Farmers Guardian articles from September 2008

Farmers Guardian archives from September 2008

Defra under fire as TB creeps into new areas.
September 5, 2008... * NFU plans High Court challenge By Alistair Driver DEFRA has come under renewed attack over its bovine TB policy after a series of recent developments combined to highlight the scale of the crisis afflicting farms across Britain. ...

Vets anger at Defra's refusal to cull infected animals.
September 5, 2008... DEFRA is under fire for refusing to slaughter the two imported rams which tested positive for the bluetongue virus last week. The sheep were imported from the same premises in a Restricted Zone in Central France to farms near Lewes, East...

Protection Zone extended as new case comes to light.
September 5, 2008... * German heifers test positive By Jack Davies THE extension of the bluetongue Protection Zone to cover the last remaining free areas this week means vaccine is now available to all farmers in England and Wales. The move came as...

Test results are correct says Defra's chief vet.
September 5, 2008... DEFRA has moved to quash claims its tests for bluetongue are inaccurate and had given false readings in the case of imported cattle on a Devonshire farm. The assertion follows claims by the dairy farmer that the PCR tests on his German...

Vaccinate quickly farmers urged after whole of Wales becomes a PZ.
September 5, 2008... THE whole of Wales became a bluetongue protection zone from midnight on Sunday - with all farmers being urged to vaccinate as soon as possible. Announcing the move, Welsh Assembly Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, said the cases of...

MEPs demand backtrack on EID.
September 5, 2008... * Declaration to block EU plans By Alistair Driver MEPs from across the UK and Ireland joined forces this week to demand a halt to plans to introduce electronic identification (EID) for sheep and goats across the EU. A cross-party...

Unions issue excise duty plea for farm vehicle re-banding.
September 5, 2008... THE presidents of four UK farming unions have written to the Government, urging it to reconsider plans for re-banding Vehicle Excise Duty and calling for a meeting to discuss other possibilities, including a derogation for working farm...

Opposing regulation a priority over derogation.
September 5, 2008... THE sheep industry's efforts to oppose the introduction of EID should not be diluted by exclusive debate on a derogation. That is the view of National Sheep Association chairman of council Jonathan Barber and chief executive Peter Morris...

Cloning for food ban call.
September 5, 2008... THE European Parliament has called for a ban on the cloning of animals for the food trade. Several expert groups, including the European Food Safety Authority and the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies, outlined...

BTB UPDATE: Vet morale at rock bottom.
September 5, 2008... MORALE among state vets working in bovine TB hotspots is at `rock bottom', according to an Animal Health vet who has talked to Farmers Guardian. The vet, who wishes to remain anonymous, said they and their colleagues felt `powerless' in...

BTB UPDATE: Massive rise in bTB incidence for first five months of 2008.
September 5, 2008... Alistair Driver and William Surman look at the latest bovine TB position. DEFRA is seeking to play down the significance of a massive rise in bovine TB incidence recorded so far this year. Official figures for the first five months of...

BTB UPDATE: No additional EU restrictions for now.
September 5, 2008... EARLY indications from a high level meeting in Brussels suggest that the European Commission has decided against adding further restrictions to UK cattle exports, despite European fears that TB could be spread to the Continent. However,...

Possible risk to human health.
September 5, 2008... A SCIENTIFIC paper discussing the `re-emergence of an old zoonotic threat' in reference to the possible increased risk to humans and pets from bovine TB has been submitted to the British Medical Journal. The paper features the case of a...

First steps towards the High Court.
September 5, 2008... THE NFU has signalled form-ally that it intends to pursue legal action over Defra's refusal to sanction a badger cull. NFU lawyers have sent a pre-action letter to Defra explaining why the union considers Secretary of State Hilary Benn...

Defra stands accused over its culling licence policy.
September 5, 2008... * Government policy has been `laid bare' * No licences granted to farmers A TOTAL of 11 licences to cull badgers to control the spread of bovine TB have been issued since 2003 - but not one has been granted to farmers. The...

Re-balancing support to help hill farmers.
September 5, 2008... * Three-point plan to help hill farmers By David Boderke A three-point plan to halt the decline of hill livestock farming was unveiled on Monday by NFU Scotland. The package of policy options outlined in the union's Manifesto for...

Help discover extent of feed shortage.
September 5, 2008... WITH the prospect of livestock winter feed shortages looming, farmers across Wales are being asked to take part in NFU Cymru's harvest survey. Much of Wales has suffered the wettest August since 1992 and sunshine levels among the lowest...

UELS support pledge from Natural England.
September 5, 2008... NATURAL England has pledged to continue to working with farmers on the new Uplands Entry Level Stewardship (UELS) scheme. This follows strident criticism by the NFU of the Natural England- designed version of UELS, currently being trialled...

Entries sought for Royal Highland Winter Fair.
September 5, 2008... WITH all the uncertainty surrounding livestock events due to bluetongue restrictions, the organisers of the Royal Highland Winter Fair have confirmed their event will `definitely be going ahead'. Exhibitors are encouraged to get their...

EC under fire over the proposed pesticides plan.
September 5, 2008... THE European Commission has come under further pressure to justify its controversial pesticides proposals this week. Chairman of the European Parliament's agriculture committee, Neil Parish, stepped up the campaign to force Europe's...

Threat to honey supplies.
September 5, 2008... THERE is such a shortage of British honey that it could run out in supermarkets by Christmas. The situation prompted a crisis meeting of the major stakeholders in the UK beekeeping industry this week, at which Oxfordshire-based Rowse Honey...

Protest aims to force rise in beef prices.
September 5, 2008... * #3.70/kg target to cover production cost FARMERS For Action Northern Ireland are staging a series of peaceful protests at Northern Ireland abattoirs during the next few months, the first of which took place outside Dunbia's Dungannon...

