Farmers Guardian articles from May 2009

Farmers Guardian archives from May 2009

Retailers have 30 days to sign up to ombudsman.
May 1, 2009... * Complaints-based funding system * Industry praises Commission's stance By Jack Davies BRITISH supermarkets have been given 30 days to sign up to the Competition Commission's (CC) plans to set up a supermarket ombudsman to...

Pork sales are still firm as `swine flu' fears rise.
May 1, 2009... * Virus has nothing to do with farming * Supermarket meat sales remain strong By Jack Davies THE UK pig industry was given a boost this week as pork sales remained firm despite widespread fears over the spread of `swine flu'. ...

Swine influenza - your questions answered.
May 1, 2009... What is swine influenza? Human cases of swine influenza generally occur in people who are around pigs but it is possible for the virus to spread from person to person. Swine influenza is not a notifiable disease and is fairly common in...

Verdict forces Defra re-think on island's fallen stock policy.
May 1, 2009... * Failings breach EC regulations * Call for prompt burial derogation By Alistair Driver FARMERS on the Isle of Wight look set to be legally allowed to bury fallen stock after a damning court verdict forced Defra to re-think its...

On-farm disposal gets euro-MP vote.
May 1, 2009... EURO-MPs have voted overwhelmingly in favour of improved measures for allowing farmers to deal with animal by-products not intended for human consumption. Under new measures approved in Strasbourg, farmers will be allowed to use animal...

Knackers `effectively subsidising brain test'.
May 1, 2009... WITHOUT an increase in the current #5 per sample which Defra pays licensed knackers yards for taking brain stem samples from over-48- month bovines, farmers could see pick-up charges rise. Many collectors feel it is unfair to pass any part...

`Curious and social' cattle at higher TB risk, says research.
May 1, 2009... * Interaction with badgers much higher By Alistair Driver CATTLE deemed to be more `curious and social' than others in a herd pose a higher bovine TB risk and should be `targeted' in disease control policies, new research suggests. ...

Dramatic rise in bovine TB cases.
May 1, 2009... THE number of cattle slaughtered due to bovine TB is continuing to rise dramatically this year. The latest Defra bTB statistics show 4,572 cattle across Great Britain were victims of the disease in January 2009, a 34 per cent increase on...

BVA praises Welsh badger cull policy.
May 1, 2009... The Welsh Assembly Government's decision to cull badgers as part of its comprehensive bovine TB eradication policy has been praised by the head of the British Veterinary Association. Speaking at the BVA's annual Welsh dinner in Cardiff City...

BSE testing lab opened.
May 1, 2009... A new BSE testing laboratory has been opened at the Exeter University Innovation Centre, Devon, by international science-based service company the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC). The company has been testing brainstem samples...

Wales begins three-month TB eradication consultation.
May 1, 2009... A three-month consultation on the proposed Tuberculosis Eradication (Wales) Order 2009, under the Animal Health Act 1981, has started in Wales. The Welsh Assembly Government has set up a comprehensive programme to eradicate bovine TB and,...

Check vaccination status of cross-border animals.
May 1, 2009... LIVESTOCK producers in Scotland should be wary of bluetongue vaccination status when bringing stock in from England and Wales this summer. Following news Defra and the Welsh Assembly were struggling to sell all their vaccines, NFU Scotland...

European Working Time talks collapse.
May 1, 2009... FIVE years of talks between the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Commission on the Working Time Directive have collapsed. Issues including the opt-out of the 48-hour working week, the annualisation of working...

Views sought on voluntary approach.
May 1, 2009... THE NFU is seeking members' views on using a voluntary approach for prior notification of pesticide spraying. New EU legislation, due to come into force in 2011, devolves prior notification to member states as part of National Action Plans....

EID is not a done deal leadership tells NFU Cymru spring meeting.
May 1, 2009... * Welsh cattle health check also going well By Barry Alston SHEEP EID and bovine TB dominated delegate debates at Tuesday's NFU Cymru spring council meeting, while NFU national president, Peter Kendall, reinforced his plea for the...

