Farmers Guardian articles from September 2006

Farmers Guardian archives from September 2006

Industry unites over a seven-point culling plan.
September 1, 2006... THE farming and veterinary industries have laid down the gauntlet to Defra Ministers by presenting them with a united seven-point plan on badger culling. Organisations representing all sectors of the livestock industry agreed a statement...

Bluetongue outbreak `under control' in northern Europe.
September 1, 2006... QUESTIONS remain about how bluetongue spread into northern Europe for the first time last week after vets confirmed an African strain of the fatal livestock disease. European officials said they were confident the disease was under control...

Badger culling proposals.
September 1, 2006... The 7-point plan agreed by industry: 1. All the organisations represented committed themselves to doing everything possible to contain and eradicate bovine TB. 2. Industry participation in a badger culling programme can only be in the...

Future of ram genotyping under spotlight.
September 1, 2006... DEFRA has summoned together leading figures from across the sheep industry as it contemplates the future of the ram genotyping scheme- designed to reduce those animals least resistant to scrapie. The EU Commission's decision to end...

Supply chain inquiry underway.
September 1, 2006... THE Competition Commission team working on the inquiry into the grocery market has asked the NFU for detailed examples of supply chain relations. It follows a two-hour hearing that took place this week, during which an NFU team, headed by...

`Unprepared' for climate challenges.
September 1, 2006... LANDOWNERS are unprepared for the negative impacts of climate change, says a new report. A study of 21 rural estates across Europe, including four in the UK, concluded that adapting to expected changes in climate was likely to be more...

Deal enables extra payments for cables.
September 1, 2006... A NEW deal negotiated last week means farmers will be able to command extra payments for housing high quality `core' fibre optic cables on their land. The NFU and CLA made the announcement after an agreement was reached with Openreach on...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Wind battle won.
September 1, 2006... Dumfries-shire sheep farmer Neil Ewart has won a 13-year planning battle to develop a wind farm on his land. The #10m wind farm will be built at Carlesgill Hill, near Langholm and be up and running by next July. It will eventually generate...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Better Returns.
September 1, 2006... Farmer's daughter, Netta de la Cour, marketing manager with a London- based events company, has been appointed as the new Beef Better Returns project manager for English Beef and Lamb Executive and will initially be based in Newmarket. ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Raine is chair.
September 1, 2006... David Raine has been elected as the new chairman of council for the National Sheep Association, having previously held the post in the late 1990s. He succeeds Peter Baber, who held the post for four years. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

NEWS IN BRIEF: Young president.
September 1, 2006... The Shorthorn Society has elected one of the youngest breed society presidents in 32-year-old Wendy Young (nee Collins). A member of the Shorthorn Society Council since 2004, she is well known in cattle circles, having shown the family's...

Honey Programme's #300,000 sweetener.
September 1, 2006... DEFRA received more than #300,000 from Brussels in CAP subsidy payments in 2004/05, it emerged this week. The money was used, according to the department, for funding the UK Honey Programme, a scheme helping beekeepers combat varroa, a...

CAP Payments 2004/05.
September 1, 2006... Top 20 Farm payments 1. Farmcare #2,358,947.01 2. Strutt & Parker (farms) #1,382,510.14 3. Lilburn Estates Farming Partnership #1,234,083.25 4. Agreserves ...

Arguments rumble on over `organic versus conventional' food production.
September 1, 2006... AS the Soil Association-sponsored Organic Fortnight gets under way tomorrow (Saturday) there have been differing opinions on whether or not organic food is better than conventionally produced food. Promoting the organic viewpoint, the Soil...

Single Payment update.
September 1, 2006... A TOTAL of 4,645 Single Payment claimants, 4 per cent of the total, have still not received a penny. Of those approximately 224 are in the priority one category, that is having a claim value of more than E1,000 or #682. This includes 98...

Are we ready for GM potatoes?
September 1, 2006... IS the UK ready for commercially GM crops? That is the hotly debated issue that is very much back on the agenda. It follows the announcement by plant science company BASF that it is seeking permission to begin field trials of GM potatoes next...

