By unlocking the export potential China offers the pig industry, not to mention the red meat sector as a whole, we could gain entry into a marketplace which comprises a fifth of the world’s population.Farmers Guardian
December 16, 2011
-
29,000 jobs at risk from FiT cuts, campaigners claim
12 December 2011
CRITICS of the Government’s decision to cut the solar feed-in tariff (FiT) rate from today (Monday December 12) say up to 29,000 jobs will be at risk.
-
A step forward in cereal disease control?
December 16, 2011
TRIALS results on the latest SDHI fungicide indicate there are good grounds for expecting the kind of performance increase from BASF’s Adexar (Xemium + epoxiconazole) last seen following the introduction of strobilurins.
-
Agriculture in the national news - December 16
16 December 2011
A round up of farming news from across the UK.
-
Agriculture in the news - December 13
13 December 2011
Farmers rushing to sterling amid eurozone fears
-
Agriculture in the news - December 14
14 December 2011
A round-up of farming news from across the country.
-
Agriculture in the news - December 15
15 December 2011
A round up of farming news from across the UK.
-
Agronomist must manage disease in integrated way
December 16, 2011
MAKE use of the information available to manage disease in an integrated way, was the message to agronomists from Dr Simon Oxley, HGCA senior research and knowledge transfer manager.
-
Arson attacks destroy 66,000 tonnes of straw
14 December 2011
ARSONISTS are thought to be responsible for huge blazes which have destroyed more than 66,000 tonnes of straw in Cambridgeshire.
-
Asda justifies cheap milk
15 December 2011
CONSUMERS are very aware of the price of milk, and will actively swap to cheaper shops when under financial pressure, according to Asda’s dairy buying manager.
-
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’.
-
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.
-
Badger Trust weighing up legal challenge to pilot cull
15 December 2011
THE Badger Trust is weighing up the possibility of mounting a legal challenge to the decision to allow two pilot badger culls to go ahead in England next year.
-
Badger Trust welcomes Welsh TB decision delay
12 December 2011
THE Badger Trust has ‘strongly’ applauded the decision by the Welsh Government not to yield to pressure to make its announcement on badger culling ‘until it is ready’.
-
Blues lead at Clitheroe
15 December 2011
BRITISH Blues topped the prize list at Clitheroe’s Christmas show and sale, judged by Harry Wood.
-
CAP proposals and the EU budget
20 December 2011
THE CAP proposals are ‘very optimistic’, given it accounts for 40 per cent of the EU budget and the reforms are being undertaken during a time of austerity, said Lloyds’ senior economist Rhys Herbert.
-
Care needed to keep within strict CIPC residue limits
15 December 2011
GROWERS are being advised not to lose sight of the importance of using sprout suppressant correctly to ensure levels remain within strict residue limits.
-
Cereals market update - December 14
14 December 2011
The cereals market has eased further, not least on the back of the USDA’s increase estimate of world wheat production by 5.7m tonnes to a record 688.97m tonnes - and its increased world maize production estimate by 8.5m tonnes to 867.52Mt. The big driver apparently, according to HGCA, is a 7.25m tonne increase in the Chinese crop. London wheat futures at £143.50 for May; £144 July and £139 November.
-
Champion Limousin makes 420p/kg at Newark Christmas primestock sale
14 December 2011
A NEW market record average of 203p/kg was achieved for 573 clean cattle and young bulls as 721 prime cattle went under the hammer at the Newark and Nottinghamshire Christmas primestock show and sale.
-
Comfortable lead for Julie Hill and Gail at Easter Bush
December 16, 2011
The ability to lift sheep without upsetting them gave dogs an advantage at Easter Bush.
-
Crop management techniques to mitigate drought effects
15 December 2011
AGRIBUSINESS Frontier Agriculture’s technical team is carrying out work at its Lincolnshire demonstration site to investigate how growers can better manage crops during drought conditions.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Demand for food top of conference agenda
13 December 2011
THE effect of the unpredictable financial climate on food production will be at the forefront of discussions at the forthcoming Farming Scotland Conference.
-
Dominic Naylor: A bid farewell as the New Year brings a new job
14 December 2011
I pulled the tups out today. It is always a bit unnerving when you see one serving a ewe at this late stage but I like tupping time to have a cut off point so out they came.
-
English sheepdog trial results – December 16
December 16, 2011
HIGHER WHITLEY, Warrington, Cheshire (Judge, H. Owen, Nantwich, 25 ran) Nursery, 1, K. Dodd (Malpas) Ben, 81 of 90 OLF; 2, P. Atkinson (Briercliffe) Fly, 81; 3, J. Harvey (Leek) Bess, 77; 4, I. Gregory (Peak Forest) Jess, 70; 5, B. Williams (Ysceifiog) Bob, 66; 6, J. Patrick (Warrington) Jim, 56.