Beware of sheep rustlers.
May 1, 2009... FARMERS in Mid Wales have been warned to be extra vigilant after 60 sheep went missing from a remote hillside in north Powys. The 20 ewes and 40 lambs, taken from the Llanfyllin area, could be linked to a spate of similar incidents across...

No problems with key septoria fungicides says leading agronomist.
May 1, 2009... FOLLOWING recent reports claiming strains of wheat disease septoria tritici in Ireland have shown reduced sensitivity to key triazole fungicides prothioconazole (Proline) and epoxiconazole (Opus), UK growers are being advised to continue to use...

Assembly may get new powers.
May 1, 2009... DRAFT legislation which could give the Welsh Assembly new powers to create its own environment laws has been presented to AMs and MPs. If approved it will provide the Assembly with legislative competence to make Welsh laws relating to three...

Strengthening rural churches.
May 1, 2009... THE Arthur Rank Centre, based at Stoneleigh is to launch a #180,000 training project to strengthen churches in the countryside in response to an urgent call from church leaders. Around 13,000 rural churches of all denominations will benefit...

Common land agreement.
May 1, 2009... MEMBERS of Cwmni Mynydd Llanllechid have entered into a five-year management agreement with the Countryside Council for Wales and the Snowdonia National Park Authority to help common land grazing continue on Llanllechid Common in a way that...

Sheep shearers to get `fast-track' UK immigration.
May 1, 2009... * Rules relaxed to avert staff shortage By Jack Davies THE Home Office is set to fast-track sheep shearers through the immigration system to help avoid a major shortage of workers this summer. The move was made following intense...

Meat inspection charges up 4pc.
May 1, 2009... THE Food Standards Agency (FSA) confirmed it will increase meat inspection charges by #800,000 across the UK. Following a board meeting last week, the agency confirmed the new charges - a rise of 4 per cent - as well as agreeing to...

Kendall re-elected to COPA role.
May 1, 2009... NFU president Peter Kendall has been re-elected vice-president of COPA, an organisation representing European farmers. Mr Kendall said it was vital to be part of the team that leads discussions on the future of the industry. "I am very...

Exclude UK from broiler stocking rate rise, says chef.
May 1, 2009... CELEBRITY chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has taken his campaign to improve the welfare of the UK's broiler flock direct to Defra. The welfare campaigner teamed up with Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) last week to demonstrate against...

Scottish farmers in dairy protest.
May 1, 2009... ANGRY Scottish dairy farmers descended on the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Wednesday to urge their politicians to rescue the dairy sector from crisis. They said the number of producers in Scotland had tumbled by a third, to fewer...

Welsh mart campaign takes to the streets.
May 1, 2009... THE campaign to keep Abergavenny livestock market open took to the streets on Saturday in support of opposition to the repeal of the Act of 1854 which secures a livestock market within the South East Wales town. More than 400 protesters,...

Farmers Guardian journalist picks up top Guild award.
May 1, 2009... FARMERS Guardian senior news reporter Jack Davies has been named as the Guild of Agricultural Journalists' NOAH Writer/Broadcaster of the Year 2008. The award, sponsored by the National Office of Animal Health, is for a news story or...

LETTER: The NFU is living on another planet.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2009... I SEE the NFU is still on another planet with its livestock chairman trying to defend the continuing use of organophosphate sheep dips (FG April 24). `Safe if handled correctly'. Don't make me laugh. `Make sure the sheep don't inhale or...

LETTER: Mr Mackintosh is misguided.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2009... ALISTAIR Mackintosh suggests (FG April 24) OP dips are `reasonably safe and the best option' and that he may well be adversely affected himself. He should read the 1983 version of the Government's own publication `Pesticide Poisoning -...

