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
March 17th 2006
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A call for greater clarity on use and sale of sheep dips
17 March 2006
The Welsh Assembly’s environment, planning and countryside committee is calling for greater clarity on the use and sale of sheep dips following the marketing ban imposed by Defra amid fears over the potentially damaging impact of chemicals, such as cypermethrin, on the environment.
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A woman of many talents
March 17th 2006
Barry Alston meets a very special lady with a key role in her local community.
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Argentine beef exports suspend
17 March 2006
The prospects for UK beef cattle prices can only be improved by news that Argentina has suspended most of its beef exports for six months.
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Bale-marking device from Sweden helps to manage nutrition and forward plan diets
March 17th 2006
Identification of silage bales can prove a vital tool when it comes to managing animal nutrition and forward planning diets.
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Bradshaw ‘ignored scientific advice’
17 March 2006
A Committee of MPs has accused Animal Health Minister Ben Bradshaw of failing to consult properly with his bovine TB advisers before launching the consultation on badger culling.
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Breeders quick to seek out UK genetics after ban ends
17 March 2006
Less than 24 hours after the live export ban came to an end, European beef breeders were once again seeking out UK pedigree genetics.
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Calf at centre of TB row tests positive
17 March 2006
The pedigree calf at the centre of the bovine TB testing row in Devon has re-tested positive for the disease and will now be slaughtered.
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Chernobyl – nothing to fear in food chain
17 March 2006
The farming industry has moved to reassure consumers over food safety fears after it emerged that, two decades on from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, 375 UK farms are still contaminated by the fall-out.
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Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
March 17th 2006
Norma Broughton, of Willowbank Farm, Great Plumpton, Lancashire, sent this recipe. She says it makes a ‘really good’ cheesecake.
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Common sense prevails as MPs vote to allow the tail docking of working dogs
March 17th 2006
Campaigners in favour of the tail docking of working dogs are delighted MPs have voted to allow the practice to continue.
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Communication at heart of union team’s ‘action plan’
17 March 2006
The new team at the top of the NFU, which has promised a ‘fresh start’ in its campaign to achieve profitable production in the industry, has unveiled an eight-point plan of action majoring on improved communications with its membership and customers, whether in processing, retailing or directly with consumers.
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Cost effective option in low to moderate disease situations
March 17th 2006
No significant yield differences were observed between Cherokee (cyproconazole+propiconazole+chlorothalonil) and an equivalent dose of Opus+Bravo (epoxiconazole+chlorothalonil) in The Arable Group (TAG) trials last season.
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Defra rules out further PrMT delays
17 March 2006
The Government has insisted it will not delay the introduction of pre-movement testing (PrMT) in England for a second time, despite mounting pressure to do so.
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Doubts that SP will be paid on time
17 March 2006
Industry confidence in the Rural Payments Agency’s ability to make the bulk of Single Payments by the end of this month has hit a new low.
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Expect price hike for some ag-chems
March 17th 2006
Mainstream agrochemical prices could well rise sharply across the country this season following two years of dramatic world oil and gas price increases, warns a newly-published industry outlook report. But the scale of the impact is likely to vary widely from product to product.
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Fungicide curbs cost of disease control
March 17th 2006
A new fungicide available for use in cereals this spring will bring no great advances in disease control but will reduce its cost, claims its manufacturer.
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Gangmasters' legislation historic move
March 17th 2006
The Government’s Gangmasters’ legislation was given a final polish earlier this week, with Defra clearing up the confusion between primary and secondary stage processing.
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Hedges can help contain infection
17 March 2006
Growing hedges and leaving ungrazed strips of land near hedgerows can reduce the risk of contracting bovine TB, according to new research.
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Inquiry may look into supermarkets’ ‘misuse of power’
17 March 2006
The major supermarkets’ dominance of the UK grocery market is set to be investigated by the Competition Commission.
