23 April 2009

ARABLE farmers have been warned they must get behind the proposed new industry-led ‘Campaign for the Farmed Environment’ or face burdensome regulation in the future.

Full HFA payments begin in England

22 April 2009

THE Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has begun making full Hill Farm Allowance (HFA) payments to hill farmers in England.

NFU and CLA launch voluntary approach to set-aside

21 April 2009

THE presidents of the NFU and CLA, have published details of their proposed industry-led approach to attaining the environmental benefits of set-aside.

Target TB: Defra 'absolutely committed' to tackling bovine TB - Kennedy

17 April 2009

FARMING Minister Jane Kennedy has sought to reassure sceptical farmers in the South West of England that Defra is ‘absolutely committed’ to tackling bovine TB.

Scrapie prevalence falls 40 per cent in four years

14 April 2009

THE prevalence of scrapie in British sheep has declined by 40 per cent over four years, according to new research.

Defra pushing for compulsory insurance

10 April 2009

DEFRA still believes a compulsory animal health insurance scheme could be made to work, despite the apparent rejection of the idea by the insurance industry.

Defra cost sharing plans in disarray

3 April 2009

DEFRA’S plans to impose a compulsory insurance scheme on livestock farmers appear to be unravelling already.

NFU loses tabular valuation appeal

1 April 2009

DEFRA has won its appeal against a High Court ruling that would have forced it to change the controversial tabular valuation system for cattle.

Farmers lose 2007 foot-and-mouth damages claims

31 March 2009

SEVEN farmers from outside the 2007 foot-and-mouth infected area have had claims for damages caused by the outbreak ‘struck out of court’.

Kendall attacks Defra cost sharing plans

30 March 2009

NFU president Peter Kendall has launched a furious attack on Defra’s plans to shift more of the costs of animal disease policy on to farmers.

Cost sharing plans to include compulsory insurance

30 March 2009

DEFRA plans to force farmers to take out mandatory insurance against animal disease outbreaks from 2012.

whc spring show

26 March 2009

western holsteins annual spring show

Farming unions back Welsh badger cull decision

25 March 2009

WELSH farming unions have thrown their full support behind the decision to cull badgers in north Pembrokeshire to control bovine TB.

New ‘Smithfield’ show to be staged at Stoneleigh this December

24 March 2009

THE ‘Smithfield’ brand is to be reinvented in the form of a new event, which will take place for the first time at Stoneleigh Park, in Warwickshire, this December.

Shocking new bovine TB figures show disease is ‘out of control’

19 March 2009

THE number of cattle slaughtered because of bovine TB shot up by 42 per cent in 2008, new figures published by Defra show.

Injectable bovine TB vaccine in six key areas by 2010

19 March 2009

AN injectable bovine TB vaccine for badgers will be used for the first time ‘in the field’ next year, Defra Secretary, Hilary Benn, has announced.

Dairy exodus - 26 a week for last 11 years

16 March 2009

ALMOST 15,000 dairy farmers have quit the industry since 1997 - equivalent to 26 a week for the last eleven years, new figures show.

Soil Association decides against organic feed holiday

9 March 2009

THE Soil Association has decided against allowing organic livestock to have a ‘feed holiday’ in light of fears the move could undermine the integrity of the organic sector.

Tributes paid to Natural England’s Sir Martin Doughty

5 March 2009

DEFRA Secretary Hilary Benn has paid tribute to Sir Martin Doughty, chairman of Natural England, who has died after a long battle with cancer.

Kendall urges farmers to get behind voluntary set-aside plan

5 March 2009

NFU president Peter Kendall has urged farmers to get behind the industry-led voluntary initiative to retain the environmental benefits of set-aside.

Benn consults on voluntary and mandatory approaches to post set-aside policy

4 March 2009

DEFRA Secretary Hilary Benn has unveiled a consultation seeking views on both a compulsory and voluntary approach to replacing the environmental benefits of set-aside.

Defra successful on FMD and avian flu but failing on TB - NAO

4 March 2009

A NEW report has praised Defra for its handling of recent foot-and-mouth and avian flu outbreaks but criticised its efforts to control bovine TB and the Varroa mite in honeybees.