LETTER: Make your own mind up on OP.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2009... EVERYONE has the right to choose whether they use organophosphates. I would like to share our story as it may help others make an informed choice. My husband is in a wheelchair, needing 24-hour care, and is totally dependent for all his...

LETTER: I'm still waiting for my vaccine.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2009... REGARDING your article on bluetongue vaccine (FG April 10). It appears confusion reigns over supplies of the vaccine. I heard someone complain they ordered their vaccine in January but were still waiting for it in April. I have ordered...

EDITORIAL: Scapegoat for `swine flu' porkies.(Editorial)
May 1, 2009... IT'S been a busy week for your average conspiracy theorist. As the media whips up a frenzy around the spread of `swine flu' (H1N1), newspapers and the internet have been awash with ideas of how the outbreak began. "It's a terrorist...

OPINION: Can you spare some free time?
May 1, 2009... ON holiday in Ireland years ago, when the Celtic tiger was no more than a distant miaow, we gave a lift to a man off to a dance. He was at least five miles from town and we couldn't believe that if we hadn't come along he would simply have...

TB vaccination: any benefits are likely to be a long time in coming.
May 1, 2009... How important is vaccination going to be in combating bovine TB? Alistair Driver reports. Vaccination has become Hilary Benn's `get out' clause when it comes to answering difficult questions about bovine TB. "Vaccines will be really...

TARGET TB: Injectable badger vaccine.
May 1, 2009... STARTING next summer, the Injectable Badger Vaccine Deployment Project will take place over six 100 sq.km TB hotspot areas in England. It will continue for at least five years. Badgers will be trapped and vaccinated before being released...

TARGET TB: Oral badger vaccine.
May 1, 2009... Defra and the VLA are working with the New Zealand authorities - which is developing a `very promising' formulation, which Prof Hewinson claims is based on BCG, for an oral vaccine for possums - to identify a suitable product. They are also...

TARGET TB: Cattle vaccine.
May 1, 2009... VLA is looking at various vaccine candidates. The good news An effective cattle vaccine is an attractive goal because it would be the easiest to administer and use in a targeted way. The drawbacks An effective product is not...

TARGET TB: Defra's vaccine timeline.(Chronology)
May 1, 2009... * 2010 - Injectable badger vaccine to receive licence from Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Injectable Badger Vaccine Deployment Project due to begin in summer in six TB hotspot areas. * 2011 - Field trial of oral BCG badger vaccine to...

TARGET TB: Vaccination - a political issue.
May 1, 2009... "Any benefits in reduced cattle herd breakdowns are not expected to be evident, through vaccination alone, for several years." Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones, March 2009, explaining her decision to sanction a badger cull "The...

TARGET TB: The verdict.
May 1, 2009... PROF Hewinson is in no doubt vaccination could bring real benefits in future. But his overriding message is to urge caution, in particular in terms of the timescales involved. "There is real progress, with different vaccines being...

BUSINESS: Wool and sheepmeat to profit from CWG project.
May 1, 2009... * Ambitious venture's #100,000 target * Wool clip value set to `effectively double' By William Surman THE British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) has praised an ambitious new venture to increase the value of the wool clip to thousands...

BUSINESS: Action plan for #361m Welsh red meat sector.
May 1, 2009... A STRATEGIC action plan to further develop the #361 million a year Welsh red meat industry was launched this week by Wales Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones. Put together by Hybu Cig Cymru, the Wales-based red meat promotion agency, in...

BUSINESS: Wiseman, DC and Yeo Valley win Co-op contract.
May 1, 2009... THE Co-operative Group, the second biggest liquid milk buyer after Tesco, has awarded its 339 million litres fresh milk contract to Wiseman, Dairy Crest and Yeo Valley. The contracts will run from August 1 and Dairy Farmers of Britain...

BUSINESS: Milk Link's 23.95ppl for May.
May 1, 2009... MILK Link is reducing member's milk price for May by 1ppl to a standard litre price of 23.95ppl. The co-op, while holding steady in April, did warn there were no guarantees on what might happen to the May price, given the general downward...

