Agriculture in the national news - June 18

Dry spring ‘cost Europe 2m tonnes in grain output’

The dry weather which parched crops in some of Europe’s main arable regions has cost at least 2m tonnes in grains production, and left the region’s barley crop – the world’s biggest - on course for a five-year low.

Strategie Grains cited spring dryness for a 1.2m-tonne cut in its forecast for wheat output in France, the European Union’s leading producer, Ireland and the UK.

Agrimoney
http://www.agrimoney.com/news/dry-spring-cost-europe-2m-tonnes-in-grain-output—1862.html

Plan for South Witham super dairy farm dropped

Plans for a so-called super dairy close to a village in Lincolnshire have been dropped after opposition from residents in the area.

Velmur, the firm that wanted to put almost 3,000 cows at South Witham near Grantham, said it had decided to withdraw the plan.

BBC Online
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/10342377.stm

Feargal Quinn: Ireland should be the Silicone Valley of milk production

HEALTH benefits from drinking milk for people aged 65+ represent a huge sales and marketing opportunity all across the European Union for Irish dairy producers, says Senator Feargal Quinn.

The Superquinn founder told those attending the National Dairy Council annual conference that the dairy industry, with its calcium and protein content, is ideally placed to provide the nutritional boost which Ireland and the EU’s increasingly ageing community requires.

Irish Examiner
http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/feargal-quinn-ireland-should-be-the-silicone-valley-of-milk-production-122762.html#ixzz0rBykcyOV

Coventryfarmer defends bacon substitute for Muslims

A Coventry farmer has insisted he is reacting to demand from traders in trying to give Muslims a taste of pork by producing bacon-style rashers from halal-slaughtered turkeys.

Rod Adlington’s attempts to imitate the meat, which Muslims cannot eat because of their religion, has seen a Muslim scholar voice concerns that it could lead to people eating real bacon from pork.

BBC Online
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/8745812.stm

Much to reap from green farming

“THE average farmer does not wake up and think, how can I tackle climate change today,” admitted Jonnie Hall, NFU Scotland head of rural policy, “He thinks of prices and weather and everyday issues.”

However, Hall and all those attending the launch of a scheme aimed at tackling the problems raised by climate change yesterday agreed that it was now time to change the thinking.

The Scotsman
http://business.scotsman.com/business/Much-to—reap-from.6370007.jp

Reform ‘huge step’ to greener future

AFTER piloting his report on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy through the European Parliament’s agriculture committee, Scottish MEP George Lyon hailed it as a “huge step” towards a fair, sustainable and green future for the farming community.

“I’m delighted that the agriculture committee has fully backed the reforms I set out in my CAP report,” he said.

The Scotsman
http://business.scotsman.com/fooddrinkagriculture/Reform-huge-step-to-greener.6369946.jp

Urban fox numbers ‘could be curbed by giving them the Pill’

Urban foxes could be put on the Pill to reduce their numbers in the wake of the attack on the nine-month-old Koupparis twins mauled in their home, a minister said yesterday.

Lord Henley said ministers were investigating whether Government-funded research into curbing the wild boar population could be extended to tackle urban foxes.

Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1287561/Urban-fox-numbers-curbed-giving-Pill.html#ixzz0rC08Jyn0

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