Farmers Guardian articles from June 2006

Farmers Guardian archives from June 2006

Closure hits fallen stock collections.
June 2, 2006... THOUSANDS of farmers have been left without any means of disposing of their fallen stock following the temporary closure of one of the UK's biggest collection sites. Environmental health officers shut down Clutton Agricultural's collection...

Farmers face big SP cuts following rural funding deal.
June 2, 2006... UNITED Kingdom farmers face significantly higher cuts to their Single Payments from 2007, after last week's disappointing rural development funding agreement. The European Commission's proposals for the Rural Development Programme for...

Defra vows to lead the way on CAP reform.
June 2, 2006... DEFRA has vowed to lead the way in further radical reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. Outlining its targets and ambitions for the year ahead in its departmental report for 2005/6, Defra has said it needs to direct more resources and...

The 1p payments.
June 2, 2006... THE Rural Payments Agency has revealed that 26 claimants have received payments of just 1p. A spokesman said they would be looking at introducing a minimum payment level for 2006. But the cost of implementing such a system for 2005 would have...

Payments received are up just 2pc this week.
June 2, 2006... THE number of applicants who received their Single Payment rose by just 2 per cent this week after the Rural PAyment Agency's computer system was temporarily shut down over the Bank Holiday weekend for an upgrade. Money has now been paid...

NFUS fury over outstanding claims despite promise.
June 2, 2006... THE NFU Scotland reacted with fury as it emerged that outstanding validated Single Payments had not been paid by May 31, as had been promised by the Scottish Executive. The Executive had assured the NFUS that all farmers whose applications...

Concessions on world trade?
June 2, 2006... EUROPE is ready to make further concessions on agriculture in the World Trade Organisation discussions - but only if the United States moves first. At an informal farm council in Austria this week Farm Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel...

Consultation on draft rural plan.
June 2, 2006... WELSH Assembly Countryside Minister Carwyn Jones has launched a consultation on the draft Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013. It follows an earlier eight-week consultation on the draft strategic approach to rural development, which...

Ban call from UK and Irish unions of Brazilian beef.
June 2, 2006... THE UK and Irish farming unions have called for an immediate ban on Brazilian beef imports to protect livestock against foot-and-mouth disease. Following a joint meeting on Wednesday between the NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland, UFU and the...

Wet weather hits silage harvesting and quality.
June 2, 2006... ALTHOUGH forage harvesters were out in force this week the chance of producing some top-notch silage has been vastly reduced by recent wet weather conditions. "We are now about three weeks and around 3,000 acres behind with silaging this...

Thanksgiving service for Rhiannon Bevan.
June 2, 2006... A PUBLIC thanksgiving service to celebrate the life of Rhiannon Bevan, OBE, former head of the National Federation of Women's Institutes - Wales and ex-general secretary of the NFWI, who died last week aged 69, is being held at Capel Bethel,...

Spray scheme operators' extension.
June 2, 2006... A ONE-YEAR extension has been granted from the National Register of Sprayer Operators (NRoSO) to give early members the chance to register for extra points and qualify for renewed membership status. This one-off extension only applies to...

Predators `biggest threat to bird life'.
June 2, 2006... OUT-DATED supposition about farming practices are threatening targets set by agri-environment schemes to reverse declines in farmland birds. Findings from a report, commissioned by the charity, SongBird Survival, have revealed that...

Hill farmers seethe over Welsh Assembly decision.
June 2, 2006... THERE has been no let-up in the anger being felt among Welsh farmers at the decision by Welsh Assembly Countryside Minister, Carwyn Jones, to slash Tir Mynydd hill farming support payments - reported in last week's Farmers Guardian. A...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Make children `food savvy'.
June 2, 2006... Wales could take eight simple steps and lead the way in making Britain's schoolchildren food `savvy' and nutritionally knowledgeable, said Rees Roberts, chairman of the Wales-based red meat promotional body, Hybu Cig Cymru, responding to Food...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Hot quads.
June 2, 2006... With quad bikes considered `hot property' by thieves and an increasing number of reported thefts from locations across its area in the first six months of the year, Dyfed Powys Police is mounting a major awareness campaign. It is urging owners...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Importance of dairy produce.
June 2, 2006... The MDC has produced a leaflet for dairy farmers to give out during farm open days and school visits, promoting the true fat content of milk and the importance of dairy products in children's and teenagers' diets, as well as touching on the...

`Once in a lifetime opportunity' to curb supermarket abuses.
June 2, 2006... FARMERS are being urged to take a `once in a lifetime opportunity' to highlight the need for Government action to curb supermarket abuses of power. The Competition Commission (CC) is in the first stage of collecting evidence from...

