Farmers Guardian articles from November 2005

Farmers Guardian archives from November 2005

Strike gets public support.
November 4, 2005... THE Farmers For Action three-day strike began on Wednesday with over 4,000 farmers pledging to withhold produce from retailers and processors. Chairman David Handley said that although the plan was not to empty supermarket shelves...

EU politics threat to beef exports.
November 4, 2005... IT would be a scandal if `crude politics' delayed the resumption of UK beef exports, Food and Farming Minister Lord Bach has warned his EU counterparts. The Minister expects the export embargo to be lifted in February but fears the biggest...

New contract scheme for Tesco beef.
November 4, 2005... ST MERRYN FOODS is targeting 2,500 cattle a week for its new contract scheme supplying beef for Tesco's Finest and Organic ranges. The red meat processor announced it had launched the scheme on Tuesday. The payment system will be based...

Arla imports organic milk to meet demand.
November 4, 2005... THE country's largest milk processor has begun importing organic milk because it cannot get enough from UK suppliers. Arla Foods has bought organic milk from Denmark as UK suppliers have not been able to keep up with an unprecedented rise...

PM `backs badger cull'.
November 4, 2005... THE Prime Minister would have `no qualms' about culling badgers to control bovine TB, if the policy was part of a balanced package, a leaked memo apparently shows. It also shows the Prince of Wales is lobbying him to instigate a cull, it...

Government urged to protect suppliers from `predators'.
November 4, 2005... THE Government has been challenged to introduce legislation as a matter of urgency to protect farmers and other suppliers from `outrageous' demands being made by the major supermarkets - or face farmer fury. The Farmers' Union of Wales...

Call for a new dairy industry structure.
November 4, 2005... THE United Kingdom dairy industry must reorganise without unnecessary regulatory restrictions and take control of its end products if it was to survive and balance the power of the supermarkets, said Peter Humphreys, deputy chief executive of...

Ray of hope in bid to trim supermarket buying power.
November 4, 2005... FARMERS are being offered a `ray of hope' after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) agreed to reconsider its decision on whether to recommend a full inquiry into the grocery market. The decision could eventually lead to a further investigation...

Milk consolidation `vital'.
November 4, 2005... IT was time the Office of Fair Trading recognised further consolidation was vital to the future prosperity of the UK milk industry and it must be allowed to happen, a forum of Ministers was warned. The NFU's dairy board chairman Gwyn Jones...

Blair backing biofuels to tackle climate change.
November 4, 2005... TONY Blair has voiced his support for a Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation as a weapon to tackle climate change. The Prime Minister's support for a policy that could open up lucrative new markets for farmers came as he called for a greater...

Bach accused of ignoring sugar industry interests.
November 4, 2005... DEFRA Ministers have been accused of turning a blind eye to the concerns of the British sugar industry as they enter into crucial negotiations over reform of the sector. There is widespread industry concern within the UK and EU over the...

UK push for major CAP reform.
November 4, 2005... THE Government will push for `major and significant reforms of the Common Agriculture Policy' when formal talks on the EU budget resume next week. Foreign Minister Jack Straw said `detailed discussions' on the budget were scheduled for the...

New moves to tackle waste.
November 4, 2005... AROUND 137,000 farms in England will have to find alternative means of disposing of non-natural waste as a result of the new Agricultural Waste Regulations to be introduced early next year. At present much of the non-natural waste arising...

Former MoD man takes over as CLA president.
November 4, 2005... THE new president of the Country Land and Business Association is David Fursdon, who runs a family farming and tourism business in Devon with his wife Catriona. Mr Fursdon, who succeeds Mark Hudson, has recently been appointed a member of...

Defra slammed over failure to introduce future disease levy.
November 4, 2005... JOINT Government-industry proposals to share the cost of disease outbreaks will be issued early next year, Defra revealed this week. The Department made the announcement after its failure to introduce a disease levy to reduce the public...

Farmers urged to blow whistle on code breakers.
November 4, 2005... RESPONSIBLE farmers, who adhered to voluntary and legislative codes on environmentally friendly systems, have been urged to turn `whistleblowers' on their less compliant neighbours - or risk more draconian rules being applied. Barbara...

WTO talks `heading for shipwreck'.
November 4, 2005... THE deal offered by EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson to break the World Trade Organisation deadlock has failed to impress the other players. With Europe at the limit of its negotiating mandate this has brought warnings that the...

