Farmers Guardian articles from July 2009

Farmers Guardian archives from July 2009

Farmers fear for SPS after latest RPA mapping fiasco.
July 3, 2009... * Hundreds of reported map errors * RPA chief vows to safeguard payments By William Surman FARMERS across England are worried next year's single payment could be delayed or reduced amid fears of another RPA mapping fiasco. The...

Call for NVZ extension to help out DFB suppliers.
July 3, 2009... THE NFU is asking Defra to delay the introduction of new Nitrate Vulnerable Zone restrictions to help farmers hit by the collapse of Dairy Farmers of Britain. New restrictions governing farmers affected by the expansion of NVZs in England...

Pig and poultry farmers celebrate IPPC victory.
July 3, 2009... * Vote against extended controls * Final decision expected in 2010 By William Surman UK farming unions have claimed a significant victory after EU Environment Ministers voted not to extend costly pollution controls onto hundreds...

Natural England on `biodiversity ego-trip'.
July 3, 2009... NATURAL England was accused of being on a `biodiversity ego-trip' by NFU members at their council meeting on Tuesday. Martin Haworth, NFU policy director, told members farmers across Europe would face another shake-up of their single...

Benn set to announce set-aside replacement at Royal Show.
July 3, 2009... DEFRA Secretary Hilary Benn is expected to announce he has accepted the industry proposal for a voluntary approach to retain the benefits of set-aside at next week's Royal Show. Mr Benn is due to appear at the show next Wednesday, when he...

Defra sets April 2012 deadline for cost sharing.
July 3, 2009... * Determination to push proposal through By Alistair Driver GORDON Brown confirmed the Government intends to press ahead with new Responsibility and Cost Sharing (RCS) legislation for England this autumn. A draft Animal Health RCS...

Plans for England will be to Scotland's detriment.
July 3, 2009... SCOTTISH farmers could lose out under Defra's plans for Responsibility and Cost Sharing (RCS), Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has warned. Speaking at last week's Royal Highland Show, Mr Lochhead said the Scottish...

Lord Rooker to take over as FSA chairman.
July 3, 2009... FORMER Food and Farming Minister Jeff Rooker is set to become the new chairman of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a body he helped set up 10 years ago. Lord Rooker was offered the post last Friday, although the appointment still needs to...

TARGET TB: No change to table valuations as legal challenge defeated.
July 3, 2009... * Court of Appeal decision upheld THE long-running NFU-backed legal battle against the tabular valuation system in England has finally ended in defeat, heightening farmers' sense of injustice over Defra's bovine TB (bTB) policy. Last...

TARGET TB: Farmer's fury at judges' decision.
July 3, 2009... THE farmer at the forefront of the legal battle to overturn the controversial tabular valuation system for cattle has spoken of his `sadness' that the case finally ended in defeat. Devon farmer David Partridge was one of the first victims...

TARGET TB: How Defra dealt the knock-out blow.
July 3, 2009... * Round One: The NFU-backed Judicial Review was heard in the High Court on June 9 and 10, 2008. In his judgment on July 14, Lord Justice Stanley Burnton ruled in favour of David Partridge, finding the tabular valuation policy to be...

TARGET TB: Table valuations are here to stay.
July 3, 2009... * Introduced in February 2006, the system applies to four cattle diseases: bovine TB, EBL, brucellosis and BSE. * Compensation is based on average market price for 47 pre-determined cattle categories. These are determined along the lines...

TARGET TB: Badger vaccination set for hardest-hit bovine TB areas.
July 3, 2009... DEFRA has unveiled the six TB hotspot areas where badgers will be vaccinated from next summer in a five-year project. Six catchment areas of 300sq.km have been identified, drawn from the worst affected areas. Within these locations,...

TARGET TB: `In denial' of disease's true scale.
July 3, 2009... THE Government is `in denial' over the `true scale and catastrophic impact' of bovine TB (bTB) in wildlife, according to the National Beef Association's (NBA) South West TB committee. "The disease reservoir in badgers in Devon and Cornwall...

