Agriculture in the national news - June 7

Caroline Spelman backs GM crops

Caroline Spelman, the Environment Secretary, has backed genetically modified (GM) crops in Britain reinforcing suggestions that the coalition Government will look more favourably on the technology than any of its predecessors.

In the first signal of the new Government’s policy on GM, she said altering the genes of plants could reduce the need for pesticides and other chemicals.

Daily Telegraph
http://tinyurl.com/339gskl


Halt the ‘biased’ GM review, minister told amid fears over emails linking biotech firms to FSA

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman is facing calls to scrap a planned government review of genetically modified foods amid fears that it has been ‘nobbled’ by the biotech industry.

Startling evidence emerged yesterday of how pro-GM lobbyists helped to draft a major report on the cultivation and sale of such crops.

Daily Mail
http://tinyurl.com/35zenmf


Tensions rise over Welsh badger cull

Tensions are increasing in north Pembrokeshire as the Welsh Assembly Government’s plans for a badger cull create anger and fear.

For the past two years, the authorities have been battling against the spread of bovine TB in cows.

BBC Online
http://tinyurl.com/23j4k7d


Farmers missing out on fair share of dairy profits rise

Dairy farmers are being denied millions of pounds by processors and retailers, the National Farmers’ Union is claiming.

Officials say producers are not getting their fair share of recent price rises for milk, cheese and cream in the UK, which have boosted the market by nearly £20 million in the past year.

This is Somerset
http://tinyurl.com/2evub39


Countryside in Crisis: how dairy farmers are milked dry

Continuing our series on Britain’s rural blight, Olga Craig reports on the growing number of dairy farmers forced to sell up.

Daily Telegraph
http://tinyurl.com/3aypboq


Devon and Cornwall groups want livestock rules changed

Rural campaign groups in Devon and Cornwall are lobbying the new government to change liability rules about livestock.

The Animal Act 1971 means owners of livestock are legally responsible for any damage caused by their animals.

BBC Online
http://tinyurl.com/28sg626


Badgers to be sent to Iraq

British badgers will be sent to serve with UK forces in Iraq under plans unveiled jointly by the Ministry of Defence and DEFRA today.

For some time Britain has been seeking a credible exit strategy that would allow troops to return home without accusations that the British government was abandoning the war-torn region.

News Biscuit (Satire)
http://tinyurl.com/2cy8qa9

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