What's does the future hold for the RPA?
September 1, 2006... Viewpoint: Jim Webster WE are at something of a crossroads. If you look back a couple of years the EU had scores of subsidy schemes. To run them member states were collecting more and more data, but unfortunately as each scheme was a...

OPINION: The light of science.
September 1, 2006... Nothing stirs up a heated debate faster than GM -in common with issues like fox hunting, immigration and capital punishment, GM is one of those subjects that arouses passionate feelings at either end of the argument spectrum. Equally you...

Unions unite to oppose possible cut in payments.
September 1, 2006... BOTH farming unions in Wales made use of Meirioneth Show to highlight key issues affecting the farming industry, with condemnation of the proposed cuts in Tir Mynydd hill farming support payments - reported in last week's Farmers Guardian - top...

Aversion therapy launch to help public beat cow phobia problems.
September 1, 2006... FARMER members of the Wales-based Calon Wen organic milk co-operative have taken the innovative step of launching a `cow aversion therapy' course in a bid to help the thousands of British people who are bovine phobic - or, in other words,...

Ear all about it as Lleyns get a further identity tag.
September 1, 2006... THE Lleyn Sheep Society has introduced a new tagging system to help identify all pedigree registered rams and female sheep. It has been brought in to give the breed a clear identity to all pedigree registered sheep and is intended to show...

Fair play: Donate a lamb.
September 1, 2006... SHEEP exhibitors at this year's Royal Smithfield Christmas Fair are being asked to help those in need in the farming community by donating a lamb to raise funds for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. The Royal Smithfield Club...

Desperate Dan has last laugh at tractor pull.
September 1, 2006... JUST under 8,000 people turned out at the weekend to watch the European Challenge tractor pull held at Great Eccleston. North West Tractor Pullers Club vice-chairman John Eccles said it was one of the best years ever for the event. Overall...

Black puts `white' in shade.
September 1, 2006... Behind-the-scenes discussions could see the only county show in Wales that still moves around settling down on a permanent site - with Bala the most likely choice. Next year's Meirionnydd County Show is scheduled for Tywyn - but from 2008...

Daughter steps in to lead Texel ram to inter-breed win.
September 1, 2006... HER mother was away in Scotland at the Lanark sales but Eiddwen Jones proved that she is also a dab hand at showing off the merits of the family's pedigree Beidiog Texel flock. Not only did she win the breed's championship and reserve...

Livestock entries push past 1,000 barrier.
September 1, 2006... THE Martletwy and District YFC agricultural show in Pembrokeshire, recorded one of the most successful events in its 55-year history, having attracted more than 1,000 livestock entries for what was thought to be the first time. The cattle...

Whitwell's shearling takes the top prize.
September 1, 2006... A LONK shearling ewe from T. Whitwell and Son, Clitheroe, Lancashire, won the sheep inter-breed championship at Trawden and District Agricultural Society's annual show - one of the largest one-day sheep shows. Standing reserve was the...

Andrew's home-bred wins as newcomers taste success.
September 1, 2006... THE sheep and cattle sections saw new exhibitors to Hawkshead Show, Cumbria, walk away with the top prizes. Andrew Crowe, from Stainton-with-Adgarley, took the sheep championship with his home-bred Texel ram, while Scott Thomason, from...

Tamhorn Wee Roma is a big champ.
September 1, 2006... THE October 2004-born Tamhorn Wee Roma took the beef inter-breed championship at Holsworthy and Stratton Show, Cornwall, for J. Rooks and A. Haste. By Cristal De Somme, Roma had earlier taken the Belgian Blue breed title, ahead of the...

Youngsters' field day joy.
September 1, 2006... YOUNG breeders were predominate in the cattle and sheep classes at Clynderwen Young Farmers Club Show in Pembrokeshire, with events of this nature in the locality dating back to the early days of the calf rearing clubs and pioneering days of...