Revealing glimpse into the shopping basket.
June 2, 2006... A NEW Defra report offers farmers a revealing glimpse at the contents of UK families' shopping baskets. The average household's expenditure on many types of farm produce has risen dramatically, according to Defra's annual record of...

UK not in queue for flu compensation.
June 2, 2006... MEMBER states are queuing up to request aid from the European Commission to compensate for the financial costs of avian flu. Even Ireland, which has had no cases of the disease, has made a claim for 50 per cent funding, on grounds that...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Inaugural show.
June 2, 2006... The inaugural Welsh National Charolais Show 2006 is to be staged at Oswestry Show on Saturday, August 5. Organised by the Welsh Charolais region and sponsors, Rumenco, and the British Charolais Cattle Society, the show is offering #3,000 in...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Stewart retires.
June 2, 2006... Stewart Douglas, Scottish area manager for bpi.agri, the British-based manufacturer of agricultural stretch wrap, is retiring at the end of May after being involved with Scottish agriculture for 36 years. He is being succeeded by Lloyd Dawson....

NEWS IN BRIEF: #27m centres.
June 2, 2006... Three new centres for integrative systems biology, representing an investment of #27 million, have been announced by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The centres will be located at the Universities of...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Annual sponsor.
June 2, 2006... A sponsorship scheme which will each year help a new entrant to the goose industry is being launched by Norfolk Geese in memory of its founder, the late John Adlard.Details from Norfolk Geeseon 01379 676391 or e-mail:...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Vital guidance.
June 2, 2006... Farming the green # will be at the heart of the message a group of rural enterprise support organisations will be detailing at Malvern's Three Counties Show from June 16 to 18. Some 19 organisations will offer guidance. Copyright: CMP...

New competition for live exports.
June 2, 2006... TWO former exporters are finalising plans to restart exporting calves and other livestock from the UK. Working in association with the Republic of Ireland-based Wicklow Cattle Company, Graeme Routley based in the South West and Tony...

June 11 is first national farm open day.
June 2, 2006... ON Sunday, June 11, farms in England, Wales and Scotland will open their gates to the public for Britain's first national farm open day. With more than 340 farms signed up so far, organiser Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) is calling...

Working at height campaign launched.
June 2, 2006... A CAMPAIGN has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive that raises awareness among farm workers of the dangers posed by working up ladders or at height. The Executive warned that workers regularly underestimate the dangers of...

OPINION: Unearthing the pitfalls of latest substance ban.
June 2, 2006... ANYONE who has driven around the countryside can't have failed to notice the dramatic increase in the amount of farmland affected by those little `mammalian JCBs'. There is no doubt that the difficulty in obtaining strychnine has increased...

OPINION: Take your chance!
June 2, 2006... There was not a blade of grass to be found, and then at the end of March we had eight inches of rain. After one bad night, I returned in the morning with the dog having to run because his box on the quad was full of dead lambs. And all this at...

Anglesey trial for VIA system.
June 2, 2006... A GROUNDBREAKING Video Image Analysis system for evaluating sheep carcases and being trialled at the Welsh Country Foods abattoir, on Anglesey, was shown to Welsh farming industry leaders. The VIA system, the first sheep unit based in the...

NFU Cymru still against electronic ID for sheep.
June 2, 2006... NFU Cymru has reaffirmed its total opposition to the electronic identification of sheep until available systems are simple to use, reliable, robust and cost effective. The union's latest rejection has followed a report from livestock board...

WMSS launch initiative to include non-native breeds.
June 2, 2006... THE Welsh Mountain Sheep Society - Registered Section is launching an initiative to include non-pedigree Welsh Mountain sheep flocks on its register. The aim is to meet the needs of flock owners whose sheep are of the correct type but...

Up to Britain to exploit `big European market'.
June 2, 2006... THERE was a big European market for British beef and it was up to the British industry to make it work, Jean-Pierre Garnier, MLC export manager, told the NBA meeting. But he also warned there were, in fact, four main markets for British...

Dissolution for the Scottish council.
June 2, 2006... NEIL RYDER reports from the National Beef association's annual meeting at Hexham, Northumberland. THE National Beef Association has dissolved its existing Scottish council `with immediate effect' and has announced a new council is to be...

`One-off' costs contributed to a bad year financially.
June 2, 2006... SINCE its foundation the financial fortunes of the National Beef Association have been cyclical with a good year followed by a bad year and then another good year. Last year was a bad year, said association treasurer Bill Harper. However,...

