There is a well known saying, 'no pain, no gain' and that will be ringing true in the minds of Milk Link’s 1,600 producers, who are on the brink of reaping just reward for 12 years of loyalty and investment.Farmers Guardian
December 18, 2009
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‘Bleeding calf’ causes remain unknown
14 December 2009
ALTHOUGH viral infection has been ruled out, scientists still do not know what causes ‘bleeding calf syndrome’, which was found three years ago in mainland Europe and hit 34 UK herds this year.
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‘Negligent’ Defra slammed in new Single Payment report
16 December 2009
DEFRA has been accused of paying ‘negligible attention to taxpayers’ interests and branded ‘complacent’ in the latest damning report on the Single Payment Scheme fiasco.
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‘Worrying and dangerous’ threat of yellow rust strain
17 December 2009
MORE than half the winter wheat acreage in the ground during 2010 will be susceptible to yellow rust.
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20,000 farmers in M&S sustainability study
17 December 2009
MARKS & Spencer is pushing forward with its ‘Plan A’ focus on sustainability, and believes the recession has done little to dent consumer interest in the topic.
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AEA campaign highlights the dangers of trailed equipment
17 December 2009
THE AEA (Agriculultral Engineers Association) has produced a booklet to highlight the dangers of incorrectly braked trailed equipment.
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Agriculture in the national news - December 11
11 December 2009
A DAILY look at how agriculture has hit the headlines across the country (Friday, December 11)
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Agriculture in the national news - December 14
14 December 2009
A DAILY look at how agriculture has caught the headlines across the country (Monday, December 14).
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Agriculture in the national news - December 15
15 December 2009
A DAILY look at how agriculture has caught the headlines across the country (Tuesday, December 15).
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Agriculture in the national news - December 16
16 December 2009
A DAILY look at how agriculture has caught the headlines across the nation (Wednesday, December 16).
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Agriculture in the national news - December 17
17 December 2009
A DAILY look at how agriculture has caught the headlines across the country (Thursday, December 17).
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Agriculture in the national news - December 18
18 December 2009
A DAILY look at how agriculture has caught the headlines across the country (Friday, December 18).
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Agriculture not immune from recession backlash
17 December 2009
Farming, having avoided the worst impacts of the recesssion so far, might not be so immune from the next phase of the recovery process, a leading banker has warned.
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Agriculture suffers as Copenhagen talks stall
15 December 2009
CLIMATE change talks have stalled in Copenhagen prompting fears that agriculture will miss a golden opportunity to tackle greenhouse gas emissions.
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AgriLive Smithfield
14 December 2009
While a far cry from the prestigious London event, the newly rebranded AgriLive Smithfield at the Royal Showground, Stoneleigh, attracted stock from the length and breadth of the UK. Read our full report on this year’s show.
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AgriLive Smithfield 2009: full results
14 December 2009
ALL the results from AgriLive Smithfield held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on December 11-12.
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Alfords dominate AgriLive beef championships
14 December 2009
HAVING competed at Smithfield in its various forms for 27 years, yet never taking the top prize, Michael and Melanie Alford did it in style at the weekend winning both supreme and reserve honours.
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Animal health schemes ‘vital’ to production
December 18, 2009
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AtlasFram Group aims to increase tyre business
18 December 2009
ATLASFRAM Group, the UK’s largest farmer-owned farm inputs purchasing and crop marketing business, recently welcomed representatives of Bridgestone, the world’s largest tyre and rubber company, with an aim to increasing its presence in the agricultural sector.
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Avoiding the pitfalls when developing your infrastructure
December 18, 2009
DEVELOPING new agricultural buildings can provide fresh revenue streams and opportunities for farmers, but what is and what is not in your favour, and when is time to pursue planning consent? Caroline Romback finds out.
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Beef to £7,500 at Talgarth
17 December 2009
PRICES rose to £7,500 for the champion prime beef animal at Talgarth’s (Powys) Christmas primestock show and sale.
