Farmers Guardian
September 21st 2007

  • $79bn record for US exports

    September 21st 2007

    USDA says American farmers will export a record $79 billion of their products in 2007. For the 2008 fiscal year USDA forecasts exports to reach $83.5 billion, with growth and new sales across all major agricultural product groups. China’s demand for soybeans and cotton remains strong. Developments in the biodiesel market will raise Europe’s demand for soybeans as well.

  • ‘Milk replacer can save 10ppl on whole milk and achieve higher growth rates’

    September 21st 2007

    This autumn Farmers Guardian and Intervet Animal Health, manufacturers of Bovipast RSP, have once again teamed up for a series of calf management meetings. The difference this time is the involvement of Maggie Gould from Volac International. Here she talks about the benefits and economics of milk replacer feeding as milk prices rise.

  • “Purchasing green products” workshop, West Oxfordshire

    20 September 2007

    MANAGERS and owners of B&Bs and hotels in West Oxfordshire are invited to a workshop, entitled ‘Purchasing Green Products’, on September 27, Beaconsfield Hall, Shipton-Under-Wychwood between 11am- 1pm.

  • 4m Sumo Trio

    20 September 2007

    Sumo has developed a trailed version of its Trio cultivator with a working width of 4m. The seven tines on the 4m model have a tine spacing of 600mm and costs £26,388. There are also plans to introduce a 3.5m mounted Trio with category four linkage.

  • 750gns for Kerry Hill yearling ram at Ludlow

    September 21st 2007

    A TOTAL of 267 females and males were entered for the sale of registered Kerry Hill sheep at Ludlow livestock market, Shropshire, and clearance rates were 76 per cent.

  • A new slant on straw spreaders

    September 21st 2007

    Bomford Turner, looking to diversify into new equipment, has identified a demand for straw bedding machines. Inventive as ever, the company has produced a bedding machine which can also be used to feed silage. Andy Collings reports.

  • Achieving a balance between food miles and fair trade for world’s poorer countries

    21 September 2007

    THE price of food should reflect the size of the carbon footprint that it takes to produce and transport it, according to the Government’s trade and development minister Gareth Thomas.

  • Adjust weed control strategy to get best level of control

    20 September 2007

    BE prepared to adjust weed control strategy carefully according to soil moisture or dryness this autumn, cereal growers are being urged.

  • Aiming for more common sense in appeals process

    September 21st 2007

    THE Scottish Government has made plans for the formation of an independent review group to investigate concerns of how agricultural subsidy appeals are handled.

  • Aiming to add intermediate crown in her final season

    September 21st 2007

    As one of the most prestigious shows in the calendar approaches, FG profiles some of the lucky competitors who will be heading for the Horse of the Year Show 2007. This week, ANGELA CALVERT talks to Sarah Lears, who, along with father Brian, has home produced ponies to the highest level of success

  • Akkerman reveals new milk price schedule

    20 September 2007

    A ‘typical’ West Lakes Dairy Park milk producer with 1.3 million litres at 4.13 per cent fat / 3.3 per cent protein and on every other day collection will be on a milk price of 27.44ppl from October 1 – guaranteed to the end of the year.

  • Akkerman reveals new milk price schedule

    20 September 2007

    A ‘typical’ West Lakes Dairy Park milk producer with 1.3 million litres at 4.13 per cent fat / 3.3 per cent protein and on every other day collection will be on a milk price of 27.44ppl from October 1 – guaranteed to the end of the year.

  • Alternating angled nozzles gives better spray coverage

    September 21st 2007

    USING alternating forward and backward angled nozzles along the spray boom to apply a pre-emergence herbicide can give visibly better spray coverage, even when treating bare soil, results from a farm trial have shown.

  • And Miles to go Before I Sleep

    19 September 2007

    ANY autobiography written by a vet must expect comparison with James Herriot, and most do not come off favourably, so I was delighted to find And miles to go before I sleep a very pleasing exception to this rule.

  • Autumn calves at risk from ‘invisible’ disease

    September 21st 2007

    SUB-CLINICAL coccidiosis is often an ‘invisible’ disease that can have a serious economic impact on calf production, according to Nigel Underwood of Janssen Animal Health.

  • Bayer announce an IPU alternative

    September 21st 2007

    A NEW post-emergence herbicide, positioned to provide an alternative to IPU, is to be test marketed this autumn.

  • Be ready to move on TB tests - NBA

    21 September 2007

    CATTLE farmers wanting to move stock as soon as restrictions are lifted need to think about pre-movement TB tests.

  • BEF achieves national endorsement in coaching

    17 September 2007

    THE United Kingdom Coaching Certificate (UKCC) in equestrian coaching is now available via the member bodies of the British Equestrian Federation (BEF).

  • Best Sussex sausage sought

    September 21st 2007

    THE hunt is on for best Sussex sausage – with a competition for both amateurs and professionals.

  • Borderway Agri - Expo

    September 21st 2007

    Event Information

  • Butchers question British meat premium

    September 21st 2007

    AN increase in the price of UK meat could see butchers begin to look at imports, according to an article in the Meat Trades Journal.

  • Call for a pig price rise

    September 21st 2007

    THE French national pig producers’ body, INAPORC, is calling for a 25 per cent increase in producer prices to be passed down the supply chain to the consumer.

  • Call to increase checks as new cases went undetected

    21 September 2007

    DEFRA is urging farmers to increase vigilance and checks on livestock susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease after it emerged two of the three confirmed cases in Surrey this month showed symptoms for 10 days prior to their discovery.

  • Cancellation of All-Breeds Calf Show is ‘disappointing’

    September 21st 2007

    YOUNGSTERS set to compete at this year’s All-Breeds All-Britain Calf Show have been left bitterly disappointed after organisers were forced to cancel the event following the re-emergence of foot-and-mouth last week.

  • Challenge to get young people back into the countryside

    September 21st 2007

    SUCCESSIVE failure by the Conservative and Labour parties to support rural communities have contributed to today’s dearth of youngsters in the countryside, said Liberal Democrat Tim Farron at a conference fringe meeting this week.