Warninglidgold Jersey is the cream of dairy section.
September 1, 2006... THE Jersey champion, Warninglidgold Tral Charity, from S. and S. Murray, Pattingham, was named dairy inter-breed champion at Minsterley Show, Shropshire. Born in November 1999, she was by Fun Tral out of Danish W Charity. The Limousin...

Holstein Spirits top title.
September 1, 2006... HEADING the cattle entries at Pontardulais Show, West Glamorgan, was Andrew Thomas with the family's July-calved Holstein 6th calver, Ramshill Spirit Henrietta 215, ahead of the any other dairy breed winner, the January-calved Ayrshire heifer,...

Metcalfe takes inter-breed.
September 1, 2006... THE dairy inter-breed red ticket at Wensleydale Show, West Yorkshire, was awarded to the Holstein breed leader from Metcalfe Farms, beating the Jersey champion from G.M. and A.J. Harrison into second place. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Show's centenary celebrations.
September 1, 2006... THE centenary of the Derbyshire Gritstone Sheep Society was marked at this year's Hope Show, Derbyshire, with a special champion of champions class aimed at finding possibly the best Gritstone sheep in the country. Champion sheep from...

Bilsborrow's Suffolk excels.
September 1, 2006... A SUFFOLK shearling ewe from J. Bilsborrow, Chelford, took the sheep inter-breed championship at Poynton Show, Cheshire, standing ahead of a Texel shearling ram from P. Johnson, Bignall End. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Simmental's supreme.
September 1, 2006... THE overall cattle champion at Chipping Show, Lancashire, was the beef inter-breed and Simmental champion, Popes Wood Nelly's Princess, from Jimmy and Vickie Wood, Dutton, Longridge. The overall dairy champion was M. and J. Bristol's...

Inter-breed beef for Blonde Burghwallis Star.
September 1, 2006... THE British Blonde cow Burghwallis Star, from W. and M. Seels, was named beef inter-breed champion at Moorgreen Show, Nottinghamshire, standing ahead of A. Dickenson's commercial champion, Little Mermaid. The Jersey champion from J.C....

No doubting the Thomas's as they take cattle honours.
September 1, 2006... TOP honours in the cattle classes at Llanddarog Show went to dairy farmers Elwyn and Cheryl Thomas, of Pontantwn, whose June-calved Holstein fourth calver, Gatrog Prelude Lucy, was given supreme. However, she was, with a different judge,...

Young Jersey breeders aiming for the summit.
September 1, 2006... IN the Midlands there is a pedigree Jersey enterprise with its sights set on competing at the highest level. And if one of the latest additions to their team is anything to go by then they are no mood to hang around. With a will to...

Continuing a family butterfly legacy.
September 1, 2006... CLAIRE PHILLIPS visits a Cambridgeshire farm where, thanks to the enthusiasm of a farmer with an interest in botany back in the sixties, it now plays host to some of the country's rarest plants and butterflies. The former railway cutting...

ARABLE: Performance of blight fungicide looks `very impressive'.
September 1, 2006... POTATO growers had the first opportunity to see the performance of a new blight fungicide, mandipropamid, at Syngenta's Whittlesford trials site in Cambridgeshire last week. The pre-registration trials, inoculated with blight and heavily...

ARABLE: Growers get early startto sugar beet campaign.
September 1, 2006... SUGAR beet growers in the Newark factory area have welcomed British Sugar's decision to open the factory earlier than last year. The 2006 campaign will begin on September 18, six days before last year's September 24 start. Regional NFU...

ARABLE: Cereal seed approval.
September 1, 2006... THE majority of Bayer CropScience's new generation of cereal seed treatments have received PSD approval for use on a wider range of crops. Redigo (prothioconazole) fungicidal seed treatment, which already has winter wheat, spring wheat and...

Reappraise mycotoxin risks with changeable weather.
September 1, 2006... WITH rainfall affecting harvest in many areas and changeable weather prospects for the next fortnight, there is a need to reappraise the mycotoxin risks this harvest, according to HGCA. "Early results from the first 100 wheat samples tested...