Independent review of avian quarantine.
November 4, 2005... Joanne Pugh looks at the latest situation regarding bird flu. DEFRA has commissioned an independent review of quarantine arrangements in a bid to keep avian influenza out of the UK. Margaret Beckett, Defra secretary, announced the...

Soil Association objects to proposed mass cull of poultry.
November 4, 2005... THE Soil Association has accused the NFU of pressurising the Government into planning a mass cull of poultry should avian influenza enter the UK. Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association, has written to Tony Blair imploring him to...

Successful testing of preventative spray.
November 4, 2005... A FORMER free-range egg producer from Yorkshire, Ted Dickin, claims he has developed a preventative for avian influenza. Mr Dickin had the product tested for four weeks in the Retroscreen Laboratories at the University of London and said it...

Cancellation.
November 4, 2005... The Poultry Show at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair, at Builth Wells, at the end of this month has been cancelled. There were due to be 240 classes in the show, which is organised under the auspices of the Poultry Club of Great Britain. ...

Effect on fisheries and angling to be discussed at meeting.
November 4, 2005... FARMERS and landowners who run fisheries are being invited to attend a meeting to discuss the implications avian influenza could have on angling. There are concerns an outbreak of the virus in this country would stop people visiting fisheries...

Webster's view: In testing times we just want to get on with the job.
November 4, 2005... WHEN talking about wasting money and crucifying businesses, there can be few sillier ideas than pre-movement testing for TB. Let us get a few things clear first. If Government stopped fiddling the boundaries and juggling with figures, under...

OPINION: Less stick, more carrot.
November 4, 2005... Economic arm wrestling is the phrase used by Environment Agency chief executive Barbara Young to describe future `negotiations' over the application of river basin plans. An interesting choice of words, because it implies a show of...

The facts about inheritance tax relief.
November 4, 2005... AN HM Revenue & Customs representative set out the current thinking surrounding the availability of inheritance tax reliefs during a recent seminar presentation. These reliefs are fundamental to the structuring of farming businesses, writes...

McDonalds buys local and British.
November 4, 2005... Every day two-and-a-half million people in this country eat a McDonalds. That amounts to a lot of food and they source a great deal of it from UK farmers. JOANNE PUGH found out why McDonalds believes it is a great friend to British agriculture....

Quality, free-range eggs to meet marketing image.
November 4, 2005... David and Helen Brass of the Lakes Free-Range Egg Company supply McDonalds with around 60 per cent of its shell egg requirements. They farm 40,000 hens at Stainton, Cumbria and purchase eggs produced by 270,000 birds owned by other farmers...

Beef producer has to meet diet and movement requirements.
November 4, 2005... George Horton farms on the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire and is one of the 16,000 beef farmers in Britain and Ireland who supply McDonalds with meat. Earlier this year he was given the opportunity to see exactly what happens to his...

New rules bring sweeping changes to use of animal medicines.
November 4, 2005... NEW veterinary medicines regulations, which came into force on October 30 have brought sweeping changes to the use of animal medicines. As of Monday, all animal medicines have been reclassified into one of four new categories (see summary)....

Summary of new animal medicine classification.
November 4, 2005... * POM-V-Prescription only medicine-veterinarian. These must be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon and can be dispensed by any veterinary surgeon or pharmacist, i.e., antibiotics. * POM-VPS-Prescription only medicine-veterinarian,...

VMD denies new regulations break EU advertising laws.
November 4, 2005... THE Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has strongly denied Soil Association claims that the new veterinary medicines regulations are illegal. Under the regulations pharmaceutical companies can advertise prescription-only medicines to...

System to monitor stunning techniques.
November 4, 2005... A NEW computerised system to monitor stunning techniques in abattoirs has been unveiled by the Meat and Livestock Commission. It has been designed to improve animal welfare standards by ensuring correct stunning prior to slaughter, as well...

Natural gas pipeline attracting opposition from landowners.
November 4, 2005... THE National Grid has confirmed the preferred corridor for phase two of its controversial new multi-million pound gas pipeline from Felindre, near Swansea, to Tirley, between Newent and Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire. The 115-mile, 48-inch...

Disagreement over route.
November 4, 2005... CLA Wales said it was calling on National Grid to proceed with the greatest sensitivity as it pursued its preferred pipeline corridor chosen in order to avoid the Brecon Beacons National Park. It does not agree the route provides the `best...

Leading the way again - now with the Swedish Red.
November 4, 2005... LEADING the way in imported cattle is nothing new to Edward Towers. His recent acquisition of 10 Swedish Red in-calf heifers for his dairy herd at Hornby, Lancashire, is not the first time his family has looked to the continent for breeding...