BUSINESS: Lochhead set to veto MHS cost rise.
May 1, 2009... VETOING the four per cent increase in Meat Hygiene Service charges is a very real option in Scotland. That's according to cabinet secretary for rural affairs in Scotland, Richard Lochhead, speaking at the Scottish Association of Meat...

BUSINESS: A dramatic fall in farm incomes expected in 2009.
May 1, 2009... * Cereals and dairy likely to suffer falls By William Surman CEREAL and dairy farmers will face a dramatic drop in their income this year after a 36 per cent rise in 2008. Philip Wynn, agricultural consultant and director of Wynn...

BUSINESS: More lambs hit target.
May 1, 2009... NEARLY three fifths of the 2008 lamb kill met the `R3 or better' desired market specification. The beef sector has already been reported as achieving a record in terms of market specification, and the 59 per cent of British lambs hitting...

BUSINESS: Win-win situation for dairymen with beef-sired heifers.
May 1, 2009... DAIRY farmers anticipating the impending "huge demand" for beef-sired bulling heifers could be onto a double winner. The National Beef Association says continued contraction in beef calf numbers is already on track to trigger extremely...

BUSINESS: Tips for surviving times of recession.
May 1, 2009... * Keeping cash flow under control * Looking at ways of achieving savings FARMING has traditionally proved better capable of weathering a financial downturn than many other sectors, but many farms have diversified businesses such as bed...

ARABLE: Explore other possible outlets for Viscount.
May 1, 2009... * Opportunities outside biscuit market THE breeder of soft endosperm nabim group 4 winter wheat Viscount is urging farmers to consider outlets available to the variety outside the traditional biscuit market. There was surprise in the...

ARABLE: Dry weather conditions affecting weed control.
May 1, 2009... APRIL's record temperatures and warm winds have allowed spring planting to continue almost interrupted, but dry soil surfaces and a lack of rain are affecting weed control in some crops. Soil conditions are such that the activity of...

ARABLE: Good roots are critical to a good yield.
May 1, 2009... The industry has lost sight of the importance of soil structure, said Northern Technical Development manager for Masstock, Philip Marr speaking at the Opico Nitro-Jet launch. He said achieving good oilseed rape yield was a matter of getting...

ARABLE: Giving OSR crops a head start.
May 1, 2009... * Boost when the crop is drilled By Dominic Kilburn GROWERS looking to boost the establishment of their oilseed rape crops this autumn could consider a new liquid fertiliser application system delivering nitrogen to the seed at time of...

ARABLE: No-till problem can become an asset.
May 1, 2009... STRAW can be a problem in no-till systems but managed in the correct way it can become a grower's greatest asset says independent tillage consultant Steve Townsend. Speaking at a `No Tillage' open day in Essex, Mr Townsend said five years'...

ARABLE: An application of fertiliser is not always necessary.
May 1, 2009... CHECK your `available' levels of soil nutrients to ensure you only use the fertilisers you really need, as variable results from analysis could mean fertilisers are being used unnecessarily. This was a warning given to growers by Robert...

What should I ask my agronomist?: Spring barley.
May 1, 2009... MANY farmers are growing spring barley for the first time after a very difficult autumn. Crops sown in reasonable time (early March or sooner) will be approaching the end of tillering soon when the first fungicide should be applied. ...

POTATO BLIGHT: Start control strategies early.
May 1, 2009... Field selection and taking possible external and in-field sources of infection into account should be the starting point for blight control strategies, according to guidance from the British Potato Council. But with many 2009 crops now in...

POTATO BLIGHT: Build in consistent tuber protection from the outset.
May 1, 2009... The last two years have provided more than sufficient evidence for Agrovista agronomist Andy Steven that potato growers need to be ready for more aggressive blight this year. Three key principles he advocates to growers he advises in north...