TARGET TB: The six TB hotspot areas for badger vaccination trial.
July 3, 2009... * The Eccleshall area of Staffordshire * North of Bromyard, East of Tenbury Wells, on Herefordshire and Worcestershire border * North-east of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire * North west of Stroud, towards the Severn Valley,...

TARGET TB: FUW stands by badger cull comments.
July 3, 2009... FARMERS Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan is standing by bovine TB and badger comments he made at the union's annual meeting, which were later challenged by the Badger Trust. Mr Vaughan claimed the English Government's decision not to...

IN BRIEF: IPU on-farm is now illegal.
July 3, 2009... It is now illegal to continue to use or store any products containing the herbicide isoproturon (IPU). Farmers had until Tuesday (June 30) to use up or dispose of remaining stocks. UK approval for all products containing IPU was revoked by...

IN BRIEF: Plant research centre opens.
July 3, 2009... A new research centre dedicated to researching the DNA of plants and animals used in food production opened this week. The Genome Analysis Centre based near Norwich, was opened by the British Biotechnology Research Council BBSRC. Scientists...

IN BRIEF: Potato Council's new director.
July 3, 2009... The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has announced the appointment of Sandra Ziles as the new director of the Potato Council. She will join from Somerfield where she is product innovation director responsible for the...

IN BRIEF: RASE honours Prince Charles.
July 3, 2009... Prince Charles is to receive the Royal Agricultural Society of England's National Agricultural Award for 2009. In its citation, the RASE Awards Committee describes the Prince as `a farmer, who clearly cares about the British countryside and the...

Welsh GM crop growers should expect to be tightly regulated.
July 3, 2009... * Strict liability is one of the proposals By Barry Alston MEASURES aimed at protecting conventional farmers in Wales from the possible disadvantages of accidental GM contamination have been announced by the Welsh Assembly. The...

Britain's flood defences are better, says Defra.
July 3, 2009... BRITAIN'S ability to cope with severe flooding has improved significantly since 2007, Defra has claimed. Defra Secretary Hilary Benn published a report last week outlining the progress the Government has made in flood defence, with...

New rules will cut food waste.
July 3, 2009... MISSHAPEN fruit and vegetables are to once again be sold across Europe after new EU marketing regulations came into force on Wednesday. Many retailers had stopped selling less than perfect food but the new rules simplify how produce can be...

Sterling's gains inflicting pain on UK meat exporters.
July 3, 2009... UK beef and lamb exporters are beginning to suffer from a strengthening pound. At the end of 2008, sterling was at its weakest against the euro when it fell to a low of E1.02 (E1 = 97p), but at the start of this week, the pound had risen...

Fitzpatrick wants closer ties with industry.
July 3, 2009... DESPITE admitting he was `brand new' to many issues under his remit, Food and Farming Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said he was committed to listening to farmers and industry experts. Speaking to Farmers Guardian at the Royal Norfolk Show, Mr...

`Leaks and secrecy' led to DFB failure.
July 3, 2009... * Accountability and transparency now key By Alistair Driver NFU dairy board chairman Gwyn Jones has hit out at the `secrecy' and `lack of accountability' within Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFB) he believes contributed to its decline....

Dairying's future `bright'.
July 3, 2009... A DEFRA Minister was accused of failing to comprehend the scale of the crisis facing the dairy sector, during a heated debate in the House of Lords. Defra's spokesman in the Lords, Lord Davies, became embroiled in a row after he ruled out...

LETTER: Rebuilding farming's respected brand.(Letter to the editor)
July 3, 2009... THE Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) has, for the last century, been one of the most respected brands in agriculture, yet in recent years it has been let down by its trustees. Ongoing complacency has led to an inability to connect...