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Best pulses of the year announced
17 December 2009
Winners of the BEPA (British Edible Pulse Association) annual pulse competition were presented with their prizes for the highest performing pulse crops from the 2009 harvest at the BEPA annual dinner.
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BFS promises drift-free application of fertiliser
15 December 2009
Billericay Farms Services (BFS) has developed an innovative fertiliser application system with the capability to adjust rates from the tractor cab, which the company says is a unique benefit of its new AutoStreamer.
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Bluetongue vaccination to be voluntary in Scotland in 2010
18 December 2009
VACCINATION against bluetongue will be voluntary in Scotland next year, Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has confirmed.
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British Blue cross to 340p/kg
17 December 2009
An entry of 81 prime cattle were forward at Dumfries’ festive fixture and the championship went to a 21-month-old British Blue cross heifer weighing 645kg from Ian Goldie, Greenfield.
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British Blue leads Colchester primestock sale
17 December 2009
TAKING the overall cattle title at Colchester’s primestock show and sale was a British Blue cross heifer from W.A. Ketley and Sons, Fingringhoe, Colchester.
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British Blue takes show title and record sale price at Gilten
17 December 2009
TAKING top honours at Gilten Market’s festive show and sale, held at Brickfields equestrian centre, Isle of Wight, was a 670kg British Blue cross steer.
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Bryn Davies and Cap on top in the All Wales Nursery Championship
17 December 2009
THE Welsh Nursery Season ends with the All Wales Nursery Championship and it was the turn of the North Wales Sheepdog Society to host the event in which 15 dogs each from the North and the South competed.
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Calls for intervention as cereal prices plummet
11 December 2009
EUROPEAN farming leaders have called on the European Commission to take drastic action to halt the decline in cereal prices following a 54 per cent drop in prices over the past year.
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Cattle health accreditation could go nationwide
15 December 2009
A cattle health accreditation scheme launched in South East England is proving popular and may even be rolled out to other parts of the UK.
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Christmas bonus for Dairy Crest producers
17 December 2009
DAIRY Crest producers on liquid contracts are to receive a 0.25ppl bonus for December milk.
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Clola Marksman daughter tops Cracker at 20,000gns
December 18, 2009
The Christmas Cracker sale of in-lamb Texels at Carlisle produced a top price of 20,000gns for an entry from Jimmy Douglas’ Cairness flock, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.
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Colchester primestock sale
December 18, 2009
British Blue cross heifer leads at 275p/kg.
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Combating the critics in the climate change debate
December 18, 2009
As the next decade approaches, Joanne Pugh looks at some of the challenges we may face in the future in a special series considering consumer perception of livestock’s role in climate change and animal welfare.
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Co-op’s new free-range turkey move
17 December 2009
THE Co-operative Farms has expanded its ‘Grown by Us’ range to include turkeys in the run-up to Christmas.
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Copenhagen focus switches to farming
14 December 2009
FARM leaders from across the world were given the opportunity to voice their opinions at the key climate change talks in Copenhagen over the weekend as the discussion turned to agriculture and its role in global warming.
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Couple look to the future after two year legal battle with the Church
December 18, 2009
A 20-year legal battle with the Church over liability for repair work has cost Andrew and Gail Wallbank £600,000, plus years of endless worry. Now, the issue has been resolved and they can look to the future.
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Cover crops could boost farm wildlife
17 December 2009
JUST two hectares (five acres) of sown cover crops on uncropped land could make a difference to farm wildlife, said Jim Orson, technical director of The Arable Group.
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Defra refuses ombudsman call for SPS compensation
16 December 2009
DEFRA has been criticised for failing to accept a recommendation to pay thousands of pounds in compensation to farmers for the maladministration of the Single Payment Scheme.
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Defra to limit chicken stocking density
17 December 2009
DEFRA is planning to introduce a maximum stocking density of 39kg/m² for conventionally reared chicken in England.