-
EU food safety authority criticised over conflict of interest
12 December 2011
THE European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) failed to follow procedural rules when it allowed a senior member of staff to move to Syngenta, a company which produces genetically modified crops, according to a report by the European ombudsman.
-
Euro chaos creates machinery importer pricing issues
14 December 2011
WITH January price lists now being issued by many manufacturers, machinery and spare parts importers are battling against the continuing effects of the euro crisis to ensure their products remain competitive, with market volatility likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
-
Euro crisis – the likely fallout for farming and business
16 December 2011
NO-ONE knows quite what will happen to the euro, but there are several possible scenarios, Lloyds Banking Group senior economist Rhys Herbert told FG26/46 members at a meeting at the bank’s HQ in London.
-
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.
-
Farmers Club supports industry leadership development
16 December 2011
TRAINING opportunities within farming have taken another step forward with The Farmers Club funding four people to attend a cross-industry leadership programme.
-
Farmers count the cost of 'hellish' weather
15 December 2011
FARMERS are counting the cost of ‘hellish’ weather conditions as hurricane-force winds, torrential rain and blizzards battered parts of the UK for a third consecutive week.
-
Farmers warned to protect heating oil from thieves
14 December 2011
RURAL thieves are targeting farms’ storage tanks as they look to cash in on the sharp rise in the price of heating oil.
-
Farming challenges in spotlight as part of Lakes scheme
16 December 2011
FARMERS in the Lake District are being urged to work with the national park authority and University of Cumbria in a land survey which could result in boosting farm incomes and helping to manage the impacts of climate change.
-
Farming organisations' good deeds benefit others
14 December 2011
VARIOUS organisations across the UK have been doing their bit to help rural communities and launching fundraising schemes to raise money for their chosen charity. We find out what they have been up to.
-
Farming well placed to borrow money
December 16, 2011
ACCESS to capital should not be seen by farmers as a limiting factor in building their businesses over the next year, a leading banker has said.
-
Fertiliser market update - December 14
14 December 2011
There have been further falls in international urea prices over the last week with granular urea down to around $400/tonne FOB in some cases. At this level, it would equate to a UK bagged delivered farm price of around £340/tonne. For further analysis go to: www.fertidata.com/market-reports
-
FG26/46 discussions in 2012
20 December 2011
THE Isle of Man will be holding a discussion evening on January 12 for younger farmers.
-
FUW accuse Minister of betrayal over TB delay
13 December 2011
THE Farmers Union of Wales has accused the Welsh Government’s Environment Minister of “betraying” Welsh farmers by continuing to delay a decision on a badger cull in West Wales.
-
Good time to manage the risk on borrowing
20 December 2011
FARM businesses should be thinking about their exposure to risk and trying to minimise it while bank interest rates are at a low level.
-
Goodyear launches new pair of tyres
14 December 2011
GOODYEAR has a pair of new tyres; the IT630T which is designed for telehandlers working on hard surfaces, and the OPTITRAC H+ combine harvester tyre.
-
Government needs to provide more clarity over AD policy
14 December 2011
DECC Minister Charles Hendry told an AD conference today (Wednesday, December 14), that his department recognised the Government needed to provide the industry with greater clarity over future policy to allow growth.
-
Government urged to pay farmers to improve animal welfare
16 December 2011
FARMERS should be financially rewarded for adopting high standards of animal welfare through a new Government stewardship scheme, Defra’s farm animal welfare advisers have recommended.
-
Grain prices help Wessex to achieve record profits
December 16, 2011
BUOYANT markets helped grain trader Wessex Grain achieve record profits for the year ending July 31, 2011.
-
Industry welcomes Paice agri-environment pledge
14 December 2011
FARMING organisations have welcomed Farming Minister Jim Paice’s guarantees to English agri-environment scheme agreement holders concerned about the impact of CAP reform.
-
In-lamb Beltex females reach 3,200gns
15 December 2011
THE champion at the Beltex Scotland in-lamb female sale at Lanark, a two-year-old ewe from A. Donald, West Linton, Peeblesshire, made the top price of 3,200gns.
-
JCB announces new £31m engine development project
15 December 2011
JCB has announced plans for a new £31 million engine development project in the UK which will create about 350 jobs across its Midlands and Wales plants between 2016 and 2021.
-
John Gordon: Home and on the mend following a health scare
December 16, 2011
LIFE on the farm has gone on, proving no-one is indispensable. Although having a heart attack can hardly be described as fortunate, the timing could have been a lot worse.
-
Kevin Dodd and Ben take HIgh Whitley nursery
December 16, 2011
A third and final trial was held on Sunday at Higher Whitley, a new venue to the Cheshire and Derbyshire series of trials.