LETTER: Cheap food is not sustainable.(Letter to the editor)
July 3, 2009... TESCO recently announced in a TV advertisement they were offering a #2 chicken, a half-priced cheddar cheese and free cream with strawberries. Then it went on to claim it offered more, and cheaper, products than one of its main rivals. I...

LETTER: Save the UK's dairy industry.(Letter to the editor)
July 3, 2009... LAST week, Defra Secretary Hilary Benn presented a report to Parliament warning the farming industry would have to change and adapt if the UK was to produce enough food in future. Politicians refuse to accept responsibility and can always...

EDITORIAL: Groundhog day for the RPA?(Editorial)
July 3, 2009... Most people in farming have long memories - particularly when it comes to waiting for payment, and especially if it is from the Government. So it is hardly believable the Rural Payments Agency appears to be on the brink of another mapping...

OPINION: Rise of might over slight?
July 3, 2009... THE demise of Dairy Farmers of Britain reminds me of a slice of homespun wisdom of my father's about the danger of selling to farmer- run co-ops. Dad was of the view it was best to avoid businesses run by farmers. While he had every regard...

Strong opposition to new regulation.
July 3, 2009... DEFRA was left in no doubt the UK farming industry remained strongly opposed to EID as it closed its consultation this week. Despite differences of opinion from stakeholders on how to implement the rules, it was clear the regulations would...

Livestock industry split over EID derogation.
July 3, 2009... Farming organisations look set to clash over how proposed regulations on compulsory EID should be implemented. Jack Davies reports. * Fears over costs for store finishers FARMERS would lose out if the proposed slaughter derogation...

NSA to continue its fight.
July 3, 2009... NATIONAL Sheep Association chief executive Peter Morris has clarified the organisation's response to Defra's consultation on EID. He says it does not outline its support for a nationwide database or indicate any weakening of its position...

NFUS mulls mass protest on EID.
July 3, 2009... NFU Scotland has stepped up its fight against EID, warning it is still considering a mass protest by sheep farmers in opposition of the regulations Speaking at the Royal Highland Show last week, NFUS president Jim McLaren said the union...

Caring Prince has family farm empathy.
July 3, 2009... * Prince's pledge to help dairy industry * Heir on fact-finding mission in Wales By Barry Alston A COMMITMENT to do whatever he can to help the beleaguered dairy industry has come from the Prince of Wales. He told farming...

Royal supporter battles for `a way of life'.
July 3, 2009... DURING his time in Wales, Prince Charles also visited farms in the Llanddewi Brefi area of Ceredigion to hear how the Cambrian Mountains lamb marketing initiative he launched last year, was progressing. He called in at Carnau Farm, farmed...

BUSINESS: Watch the fat levels in lambs this season.
July 3, 2009... SPECIAL care and attention is required in selecting lambs for slaughter this season ifproducers are to realise full market potential. Eblex says favourable spring conditions followed by particularly good summer grazing have meant more lambs...

BUSINESS: Morrisons getting its hands dirty in Scotland.
July 3, 2009... * Retailer plans to get closer to its suppliers * Efficiency-boosting drive launch on web By Howard Walsh MORRISONS is getting closer to its farmer-suppliers - and is also `getting its hands dirty' in a joint venture on 283...

BUSINESS: Contracts still up for discussion at Sainsbury's.
July 3, 2009... THE development of `contracts', in conjunction with its various groups of supplying producers, remains an area of discussion for Sainsbury's. Some would inevitably be easier to formulate than others, said director of trading Mike Coupe,...

BUSINESS: Landowners awaiting grants.
July 3, 2009... THE development of affordable rural housing for rent, could now be a real business proposition for some farmers and landowners in Scotland. The outcome of the first tranche of applications for grant aid is now awaited. The grant aid, payable...

BUSINESS: Check adviser is qualified.
July 3, 2009... CHECK the credentials of your tax adviser, a professional has warned. "Anyone can set up and claim to be an accountant; 30 per cent of tax agents in the UK are not members of any professional body and 20 per cent have no professional...