Avian flu found on Bernard Matthews' farms again

26 February 2009

AVIAN flu has been found on two small Bernard Matthews' breeding farms in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Pirbright laboratories agree foot-and-mouth damages settlements with local farmers

24 February 2009

SEVEN Surrey farmers directly affected by the 2007 foot-and-mouth outbreak have won out-of-court settlements from the laboratories at the centre of the outbreak.

Kendall tells Benn 'you got it wrong' on badger culling

16 February 2009

THE berating of the Secretary of State over bovine TB has become an annual ritual at the NFU conference.

Zero food price inflation predicted by end of year

February 13th 2009

FOOD price inflation in Britain could fall below zero per cent by the end of this year, according to new retail forecasts.

ELS leaving spring-time ‘hungry gap’ for birds

12 February 2009

MEMBERS of England’s flagship agri-environment scheme could face tougher restrictions on spring ploughing in the future after researchers found it left a ‘hungry gap’ for birds in the spring.

Ban live imports from bluetongue areas - RABDF

9 February 2009

THE Government has been urged to impose an official ban on live imports of all species from bluetongue infected areas around the world.

Is this the death of the organic dream?

February 6th 2009

Consumers are turning away from organic food in favour of cheaper ethical alternatives as the recession bites. In a three-page special, FG asks is this the beginning of the end for organics?

Consumers turn their backs on organic food as recession bites

3 February 2009

CONSUMERS are responding to the economic downturn by switching away from organics to other cheaper ethical foods.

Beef producer share of retail market rises to 50 per cent

2 February 2009

BEEF producers received almost half the beef retail price in 2008 - the highest proportion since 1995, according to the latest figures published by Eblex.

Voluntary approach mooted in debate over post set-aside future

29 January 2009

DEFRA Ministers may be about to offer arable farmers a ray of hope in the bitter debate about the environmental impact of removing set-aside in England.

Brussels forces RPA to take harder line on cross-compliance fines

January 30th 2009

THE Rural Payments Agency has announced it will be taking a tougher line on cross-compliance failures in England this year.

Fears over impact of post set-aside plans on ELS

23 January 2009

NATURAL England has admitted proposals it is drawing up to retain the environmental benefits of set-aside will create ‘difficulties’ for many farmers in ELS.

Is policy driving failure post set-aside?

January 23rd 2009

THERE was a stark warning for Defra Secretary Hilary Benn this week, as he continues to ponder how to respond to the end of set-aside.

Minister is aiming to earn the confidence of farmers

16 January 2009

THREE months into the job, Agriculture Minister Jane Kennedy tells Alistair Driver what she thinks of the industry and why she is so keen to help it.

There is still plenty to play for

January 16th 2009

THE extraordinary thing about Tuesday’s European Parliament pesticides vote is that it could have been so much worse.

Farmers getting better deal for over-48-month cattle removal

14 January 2009

FARMERS are getting over-48-months cattle that die on farm taken away for BSE testing at a far cheaper rate than the Government was paying up to this week.

Farmers getting better deal for over-48-month cattle removal

14 January 2009

FARMERS are getting over-48-months cattle that die on farm taken away for BSE testing at a far cheaper rate than the Government was paying up to this week.

Thoughts from Oxford Farming Conference

9 January 2009

THE good news is the public loves you. The bad news is you’re a miserable bunch – ex-Sun editor tells farmers to cheer up to win PR battle.

Brussels official pours cold water on UK CAP reform plans

7 January 2009

A SENIOR European Commission official has warned the UK Government it is highly unlikely to achieve its goal of negotiating the end of Single Payments after 2013.

Benn highlights flaws in labelling laws at Oxford Farming Conference

6 January 2009

DEFRA Secretary Hilary Benn is urging retailers and caterers to adopt a voluntary country of origin labelling policy.

NFSCo ready to take on over-48-month fallen stock collection role

6 January 2009

THE National Fallen Stock Company is ready to take on the task of collecting over-48-months cattle that die on farm next week, according to its chairman.

Older Cattle Disposal Scheme now closed

1 January 2009

FARMERS are reminded that from the start of this year all cattle born before August 1, 1996 will have to be disposed of as fallen stock.