THE COMMONS: The Gower's pioneering management partnership.
June 2, 2006... BARRY ALSTON takes a look at developments involving one of farming's all-too-often forgotten but valuable assets. REPRESENTATIVES of commons associations from across Wales were present at the first Welsh Commons Forum field day - hosted by...

THE COMMONS: Safeguarding their present and future viability.
June 2, 2006... WINDING its way through the Parliamentary process at present is a brand new Commons Act. It could become law by the end of the year - bringing some good news and perhaps not so good for the millions of acres that add up to Britain's common...

Ecological experts at Dales event.
June 2, 2006... A MAJOR gathering of ecological experts will be taking place in the Yorkshire Dales National Park next month. Representatives from all 14 National Parks in the UK will be getting together for a three-day conference to discuss topics ranging...

Using DNA markers in breeding selection.
June 2, 2006... PIONEERING DNA testing work, part of a pilot project utilising this new technology for the first time in the UK, will be the focus of the first open day being staged today at Hybu Cig Cymru's new demonstration farm at Rhiwfelen, Foel, near...

Little Bo Peep and her racing sheep.
June 2, 2006... FROM Little Bo Peep and her sheep Grand National to students bombarding their teachers with soggy sponges, there were no holes barred during Reaseheath College's Raising And Giving (RAG) week. During the seven days, which culminated in an...

Praise for work done by local farmers.
June 2, 2006... LOCAL farmers were not appreciated for the work they did in maintaining and protecting the countryside, said Shaun Spiers, chief executive of Campaign to Protect Rural England. In a speech at the Worcestershire CPRE annual meeting, he said...

Award-winning breeders face an uncertain future.
June 2, 2006... PEDIGREE cattle breeders David and Mary Cormack of Thirsk, North Yorkshire, have made a tremendous start to the show season and already have an impressive haul of sashes and trophies to add to those of previous seasons. Their Newstart herd...

Commercial class in overall beef win with Chicago Joe.
June 2, 2006... NEIL Slack from Penrith took the overall beef championship at Northumberland County for the second year running. His commercial beef champion, the 12-month-old, Limousin cross steer, Chicago Joe beat the beef inter-breed champion, Alan and...

Ayrshire `rules' to take top dairy title.
June 2, 2006... THE dairy inter-breed title went to Andrew Hodge's, homebred Ayrshire cow, Rulesmain Monkscloth who had been champion in the Any Other Dairy Breed Section. She calved in January and is currently giving 40 litres per day. This was her first...

Suffolk success as youth shows way.
June 2, 2006... YOUTH was to the fore in the sheep section with both the inter-breed champion and reserve being this year's lambs. The title went to J. Walton and Sons, of Alnwick, with their untrimmed Suffolk tup lamb. He is by their stock tup, Haddo...

Charolais and Southdown share beef and sheep titles.
June 2, 2006... MORE than 25,000 visitors attended the two-day Herts County Show at Redbourn, Hertfordshire, last weekend. In the sheep finals Mr B. Cooper won all the top silverware when his Southdown ram was placed first in four championship classes -...

Weather could not deter go-ahead of centenary show.
June 2, 2006... THIS year's Cothi Bridge show was the 100th and everyone agreed that nothing would deter this milestone in the society's history from going ahead. Despite heavy rain - on the eve of the show and overnight - the gates were opened and...

East of England Country Show preview.
June 2, 2006... LIVESTOCK entries for this year's East of England Country Show are up yet again on previous years and show organisers believe livestock will receive even more interest from other show-goers thanks to changes in layout and programme. Barrie...

Record crowd.
June 2, 2006... DESPITE wet and cold conditions for the second year running, last month's Royal Welsh Smallholder and Garden Festival attracted a record crowd of 24,144 - 3,000 more than the previous high. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Perth trend continues with champion Burnside Taz.
June 2, 2006... THE trend of Perth-bought bulls claiming inter-breed titles in Southern England continued on Monday as the Charolais, Burnside Taz, became the Surrey County Show champion. Ten days earlier the precedent had been set at Devon where three...

Southdown that's `built like a brick'.
June 2, 2006... A SOUTHDOWN shearling ewe from Daniel Bunting, Aldbury, Hertfordshire, was crowned sheep inter-breed champion. Part of a 22-ewe flock this was the first time out for the homebred animal with trips to the South of England and Royal to come....