  • Check cattle twice a day says chief vet

    19 September 2007

    CATTLE farmers must check their stock twice a day for symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease says chief vet Debby Reynolds.

  • Cheshire Show floats

    21 September 2007

    THE theme for this year’s Young Farmers float competition was ‘sporting events’.

  • Cheshire YFC Rally

    21 September 2007

    THE Cheshire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs Rally is the culmination of the young farmers calendar and competitions included sport, stock judging, brick-laying and woodwork.

  • Cheshire YFC Summer Ball

    21 September 2007

    AROUND 750 young farmers attended the annual Cheshire Young Farmer’s Summer Ball.

  • CLA call for cold storage aid to take pressure off British lamb market prices

    September 21st 2007

    COLD storage aids for the lamb sector are being called for by the Country Land and Business Association.

  • CMS UK meeting cancelled

    September 21st 2007

    A MEETING on the opportunities presented by wind turbines, organised by CMS UK and due to have taken place next Wednesday September 26 at Reaseheath College, Nantwich, Cheshire has been cancelled because of current fmd concerns.

  • Collection Centres in Wales to open at midnight

    16 September 2007

    LIVESTOCK collection centres and dedicated slaughter markets, also known as “red markets”, will be permitted to operate in Wales under strict conditions from midnight tonight (Sunday, September 17).

  • Combi-Lift for Disc-Roller

    20 September 2007

    He-Va has developed their Combi-Lift soil loosening leg attachment for the trailed Disc-Roller, which was working at the Northern event. Available on new or for retrofitting to existing machines, the tine attachment requires a heavy duty drawbar for the extra pulling effort. The working depth of the tines can be adjusted between 50m and 350mm and were set to 225mm for the free draining soil at the Darrington site. There is also a choice of foot with the widest being 200mm and the narrowest ...

  • Conservation in red squirrel week

    September 21st 2007

    RED squirrel week, which runs from September 30 to October 8 is an initiative created by the Wildlife Trusts in order to highlight the threat faced by indigenous red squirrels from the larger grey, which was introduced to England, Scotland and Ireland from North America in the Victorian era.

  • Converting both farm and farmer to the benefits of going organic

    September 21st 2007

    True converts to organic farming, Alan and Donna Webber have enjoyed making the change on their dairy farm in Devon. Ann Hardy went to visit the competition finalists and their 140-cow herd.

  • Cost-sharing support drive

    September 21st 2007

    FOOD, Farming and Animal Health Minister Jeff Rooker continued his tour of the UK this week in a bid to bolster support for Defra’s disease cost-sharing initiative.

  • Creating a ‘one-man’ viable diary business

    September 21st 2007

    Each year at the Dairy Show, the winner of the South West Dairy Farmer of the Year competition is announced. Farmers Guardian has already featured some of the finalists and now Ann Hardy looks at why Richard and Moira Parker made the shortlist.

  • Creating an impression with a winning garden

    September 21st 2007

    When Cheshire Farms Competition gardens judge Derek Jones saw the garden at Henhull Hall last June he summed it up in one word – ‘wow’ – and awarded it the top place in the competition. Joyce Percival takes NEIL RYDER on a walk round her winning garden. Pictures: Marcello Garbagnoli

  • Dairy Farmer of the Future 2007 winner Stuart Rogers

    September 21st 2007

    The waiting is over and the winner of this year’s Farmers Guardian Dairy Farmer of the Future has been announced. JOANNE PUGH, one of this year’s judges, takes a look at why Stuart Rogers was deemed a worthy champion.

  • Dairy farmers not to blame in price-fixing fiasco

    20 September 2007

    THE shadow minister for rural affairs, Peter Ainsworth, has defended dairy farmers, saying they are not to blame for the fiasco over price-fixing of dairy products.

  • Dairy herd management changes at Gelli Aur

    September 21st 2007

    HAVING expanded cow numbers to 400, management of the autumn calving dairy herd at the West Wales-based Gelli Aur Agricultural College farm is being simplified.

  • Dairy industry ‘better placed than ever before’ with improving prices

    September 21st 2007

    Ahead of this year’s Dairy Show, representatives from the two mainline sponsors take a look at where the dairy industry is now, where it has come from and where it is heading.

  • Defra prepared to vaccinate – but not yet

    19 September 2007

    DEFRA has said it is prepared to vaccinate against foot-and-mouth should the need arise.

  • Demand for farmland

    September 21st 2007

    THE market in farmland in Scotland is buoyant, according to Scottish property consultants, CKD Galbraith. 

  • Demand high at Carlisle

    September 21st 2007

    AS news of the foot-and-mouth outbreak unfolded last Wednesday the demand for milking cows, heifers and followers was high at the pedigree dairy day at Borderway Mart, Carlisle.

  • Did Defra lift the foot-and-mouth restrictions too early?

    19 September 2007

    THE resurgence of foot-and-mouth just five days after the UK was declared ‘disease free’ and the final restrictions were lifted has inevitably raised the question of whether Defra acted too hastily.

  • Divided assets but a strong family business

    18 September 2007

    BARRY ALSTON sees how a North Wales cattle and sheep farm has turned into a four-way family business.

  • Divided assets but a strong family business

    September 21st 2007

    BARRY ALSTON sees how a North Wales cattle and sheep farm has turned into a four-way family business.

  • Dr Elisabeth Svendsen receives Blue Cross Award

    17 September 2007

    THE British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) welfare award 2007, sponsored by The Blue Cross, has been presented to Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE for significant contributions to equine welfare - not only as founder of The Donkey Sanctuary but also through her role in providing funding for new buildings, vets and vet nurses at various vet schools in the UK.

  • Early part-increase from Arla

    September 21st 2007

    ARLA Foods UK has announced an increase to its standard litre by 2p backdated to September 16, 2007.

  • Early part-increase from Arla

    September 21st 2007

    ARLA Foods UK has announced an increase to its standard litre by 2p backdated to September 16, 2007.