Problems for NFSCo with new 48 month BSE testing

December 19th 2008

THE National Fallen Stock Company (NFSCo) has admitted it is ‘struggling' to put the new scheme for collecting fallen stock for BSE testing together in time for its January 12 start date.

RPA to publish further data on CAP payments today

December 19th 2008

THE Rural Payments Agency will release further unpublished information on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments received by farmers today.

BVA hits out at Defra Responsibility and Cost Sharing plans

16 December 2008

THE British Veterinary Association (BVA) has hit out at Defra’s plans for Responsibility and Cost Sharing (RCS) in England.

NFU centenary: A different take on the proceedings

12 December 2008

WEDNESDAY night (December 10), saw the NFU mark its centenary in style at a reception at the House of Lords.

Pig processing resumes in Ireland as €180 million compensation deal is agreed

11 December 2008

PIG processing has finally resumed in Ireland, after the Government agreed to set up a €180 million fund to assist the industry.

Benn snubs farming industry as membership of new food advisory group is unveiled

11 December 2008

DEFRA Secretary Hilary Benn has angered the farming community by ignoring farmer representation in his groundbreaking new Council of Food Policy Advisors.

FSA paves way for New Year's Day move to 48-month BSE testing

11 December 2008

THE Food Standards Agency has paved the way for a move to over-48-months BSE testing from January 1.

Irish beef found to contain dioxins

9 December 2008

BEEF from three farms in Ireland have been found to contain dioxin levels above the legal limit.

Irish dioxin scare in pig feed sparks renewed calls for country of origin labelling

9 December 2008

THE Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to introduce clearer food labelling in the wake of the Irish pigmeat crisis.

Pig feed dioxin crisis linked to oil at Irish food recycling company

8 December 2008

INVESTIGATIONS into how pig feed in Ireland became contaminated with dioxins are focussing on a company that recycles food into pig meal.

GrowHow suspends fertiliser manufacture at Billingham site

8 December 2008

GrowHow UK has temporarily suspended manufacture of ammonia at its Billingham site.

EU decision ‘a step forward’ on bluetongue vaccination

4 December 2008

EU VETERINARY experts have agreed to the introduction of new bluetongue rules that could pave the way for the UK to pre-emptively vaccinate against bluetongue serotypes not active in the UK.

Renewed pressure for ombudsman

4 December 2008

SIR DON Curry has become the latest high profile figure to hit out at the big retailers over their attempts to block plans for a supermarket ombudsman.

NFU drops plan for badger cull judicial review

3 December 2008

THE NFU has dropped its plans to pursue a High Court judicial review of Defra Secretary Hilary Benn’s decision not to allow licensed culling of badgers to control bovine TB.

Stricter TB testing measures to be introduced in Wales

1 December 2008

WALES is set to introduce stricter TB testing measures in a bid to clamp down on spread of the disease.

Most Scots and Welsh to receive Single Payments today

1 December 2008

THE vast majority of farmers in Scotland and Wales will receive their Single Payments today (Monday, December 1), the first day of the EU payment window.

Fallen stock collection grants to be handed out on sliding scale

26 November 2008

CATTLE farmers are to receive grants on a sliding scale next year for the collection and disposal of over-48-month cattle that die on farms.

Monsanto predicts GM crops coming to UK soon

25 November 2008

BIOTECH giant Monsanto is predicting that genetically modified crops will arrive in the UK soon, as the public tires of claims that the technology is unsafe.

Government must intervene on pesticides - CPA

25 November 2008

THE Government is coming under renewed pressure to intervene to secure a last minute compromise on the new EU pesticide regulation.

Controversy over possible school milk farmer levy

21 November 2008

THE Government is considering imposing a levy on dairy farmers to fund an extension of the school milk scheme.

Lib Dems call on Government to rethink badger cull policy as TB figures soar

20 November 2008

THE Liberal Democrats have called for the Government to rethink its policy on badger culling in light of new figures confirming the dramatic rise in bovine TB incidence this year.

Tesco dismisses 'bullying' claims made by NFU

17 November 2008

TESCO has dismissed claims by NFU president Peter Kendall that it is ‘bullying’ suppliers as ‘simply wrong’.