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Its a long road ahead - Your questions answered on the lifting of the British beef export ban
March 17th 2006
British beef and live cattle exports are to be welcomed back into Europe following the European Union’s veterinary science group’s unanimous decision to lift the export ban.
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Leyburn Marts inaugural show potential event
17 March 2006
Leyburn Auction Mart, North Yorkshire, held its inaugural show and sale of show potential cattle on Saturday.
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Nitrate Vulnerable Zone rules ‘need tightening’
March 17th 2006
NVZs have been in place for 10 years now, but this year sees a revision of the existing rules – with cuts in maximum manure and slurry rates, new closed periods and limitations on fertiliser practices all being proposed. JOANNA BAKER reviews the current and possible impending legislation and looks at what impact they might have on farmers.
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Opinions divided on culling of badgers to help contain TB
17 March 2006
With the consultation period on the badger culling proposals now closed organisation of both sides of the divide have been revealing their positions.
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Organic veg market continues to grow
March 17th 2006
The UK organic vegetable market grew by 13 per cent during the 2004-2005 season, according to a study by organic organisation, HDRA.
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Plan ahead to reap the full benefits of forage
March 17th 2006
With the onset of spring and the demands of managing turnout, livestock farmers should be focusing on the details of next winter’s feeding regime if they are going to make the most out of the forage available this season, says Trident nutritionist Dr Richard Wynn.
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Precision farming never been cheaper, easier to use and with a wider choice
March 17th 2006
There has never been a better time or, indeed, need for farmers to make a move to precision farming. The equipment can help improve efficiency and boost profit for those facing poor returns and escalating input costs. FG reports from the Precision Farming event held at the Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire.
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Protests to start over live exports
17 March 2006
Animal welfare groups have pledged to bring a halt to live animal exports from Dover this spring.
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Red-hot trade at Penrith Mart record-breaker
17 March 2006
The winter weather could not cool a red-hot trade at Penrith and District Farmers Mart’s record-breaking two-day show and sale of cattle with show potential. Along with commercial cattle there was a record entry of 1,307 at the Cumbrian mart.
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RSPCA’s charity status ‘threatened by political stance’
17 March 2006
The RSPCA may be facing a legal challenge over its right to maintain charity status while taking strong political stances over issues like badger culling.
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Rural Payments Agency chief executive Johnston McNeill has been sacked
17 March 2006
Rural Payments Agency chief executive Johnston McNeill has been sacked after he admitted to Ministers the full extent of the Single Payment crisis.
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Silage guides for grass, maize and wholecrop
March 17th 2006
Kingshay have developed a range of ‘good silage guides’ for grass, maize and wholecrop silage. They are a result of years of on-farm trials and ‘tried and tested’ surveys.
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Silage prize for Pembrokeshire farmers
March 17th 2006
The top placings in this year’s All-Wales Silage and Big Bale Silage competitions run by the Federation of Welsh Grassland Societies have gone to Pembrokeshire farmers.
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Smithfield livestock competitions will definitely go ahead
17 March 2006
The Royal Smithfield Club will definitely be staging its traditional livestock competitions this year though the venue has yet to be decided.
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Tailor-made horse power new telehandler has JCBs own engine
March 17th 2006
JCB has developed a new range of telehandlers, but this is the first time the company has used its own engine in these machines.
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The hills are alive with optimism
March 17th 2006
Farming on land classed as Severely Disadvantaged could be a handicap to some, but brothers Christopher and Andrew Howe have overcome both their location and industry changes and face the future with confidence.
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Wales makes its case against the Hunting Act
March 17th 2006
All the major farming organisations in Wales came together this week in an unprecedented industry-wide move to show the Hunting Act is not working and should be amended.
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Well-honed skills – plus luck – leads to best ever forage
March 17th 2006
Well-honed grass silage making skills combined with a fair share of luck – that is what John McAuslan said enabled SAC Auchincruive College Farm to make its best ever forage last year.