  • Early registration

    September 21st 2007

    WOODLAND owners are being urged to register early with Defra to avoid complications in applying for the English Woodland Grants Scheme (EWGS).

  • Ease the crisis – Buy British

    16 September 2007

    THE Farmers Union of Wales wants public bodies to back the farming industry by ensuring it sources British farm produce wherever possible.

  • English Sheepdog Trials results

    September 21st 2007

    HOLMROOK, Cumbria, Open (44 ran): 1, A. Kyme (Lumb) Floss, 92 of 100, OLF; 2, R. MacPherson (Kirklinton) Moss, 92; 3, A. Leak (Gaisgill) Bess, 91; 4, A. Common (Lockerbie) Mirk, 89; 5, S. Duckworth (Haslingden) Kelly, 88; 6, A. Temple (Holmrook) Meg, 87.

  • EU inspectors arrive to investigate Pirbright leaks and FMD response

    17 September 2007

    EUROPEAN Commission inspectors are arriving in London today (Monday) to begin a week long investigation into the origin and spread of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

  • EU investigating leaks and response to them

    September 21st 2007

    INSPECTORS from the European Commission have been in London and Surrey this week to investigate the biosecurity breaches at Pirbright that caused the original foot-and-mouth outbreaks last month.

  • EU plans zero-rate set aside for arable crops for 2008/09

    September 21st 2007

    THE EU Commission has formally proposed to fix the compulsory EU set-aside rate for arable crops at zero per cent for the 2008/09 market year.

  • Fact-finding fantasy farmers

    September 21st 2007

    THE winners of a Fantasy Farming League competition, organised by Business Link South Yorkshire, have just returned from a fact - finding trip to Canada – their prize for best managing an imaginary lot of land.

  • Farm Dispersal Sale – Westover Farm Partnership

    20 September 2007

    AUCTIONEERS BCM Bays Curry McCowen report that there was strong trade in the machinery and equipment offered for sale at the Westover Farm Partnership dispersal sale on Wednesday 19 September 2007.

  • Farmex grant

    September 21st 2007

    A GRANT of £100,000 has been given to ventilation company, Farmex, to fund a project looking at ways of producing a wireless method to operate its control and monitoring systems in piggeries.

  • Fears for North Wales abbatoir

    September 21st 2007

    WITH 35 per cent of lambs slaughtered in Wales going for export there are fresh fears over the future of a North Wales abattoir.

  • Fifth FMD outbreak confirmed

    18 September 2007

    FOOT-AND-MOUTH has been confirmed on a farm close to two outbreaks confirmed last week in the Egham area.

  • Five Nations Ploughing still on

    16 September 2007

    ONE of the largest events ever to be held in West Wales is still on next weekend despite the latest foot and mouth situation.

  • Floss edges out Moss at Holmrook open trial

    September 21st 2007

    ALF Kyme and Floss won the Holmrook open trial held on Saturday in North West Cumbria, while Raymond MacPherson and Moss were runners up on the same score.

  • FMD livestock restrictions fail to dampen Westmorland Show spirit

    September 21st 2007

    WITH the ban on animal movements imposed the day before, Westmorland Show went ahead without livestock at Crooklands, Kendal, on Thursday last week.

  • FMD suspected in sheep near Egham

    17 September 2007

    SHEEP on a Surrey farm close to the premises confirmed with foot-and-mouth last week have been culled out on suspicion of having contracted the disease.

  • FMD tests negative in Solihull

    20 September 2007

    MOVEMENT restrictions have been lifted around a farm in the West Midlands after tests for foot-and-mouth proved negative.

  • Follow the Country Code

    16 September 2007

    IN light of the outbreaks of foot and mouth in Surrey all visitors to the countryside are being urged by the Farmers Union of Wales to follow commonsense bio-security measures.

  • Foot-and-Mouth: What’s happened this week

    21 September 2007

    11 September

  • Freeing up cash with an interest-only mortgage

    September 21st 2007

    THE introduction of interest-only long-term mortgages could suit some farms requiring repayment flexibility, suggests Barclays agricultural policy director Euryn Jones.

  • Get up to date on latest nutrient management rules

    September 21st 2007

    A SERIES of free events for farmers have been organised by ADAS on fertiliser and manure management, with particular reference to the new NVZ proposals currently under consultation.

  • Getting tough on poisoning – ‘a crime against Scotland’

    September 21st 2007

    AT least 455 birds and 168 bats have been killed by poisoning in Scotland since May 1999, according to the Scottish Executive.

  • Great Potato Challenge

    19 September 2007

    THE search is on for the country's best potato dish. As the British Potato Council (BPC) launches its Great Potato Challenge competition for 2008, the aim is to put potatoes firmly in the spotlight with Britain's professional and student chefs.

  • Gregoire Besson Discordon DXR

    20 September 2007

    Gregoire Besson was showing the latest addition to the Discordon line-up. The DXR fills the gap between the DXN and their heavyweight DXRV. Although 3.2m and 3.6m models are available, it is the 4m version that was on show with hydraulic auto-reset but farmers can opt for shearbolt protection. The DXR can be fitted with a wide range of tines including bent subsoiling legs for working down to 400mm. Power requirement is around 50hp to 70hp per metre.

  • Guidance for horse riders and owners during foot-and-mouth

    17 September 2007

    DEFRA has created a guidance note aimed at people owning, keeping, or working with horses kept for recreational purposes in England, during an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

  • Help hedgehogs and win a SEGA prize pack

    18 September 2007

    SONIC the Hedgehog has teamed up with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society to help raise awareness of the hedgehog’s decline, which has seen them included on a list of species that need protection.

  • He-Va Sabre-Seeder

    20 September 2007

    He-Va is pushing ahead with demonstrations of its Sabre-Seeder drill and has already got two machines sold for this season. This trailed drill uses the cultivating disc system from their Disc Roller to cut a slot where the seed is placed by a tube. The neighbouring disc then covers the seed with soil and a full-width flexible rubber roller then firms the seed and completes the job. As well as being able to sow crops, the Sabre Seeder can also be used as a cultivator, reducing the number ...

