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.Agriculture in the national news - January 21
A DAILY look at how agriculture has hit the headlines across the country (Thursday, January 21)
Pack report fails to allay support fears
Farmers looking for a magic formula to emerge from the inquiry into future support for the industry may feel a little disappointed when they read the interim report by Brian Pack.
But there is a suggestion that a large percentage of the current support cash should be transferred into a fund which farmers could access in exchange for meeting several defined targets.
The Scotsman
http://business.scotsman.com/business/Pack-report-fails-to-allay.6000009.jp
Pork dioxin scare report “whitewash” - Ian Paisley Jnr
The first official report into the Irish pork and beef contamination scare has found that there was no delay in the Irish authorities’ response.
The discovery of animal feed contaminated with dioxins in December 2008 led to one of the biggest food scares seen in Ireland.
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8470227.stm
The Baa-con buttie: In fast-food UK, one child in four thinks bacon comes from a sheep
If you ask a child what bacon is, don’t be surprised if they look a little sheepish.
In a startling exposure of the dietary ignorance of our younger generation, a study reveals that one in four think the contents of their bacon sandwich come from a sheep
Daily Mail
Most European males ‘descended from farmers’
Most men in Europe can trace a line of descent to early farmers who migrated from the Near East, a study says.
The research, which looked at the most common genetic lineage in European males, appears in Plos Biology.
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8467623.stm
Poor farmer tries to pawn his cash cows
A hard-up farmer tried to pawn his livestock in a bid to free up cash.
The landowner contacted online pawnbrokers www.Borro.com to inquire whether he could hand over sheep and cows in exchange for £10,000, it emerged yesterday.
The Express
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/153050/Poor-farmer-tries-to-pawn-his-cash-cows
Turbines taller than Big Ben plan
Go-ahead has been given for seven new wind turbines in Northamptonshire, each taller than the Big Ben clock tower.
The turbines will be built on a wind farm development between Rushton and Pipewell after the scheme was approved by Kettering Borough Council.
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/northamptonshire/8470262.stm
Rustlers steal 41 sheep from Ribble Valley farm
A farmer has appealed for information after £7,200 worth of sheep were stolen from his land.
The 41 white faced Texel sheep, all of which were in lamb, and one ram, were taken from the Copy Nook area of Bolton-by-Bowland.
Lancashire Evening Telegraph
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/4860440.Rustlers_steal_41_sheep_from_Ribble_Valley_farm/
Farmers keen to promote Welsh lamb to Chinese consumers
We’ve sold whisky to Scotland and cockles to Spain – now Wales is hoping to take lamb to the 1.3 billion consumers of China.
A top Chinese official has been invited to a Farmers’ Union of Wales function at the House of Lords today, where he will be given a taste of the finest lamb that the nation has to offer.
Wales Online
Wynnstay ‘positive’ despite a flat-lining in profits
Agricultural supplies-to- pet store group Wynnstay yesterday said tougher market conditions were to blame for flat- lining in profits last year, but said it was upbeat on future trading prospects.
The company said pre-tax profit for 2009 was £5.2m, the same as the year before, with revenues down to £215m from the previous year’s £234.6m.
Wales Online
CBB housemates set ‘offal task’
Celebrity Big Brother housemates have been set a stomach-churning task, which was simply “offal”.
In a challenge that would not be out of place on reality programme I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! housemates have been told to weave real cow offal on to a wire mesh cow set up in the house’s Task Room.
Press Association
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gs6Gx5s5V1AMf0IYrKFeCOBhAe9Q
Horse trainer’s daughter dies after falling from tractor
A champion racehorse trainer is in “deep shock” following the death of his “little princess” who fell from a tractor he was driving.
Derek Shaw is thought to have been handing 15-month-old daughter Ellie Mae down from the machine when she slipped from his grasp and plunged to the ground.
The Mirror
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