-
Lamma 2012: A tidy profit from rubble crushing
14 December 2011
An Essex farmer is turning concrete and rubble into useful hardcore, having invested in a compact crusher to repair farm tracks and help avoid costly material disposal.
-
Leadership lessons with farming in mind
20 December 2011
Training opportunities within farming have taken another step forward with The Farmers Club funding four people to attend a cross-industry leadership programme.
-
Limousin cross steer is Ashford champion
December 16, 2011
ANDY Clark of Park Farm Butchers awarded the annual Ashford Cattle Show championship to a Limousin cross steer.
-
Limousin heifer at 405p/kg tops Frome Fatstock
December 16, 2011
A LIMOUSIN heifer from Richard Wright was the champion at Frome mart’s Christmas Fatstock Show.
-
Livestock market update - December 15
15 December 2011
Beef prices are down this week, probably as a result of returning to a more normal level after the exceptional Christmas primestock show trade. In the week to December 14 steers are 189.87p/kg down 6.20, heifers 193.54, down 5.48p and young bulls, 189.01p/kg, down 2.08p, giving an overall average of 189.03p/kg, down 4.93p.
-
Locally-bred heifer takes the Welshpool plaudits
December 16, 2011
WELSHPOOL’S Christmas Primestock Show championship was awarded to a locally-bred heifer.
-
Meadow Foods improves its milk price
December 16, 2011
MEADOW Foods, the dairy ingredients manufacturer is increasing its producer milk price by 0.5ppl from January 1.
-
More returns on investment from First Milk
December 16, 2011
FIRST Milk producers are to receive another return on the capital they have invested in the business.
-
MyFarm experiment to include conventional farm methods
13 December 2011
A 250 acre conventional farm is set to become part of the National Trust’s MyFarm experiment, which aims to reconnect people with where their food comes from.
-
New innovation centre opens at Reaseheath College farm
14 December 2011
A NEW education and innovation centre, forming part of a multi-million pound investment in the Reaseheath College farm, Nantwich, Cheshire, has been officially opened by Farming Minister Jim Paice.
-
NMR moving forward in spite of current challenges
December 16, 2011
TURNOVER is up and profits down for National Milk Records group for the six months ended September 30, 2011.
-
No reason to talk down milk price – Kennedy
14 December 2011
TALK of a cut in farmgate milk prices is unjustified says Milk Link, whose own members will not see any price change until at least April 1.
-
O’Neill calls for partnership to reduce administrative burden on farmers
9 December 2011
AGRICULTURE Minister Michelle O’Neill has highlighted the need for greater feedback from the industry to help in the drive to simplify working practices.
-
Oat prices driven by a tight supply
20 December 2011
THE 2011 oat crop is the smallest since 2005 and that, says AHDB market specialist Helen Plant, points to a tightly supplied market.
-
One body to represent Scottish beef farmers
15 December 2011
THE National Beef Association Scotland and the Scottish Beef Cattle Association are driving forward plans to form a single body in early 2012.
-
Optimising dry matter intakes in beef cattle
15 December 2011
In the latest feed planning series we take a look at the different ways to maximise dry matter intakes in beef cattle.
-
Paice gives CAP greening agri-environment scheme pledge
12 December 2011
ENGLISH farmers will be able to opt out of agri-environment agreements without penalty if they have to be changed as a result of CAP greening, Farming Minister Jim Paice has announced.
-
Peak of 4,000gns at Beltex Society sale
15 December 2011
EWE lamb Buckles Ribena drew the top call of 4,000gns at the Beltex Society Premier Show and Sale at Carlisle.
-
Penrith lambs to £210 top
December 16, 2011
A PEN of five Texel cross lambs from M.H. Elliott took the sheep championship at Penrith’s Christmas show of prime lambs.
-
Planners urged to embrace to new Welsh guidance
12 December 2011
CLA Wales is urging planning authorities to take a positive and proactive view of development in rural Wales following the Welsh Government’s publication of Practice Guidance notes for TAN 6.
-
Prince Charles promotes Welsh lamb
13 December 2011
PRINCE Charles has hosted a lunchtime reception at Clarence House to introduce award-winning Cambrian Mountains lamb to top meat and catering suppliers, as well as leading London restaurateurs and food writers.
-
Project gives Welsh sheep farmers a boost
13 December 2011
A UNIQUE project designed to help Welsh sheep farmers improve the quality of their livestock has been a resounding success.
-
Protest over solar Feed-in Tariff cut
15 December 2011
PROTESTERS over Government cuts to the solar Feed-in Tariff (FiT) will descend on London’s High Court today (Thursday, December 15).
-
Report highlights renewed confidence in Scottish hill farming
15 December 2011
AFTER a decade of decline there is renewed confidence in the beef and sheep sectors in Scotland’s hills, islands and uplands, a major new report has claimed.