  • High level of black-grass dormancy puts the emphasis on in-crop control

    September 21st 2007

    LATE black-grass germination as a result of its predicted high levels of dormancy in shed seed could place increased emphasis on in-crop control methods for the coming season, a leading ADAS researcher is predicting.

  • High levels of slugs anticipated

    September 21st 2007

    DEMAND for slug pellets is predicted to reach unprecedented levels this autumn as high value wheat crops face severe pressure from a record population of juvenile slugs.

  • Highlighting the quality of British produced food

    September 21st 2007

    The problems that have so publicly besieged the agricultural industry this year have also provided the industry with a unique opportunity to engage public support by encouraging them to buy British. The Farmers Guardian Fair Trade for British Farmers campaign has been working to this end all year and this weekend marks the start of British Food Fortnight, which will dramatically increase the profile of British food.

  • Holstein heifer tops trade with £1,600 at Skipton

    September 21st 2007

    TRADE peaked at £1,600 for the champion exhibit at Skipton auction mart’s dairy sale.

  • Horace Heywood dies, aged 75

    September 21st 2007

    THE Hampshire Down Breed Association is mourning the loss of former president Horace Heywood who died last month, he was 75.

  • Horses Inside Out lecture-demo, Yorkshire Riding Centre, Oct 24

    21 September 2007

    GILLIAN Higgins, the sports and remedial therapist behind ‘Horses inside out’ will be holding a lecture demonstration at The Yorkshire Riding Centre, Markington, Harrogate, on October 24 at 7:15pm.

  • Hound exercise FMD restrictions

    September 21st 2007

    ON-GOING foot-and-mouth restrictions mean that any activity with hounds on farmland is currently suspended.

  • How did the foot-and-mouth virus spread?

    September 21st 2007

    CHIEF veterinary officer Debby Reynolds announced to the assembled media with a smile that she was ‘satisfied that foot-and-mouth disease has been eradicated from the UK in 2007’.

  • HOYS tickets winners

    September 21st 2007

    Congratulations to the following people, who have each won a pair of best seat tickets for HOYS 2007.

  • Huhne attacks handling of foot-and-mouth outbreak

    September 21st 2007

    THE latest cases of foot-and-mouth confirmed this week will further cripple the livestock industry, prompting the Liberal Democrats to call for Government heads to roll.

  • Hyndshaw lamb tops Jacob sale

    September 21st 2007

    WITH a top price of just 260gns for a ewe lamb, last week’s Jacob Sheep Society’s Northern Area sale in Newtown St Boswells was never going to get into the record books.

  • Independent auditor could help

    September 21st 2007

    FOR every £1 we pay for our food, farmers get less than 26p thanks to the unfair practices employed by big supermarkets, say the Lib Dems.

  • Infected farm moved cattle to Wales

    19 September 2007

    IT has been confirmed that cattle were transported to Wales from the latest farm to be diagnosed with foot-and-mouth, before the disease had been detected.

  • Innovative Welsh farmer becomes RAS associate

    September 21st 2007

    A VALE of Glamorgan farmer, who started dairying in 1968 on 80 acres of land with neither house or buildings and now farms 325 acres with an innovative layout designed for efficient milk production, has been made an associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies.

  • International Sheepdog Trials 2007 picture gallery

    September 21st 2007

  • International Sheepdog Trials Ireland 2007

    19 September 2007

    ALED Owen from Corwen in North Wales stepped up his game at this year's International Sheep Dog Trials to win the Supreme with four-year-old Roy, and equal Gwyn Jones (Penmachno)'s record of three International wins with three different dogs.

  • Keen eye for quality and he is only 13 years old

    September 21st 2007

    When the Borderway Agri-Expo is held at Carlisle in November there will be an important part to play for young people in the young handlers classes and calf show. Among them will be Andrew Ewing of Annan, Dumfriesshire, who started his show career five years ago when he was aged just eight. NEIL RYDER reports.

  • Klondyke farm vows to fight back

    September 21st 2007

    NEWS of an outbreak on their farm in Surrey left John and Sally Hepplethwaite feeling ‘as if someone had died' as all their animals on Klondyke farm were slaughtered.

  • Kongskilde imports Dal-Bo

    20 September 2007

    Kongskilde UK is now importing the Dal-Bo range of products including this disc harrow, which was working in combination with one of their front-mounted cultivators. Previously distributed by LandMec, the Danish manufacturer produces a range of Cambridge rolls as well as tine and disc cultivators.

  • Kuhn Cultimer 300

    20 September 2007

    The Kuhn Cultimer 300 is capable of working to a depth of 300mm. Each of the 10 spring reset tines are fitted with a winged foot and twisted point to loosen and mix the soil in a min-till system. The under beam clearance is 80cm and the tine spacing is 90cm. Levelling discs finish off the cultivations ahead of the packer.

  • Kuhn Megant drill

    20 September 2007

    Launched at the SIMA show this spring, Kuhn had its Megant drill hard at work. The 4m model on show was fitted with optional levelling tines ahead of the three rows of tine coulters. Wheels positioned at the front set the working depth. Robert Gartwaith of Kuhn says it is a light work drill, with the coulters using the soil from the following sowing tines to cover the seed. Levelling tines on the rear finish the job off.

  • Kuhn NC power harrow drill

    20 September 2007

    Kuhn had its NC power harrow drill combination in use. The main changes to this heavy-duty rig are in the power harrow, which is to be offered in 3m and 4m working widths. The 2,000 litre hopper has been positioned as far forward as possible. The distribution head is located outside of the hopper and the metering system is driven electrically and controlled by the Quantron S terminal. The double disc coulters are said to allow higher forward speeds of 10kph or so, and are mounted on ...

  • Kverneland CTC

    20 September 2007

    Kverneland has complemented its deep loosening Stubble F machine with the CTC. Using a modular construction, the CTC can be equipped with a combination of discs, tines and a packer rollers to suit different soil and trash conditions. Working widths span 3.7m to 6.0m, with all folding hydraulically for transport. The model on show was fitted with a row of serrated discs followed by three rows of tines, with their leaf spring protection. Another row of discs levels the surface ahead of ...