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Dominic Naylor: The highs and lows of livestock markets
18 December 2009
The last month has seen a number of days spent at market. I use four different marts depending on the beasts to sell: Skipton, Thirsk, Malton and Hull. I’m very in favour of livestock markets, without which the red meat industry would certainly have gone the way of the milk sector.
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Drive to increase milk consumption ahead of London 2012
17 December 2009
The Dairy Council will spearhead a major three-year campaign in England and Wales to promote the consumption of milk among young people involved in sport.
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EU puts new organic logo to the public vote
15 December 2009
THE European Union opened the voting on its new organic logo, giving the public the opportunity to decide which mark will be placed on all pre-packed organic produce from July next year.
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Fandango delay means more Proline available
17 December 2009
AGCHEM manufacturer Bayer CropScience has announced it is making additional volumes of the fungicide Proline (prothioconazole) available for the barley market in anticipation of Fandango (prothioconazole + fluoxastrobin) not being available early in the season.
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Fantasia produces top carcase
17 December 2009
Impresses from beyond the show ring.
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Farm waste plastic recycling scheme unveiled
18 December 2009
PLANS to recycle up to 80 per cent of farm plastic waste across Britain have been unveiled.
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Farmers profit from Sainsbury’s carbon efficiencies
18 December 2009
BRITAIN’S third largest supermarket, Sainsbury’s, has joined agriculture’s fight against climate change with an announcement to help thousands of farmers cut their emissions.
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Feeding body and soul in a church without walls
December 18, 2009
In the second of our features looking at the charitable and personable approach of three exemplary figures in rural communities, Angela Calvert meets Rev Canon Alan Robson.
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First Sedgemoor Winter Fair champion to 370p/kg
17 December 2009
The first South West Winter Fair to be held at Sedgemoor auction centre saw the winner in the haltered section go on to sell for 370p/kg.
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Flooded Cumbrian farmers get £500k aid package
16 December 2009
DEFRA has announced a £500,000 aid package to help farmers in Cumbria get their land back in working order after the recent devastating floods.
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Go easy on meat and dairy – a recipe to save the planet
16 December 2009
REDUCING meat and dairy consumption, eliminating waste and cutting fatty and sugary foods from your diet will make the biggest impact on human and environmental health, another Government-backed report has found.
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Greenvale project cuts costs and water use
17 December 2009
Potato supply business Greenvale says its novel new vegetable-cleaning system, Project Cascade, has surpassed original water use and running cost targets.
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Guidelines for farm building development
18 December 2009
Developing new agricultural buildings can provide fresh revenue streams and opportunities for farmers, but what is and what is not in your favour, and when is time to pursue planning consent?
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Herbert attacks Government on food labelling
15 December 2009
THE Government has been accused of neglecting British farming interests after it ‘argued against’ mandatory country-of-origin labelling of food products in European talks.
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Industry unites against planning levy
17 December 2009
The NFU, CLA, TFA and CAAV have joined forces to stop a proposed planning levy from impacting on agricultural building and development.
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James Fanshawe, Northamptonshire beef and sheep farmer
15 December 2009
James Fanshawe, an Eblex director, farms 150 hectares of grassland near Naseby in Northampton. He has 130 suckler cows and 200 breeding sheep.
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Joe Tex daughter at 1,220gns
18 December 2009
Prices rose to 1,220gns at Gloucester and Border Counties Texel Club’s show and sale at Worcester Market.
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John Gordon: SFP raises a smile and a new mixer ‘should’ bring a trouble-free Christmas
18 December 2009
I wrote last month that all autumn calving cows had been housed, additionally this month we had to house all our spring calvers.
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Johne’s diagnostic test at 'advanced stage'
17 December 2009
A DIAGNOSTIC test to identify Johne’s disease in cattle at a much earlier age is ‘at an advanced stage’, but Moredun scientists were coy about the development to avoid raising false hopes among farmers.