Wide range of work earns bicentenary trophy award.
November 4, 2005... FOR many people involvement in a 5,000 acre family farming partnership would be time-consuming enough. But well-known Cumbrian Bluefaced Leicester breeder David Raine has, since university, always had a keen interest in the factors `beyond...

Greatest challenge is climate change.
November 4, 2005... CLIMATE change was the `greatest challenge' to face man and a big issue for the future of farming, claimed Prince Charles as he unveiled his vision for the future of the environment, farming and food. He told BBC Radio 4 climate change was...

New rules a `nightmare' - says union.
November 4, 2005... NEW rules dictating the movement of sheep have been slammed by the Farmers Union of Wales for being ill-thought out, impractical and a bureaucratic nightmare to administer on Welsh farms. The union has already held meetings with Welsh...

Production paralysis alert over sheep ID regulations.
November 4, 2005... THE UK sheep industry could be `paralysed' at various points within the production chain or at individual producer level if the proper structure to handle the EU's electronic ID regulations was not in place, a major report has warned. The...

Start date of 2008 would be `disaster'.
November 4, 2005... THE introduction of the EU regulations in 2008 would be a `non-runner' said Peter Morris, deputy chief executive of the National Sheep Association, who added it was not feasible and would be a `disaster' for the industry if it was to go ahead....

Talks on `rare breeding' plan.
November 4, 2005... A THREE-MONTH consultation on how rare breeds of sheep should be treated under a genotype-based compulsory breeding programme has been launched by Defra. All EU member states have to introduce compulsory breeding programmes for scrapie...

Will uplands remain `cherished' in future?
November 4, 2005... A MAJOR debate on the future of upland farming is under way following the launch of a specially commissioned report to mark the 250th anniversary of Britain's oldest agricultural society. The 16,000-word document - with the title `Cherished...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Embryos deal.
November 4, 2005... Following a trip to South America, the Texel Sheep Society's chief executive, Steven McLean, and breed chairman, Keith Campbell, have secured a deal to supply embryos to Brazilian breeders in the autumn of 2006 on a partnership basis. Mr McLean...

Cutting drench use can curb resistance.
November 4, 2005... TEAMWORK and communication with the local vet is proving effective in combating drench resistance on a West Wales sheep farm - as well as saving time and money. The discovery of resistance to white drenches proved a real wake-up call for...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Blonde herd win.
November 4, 2005... This year's winner of the national British Blonde crossbred herd competition is W. Thompson of Nether Glasslaw, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. Second place went to D. and M. Rodgers and Sons of Presteigne, Powys. Copyright: CMP Information...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Jersey sheep.
November 4, 2005... John and Audrey Pryce, of Powys, have sent a consignment of pedigree Suffolks and Bluefaced Leicesters to Jersey. The island has imported very few sheep in the past 30 years. The intake is intended to improve meat and wool production. ...

Profiting from heifers.
November 4, 2005... HEIFERS should be given extra attention around calving to ensure they stay in the herd and fulfil their profit potential, suggest Kingshay, the independent dairy specialists. Their Farming Note, `Heifers - Tomorrow's Profit Makers' outlines a...

Betaine diet lifts lean carcase tissue in pigs.
November 4, 2005... PIGS treated with porcine somatotropin (pST) have demonstrated their ability to lay down 7 per cent more lean carcase tissue per day when fed a diet supplemented with betaine, a natural plant extract. Trials at the Victorian Institute of...

Cracker takes Shetland `champion' title.
November 4, 2005... A one-crop, black Shetland ewe from Kate Sharp, of Ewingston Farm, Humbie, East Lothian, was chosen as Shetland Sheep Champion of Champions 2005, at the breed society's National show and sale at Frome, Somerset. Ewingston Cracker, which...

Underpinning dairy unit growth with quality grass leys.
November 4, 2005... MAKING MORE MONEY FROM FORAGE In our first Forage365 case study we report how high quality grass is the key to one successful dairy herd expansion project. The production of high quality milk and plenty of it is the aim of Lincolnshire...

PESTICIDE MANUAL UPDATED.
November 4, 2005... The latest version of The e-Pesticide Manual, now available from BCPC, makes it easy to keep up-to-date with the very latest pesticide information. Edited by Dr Clive Tomlin, The e-Pesticide Manual version 3.2 updates the printed...