  • LEADER+ funds available

    September 21st 2007

    A NEW grants scheme was has been launched by the Cumbria Farmer Network to help farmer groups develop their business knowledge.

  • Lemken ultivator

    20 September 2007

    Lemken has combined the Topas and Heliodor cultivators to create a one-pass machine for repairing soil structure. The 3m unit uses the tines of the Topas to achieve a maximum working depth of 250mm to remove compaction. The surface is worked by the Heliodor, which uses 455mm serrated discs mounted on leaf springs for stone protection. There is a choice of rear rollers, but Lemken recommends the knife roller which uses a blade to slice any clods in between the rings.

  • Lib Dem conference

    September 21st 2007

    THE Liberal Democrats got the party conference season underway this week in Brighton. WILLIAM SURMAN went to the conference entitled ‘The Environment – Action Now’ to see how the farming industry will fit into the plans for a greener future and how serious the Liberal Democrats are about delivering a rosy future for British agriculture.

  • Lifting difficult as beet harvest gets underway

    September 21st 2007

    DRY lifting conditions have caused some difficulties for growers in the first week of this season’s sugar beet campaign, while the variable size of plants may become an issue as harvest progresses.

  • Livestock movements eased

    20 September 2007

    IN a further limited relaxation of foot-and-mouth movement controls outside of the surveillance zone, Defra announced on Thursday afternoon (September 20) that susceptible stock can be moved under general licence up to 3km between premises under the same occupation, or along and across a road, for any reason.

  • Lleyn tag system back for 2007

    September 21st 2007

    FOLLOWING last year’s introduction of an individually-numbered green ear tag for pedigree sheep sold at society sales, the Lleyn Sheep Society has decided to make the tag system available again for 2007.

  • Lucinda Green to deliver two Scottish masterclasses

    21 September 2007

    EVENTING legend and international trainer Lucinda Green is to deliver two cross country riding masterclasses at Coillemore and Gleneagles.

  • Machinery demo is show first and a ‘big undertaking’

    September 21st 2007

    Having sole occupancy of the new demonstration area at the Dairy Show is a daunting, but exciting, prospect for Robert Uphill.

  • Maize monitor – countdown to harvest 2007

    September 21st 2007

    Southern area driving forward but most crops are weeks away

  • Makila cultivator

    20 September 2007

    MF Tillage Direct showed the Makila cultivator, which is available in trailed and mounted formats and working widths of 3m to 5m with hydraulic folding. The three rows of tines have spring auto-reset protection and there are a choice of points to suit the working depth, which can be as much as 250mm.

  • Making Local Food Work in England with £10m scheme

    September 21st 2007

    A NEW programme will see £10 million invested in local food initiatives throughout England over the next five years, thanks to the National Lottery’s Changing Spaces initiative.

  • Masham Sheep Fair goes ahead despite the absence of sheep

    September 21st 2007

    IN spite of the foot-and-mouth restrictions Masham Sheep Fair will be going ahead on September 29-30 and as in 2001 the real sheep will be substituted with scarecrow shepherds and sheep.  

  • Maynard: Secrets of a Bacon Curer

    19 September 2007

    THE title doesn’t sound particularly exciting, but it would be a big mistake to dismiss this entertaining book because of that.

  • MDC checklist

    September 21st 2007

    FARMERS are being urged to consult a cattle-purchasing checklist when buying cattle to minimise importing diseases into their herds.

  • Milk markets are now ‘unrecognisable’

    September 21st 2007

    By Arthur Reeves, Milk purchasing director at Dairy Crest.

  • Model Farm Project

    September 21st 2007

    FAI Farms, the commercial farming and research enterprise at the former Oxford University Research Farm, has formed a partnership with the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) to set up two international farming enterprises.The Model Farm Project will establish multi-species farms in Brazil and China to demonstrate high animal welfare and food quality while delivering a sustainable financial benefit.

  • More performance for New Holland twin-rotor combines

    September 21st 2007

    New Holland has increased its combining presence with new twin-rotor CR models. Joining the unchanged CR9060 are the CR9070 Elevation and new top dog, the CR9080 Elevation, which is said to have 10 per cent more output than the model it replaces.

  • More threshing power and ‘grunt’ boosts Axial Flow harvesting output

    September 21st 2007

    Case IH is pushing the boundaries of its Axial Flow combine with the introduction of the new flagship 9010. Sporting more power, a new rotor and straw chopper, the Axial Flow 9010 has 15 per cent more threshing performance than the 8010.

  • New addition to Hybu Cig Cymru demo farm portfolio

    September 21st 2007

    A MID-WALES sheep and beef farm – Bwlchyddwyallt, at Merthyr Cynog, Brecon, Powys – is the latest addition to Hybu Cig Cymru’s Farming Connect portfolio of 10 demonstration farms across Wales.

  • New chairmen take up positions at RABI

    September 21st 2007

    THE new chairman of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) is Andrew Densham CBE.The previously deputy chairman succeeds Rosemary Nash, who served in the role for four years. Bob Forster and Julian Sayers have been elected joint deputy-chairmen and Raymond Henley will succeeded Nicky Lyon as honorary treasurer.

  • New Holstein president

    September 21st 2007

    THE new national president of the Holstein Society is William Ley from Sutcombe, Devon. He was elected into the role at the society’s general meeting held in the South West and hosted by the Devon and Cornwall Holstein Breeders’ Clubs.

  • New Levy Board structure to be unveiled

    17 September 2007

    DETAILS about the location and structure of Levy Board UK are to be unveiled on Wednesday.

  • NEWS IN BRIEF

    September 21st 2007

    Conservation education award

  • NEWS IN BRIEF

    September 21st 2007

    SCC secures council contract

  • No hassle from livestock is the policy cornerstone

    September 21st 2007

    WILLIE Davidson has an underlying theme to his livestock breeding. If an animal gives ‘hassle’ one year, it will not be on his 2,000-acre Poldean Farm, near Moffat, the following year.