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Labelling laws make a turkey out of consumers
17 December 2009
BRITAIN’S second largest supermarket, Asda, is under fire for ‘hiding’ the origin of thousands of turkeys imported from Brazil this Christmas.
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Leek record falls to Lorenzo daughter
December 18, 2009
Leek auction mart’s first pedigree Christmas show and sale saw the market record price broken again at £2,850 with the top 15 averaging £2,393 and the entire entry average £1,993.
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Limousin heifer on top at Newark
17 December 2009
AN entry of 200 prime cattle was forward for Newark and Nottinghamshire’s Christmas primestock show, supported by Farmers Guardian.
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Looking forward to Lamma '10: Heavy, but effective SR style
14 December 2009
Continual development of Claydon’s Stone Release (SR) drill saw a hydraulic folding model make an appearance at Lamma 2009. This version comes with the option of a high-capacity seed pod. GEOFF ASHCROFT spoke to an early adopter of the system.
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McCartney branded a 'hypocrite'
14 December 2009
MUSIC icon, Sir Paul McCartney, has been taken to task for flying from London to Brussels for EU talks in support of his anti-meat eating and save the climate campaign.
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New Commissioner to visit Scotland
10 December 2009
THE EU’s Agriculture Commissioner-designate, Dacian Ciolos, has agreed to an invitation from Scottish National Party MEP Alyn Smith to visit Scotland to see first hand how the country’s agriculture differs from the rest of the UK.
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New Holland drives bee campaign forward
14 December 2009
ONE of the UK’s leading tractor manufacturers has joined the battle to save Britain’s bees.
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New Holland NH2 fuel cell concept to show at Lamma
18 December 2009
FOR those visiting Lamma in January there will be a chance to see New Holland’s NH2 fuel cell tractor concept. This will be first UK appearance of this novel and potentially lucrative power source in a tractor, showing that New Holland is keen to take the idea further forward as fuel prices continue to soar.
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New kids on the sprayer block
18 December 2009
A NEW name in crop sprayers, FarmGEM, has been formed by three men who know a fair bit about crop protection machinery.
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New Opico front hitch for Kubota’s M40 series
15 December 2009
FOR those running Kubota’s 85hp M8540 and 95hp M9540 tractors, a new front linkage can now be purchased from Opico.
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New technical notes from SAC
17 December 2009
SAC has added four new technical notes to its catalogue of short, practical field guides to key issues facing producers.
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NFU calls for urgent payments to fruit and veg co-ops
14 December 2009
THE NFU is calling on the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to do what it can to ensure it can release payments due to fruit and vegetable co-operatives in time for Christmas.
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Oxford Conference gets new rival
16 December 2009
AGRICULTURE’S traditional curtain raiser to the New Year – the Oxford Farming Conference – is being challenged by a new rival.
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Prime lambs top 321p/kg at Kendal
December 18, 2009
Prime lambs make £125/head.
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Private Members Bill opens door for supermarket ombudsman
17 December 2009
A LABOUR MP has paved the way for the introduction of a supermarket ombudsman with the introduction of a new Private Members Bill in Parliament.
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Progression in rodent control brings more choice in tackling the problem
18 December 2009
THE growth in the number of rodenticides on the market has made rodent control a more complicated business. George Chancellor takes a look at some of the most effective ingredients and bait around.
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Research begins into weed maps
17 December 2009
PRODUCING weed maps in arable crops to provide a decision support tool for farmers and agronomists is the ultimate aim of an HGCA and CRD-supported research project based at the University of Reading.
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Richard Johnson rides 2000 winners
18 December 2009
NATIONAL hunt jockey, Richard Johnson, rode his 2000th winner and 100th of the season, yesterday at Newbury, on Wheels Up.
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Rock’s quicker early run earns a fourth novice title
17 December 2009
DAVID Goulding and Rock took their second nursery win of the season on Saturday at North Westmorland, while Derek Scrimgeour and Zac gained their fourth novice title.
