Agriculture in the national news - March 12

Man jailed for selling millions of battery eggs as free range

A company boss was jailed for three years yesterday for his part in a scam which saw tens of millions of eggs falsely passed off as free range.

The near two-year fraud also led to eggs wrongly labelled as organic being sold to consumers in supermarkets and other stores across the country, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Daily Telegraph
http://tinyurl.com/ykhqmhc

Farmers advised to ‘think big’ on wind power

FARMERS considering the installation of wind turbines on their land were this week advised, other conditions permitting, to go for as big a development as they could afford.

As the scale of generation increased, the benefits accruing from larger units rose disproportionately, Gavin Catto, of Green Cat Renewables, told an audience at a seminar in Perth organised by accountants Campbell Dallas.

The Scotsman
http://tinyurl.com/ybtlnr3

Sterling dives on surprise fall in factory output

Sterling plunged further against the dollar today after official figures revealed British manufacturing output unexpectedly fell in January at its sharpest monthly rate since last August.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said output had declined by 0.9 per cent at the beginning of the year, compared to December, marking the biggest drop since last August and falling far below analysts’ expectations for a rise of 0.3 per cent.

Times Online
http://tinyurl.com/yj2d5sf

SOS call for our wildlife

Almost 500 wildlife species have gone from English landscapes in the last 200 years.

Most losses resulted from city development, pollution and mechanised farming.

Species that have disappeared include 24% of butterflies, 22% of amphibians and 15% of dolphins and whales.

The Mirror
http://tinyurl.com/ybj8swg

Online help for farmers facing red tape issues

A NEW online service dedicated to support farmers and small holders to help save them time and money when grappling red tape issues and planning has just been launched by Business Link.

Topics covered include practical tips on running such a business, the availability of funding, regional schemes and grants, environmental schemes, coping with particular market sectors like livestock, crops, horticulture, plant health and organic production.

Daily Express
http://tinyurl.com/ybty6q9

Down on the farm with the robots

Picking a cauliflower seems a very easy task, at least to anyone who has only ever encountered the brassica on a plate accompanied by meat and other vegetables.

But knowing the right moment to pick a cauliflower is tricky. Harvest it too soon or too late and supermarket chains might reject the whole crop for being too big or small.

BBC Online
http://tinyurl.com/yjpe5sn

Farm groups call on U.S. to “bust up big ag”

A coalition of family farmers, consumers and other critics of corporate agriculture on Thursday called on the U.S. government to crack down on what they see as unfair consolidation of the nation’s food system into the hands of a few multinationals.

Chanting “bust up big ag,” a group of more than 250 packed a town hall meeting in the top corn-growing state of Iowa to rally support ahead of a Justice Department meeting on Friday aimed at scrutinizing concentration in the seed business.

Reuters
http://tinyurl.com/y9ke9bj

Farming ready for the food challenge

BRITISH agriculture has earned its position of strategic importance with government and is well-placed to tackle the looming challenge of meeting the world’s food demands, according to the National Farmers Union’s president.

Peter Kendall spoke out ahead of his address at the launch of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council’s Global Research Programme today.

Net Business
http://tinyurl.com/yzaxm6q

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