  • North Devon Equine Fair Sunday November 18

    19 September 2007

    THE North Devon Equine Fair will take place on Sunday November 18 at the BIG Sheep family tourist attraction in Bideford, North Devon.

  • Not just for Christmas

    19 September 2007

    FROM breeds to breeding, showing to slaughtering, managing to marketing, Not just for Christmas covers all aspects of turkey management.

  • Oilseed rape affected by lack of rain

    18 September 2007

    MANY seedbeds are now so dry that oilseed rape establishment is being adversely affected, notably in eastern England where little or no rain has fallen for three to four weeks.

  • OMSCo postpones annual organic milk summit

    17 September 2007

    FOLLOWING the cancellation of this week’s RABDF Dairy Event, the Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo) has announced that it is to postpone the annual Organic Milk Summit due to take place on Wednesday 19 September at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, alongside the Dairy Event.

  • Organic milk premium will be restored

    19 September 2007

    WITH ‘conventional’ milk prices surging ahead, the current organic margin has been eaten into and the Organic Milk Suppliers’ Co-operative OMSCo admits that supplying the retail market demand is not going to get any easier.

  • Ornamental pheasants for beginners

    19 September 2007

    A USEFUL introduction, illustrated with diagrams and colour photographs, this book is aimed at anyone interested in keeping ornamental pheasants.

  • Parasitic pneumonia and PGE on rise in South West

    September 21st 2007

    PARASITIC diseases in cattle are on the rise in the South West of the country, due to recent wet weather.Data from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) posted on at www.farmdisease.co.uk shows that reports of parasitic pneumonia in cattle in the region have doubled, and gut worm scours (PGE) are nine times higher – with nearly half the reports from Somerset. Welsh cattle have also been hit, with PGE more than double the norm.

  • Percy Hunt returns to HOYS after 22 years

    September 21st 2007

    In the middle part of our series on the Pony Club mounted games teams who have qualified for this year’s Prince Philip Cup, sponsored by Farmers Guardian, SARAH JONES talks to the West Perthshire, who won the cup back in 2004, and Northumberland-based Percy Hunt, who are preparing for their first HOYS visit in over 20 years.

  • Planning a crackdown to combat the £100m problem of fly-tipping

    September 21st 2007

    THERE were nearly 2.5million incidences of fly-tipping last year, affecting 67 per cent of farmers and costing the taxpayer £100million in clear-up and investigation charges.

  • Plastics schemes

    September 21st 2007

    FIVE plastic recycling schemes serving farms in Yorkshire and Humberside have been given financial support by Recycling Action Yorkshire (RAY).

  • Plea to speed up GM feed approvals

    21 September 2007

    A MULTI-FRONTED effort is being made to persuade the Council of Ministers to speed up import approval for new GM livestock feed products and endorse other measures that could soften the impact on livestock farmers of explosive feed grain prices.

  • Pooling culls for returns

    September 21st 2007

    FONTERRA is considering a pooling scheme for cull cows and bobby calves to increase dairy farmer returns from the meat industry.

  • Possible Welsh link to fifth confirmed case

    21 September 2007

    FEARS have been raised that the fifth confirmed foot-and-mouth case of infected premises in Surrey has a tracing to Wales – thought to be a major South Wales meat processing plant.

  • Pottinger Synkro

    20 September 2007

    The Synkro from Pottinger uses three rows of tines, with a choice of quick-fit points including chisel or duck foot. Levelling discs complete the cultivation process ahead of the pack ring roller. Power requirement is in the region of 50hp per metre and there is an option of shearbolt or auto-reset spring protection for the legs. Other options include pulling from the lift arms or a ring hitch and jockey castor wheels to maintain working depth. The trailed 5m and 6m models can be fitted ...

  • Prawn a gratin

    September 21st 2007

    “A very tasty dish and so quick to make,” says Joan Gardner of Shear Brook Farm, Meadowhead, Lancashire.

  • Prices to £756 before closure strands rams

    September 21st 2007

    THE re-arranged NSA annual ram sale was overshadowed by news of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

  • Putting skills to the test for a world title

    September 21st 2007

    PLOUGHMEN from Britain came out on top at the World Ploughing contest held at the Lithuanian University of Agriculture in Kaunas, Lithuania.

  • Quantock PB cultivator

    20 September 2007

    Quantock has added cultivators to its range, alongside post knockers and grass harrows. The PB cultivator has an up-and-over rear linkage to carry a piggy-back drill. Graham Burden says the £3,300 cultivator is for use on land the level of cultivations a power harrow has to offer is not required. The PB uses a crumbler roller ahead of two rows of tines and a packer roller to finish. The depth of the tines is set by screw jacks on either side.

  • Quivogne Pluton

    20 September 2007

    Quivogne had their Pluton working at Tillage. Unlike the Pluto, which is two separate machines, the Pluton has the soil loosening legs and scalloped disc unit in the same frame. The 3m mounted unit shown uses five legs for pan busting and a shouldered ring packer on the back.

  • Quota cut of 13.5 per cent is expected

    September 21st 2007

    A 13.5 PER cent quota cut, removing some 165,00 tonnes of sugar from the market in the UK, is looking likely under the latest round of EU sugar regime restructuring, according to the NFU.

  • Records tumble at Beeston Castle monthly Holstein sale

    September 21st 2007

    IT was a day of records at the mid-month sale of Holsteins at Beeston Castle Auction, Cheshire, with record numbers, averages and a record top price of £2,100 for a commercial cow.

  • Redwings open weekend, Norfolk, December 1-2

    21 September 2007

    EQUINE charity Redwings is holding an open weekend at its 350-acre headquarters at Hapton in Norfolk.

  • Regulation proposals could result in long approval delays

    September 21st 2007

    THE vote by the European Parliament Environment Committee on the new Regulation concerning the authorisation of plant protection products in the EU has provoked a mixed reaction.