Study into cabbage stem flea beetle in winter oilseed rape.
November 4, 2005... AN on-going HGCA study is investigating the thresholds for cabbage stem flea beetle in winter oilseed rape to ensure that spraying decisions are based on need. "Much of the insecticide usage targeted on cabbage stem flea beetle is...

Enforcing of farm-saved seed payment.
November 4, 2005... NEW-look farm-saved seed declaration forms will be dropping through farm letterboxes over the next couple of weeks, as part of the Fair Play campaign to combat evasion of farm-saved-seed payments. Completed declaration forms for autumn 2005...

Eastern counties information service.
November 4, 2005... FOR an annual membership fee of #95, arable growers can access information from a new eastern counties-based trials service. Membership includes regular updates, a winter conference, a summer trials tour, and full trial results. The...

Do not rely on one product for ryegrass.
November 4, 2005... THERE are three good reasons why ryegrass control should not rely solely on iodosulfuron+ mesosulfuron (Atlantis) applied in February or March, according to Bob FitzGerald of Bayer CropScience. "Firstly, there's a good chance that Atlantis...

Fertilisers for specific locations.
November 4, 2005... A NEW range of sugar beet suspension fertilisers from Omex have analyses tailored specifically to the soil conditions of growers supplying the Allscott factory near Telford in Shropshire. The Beetex range has been formulated following the...

Beet growers face land restrictions.
November 4, 2005... CARRYING out mechanical operations on waterlogged soils would be a breach of cross-compliance obligations, farmers in the region are being warned. Some soils in the region have been waterlogged following recent rain and may become so...

Early barley yellow dwarf virus threat.
November 4, 2005... THE unseasonably warm weather is increasing the risk of early barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV infection), warns BASF. "Although the threat from green bridge infection is likely to be lower this year as the good harvest, cultivation...

Young `workaholic' with a will to win - and the award to prove it.
November 4, 2005... BARRY ALSTON meets a self-confessed workaholic - and first winner of a new award recognising the hard work of younger farmers. Ever since he became a teenager all Mathew Van Dijk wanted was to be a farmer. By the age of 16 he was one, at 18...

National Trust is looking to encourage `new blood'.
November 4, 2005... THE National Trust has outlined plans to encourage more young people to come into farming. A two-year project announced last Thursday will provide one-to-one business advice to the trust's 2,000 tenant farmers and support new entrants to...

Keeping agriculture's wheels turning.
November 4, 2005... CEREDIGION farmer's son Gareth Davies is engineering a promising career for himself in an industry that is crying out for skilled staff. The 20-year-old, who works for Evans Brothers Agriparts, at Llanrhystud, has recently completed his...

Plan is `precious tool'.
November 4, 2005... A DYNAMIC and competitive agriculture represented a great opportunity for the European economy, claimed Giacomo Ballari president of the European Council of Young farmers (CEJA). Speaking after a meeting with the French Minister of...

Success breeds success.
November 4, 2005... INNOVATIVE rural businesses in Cheshire are being encouraged to enter a regional competition which could help them become even more successful. The Rural Innovation Support Network (RISN), part of the Government- funded Northwest Regional...

COUNTRY VIEW: Welcome back.
November 4, 2005... The name, masthead and colours will be familiar, but the format isn't - welcome to CountryView in its new home as part of Farmers Guardian. Since CountryView launched last year, we have had a huge amount of support and appreciation from...

Final stage of rights of way act complete as East and West open.
November 4, 2005... THE new right of access to the countryside was completed across England on Monday when the last two remaining areas of England were officially opened to the public under the CroW Act. The East and West of England became the seventh and...

Farmers' hunt kennels show determination for the future.
November 4, 2005... OVER 600 people attended the official opening of the new kennels for the Cotswold Vale Farmers' Hunt as the new hunting season opened. Despite uncertainty over the future of hunting in the wake of the ban, the Cotswold Vale Farmers' Hunt...

CV's Best Book.
November 4, 2005... Charles Chaplin 1907-1987 Artist, Engraver, Print Maker by Jon Chaplin Oblong Creative, #26.50 Not to be confused with the silent movie star of the same name, Charles Chaplin was a shy, reserved man who went on to produce a...

On-line survey to get young people involved in rural policy.
November 4, 2005... YOUNG people in rural areas are being asked to take part in an on-line survey to and so influence future policy and funding that effects them and, in turn, their involvement in regional sustainable development. The appeal has been made by Delme...