`No worrying trends' as List varieties perform as expected.
September 1, 2006... NONE of the winter wheat varieties in the HGCA Recommended List trials have had a bad year, according to trials technical manager, Bill Handley. "There are no worrying trends with any of the varieties this year. Gladiator, Ambrosia and...

Sainsbury's back bumblebee scheme.
September 1, 2006... SUPERMARKET giant Sainsbury's has given its support to Operation Bumblebee, the Syngenta initiative designed to boost UK bumblebee numbers. Sainsbury's is funding an exclusive project aimed at boosting bumblebee numbers by as much as 600...

Further work imminent to find a better skin finish.
September 1, 2006... FURTHER work to help potato growers achieve better skin finish could be on the cards following a British Potato Council-funded review of the research in this area. Results of the literature review, written by staff at BPC's Sutton Bridge...

Not all couch is common variety - warning.
September 1, 2006... FARMERS across the country are failing to get on top of couch grass problems because it's not the weed they think it is. That's the view of Bob Mills of Frontier Agriculture, who says that more often than not, `couch' problems prove not to...

Agrovista acquires Hebrides.
September 1, 2006... AGRONOMY and crop protections specialists Agrovista UK have acquired the new winter wheat variety Hebrides from CPB Twyford, a full sister variety to Oakley. Both are Access x (Robigus x Aardvark), but is Hebrides will be brought to the...

Fate lends a hand to grow a successful pedigree herd.
September 1, 2006... The Rumsden pedigree beef herd in East Sussex is looking far beyond the farm gate to widen its business frontiers. BEN BRIGGS met managers Robert and Fiona Temple to find out about their work in the UK, Ireland and France. In the heart of...

It's a country life for England prop.
September 1, 2006... What would you rather be - a World Cup winning international sports star or a farmer? Rugby player Julian White appears to prefer the latter. ALISTAIR DRIVER met him to find out why. PLAYING for your country at your chosen sport would...

COUNTRY VIEW: Fighting for better prices.
September 1, 2006... WOMEN'S Institutes across the country were out in force last week in a bid to raise public awareness about the situation faced by British dairy farmers. Members of the WI have been becoming increasingly concerned about the prices local...

COUNTRY VIEW: Deer law change `for better control'.
September 1, 2006... PROPOSED changes to deer protection laws announced by Biodiversity Minister Barry Gardiner this week are designed to prevent damage to the landscape caused by England's growing deer population. Mr Gardiner said the problems caused by wild...

COUNTRY VIEW: Importance of hedges.
September 1, 2006... The importance of hedges in the environment is the main aim of the 12th annual Devon Hedge Week (October 21-29). Residents and visitors will be invited to take part in activities, from farm walks and talks to demonstrations of hedgerow...

COUNTRY VIEW: An hour in the September garden.
September 1, 2006... Now the light is getting thinner the garden prepares for sleep and the jobs start to pile up. A busy time in the garden with just enough warmth to enjoy the change of the season, writes PAUL PEACOCK. IT is surprising how, one day it is...

Liz makes her point to win Threlkeld title.
September 1, 2006... WITH a single point advantage Joseph Relph and Liz took the title at the Threlkeld open trial held on Wednesday near Keswick, Cumbria. Running was over a course with a 350-metre fetch that fell gently away before levelling out at the lift....

OLF rule decides St Dogmaels Open and Novice trials.
September 1, 2006... IF the organisers of the trials at St. Dogmaels and Crosswell, both in Pembrokeshire, feared that handlers would not travel that far, they were proved wrong when over 90 runs were booked in at each venue. Their close proximity meant that almost...

CONTRACTOR: Forestry scheme creates diverse opportunities.
September 1, 2006... Established woodlands don't just happen; in their infancy they need nurturing and managing. The Forestry Commission's London Chase scheme - to plant acres of new woodland in North London - is providing one farmer with an extra income. ...