  • Retail milk price rises by 8.4ppl in September

    September 21st 2007

    THE retail price of fresh milk has increased in all the major multiple retailers by the equivalent of around 8.4ppl since the beginning of September, reports the Milk Development Council.

  • Retailers and processors could do more to take advantage of consumers’ desire to buy British

    September 21st 2007

    DAIRY products are still seen by consumers as an important part of a healthy diet, according to a new survey conducted for Milk Link.

  • Rooker warning on export resumption

    25 September 2007

    FARMERS face a longer wait for the resumption of exports this time round, Food and Farming Minister Lord Rooker has warned.

  • Royal Show prize money

    September 21st 2007

    ROYAL Show exhibitors will have their long awaited prize money by the end of September, say the show organisers.

  • Sale goes on despite foot-and-mouth scare

    September 21st 2007

    As news of the latest foot-and-mouth outbreak broke last Wednesday many auction marts around the country were in the middle of conducting sales. KATIE LOMAS gives a round up of these events.

  • Scholarship for Tom

    September 21st 2007

    AN organic dairy farmer from West Yorkshire has won the 2007 Dairy UK/MDC scholarship.

  • Secure data disposal fits in well with arable enterprise

    September 21st 2007

    Handling confidential paper waste may be a far cry from his arable business but it is providing Ian Gilliat with a steady additional income. ANGELA CALVERT found out how and why he set the waste paper business up.

  • Secure feeling of living in the countryside

    September 21st 2007

    LIVING in the countryside is something of an acquired taste, it seems to me.

  • Self-belief and a desire to farm at the very heart

    September 21st 2007

    With only 55 dairy cows, Derek and Bridget Gordge run a much smaller enterprise than many of the other finalists. Ann Hardy found out how their small-scale business still makes them a living.

  • Sheep to be traded in virtual auction at Border

    September 21st 2007

    BORDER Livestock Exchange have set up a virtual sheep sale to help farmers hit by the foot-and-mouth restrictions.

  • Sheepdog Trials Diary

    20 September 2007

    ENGLAND

  • Shows and events update

    17 September 2007

    THE latest movement restrictions mean show societies and event organisers again have to make difficult decisions regarding the staging of events.

  • Shows and events update

    17 September 2007

    THE latest movement restrictions mean show societies and event organisers again have to make difficult decisions regarding the staging of events.

  • Shows and events update

    17 September 2007

    THE latest movement restrictions mean show societies and event organisers again have to make difficult decisions regarding the staging of events.

  • Shropshire walkers

    20 September 2007

    A SELECTION of pictures from the very wet walk that Shropshire YFC undertook to raise money for Shropshire Air Ambulance’s flying doctor appeal.

  • Sixth case of FMD confirmed

    22 September 2007

    CATTLE at a farm near Egham, within the protection zone, have been culled in what Defra has confirmed is the sixth case of foot-and-mouth in the latest outbreak.

  • South Canterbury plant opens

    September 21st 2007

    THE first milk is pouring through the new $100 million New Zealand Dairies Ltd (NZDL) plant in South Canterbury, despite a grassroots campaign to wrest control of the company from Russian hands.

  • Speakers Corner back at FG stand

    September 21st 2007

    It's back – Speakers Corner is returning to this year's Dairy Show, courtesy of Farmers Guardian and its sister publication Dairy Farmer – and this time it will be preceded by a number of clinics.

  • Spend extra dairy cash wisely, says Andersons

    September 21st 2007

    A return to profitability for dairying has come just in time – but the extra cash should be spent wisely.

  • Sterling movements create SP opportunities

    September 21st 2007

    STERLING / euro exchange rate movements this week have provided an opportunity to lock into the most advantageous euro selling exchange rates seen over the past 12 months.

  • Stoneleigh base chosen for new levy board HQ

    19 September 2007

    THE new Agricultural and Horticultural Levy Board, and its six sector companies, will be located at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, from April 2009.

  • Storage rots warning

    19 September 2007

    STORAGE rots are set to cause problems in this year’s harvested potato crop, disease experts from the Central Science Laboratory are warning.

  • Strong support and spirit at the West Perthshire

    September 21st 2007

    “I always say that the glory is in actually getting to HOYS – what happens when you get there can be totally different to what the ponies have been used to all season,” says West Perthshire trainer Pat Brown. “Nobody knows how ponies will react and what effect this will have on the riders.”

  • Study links asthma to pesticide use

    17 September 2007

    PESTICIDE use on farms can double the risk of adult-onset asthma in farmers, according to a study conducted in the US.

  • Suffolk Horse Society ploughing match, Oct 7

    21 September 2007

    THE Suffolk Horse Society is holding its annual ploughing match on Sunday October 7. Visitors can admire both horses and harness, plough and ploughmen, and will see an age-old skill brought to life.

  • Supermarket collusion on milk prices cost consumers £270m - OFT

    20 September 2007

    MAJOR supermarkets and dairy processors colluded to increase the prices of dairy products in 2002 and 2003, costing consumers around £270 million, the Office of Fair Trading has found.

  • Temporary Control Zone in place around Solihull

    19 September 2007

    A NEW Temporary Control Zone has been placed around a farm in the Solihull area, in the West Midlands, where foot-and-mouth is suspected.

  • Texel at 4,600gns sets new record for Ruthin

    September 21st 2007

    TRADE peaked at 4,600gns at the Ruthin Texel Club show at sale at Ruthin Farmers Auction, Denbighshire.

  • Thainstone peak of 480gns at Lleyn Society show and sale

    September 21st 2007

    THE Lleyn Sheep Society show and sale at Thainstone attracted a steady commercial trade with a healthy contingent of local buyers.

  • The benefits of registering land, whether selling or not

    September 21st 2007

    Many readers will already have seen articles about the benefits of land registration with the Land Registry, having Government targets to meet and offering discounts on their fees when a voluntary application to register is made. But is it really necessary and what are the benefits to the landowner? Helen Ryan of Brabners Chaffe Street solicitors’ Preston-based agricultural team considers the issue.