POTATO BLIGHT: Maximum limit for propamocarb use.
May 1, 2009... A MAXIMUM propamocarb dosage of 4,500g per hectare (1,821g/acre) has been introduced for the 2009 Plant Protection Product List (PPPL), part of Tesco's Nature's Choice scheme. Blight programmes can continue to use any combination of Bayer...

POTATO BLIGHT: `Kickback' threat from Blue 13 strain.
May 1, 2009... NEW fungicide trials data demonstrating `kickback' - or blight control shortly after infection - could be more significant this year as fungicide plans have to deal with the now dominant Blue 13 strain. "We know the frequency of blight...

POTATO BLIGHT: Blight outbreaks from dumps rising.
May 1, 2009... The Potato Council has issued best practice guidelines aimed at keeping blight, and the aggressive A2 strain in particular, in check. Here we set out the control priorities for the 2009 season. More blight may be originating from outgrade...

POTATO BLIGHT: Keeping Blue 13 in check.
May 1, 2009... The Potato Council's Gary Collins recommends growers stick to the following best practice guidelines. Vigilance: Stay alert for signs of blight and control sources of infection, such as outgrade piles and volunteers. Sign up for free...

MACHINERY: Twin rotor rake offers greater clearance.
May 1, 2009... * Rake uses a bridge type chassis The R760 is the latest twin rotor rake from JF-Stoll. Like the wider working models the 6.85m to 7.60m rake uses a bridge type chassis which is said to be more stable than a straight central beam design and...

MACHINERY: Improved chassis on Tecnoma sprayer.
May 1, 2009... Tecnoma has updated its self-propelled sprayer with the Laser Evolution. The 3240 has a 180hp Deutz engine and tank capacity of 3,200 litres, while the 4,200-litre 4240 has a 200hp motor. One of the main new features is the chassis which...

MACHINERY: Complete new range of bale handling grabs for loaders.
May 1, 2009... Chillton Agricultural Equipment has added a new range of bale handling grabs from MX for loaders and telehandlers. MX has devised a simple model numbering system. The Manubal grabs with a V prefix have two pairs of grab tines while those...

MACHINERY: Reducing fuel consumption with training initiative.
May 1, 2009... Caterpillar distributor Finning is introducing its Eco-Drive programme which aims to reduce fuel consumption by 10 to 15 per cent by training operators to drive more efficiently. The course, at the Caterpillar visitor centre in Desford,...

MACHINERY: Four-wheel-drive came into its own on sodden ground.
May 1, 2009... * Long-term test - Polaris 500 update * The rear load box is a `must have' By Howard Walsh THE past few weeks of February, March and early April have been a good test for the `500'. The seemingly endless wet weather made some...

MACHINERY: He-Va King rollers set for launch.
May 1, 2009... OPICO is to launch the 12.5m and 15.3m King Rollers from He-Va at the forthcoming Cereals event. The five section Cambridge rolls can have either 21in or 24in diameter rings. The King Rollers use He-Va's weight transfer system to...

MACHINERY: Irrigation by remote control.
May 1, 2009... TRAILER Vision has developed a remote irrigation pump controller. Better known for its wireless camera systems and trackers, the firm teamed up with farming company G and D Matthews to develop the system. Known as TVC, the controller...

LIVESTOCK: First complete cattle genome.
May 1, 2009... AFTER six year's work involving some 300 scientists from 25 countries, the first complete cattle genome has been published. Around 22,000 genes have been identified, including their relationship with production traits and specific diseases....

LIVESTOCK: Bluetongue sheep vaccine.
May 1, 2009... FORT Dodge's bluetongue vaccine for sheep is now available. Its cattle vaccine has been on the market for some time and the sheep equivalent has now been licensed for the UK too. Copyright: UBM Information Ltd.

LIVESTOCK: Beef semen sent to Thailand.
May 1, 2009... SOUTH Devon semen has been sent to Thailand in what is believed to be the first consignment of beef semen from the UK. Semen from two bulls has been sold - AI Haughton SAS Joe Louis 1 bred by Bill Sandford, Shropshire, and Trewint Henry 1 bred...