CONTRACTOR: High 'n dry in the `bubbly' Ardennes region.
September 1, 2006... It's the largest grass drying plant in Europe - one which processes the lucerne grown on 40,000ha. ANDY COLLINGS takes a look at the France- based Eroluz plant, based near Reims, which has an output of over 120,000 tonnes of grass pellets each...

CONTRACTOR: A balanced diet is job for a Star with chips in mix.
September 1, 2006... WHILE it is everyone's intention to add the correct amount of eachingredient to a mixer wagon when creating a diet, the reality is thatmistakes happen and, for dairy rations at least, milk yield can beadversely affected. At Mapledurham...

ATVs: MF's new diesel quad: What we've waited for?
September 1, 2006... Potentially, the most exciting development in ATVs for some years, Massey Ferguson is introducing a diesel-engined machine using a 686cc liquid cooled Lombardini twin cylinder engine. The market has long awaited one of the `big names'...

ATVs: Well-finished, stable Kymco.
September 1, 2006... We hadn't really seen a Kymco before the MXU 300 arrived and had certainly never looked at one in detail. We didn't quite know what to expect and certainly not the decently well- finished machine which it appears. The manufacturer last...

ATVs: Gutsier later Gator.
September 1, 2006... It is little more than a year since we tested John Deere's significant new addition to the off-road utility vehicle market but already, the HPX Gator has been updated. It retains the excellent three-cylinder Yanmar diesel engine but...

MACHINERY: JCB gets up to speed.
September 1, 2006... JCB last week smashed the world land speed record twice for a diesel powered streamliner car on Bonneville salt flats by exceeding 350mph and snatched the 33-year old record of 235.756mph from the hands of American record holder Virgil Snyder....

MACHINERY: Highline delivers closer cut plus flexibility bonus.
September 1, 2006... BISO has extended itscombine cutterbar range to give a closer shave. Joining the Crop Ranger Highline that has been marketed by Abrey and Son since 2002, is thePremium and Premium Plusversions. The latter has a flexiblecutterbar that allows...

OTM fat is costly to put on and take off.
September 1, 2006... OVER thirty months and over-fat - one of the most common problems in many of the abattoirs processing older cattle. The temptation for farmers to try and hang a little more weight on the wrong type of cow is costing them - and the abattoirs...

Maize monitor: Countdown to harvest 2006.
September 1, 2006... IN southern and southwestern counties, starch deposition is now well underway in the more forward crops and farmers are urged to be vigilant as optimum maturity may be imminent. More generally, universally hot conditions earlier in the...

Champion pen for the second year running.
September 1, 2006... THE champion pen of mule wethers achieved top price of the day at a store lamb show and sale in Skipton last week. The pen of 50 mules consigned by Messrs. A.and N. Wade, Bradley were awarded with the championship prize for the second year...

Heifer hits high of 1,500gns at Lakestreet herd dispersal.
September 1, 2006... A ROYLANE Jordan-sired heifer sold to a top of 1,500gns at the dispersal sale of the Lakestreet herd of Holstein Friesians for Graham Guilding, Stonehouse, Gloucester. Sale topper, Medbourne Jordan Mandy had been calved 11 months and is...

Holsteins bid to 1,550gns at Taunton.
September 1, 2006... TRADE was strong with a top price of 1,550gns when Roger Hobbs, Truro, Cornwall, dispersed his Kea herd of Holsteins at Taunton Livestock Centre last week. Top price was realised by Kea Convincer Granite, an April second calver giving...

Dairy breeds to 2,400gns at Beeston.
September 1, 2006... DAIRY farmers had the comparatively rare opportunity to buy Holsteins, Ayrshires and Jersey cattle on the same day at the dispersal sale of the entire Marshview herds of Bolderston and Partners, Halesworth, Suffolk, at Beeston Castle Auction...