Last year's champion heifer is now queen of the dairy.
June 2, 2006... THE Jersey second calver, Wotton Decadence Yolande, was crowned dairy inter-breed champion with the Ayrshire champion standing reserve. Yolande was a homebred Canyon Decadence daughter 10 days fresh after a first note of 6,084kg. ...

Keenan system a major factor in success of beef operation.
June 2, 2006... LIKE every beef producer, losing subsidy under the new Single Farm Payment was a big worry for Geoff and Vivian Roddam, who farm 735 acres at Blackcarts Farm, Humshaugh, Northumberland. The couple, who have 450 acres in the SDA, 65 acres of...

ARABLE: Project focuses on `under-performing' oilseed rape yields.
June 2, 2006... OILSEED rape growers are to be offered a package of agronomic and marketing advice in an attempt to raise the yields and returns of `an under-performing UK crop' ahead of the predicted need to double the area to meet biofuel requirements by...

ARABLE: Jersey wages right Royal battle as belated blight measures bite.
June 2, 2006... WITH planting of Jersey Royals from January through to March and lifting from the first week of April, blight programmes this season are well under way on the island. It is not unusual to see blight arriving in March on Jersey, but like...

ARABLE: Spring crop plantings down 10-15pc.
June 2, 2006... SPRING crop plantings are down by between 10 to 15 per cent this season compared with last year, according to Barry Barker, national seed business manager, Dalgety. He estimated that the 450,000 hectares of spring barley sown this year...

ARABLE: New way to defy grass weeds in winter wheat and winter barley.
June 2, 2006... A NEW pre-emergence grass weed killer for use in winter wheat and winter barley, that is claimed will prove to be the most significant new herbicide for several years, has been launched by Syngenta. The prosulfocarb-based Defy represents...

FARM FEATURE: Young producer making ripples with Puddledub.
June 2, 2006... When Steve Mitchell, a young Scottish farmer, looked for a beef business with potential for growth, he turned to water buffalo - a move that won him a major award, as NEIL RYDER found out. Named after a nearby hamlet, Puddledub buffalo...

Youngstock: Producing oil with a golden future.
June 2, 2006... In the penultimate piece of the Farmers Guardian/Waitrose Best Young Farmer Producer award finalists series, LIZ FALKINGHAM speaks to a Northamptonshire farmer tackling the olive oil industry with a culinary product made from his own oilseed...

COUNTRY VIEW: Rain, rain, stay away?
June 2, 2006... One hates to conform to stereotype, but there's just no getting away from talking about the weather - especially as we are now well into the summer show season. It makes such a huge difference to a show when the rain stays away, for...

COUNTRY VIEW: It's toughest task yet for rural business awards judges.
June 2, 2006... THERE were four very different winners in the Rural Business Awards presented at the Royal Bath and West Show yesterday. Since their expansion last year into four categories, the awards, organised by the Royal Bath and West of England...

COUNTRY VIEW: Farmers could make more of free research and data.
June 2, 2006... FARMERS and growers should be making more use of free research and data in order to better understand their markets, said speakers at a workshop at Malpas, Cheshire, on Friday. A series of presentations at the event, organised by Cheshire...

COUNTRY VIEW: An hour in the June garden.
June 2, 2006... JUNE is such an extraordinary month for flowers. For a start it is orchid month, then the lilies are out and the hostas and the roses, and all these bring with them their own problems and little jobs. But first of all there is plenty to be...

COUNTRY VIEW: Martin is Scottish chairman.
June 2, 2006... SAYFC council annual meeting FARMER Martin Silvera is the new chairman of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs. He takes over from Jim Smith. Martin, 29, farms in partnership with his father at Lochend Farm, Scotlandwell,...

New national vice-chairman.
June 2, 2006... The chairman was elected during the SAYFC council's annual meeting at its Ingliston headquarters, Edinburgh. Kilmaurs YFC member Andy Mair of Kilmarnock is the new national vice- chairman and chairman of the development committee. ...

Increasing membership.
June 2, 2006... Scottish YFCs are increasing - and retaining - their membership. The current membership of 3,100 is 100 more than last year, said SAYFC national secretary Fiona Bain. "Membership is a constant concern but we have been in the happy position...

COUNTRY VIEW: Cumbria challenges.
June 2, 2006... CHALLENGES ranging from flat pack furniture assembly to stockjudging were among the 80 competitive challenges tackled by Cumbria's Southern District Young Farmers' at their annual field day. Kent Estuary YFC emerged as overall winner, with...

COUNTRY VIEW: Gloucestershire county rally.
June 2, 2006... WESTBURY ON SEVERN YFC was overall winner at Gloucestershire Young Farmers' county rally. More than 400 people attended the event at Mussel End Farm, Sandhurst, near Gloucester, courtesy of Simon Middle and his family. Skills tested ranged from...