  • The Dairy Show

    21 September 2007

    READ Farmers Guardian's official preview of the Dairy Show, held each year at Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

  • The fight for Fordhall Farm

    18 September 2007

    JUST over three years ago the future for Fordhall Farm, near Market Drayton, Shropshire seemed bleak. The Hollins family were faced with eviction. The farm and farmstead brought to mind the dereliction of the fictional Cold Comfort Farm.

  • The Oldest Young Farmer

    19 September 2007

    LINCOLNSHIRE farmer Reg Dobbs has farmed his whole life within four miles of where he was born in Pinchbeck, back in 1921.

  • The Patchwork Traditional Food Company founder honoured in awards

    20 September 2007

    FROM kitchen table dream to global success, Margaret Carter’s work as founder of one of Wales’ top food companies has been honoured with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Great Taste Awards.

  • The show will go on with 250 trade stands on offer

    September 21st 2007

    The show will go on, is the current message from organisers, the Royal Bath and West of England Society – but the decision will be continually reviewed in light of veterinary advice.

  • The Smoking and Curing Book

    19 September 2007

    WRITTEN by regular Farmers Guardian contributor Paul Peacock, this book offers easy to follow step-by-step guides to the smoking and curing of meat, poultry, game, fish and cheese.

  • Third animal confirmed with bluetongue

    25 September 2007

    A THIRD animal has tested positive for Bluetongue on a premises near Lowestoft in Suffolk, confirm Defra.

  • Tillage

    20 September 2007

    FARMERS were making the most of seeing cultivation and drilling kit at work at this year’s Tillage Events, with the sunshine helping make them a success.

  • Troubleshooting tips for your Aga

    18 September 2007

    ONE for the Aga-enthusiast, or perhaps more specifically at the wannabe Aga expert, Troubleshooting tips for your Aga is a cute little paperback that brings together a selection of the most common Aga-related queries.

  • Two Temporary Control Zones lifted

    25 September 2007

    DEFRA has lifted the two foot-and-mouth Temporary Control Zones in Hampshire following negative laboratory results. Livestock farmers will be relieved that the disease has not spread outside of the protection zone in Surrey where the seventh case of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed on Monday.Defra say farmers must inspect all livestock once a day and inspect cattle twice a day and report any suspect symptoms immediately.

  • UDF auction prices ahead

    September 21st 2007

    ALTHOUGH lower overall by about 1p on the month, the Northern Ireland based co-op United Dairy Farmers’ September milk auction results remain massively ahead of last year’s figures.

  • United’s milk averages 34.66ppl

    18 September 2007

    ALTHOUGH lower overall by about 1p on the month, the Northern Ireland based co-op United Dairy Farmers’ September milk auction results remain massively ahead of last year’s figures.

  • United’s milk averages 34.66ppl

    18 September 2007

    ALTHOUGH lower overall by about 1p on the month, the Northern Ireland based co-op United Dairy Farmers’ September milk auction results remain massively ahead of last year’s figures.

  • Vaderstad over-seeding unit

    20 September 2007

    Vaderstad has adapted the grass over-seeding unit from its 3m rigid Rapid to fit on the 3m Top-Down cultivator for sowing oilseed rape and other small seed crops while cultivating. There is electric drive for the full width gravity feed metering system with radar used for measuring ground speed.

  • Vaderstad Spirit cultivator

    20 September 2007

    The Spirit cultivator drill from Vaderstad was also in action. Discs like those used on the Carrier are used to cultivate the soil ahead of wide tyres that carry the machine during transport and also prevent it sinking in too much when in work mode. Double disc coulters do the drilling, with a following harrow on the rear. The seed meter on the Spirit is the same as that on the Rapid, except it is mounted horizontally.

  • Valtra T-Series

    20 September 2007

    Working on the Kuhn plot was this Valtra T-Series tractor with a mounting plate on the roof. This is believed to be the mounting point for the GPS antenna to control the steering system. Valtra’s parent company Agco is already offering steering RTK- and GPS-based steering systems on Challenger and Massey Ferguson tractors.

  • Vicon updates variable round chamber balers

    September 21st 2007

    WITH both farmers and contractors wanting increased output in a wider range of crops Vicon has updated its range of variable chamber round balers.

  • Watkins adds auto-reset subsoiler

    20 September 2007

    Phillip Watkins is now offering two rows of scalloped discs for its Quad-Tilla cultivator in place of the three rows of tines. The discs cost an additional £500 per metre than the tines with the trailed Quad-Tilla, available in working widths of 3m to 6m.

  • Weed Control

    September 21st 2007

    Crucial to choose

  • Welsh Mule ewe pen top of £104

    September 21st 2007

    NEWS of the latest foot and mouth outbreak filtered through during the season’s opening sale of Welsh Mule breeding ewes at Welshpool.

  • West Mid Show

    20 September 2007

    SHROPSHIRE YFC at the West Mid Show – this year included karaoke, floats, ‘Deal or No Deal’ and a tent full of craft.

  • Woodland eggs

    September 21st 2007

    DEMAND for Sainsbury’s Woodland Eggs range has led to more producers supplying the brand.During the past year Woodland Eggs has more than doubled in sales volume. Almost two million hens are now on the Woodland system and roducers currently receive a 2p per dozen premium to compensate for the tree maintenance and additional welfare standards. The scheme has so far involved the planting of more than 300,000 trees on 134 woodland farms.

  • Woodland shelter to be wildlife haven in the National Forest

    17 September 2007

    WOODLAND shelters, installed as part of the National Forest’s Visitor Infrastructure Project, will become wildlife havens thanks to an imaginative design incorporating a ‘living roof’.

  • Year of Food and Farming to continue as planned

    17 September 2007

    DESPITE the latest foot-and-mouth outbreak, the Year of Food and Farming will still be going ahead with its regional launches, organisers say.

  • Young Farmers get in on the act with their eXpo-Factor

    September 21st 2007

    WITH stockjudging competitions and an ‘Auctioneering eXpo-Factor’ challenge there will be plenty of entertainment at the Agri-Expo event.

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