Cilcain YFC come out on top at Clwyd field day.
November 4, 2005... CILCAIN YFC was overall winner at Clwyd Young Farmers' annual field day held at Llysfasi College, Ruthin. Wrexham YFC was runner-up but took overall stockjudging honours More than 80 members competed with enthusiasm, despite the rain, including...

First donation to support Welsh Blood Service.
November 4, 2005... Gwent YFC members and Wales YFC mascots, Tiff and Taff, queuing to give blood as part of a campaign to support the Welsh Blood Service. GWENT Young Farmers and Wales YFC mascots Tiff and Taff have made their first `donation' as part of a...

Yarcombe charity chases for CLIC.
November 4, 2005... YARCOMBE YFC, Devon has presented a cheque for #910 to the children's cancer and leukaemia society, CLIC. Members raised the money by taking part in charity chases at Cotley point-to-point and Yarcombe terrier races, holding a produce auction...

BOWER YFC TAKE HONOURS IN BEEF CATTLE DRESSING.
November 4, 2005... BOWER YFC members James Barnetson and Stuart Mackay from Caithness claimed overall honours and the Aberdeen Northern Marts trophy in Scottish Young Farmes' north region beef cattle dressing competition at Dingwall Auction Mart judged by Ronald...

Devon WI federation challenges for largest county membership.
November 4, 2005... WITH 268 WIs the Devon Federation boasts the highest number of Women's Institutes of any county in the country. At the federation's autumn council meeting, county chairman June Shephard-Blandy issued a challenge to increase the current...

Exceedingly good apple pie.
November 4, 2005... SMALLHOLDER Sue Butler-Miles of Witney, Oxfordshire, has won the bake- off for Britain's best Bramley apple pie. Sue, a member of Leigh WI and a producer for Eynsham Country Markets, combined layers of apples, grated almond paste and flaked...

Third time lucky in sheep championship.
November 4, 2005... IT proved third time lucky for Robin Slade when, after three years of attending the show, he took the supreme honours in the sheep championship. His pair of Texel crosses was named as the continental champions before going on to take the...

`Exceptional' Just Luck takes top honours as supreme cattle champion.
November 4, 2005... FOUR Limousin-sired prizewinners fought it out for the supreme cattle championship on the first day of the show but it was Just Luck that clinched the top prize. The judge described Just Luck, an 18-month-old heifer from Philip Price, as...

Crazy Chick brings owner further show success.
November 4, 2005... THERE was more success for Neil Slack when he took the baby beef supreme championship on the second day of the show. It was another three-quarter Limousin animal, this time a 385kg heifer, that took the top prize. The heifer, Crazy...

Shirley and Ben prove their point for first nursery title.
November 4, 2005... OVER a sizeable, testing course at the elevated location of Baudshaw Farm, west of Blubberhouses, North Yorkshire, Shirley Cropper and Ben took their first nursery title. Run in fours, the first few packets of Dales-bred ewes were good but...

Harry pips Dell to national style win.
November 4, 2005... TO fit in a programme of seven nursery trials, the Ceredigion committee arranged a mid-week trial. John Davies with Harry who, in a closely fought battle with Bert Evans and Dell, won the national style. In addition to taking second place in...

With new engines & features Massey Ferguson tractors are really flying.
November 4, 2005... Latest changes to 200hp-plus models make UK debut at AGCO show The World of AGCO event (Nov 30 - Dec 3) is the first chance for UK operators to view new features designed to boost output, economy and ease of operation on Massey Ferguson...

Ziegler to blend machinery elements into single brand.
November 4, 2005... ZIEGLER may be a new name on the farm machinery block but if the kit it is supplying looks familiar then look no further than Niemeyer. The German firm bought the name and rights to the grassland machinery range in 2004 after successfully...

Equal distribution of fertiliser is key to increased accuracy.
November 4, 2005... BY placing fertiliser at three points on the disc Kuhn has been able to improve the accuracy of its broadcasters. The Axis 30.1 has a maximum spreading width of 28m while the 40.1 stretches to 36m. Both models range in capacity from 1,200...

Claas hopes Scorpion will provide enough sting to gain market share.
November 4, 2005... SINCE Claas introduced telehandlers, it has struggled to gain a foothold in this competitive market. But the harvesting machinery giant now hopes this will change with the introduction of the Scorpion, built by fellow German manufacturer...

`Ultimate' Expo win for Lucy.
November 4, 2005... Now in its 23rd year the Northern Expo show of Holsteins attracted a high standard into the showring at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, on Friday night. BEN BRIGGS reports. A summer of show success continued into autumn for Ewefields Lucy 7. ...