`Sensible' trade at Lanark sees Texels to 21,000gns.
September 1, 2006... Two rams held the top price at Lanark, this one - Craighead Masterpiece from Messrs J. Cullen, Craighead, Lanarkshire - went through first for 21,000gns. THE trade for pedigree Texel ram lambs at Lanark last Thursday was much more sensible...

Jersey secures best price at Carlisle coloured breeds sale.
September 1, 2006... ALL mature cattle averaged over #1,000 at the amalgamated coloured breeds sale at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, last week. The show and sale was held jointly, for the first time, between The Lakes Counties Jersey cattle club and the Cumberland...

Texel tops trade in dispersal sale.
September 1, 2006... A TOP price of 620gns was realised when 104 pedigree Texel and Suffolk females from two flocks went under the hammer at Welshpool last week. The sale was a complete dispersal of J.A. Evans' Lower Ffrydd flock, Trefeglwys, and the Little...

Meikle Laught Ayrshire maidens.
September 1, 2006... WITH the new owners of William and Muriel Parker's Meikle Laught Farm, Ayrshire, having bought the milking portion and in-calf heifers in their 60-year-old Meikle Laught Ayrshire herd, the remaining maiden heifers came under the hammer in...

Stonefieldhill Texel ram to 5,200gns.
September 1, 2006... A TEXEL ram realised 5,200gns at the retiral sale from the Stonefieldhill flock owned by Alex Brown and the draft sale from Gemma Brown's Brookhill flock last week at Rosewell, Mid Lothian. The top price ram, Halbeath Kiwi, was from the...

Top Texel bid of 12,000gns for Goldies Matador.
September 1, 2006... A TOP price of 12,000gns was achieved when the Texel Sheep Society held its national show and sale at Worcester on Monday and Tuesday. That top bid came in for a ram lamb from the noted Goldies flock in Dumfriesshire, which boasted some of...

Breed record for Zwartbles at 3,400gns.
September 1, 2006... PRICES rose to 3,400gns for a pedigree Zwartbles ram lamb at the breed show and sale at Carlisle on Friday. Top bidders were J. Thorburn, Annan, Dumfriesshire, for an entry from Heather Blease who runs the Berrington flock, near Ashwater in...

Busy trading at first Mule and Masham annual show and sale.
September 1, 2006... A TOTAL of 3,250 head went under the hammer at the first annual show and sale of Mule and Masham ewes and shearlings at Kendal, on Saturday, which was sponsored by Farmers Guardian. An outstanding pen of Mule shearlings from D.E. and J....

Berrichons peak at 750gns.
September 1, 2006... BIDS reached 750gns at the annual show and sale of pedigree Berrichon du Cher rams and females on Friday at Carlisle. A shearling ram from the Sunnycroft flock of M.E. and H.S. Crane, Shipdham, Thetford, Norfolk, made the top money when he...

Top of 450gns for Charollais.
September 1, 2006... COMMERCIAL Charollais rams sold to a top of 450gns at Carlisle on Friday. Cumbrian buyers H. and A.T. Threlkeld, Satterthwaite, Ulverston, placed the top bid for the supreme champion shearling ram - an Inglis Cymro son - from Deborah...

Holsteins to 1,400gns at Hallworthy.
September 1, 2006... TWO bids of 1,400gns topped a sale of pedigree Holstein cattle at Hallworthy, Cornwall, on Tuesday. Heifer, Maxworthy Marquise Astrid 13, from John Uglow and Sons, Holsworthy, Devon, claimed the overall championship before selling for the joint...

FGBusiness: Wynnstay Group get Glasson for #2.5m.
September 1, 2006... THE Wynnstay Group has bought the Glasson Group (Lancaster) in a #2.5m deal. Established in 1977 and based at Glasson dock, near Lancaster, the Glasson Group is involved in the importation, shipping and trading of animal feed materials...

FGBusiness: Launch of National Trust - the food brand.
September 1, 2006... THE National Trust will launch a major branding initiative this month to promote local and seasonal food produced at its properties. Food that meets certain criteria linked to environmental, animal welfare and quality standards will qualify...