COUNTRY VIEW: Five National Trust awards.
June 2, 2006... FIVE garden volunteers are to receive National Trust awards next week for their practical commitment to the grounds at Tatton Park, Cheshire, for the past five years. Eileen Madden and Vivienne Walburn, from Timperley and Marion Prescott,...

COUNTRY VIEW: Day of action over food packaging.
June 2, 2006... ADAY of action calling for a reduction in excessive and unnecessary food packaging is being staged by WI members on June 20. Organised by the National Federation of Women's Institutes it is part of the WI `Care of our environment' campaign. ...

COUNTRY VIEW: Jewellery galore.
June 2, 2006... SACKS of unwanted jewellery, donated by Dorset WI members, will be turned into cash to help Heart Research UK. Tony Doveton, representing the charity, was among speakers welcomed by chairman June Austin to the Dorset Federation of WIs' annual...

COUNTRY VIEW: Welsh Newton go one better.
June 2, 2006... MEMBERS of Welsh Newton YFC turned a second place in pre-county rally competitions into an impressive overall win at the main event. With seven first placings at the event, the club quickly made up its 31- point deficit behind pre-rally...

COUNTRY VIEW: Clwyd chairman.
June 2, 2006... LEA Oram, of Llanelian yn Rhos, is the new chairman of Clwyd Federation of Women's Institutes. She takes over from Olive Pierce. New vice- chairmen are Anwen Hughes, of Bodelwyddan and Enid Brown, of Llanrhaeadr, who is also county treasurer....

COUNTRY VIEW: Improving meat eating quality in lamb.
June 2, 2006... IMPROVING meat eating quality in lamb is likely to become as economically important as the development of other production traits aiming at increased performance and efficiency, scientific speakers said at the annual Langford Food Industry...

Our industry will need fast track revolution to increase efficiency.
June 2, 2006... says Chris Lloyd, of Eblex CHRIS Lloyd, of Eblex, took a slightly different line. Economics of what the market paid the most for, or how to produce it for less, now drove the decisions taken by sheep producers following market support...

Zac's double gather.
June 2, 2006... FRANK Satterthwaite and Zac clinched the double gather championship at Fulwood Booth's annual open trial over the three days of the Bank Holiday weekend. The entry of 120 dogs was split into qualifying trials on Saturday and Sunday, the...

New courses lead to interesting challenges.
June 2, 2006... NEW courses and changes made for a challenging and interesting weekend for trials competitors and organisers. A new field at Yatton, Leinthall Earles was used for two session Kingsland trial where the Novice class was run combined with the...

4X4s & AUTOS: Proton Jumbuck pickup.
June 2, 2006... Let's not beat around the bush. While the Jumbuck represents Proton's first attempt to sell light commercials in the UK, it comes with one big drawback - it's not available as a diesel. All that's on offer is a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder...

4X4s & AUTOS: MERCEDES C320CDI ESTATE.
June 2, 2006... High performance diesel engines are putting some zest into estate car sobriety - and it's not before time. BMW has done it with the twin-turbo 535d, Volvo is just doing it with the D5-powered V50 Sportwagon, and Mercedes has finally...

4X4s & AUTOS: Volvo XC90.
June 2, 2006... Volvo has tweaked the specification of its XC90 4x4 and introduced two new petrol engines alongside its D5 turbo diesel. A 3.2-litre six cylinder and 4.4-litre V8, packing 238hp and 315hp respectively, give the XC90 more shove. Trim levels...

4X4s & AUTOS: Range Rover TDV8.
June 2, 2006... At last, the Range Rover is to get a diesel-fuelled power plant it deserves - a 272hp twin-turbo-charged V8 that packs 640Nm of torque delivered from 2000-2500rpm. It will replace the 177hp TDV6 completely, and with two more cylinders, it's no...

4X4s & AUTOS: Vauxhall Antara.
June 2, 2006... Vauxhall is to return to the 4x4 market later this year with the Antara after several years' absence following the demise of the Frontera. The five-door, five-seat Antara is slightly larger than the firm's Astra estate car and uses a monocoque...

4X4s & AUTOS: Peugeot 807.
June 2, 2006... Peugeot has given its seven-seat 807 more power - a 2-litre 120hp Hdi turbodiesel engine now replaces the previous 110hp version. Torque is now 225lb ft, and the new engine, combined with a six-speed manual gearbox, helps the 807 to 62mph in...