High Court judge rules Defra is failing to protect residents from pesticides

November 14th 2008

PESTICIDES campaigner Georgina Downs has won a victory in the High Court that could force Defra to re-think its policy on protecting residents from crop spraying.

High Court judge rules Defra is failing to protect residents from pesticides

November 14th 2008

PESTICIDES campaigner Georgina Downs has won a victory in the High Court that could force Defra to re-think its policy on protecting residents from crop spraying.

Farming bodies ponder future of TB group in wake of Benn comments

13 November 2008

FARMING organisations have been reconsidering their involvement in the Government-industry TB Eradication Group in the wake of comments made by Defra Secretary Hilary Benn.

MPs call for changes to green farming schemes to protect biodiversity

10 November 2008

AGRI-ENVIRONMENT schemes need to be improved to give better protection to wildlife, a committee of MPs has concluded.

NFU threatens to walk out of TB Eradication Group

6 November 2008

THE NFU is threatening to walk away from the TB Eradication Group only three days after its formation was announced.

NFU and Defra clash over farmland bird numbers

3 November 2008

THE NFU has hit out at Defra for blaming declining numbers of certain farmland bird species on farmers.

Livestock farmers in devolved regions face big compensation cuts - BVA

October 24th 2008

FARMERS in Scotland and Wales could face dramatic cuts in disease compensation payments in future, the head of the British Veterinary Association has warned.

NFU calls for industry to unite behind Red Tractor

October 24th 2008

THE NFU has reiterated its calls for the industry to adopt a single quality assurance scheme using the Red Tractor logo to promote the food it produces.

£1.5m FMD claim launched at High Court

17 October 2008

A LEGAL case brought by 14 farmers seeking £1.5 million in damages following last year’s foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Surrey has been launched in the High Court.

New cost sharing deadlock over cull

17 October 2008

THE proposed new Government/industry animal health body would not be granted the power to make decisions on badger culling, Defra Secretary Hilary Benn has indicated.

Fear of extremists influenced decision

17 October 2008

DEFRA Secretary Hilary Benn allowed the threat of direct action by animal welfare protestors to influence his decision not to sanction a badger cull, Defra has revealed.

FSA backs 48-month BSE limit but wants more time

16 October 2008

THE Food Standards Agency has paved the way for a switch to a 48-month age limit for BSE testing cattle, although the timing of the change remains in doubt.

Defra denies Brussels TB help request

15 October 2008

DEFRA has denied claims it has asked Brussels for help in developing its bovine TB strategy.

Fallen stock company to scrap membership fee

October 17th 2008

THE National Fallen Stock Company (NFSCo) is to scrap its annual membership fee and move to a monthly user bill instead.

Jane Kennedy is new Farming Minister

7 October 2008

LIVERPOOL MP Jane Kennedy has been handed the farming portfolio within the revamped Defra.

New think tank to advise on food and farming matters

October 10th 2008

THE establishment of a new body, the Council of Food Policy Advisers, which will cover all aspects of food production and the issues surrounding food security has been announced.

Rising TB levels in pets sparks concern

3 October 2008

NEW figures showing a significant rise in bovine TB infection in domestic cats has prompted fresh concerns about the dangers of failing to control the disease in cattle and wildlife.

Breaking the boom-bust cycle

October 3rd 2008

THERE was a time not so long ago when among the things we would never stop and question were the stability of the global finance sector and the stable supply of affordable food.

Fear of ‘boom-bust’ cycle after massive EU harvest

2 October 2008

CEREAL production across the EU grew by a massive 50 million tonnes this year, potentially resulting in an acceleration of the ‘boom-bust’ cycle for producers, the EU’s umbrella farming body has warned.

New website showing UK CAP payments goes live

30 September 2008

DETAILS of payments made to farmers across the UK via rural development schemes have been published on a new website.

More GM crops being grown across Europe

29 September 2008

THE amount of genetically modified (GM) crops cultivated across the EU increased by 21 per cent in 2008.

Any change in the last 11 years?

September 26th 2008

DOES the Labour Government care about farmers? That is a question many farmers have asked since Tony Blair strolled through the doors of 10 Downing Street in 1997.

Defra accused of 'living the lie' on imports for food security

September 26th 2008