BUSINESS: Whisky exports to boost barley?
July 3, 2009... SUCCESSFUL negotiations on trade tariffs could see Scotch whisky exports rise, and with it the demand for malting barley by about seven per cent. India, in particular, had `significant potential' an NFUS cereals conference was told. ...

BUSINESS: New creamery for First Milk.
July 3, 2009... * Biggest ever dairy grant for Kintyre plant By Howard Walsh FIRST Milk is building a new creamery at Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre - with the help of the Scottish Government's biggest ever dairy grant. It will replace the...

BUSINESS: Steers lead the Highland steaks.
July 3, 2009... STEAKS from steers topped two processor/supermarket competitions at the Royal Highland Show. In the McIntosh Donald/Tesco Scotch championship `cook-off', two steaks from Simmental cross steers were first and second. The 12 steaks in...

BUSINESS: Fertiliser industry looks to better times.
July 3, 2009... DEMAND for fertiliser is expected to pick up in 2009-10. The International Fertiliser Industry Association (IFA) Fertiliser Outlook 2009-2013 suggests a rebound from the sudden fall in demand in 2008-9 is on the cards. In its global outlook...

BUSINESS: Quick uptake for Milk Link's 18.5ppl contract.
July 3, 2009... Former DFB milk producers have been quick to take up Milk Link's offer of an 18.5ppl contract this week. By midday Wednesday, 100 of the remaining 143 had taken up the opportunity which, on paper, was due to start on Wednesday (July 1). A...

BUSINESS: Lim Society in the black.
July 3, 2009... THE Limousin Cattle Society has posted a surplus of #156,567 for the year to December 2008. The Society's investment portfolio was however hit by the global economic downturn and future budgets and expenditure have taken account of an...

ARABLE: Growers must remain vigilant for blight.
July 3, 2009... * Keep on top of planned treatments By Dominic Kilburn THE 2009 potato crop, to date, has had the lowest exposure to blight infection risk since 2002, if the number of recorded Smith Periods across the country is used as a benchmark....

ARABLE: Provenance potential in cereal supply chain.
July 3, 2009... Opportunities exist within the cereals sector to open up new markets, add value and increase margins, according to new research commissioned by HGCA. Teresa Rush reports. * Customers seeking origins of their food * Research flags up...

ARABLE: Examples of opportunities for various sectors.
July 3, 2009... * Bread - to use provenance to underline health benefits; to introduce regional specialities; to take the `local bakery' ethos to mainstream brands in small production batches, hand-made and `bakers best' * Breakfast cereals - to emphasise...

ARABLE: Making most of trends and maximising openings.
July 3, 2009... GLEBE Farm in Cambridgeshire is already taking advantage of the trends in provenance and showing just what can be done. Managed by farmer's daughter Rebecca Rayner, Glebe Farm grows, mills and markets a range of organic and gluten-free flours,...

ROOT CROP DISEASE: Common scab breakthrough.
July 3, 2009... Keeping the right balance of good and bad bacteria in your soil in order to combat common scab could require less water than you think, according to results of a recently completed project on the disease. The Defra-sponsored LINK project,...

ROOT CROP DISEASE: Improving beet growers' guidelines.
July 3, 2009... With up to a 20 per cent reduction in yield, and the possibility of 30 per cent of the UK's beet crop being at risk from infection, powdery mildew is still the main target for beet growers when considering fungicide applications this season....

MACHINERY: Plans ongoing as Lely aims to be a big player in grass.
July 3, 2009... Lely is after a top three slot in the global grass machinery market, writes Steven Vale. Part of this plan includes lots of new products to boost the company's portfolio. * Dutch company sets up R&D division ALTHOUGH last year's...

MACHINERY: Power steering to feature on Suzuki's bigger ATVs.
July 3, 2009... * Other changes reduce rider fatigue POWER steering has come to Suzuki. Initially, a brand-new KingQuad 500 and the KingQuad 750 get the new feature as standard and these two took pride of place on the company's stand at the Royal...