LIVESTOCK: Early nutrition planning and breeding weight targets are key.
May 1, 2009... April may seem an odd time for a ewe nutrition conference - but planning feeding from the start, and well before tupping and lambing was the exact point. Joanne Pugh reports from last week's SAC event in Edinburgh. * Nutrition plays key...

LIVESTOCK: Trial reveals danger of iodine in mineral blocks.
May 1, 2009... WHILE ewe nutrition during pregnancy may be a familiar topic, there were still plenty of surprises at the SAC seminar, especially the danger of supplementing pregnant ewes with mineral blocks containing too much iodine. Professor Frank...

LIVESTOCK: Put faith in grass and adapt system.
May 1, 2009... * Cross-breeds very aggressive grazers By Joanne Pugh DAIRY farmers should have confidence in grass to run extensive grazing systems, Cheshire dairy farmer Paul Dean told a lunch-time meeting in Kendal, Cumbria, on Monday. ...

LIVESTOCK: Mopping up crude protein.
May 1, 2009... OPERATING a system like Paul Dean's relies on providing a high energy feed to `mop up' the excess crude protein in grazed summer grass, said two speakers from Massey Bros (Feeds), the company which organised the meeting. Nigel Chew said...

GRAZING MONITOR: Keep on top of grazing to maintain quality.
May 1, 2009... WE are about to enter the peak growth period, so it is vital farmers keep a close eye on both grazing quality and quantity. As it has been possible to turn cows out earlier this year, many will now be starting on grazing paddocks for the...

NEW PRODUCTS & RESEARCH: Year-round costs cut.
May 1, 2009... KW has introduced Parlour Gold and Parlour Gold Plus, both suitable for feeding in the parlour or through out-of-parlour feeders. With an energy content of 13MJ ME per kgDM (Parlour Gold) and 12.3MJ ME per kgDM (Parlour Gold Plus), the...

NEW PRODUCTS & RESEARCH: Addition to StokBlok's range can aid dry cows.
May 1, 2009... A MINERAL block for dry cows has been added to the Denis Brinicombe Group's StokBlok range. StokBlok Dry Cow, a 100kg molassed mineral tub, has been formulated with trace elements, vitamins and minerals required through the dry cow period as an...

NEW PRODUCTS & RESEARCH: `Better calf quality' with new launch.
May 1, 2009... * Genus claims to offer added bonus THE Fertility Plus concept from Genus ABS has been extended with Fertility Plus Top Calf. The semen company says it offers the same conception rates as Fertility Plus but with the added bonus of...

NEW PRODUCTS & RESEARCH: Semex adds top Talent.
May 1, 2009... TWO Talent sons and a bull sired by O Man have been added to the Semex stud. Crockett-Acres Eight, by O Man out of Crockett-Acres Mtoto Elly, has a PLI of #226, 547kg milk at high fat and protein percentage and scores - 26 for SCC. ...

NEW PRODUCTS & RESEARCH: Yields up after yeast trials.
May 1, 2009... INTRODUCING a stabilised yeast to dairy cows' diets increased milk yield by 1.5 litres per day in a trial conducted by Aberystwyth University. This increase was calculated to be worth an additional margin over purchased feeds of 20p per...

NEW PRODUCTS & RESEARCH: Westpoint practice opens.
May 1, 2009... WESTPOINT Veterinary Group has opened another farm-only practice - this time in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. * Westpoint-Ashbourne will be led by James Dixon, who can be contacted on 01335 361 420 or 07801 440 535. Copyright: UBM Information...

LIVESTOCK: POW's rural motorway at heart of profitable dairy operation.
May 1, 2009... Italian muscle and New Zealand thinking are getting profit back on track for Dai Evans. Barry Alston went to meet him. If there is one outcome of the Second World War a West Wales dairy farming family can be grateful for, it must be one of...