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Roundworm vaccine breakthrough as trials show 80-90pc success rate
December 18, 2009
SCIENTISTS at the Moredun Research Institute, Edinburgh, are on the brink of producing the world’s first vaccine for roundworm parasites in sheep, cattle and goats.
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RPA meets first formal target six weeks ahead of schedule
18 December 2009
THE Rural Payments Agency has met its first formal 2009 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) target six weeks ahead of schedule.
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Scots attack Defra over animal health budget
18 December 2009
THE Scottish Government and the farming industry have launched an angry attack on Defra over what they claim is an unacceptable delay in plans to devolve the animal health budget.
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Sharp fall in use of P and K
15 December 2009
THE latest figures from fertiliser trade organisation the International Fertilizer Industry Association indicates farmers in several countries have been postponing applications of phosphorus and potassium in response to the current volatility in grain and input prices.
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Sheepdog trial results
17 December 2009
A ROUND-UP of results from across the UK this week.
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Sheepdog Trials Diary
17 December 2009
A ROUND-UP of the forthcoming fixtures in the sheepdog trails diary across the UK
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Shrewbury christmas sale to 222p/kg
18 December 2009
Competition was keen at the Shrewsbury Auction Centre’s Christmas show and sale.
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Skills strategy to ensure farming futures
16 December 2009
FARMERS, growers and industry leaders have joined together to develop a major new skills strategy to ensure the long term future of agriculture.
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Solway and Tyne Texels to 1,400gns
December 18, 2009
A number of sheep breeds held society sales of in-lamb females at Carlisle last week including the Solway and Tyne Texel Breeders’ Club.
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Spring barley Propino is set to follow Quench and Tipple lead
17 December 2009
FOLLOWING in the footsteps of stable-mate varieties Tipple and Quench, Syngenta Seeds’ latest spring malting barley to achieve HGCA Recommended List status, Propino, looks set to become another ‘pan-European’ variety.
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Strategy is so crucial to dairy farm profitability
December 18, 2009
SUCCESSFUL dairy farmers better understand the appropriate strategy in relation to their milk contract, and then focus on its delivery.
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Swires’ reign at Skipton
December 18, 2009
Champion was a home-bred freshly-calved Holstein Friesian by Firth Outside.
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Top of £2,200 at Bentham
18 December 2009
Newly-calved dairy cattle see 30 peak at more than £2,000.
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Totley Hall Farm Nativity Picture Gallery
10 December 2009
STAGING a Christmas nativity on their working sheep farm is the diversification of choice for Jenny and Edwin Pocock.
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Tractor registrations down on last year
15 December 2009
UK tractor registrations are down again on last year, reports the AEA. November totalled 662 units, down 5.7 per cent from November 2008.
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Triumphant return for Bishop in AgriLive sheep championship
14 December 2009
HAVING pledged to give the show scene a break for a couple of years, Andrew Bishop finishing with a bang, taking two top awards at AgriLive.
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'Unprecedented interest' in manure
17 December 2009
Unprecedented interest in the past 18 months.
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US to slash dairy cow emissions by 25%
18 December 2009
THE US dairy industry has committed to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent over the next decade.
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Welsh slam Defra's 'dangerous' CAP vision
14 December 2009
A FARMERS Union of Wales delegation to Brussels has slammed Defra’s approach to CAP reform.
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Win £50 in Marks & Spencer vouchers in our mobility quiz
16 December 2009
THINK you know a foot ulcer from a white line abscess?Over the festive period we have teamed up with DairyCo to challenge you in a cattle mobility competition.
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Winter frosts crucial to predicted rust epidemic
17 December 2009
Over-winter frosts will determine the earliness of the rust epidemic expected in 2010
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Wooler lambs to £130
December 18, 2009
An entry of 1,260 lambs and 402 ewes and rams were forward at Wooler mart’s Christmas fixture.
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World news: Keeping you in touch with what's happening overseas
December 18, 2009
Our regular farming round-up from across the globe.