MACHINERY: Skyline bids to immobilise a #1bn machinery problem.
July 3, 2009... VEHICLE tracking and immobiliser specialists Enigma Systems has put forward four of its Skyline GPS systems for testing by Thatcham. With construction machinery theft costing more than #1 billion in the UK alone Thatcham is introducing a new...

LIVESTOCK: Biogas revolution in development.
July 3, 2009... Set-up, use, risk and returns of anaerobic digestion were covered at a conference organised by the Royal Agricultural Society of England last week at Stoneleigh. Simon Wragg reports. * Set-up costs put off farmers * But income streams...

LIVESTOCK: Growing outputs with fewer inputs.
July 3, 2009... With anaerobic digestion technology already being used in the UK, Jack Davies spoke to two farmers with systems in place. Owen Yeatman, Lowbrook Farm, North Devon AS Owen Yeatman pulls into the driveway at Lowbrook farm, North Devon,...

LIVESTOCK: Extracting energy from waste to produce electricity.
July 3, 2009... Andrew Needham Managing director Biogen Greenfinch MAIZE and slurry is one way farms can turn waste into energy and fertiliser. At Biogen Greenfinch, managing director Andrew Needham and his team are taking waste from the retail sector as...

LIVESTOCK: Double ROCs - making AD stack up.
July 3, 2009... Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) were introduced by the Government to pay a premium for renewable energy. A ROC is a certificate issued to those generating renewable energy through technologies such as anaerobic digestion. For...

LIVESTOCK: First calves born on Jersey.
July 3, 2009... ALMOST a year since the island of Jersey decided to lift the ban on bovine semen imports, two Jersey dairy calves have been born. The first was a bull calf by the Canadian sire Bridon Excitation and the second a heifer by USA sire Woodstock...

LIVESTOCK: More mastitis training for vets.
July 3, 2009... AS part of its Mastitis Control Plan, DairyCo has added an extra training event for vets and consultants due to growing demand. Kate Cross of DairyCo says: "We've been really pleased to see the DairyCo Mastitis Control Plan training is so...

LIVESTOCK: Nominations are now open.
July 3, 2009... NOMINATIONS are being accepted for the 2009 David Black Award, given annually to someone `who has made a substantial and lasting contribution to the British pig industry'. Call 01908 844 368 or visit www.bpex.org.uk. Copyright: UBM...

LIVESTOCK: Danish Welsh Black deal done.
July 3, 2009... A CONSIGNMENT of 18 Welsh Black maiden heifers and a bull has been exported to Denmark - the third such deal in consecutive years. The breed society says further enquires from Germany are also looking promising. Copyright: UBM Information...

LIVESTOCK: British Friesians may hold the key to increased diversity.
July 3, 2009... * Variants of the MHC gene identified * Holstein health and fitness an issue By Ann Hardy PURE British Friesian bloodlines, which are unique to the UK, could be of greater benefit to the dairy industry than was previously...

COW THERMONITOR: Cows laying down reduces stress.
July 3, 2009... FARMERS should take a proactive approach to maximise cow comfort, even after heat stress, according to Jeff DeFrain, research nutritionist with the Zinpro Corporation. "Anything you can do to encourage cows to lie down will reduce the...

GRAZING MONITOR: Maintaining your grass quality should become priority.
July 3, 2009... MAINTAINING grass quality and intakes should be the priority over the next few weeks, as the mid-summer months are commonly associated with declining grass quality and long dry spells coupled with high temperatures can result in reduced grazing...

LIVESTOCK: Poultry house cleaner.
July 3, 2009... A CHEMICAL-FREE method to reduce disease in poultry houses has been created by Thermoweed and Calor. The Thermoweed Poultry Floor Burner can be used to clean houses between batches of chickens after the litter has been removed and the...