-
Resistance to insecticides needs watching carefully
December 16, 2011
THE latest fungicide performance information, together with an update on insecticide resistance developments were on the agenda at the HGCA Agronomists Conference, held near Daventry, Northamptonshire. Teresa Rush reports.
-
Richard Millichap and Don win All Wales nursery final
December 16, 2011
The All Wales Nursery Championship was hosted by North Wales this year at Hafod y Bwch, Rhostyllen, hosted by the Pickering family.
-
RPA to have new powers to enforce meat grading rules
12 December 2011
THE meat industry has been reminded that new rules intended to ensure consistency of grading for pig and bovine carcases come into place on January 1.
-
Scottish sheepdog trial results – December 16
December 16, 2011
FORESTMILL Nursery (Judge, J. McGregor, Raith, 22 ran) 1, J. MacDougall (Milton of Buchanan) Spot, 94; 2, M. Magnusson (Ardormie) Jaff, 92; 3, A.D. Carnegie (Comrie) Don, 91; 4, A. Wilkie (Lintrathen) Astra Lisa, 78; 5, M. Magnusson, Lad, 76 Outbye; 6, M. MacTeir (Comrie) Jim, 76. Novice (3 ran) W. Wright (Laurencekirk) Bute, 55.
-
SDHI fungicides stand out in trials
December 16, 2011
EACH of the three latest SDHI fungicides added good protectant activity to triazole partners for septoria tritici control in HGCA 2011 fungicide performance trials conducted by ADAS.
-
Sedgemoor judge buys his champion
14 December 2011
THE championship at the South West Winter Fair at Sedgemoor was awarded to Limousin sired heifer Tip Top.
-
Select Seven Texels peak at 26,000gsn for in-lamb gimmer
December 16, 2011
AN ET bred gimmer by Knock Papoose was knocked down for the second highest price ever for a female at the Select Seven sale of in-lamb Texels at Lanark.
-
Sheepdog trials diary – December 16
December 16, 2011
ENGLAND
-
Soil Association video criticised for 'anti-farming' message
16 December 2011
A VIDEO which uses a cartoon mole to teach children about where their food comes from has been criticised for its ‘anti-farming’ message.
-
Spelman gives go-ahead to badger cull in England
14 December 2011
DEFRA Ministers have finally given the go-ahead to a badger cull in England.
-
Spelman to give green light to badger cull today
14 December 2011
DEFRA Ministers will finally give the green light to a badger cull in England today (Wednesday, December 14).
-
Stewardship guidelines offer last chance for chlorpyrifos
December 16, 2011
NEW guidelines for the application of insecticide chlorpyrifos have been issued by a consortium of approval holders of the chemical in a bid to safeguard future use of products containing the active ingredient in the UK.
-
Stolen sheep meat could pose public health risk
9 December 2011
POLICE investigating the theft of sheep in Sheffield have warned the public not to buy meat from unknown sources.
-
Sustainability moves up the farming agenda
16 December 2011
FARMING, as with all businesses, needs to become more aware of sustainability and how it might affect risks in future.
-
Texel breed record at Carlisle
14 December 2011
A breed record for a Texel female was set last week at the Christmas Cracker sale at Carlisle.
-
The key to dairy success lies under your feet
15 December 2011
WITH an increasing interest in maximising performance of grass swards, John Cook has concentrated on improving the management of his farm’s soil. Howard Walsh went to Scarborough to find out more.
-
Two regional branches of FWAG to continue
14 December 2011
TWO regional branches of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group are to continue as not-for-profit organisations.
-
UK farmer discovers common ground with St Lucian producer
14 December 2011
CAN the Fairtrade model help UK farmers secure a better price from retailers? In a special report from St Lucia, Cumbrian farmer Robert Craig discovers the shared similarities between milk and banana producers. Danusia Osiowy reports.
-
UK on track to deliver biomass energy targets
9 December 2011
THE UK is on track to produce 10 per cent of its primary energy from biomass, experts have said.
-
Welsh Opposition Assembly applaud badger cull decision
14 December 2011
THE decision by the Westminster Government to move forward with a package of bovine TB measures, including tackling the disease in wildlife, has been applauded by industry leaders and Opposition Assembly spokespeople in Wales.
-
Welsh sheepdog trial results – December 16
December 16, 2011
ALL WALES NURSERY FINAL, Hafod y Bwch, Rhostyllan, Wrexham (Judges, North Wales Iolo Jones, South Wales Gerald Lewis) 1, (champion), R. Millichap (Port Talbot) Don, 12; 2, D. Howells (Port Talbot) May, 18; 3, K. Evans (Libanus) Jimmy, 19; 4, C. Gordon (Gower) Taff, 21; 5, A. Price (Llandrindod Wells) Jan, 21; 6, M.Ll. Evans (Llanfachreth) Clwyd Moss, 24.Team, 1, South Wales, 371; 2, North Wales, 448.