LIVESTOCK: Alkalage production pellets.
July 3, 2009... * Providing a protein source for livestock THE manufacturers of Home n' Dry pellets are encouraging livestock farmers in need of a protein source to consider alkagrain. The pellets have traditionally been marketed in the UK for the...

LIVESTOCK: Treatment to preserve forage grain.
July 3, 2009... TO help farmers feeding home-grown forage preserve grain for up to 12 months, the Denis Brinicombe Group has launched Grainsave Triple Action. The `triple action' is to eliminate drying costs, halt the growth of moulds (stopping the...

LIVESTOCK: Forage additives.
July 3, 2009... A RANGE of forage additives containing a new combination of enzymes is available from Micron Bio-Systems. The enzymes separate the energy from the lignin while using the resulting sugars to produce lactic acid and other volatile acids. This...

LIVESTOCK: Worm and fluke control.
July 3, 2009... THE oral drench Albacert 2.5 per cent SC is now available from Downland. For cattle and sheep, the broad spectrum, multi-purpose anthelmintic controls mature and developing immature forms of gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, tapeworms and...

LIVESTOCK: Easy to lay cow tracks.
July 3, 2009... HAVING found yet another use for recycled waste plastic from farms, Solway Recycling has launched Cow Traks. Manufactured from recycled plastic, the tracks are similar to soil stabilisers used for car parking and buggy tracks at golf...

LIVESTOCK: Tail trimmer attachment.
July 3, 2009... IMPORTED from New Zealand, a cow tail trimmer is now available from UK- based KiwiKit. The company says the Shoof Power Tail Trimmer is simple to use, saves time and eliminates cuts and grazes to cows and staff. It is an attachment for...

LIVESTOCK: Quality test for boar libido.
July 3, 2009... PIG breeding company ACMC has introduced a boar quality assurance test for libido. Sexually-mature young boars (around six months of age) are `jump- tested' for semen collection four times and are given a libido score from one (`timid') to...

LIVESTOCK: Foot disorders.
July 3, 2009... A POSTER picturing 14 of the most common foot disorders in dairy cows is now available from the Zinpro Corporation. An international project, the poster includes common infectious and non- infectious diseases, terminology and...

LIVESTOCK: Parasite guide.
July 3, 2009... COMBINING information on products for beef and sheep, a parasite product guide has been published by Eblex's Better Returns Programme. The booklet gives a comprehensive report of internal and external parasite issues and details of the best...

ROYAL HIGHLAND: Galloways reign supreme with Highland hat-trick.
July 3, 2009... * Judge `never drawn to the breed' before By Joanne Pugh BY far the most successful beef breed at the Royal Highland Show was the Galloway, picking up three out of four inter-breed trophies. The string of successes started on...

ROYAL HIGHLAND: Alister Laird breaks a nine-year drought.
July 3, 2009... * Fifth title for the champion's owner * Jersey captures the reserve title By Joanne Pugh HAVING been a prolific winner at the Royal Highland in the past, Alister Laird was delighted to get his hands back on the dairy inter- breed...

ROYAL HIGHLAND: Sheep inter-breed goes to high quality Charollais.
July 3, 2009... * First-ever Highland title for the breed By Angela Calvert A CHAROLLAIS took the sheep inter-breed title for the first time at the Royal Highland. The shearling ram, Logie Durno I'm Your Man, owned by Willie and Carol Graham, was...

ROYAL HIGHLAND: Devolved government needs a voice on farming.
July 3, 2009... DEFRA'S dominance in farming decisions over the rest of the UK was highlighted by Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead, at the Royal Highland Show. He told a QMS breakfast that Scotland had `several differences'...

ROYAL HIGHLAND: Scotland aims to add #10bn to its food and drink sector.
July 3, 2009... More than 176,000 visitors turned out for this year's Royal Highland Show. Jack Davies and David Boderke report. * Supermarkets join Retailers' Charter THE Scottish Government unveiled its national food and drink strategy at this...