LETTER: Cutting global emissions at a stroke.(Letter to the editor)
September 5, 2008... RETURNING to a standard 16 per cent moisture content for grains would, at a stroke, reduce global emissions from UK agriculture. This old moisture level of 15 per cent was fine in the days of cheap energy. But with the world warming up...

LETTER: Taking a risk with imports.(Letter to the editor)
September 5, 2008... THE battle against bluetongue will always remain as long as we have farmers importing livestock into Britain from the Continent under present circumstances. In Britain we have bred world-class livestock for a long time, so why under these...

LETTER: Halting the Royal's slide.(Letter to the editor)
September 5, 2008... I ATTENDED the livestock exhibitors' meeting on August 4 and I have studied the 15-page McAllister Partnership report. The main theme of the meeting, besides moving away from the weekend to midweek, was a reduction in days. I have...

LETTER: Castration should be early.(Letter to the editor)
September 5, 2008... I was very interested to read the piece by Robin Casson in `Sheep Guide 2008' (FG, August 1). In the article Mr Casson describes how he has changed from a normal spring lambing to lambing in mid-summer. I can certainly understand the...

EDITORIAL: We need effective policy on bTB.(Editorial)
September 5, 2008... IT IS perhaps best not to look too far into the future as far as bovine TB is concerned. With TB-related cattle slaughterings up 40 per cent, the forced destruction of thousands of dairy bull calves, the growing threat of EU sanctions, and...

OPINION: Let's get off the back foot.
September 5, 2008... IT is good to see Farmers Guardian running the `Backing British Growers' campaign arguing that withdrawal of up to 80 per cent of crop protection materials would be disastrous in the way it would push up production costs. While I totally...

Pesticide proposals posing a threat to ancillary industries.
September 5, 2008... It is easy to think that EU proposals restricting the range of agrochemicals will affect only farming and related industries but, in fact, they could have serious consequences for the whole rural economy suggests Scottish arable farmer, James...

Fallen stock scheme at crossroads as funding row casts doubt.
September 5, 2008... After an horrendously difficult start, Michael Seals can feel justified in claiming his team has made a success of the National Fallen Stock Scheme. But he tells Alistair Driver why, as the scheme reaches a major turning point, his biggest...

Determined to make a success of `Government-industry' partnership.
September 5, 2008... GORDON Brown may or may not be comforted by the knowledge that at least one person in the country knows what he is going through. In 2004 and early 2005, Michael Seals became farming's `Mr Unpopular', a man who could do no right in the eyes...

Case study 1: Managing emissions.
September 5, 2008... Chris and Margy Hall farm 400 dairy cows near Brighouse, West Yorkshire. Their farm was one of 11 that undertook a study by Kite Consulting to assess their on-farm greenhouse gas emissions. It revealed the top five performing farms...

Case study 2: Using slurry biogas to power the business.
September 5, 2008... Alan Hogarth, a Scottish farmer based near Saltcoats, Ayrshire, is a pioneer of anaerobic digestion in the UK. He runs a plant capable of turning the combined slurry of his 250-cow dairy herd into 85,000m3 of biogas each year. This is used...

UK dairy industry `making milk greener'.
September 5, 2008... * Efficiency key to environment drive By William Surman THE UK dairy industry is leading the world in its fight against climate change and should be proud of its environmental credentials, according to trade association, Dairy UK. ...

Case study 3: Tackling cows' diets.
September 5, 2008... Dairy cooperative First Milk is working with its Welsh members and animal nutritionists at Keenan Rumans to develop a diet that will boost milk production and cut methane emissions. Optimising forage fibre helps animals to chew more and...

BUSINESS: Dairy industry desperate for price rise.
September 5, 2008... * Report predicts a mass exodus * Confidence is `very fragile' By Jack Davies THE cost of milk production looks set to rise further over the next 12 months by an estimated 3ppl increase and a mass exodus from dairying is on the...

BUSINESS: Compensation hit by EU Sugar Restructuring.
September 5, 2008... * E1.4m aid package for beet contractors By Jack Davies BEET growers and contractors affected by the EU's Sugar Restructuring are now eligible for compensation and are being urged to apply as soon as possible. The Sugar...

BUSINESS: Beef prices improve dramatically.
September 5, 2008... BEEF prices have risen dramatically in recent weeks as producers cash in on growing demand and short supply. Despite a fall in average prices earlier in the summer, when the National Beef Association claims prices fell as low as 230p per...

BUSINESS: Report claims organic more attractive as oil price rises.(Report)
September 5, 2008... RISING oil prices could see many farmers switching to organic as combinable crops such as wheat, barley and oilseed rape could become more profitable compared to their non-organic counterparts. The claim comes in new report from Andersons...

WORLD NEWS: Brazil - Poultry exports up.
September 5, 2008... For the first six months of 2008, poultry exports from Brazil have increased 13.5 per cent on the same period in 2007. Hong Kong took 206,000 tonnes - a 25 per cent increase; Japan 190,000 tonnes; Venezuela increased by 85 per cent to...

WORLD NEWS: Cambodia - Cattle smuggling.
September 5, 2008... There has always been a cross border trade in cattle and buffalo between Vietnam and Cambodia. This is now being halted as a precaution against BSE and foot-and-mouth but the rising economy in Vietnam, has made the trade in cattle from Cambodia...

WORLD NEWS: Australia - Store cattle sale.
September 5, 2008... Roma, Queensland - 7,500 store cattle in winter condition. Prices in euros. Steers 400kg upwards topped 115c/kg (average 110c/kg); 350kg upwards 115c/kg (111c/kg euros); 280kg upwards 125c/kg (105c/kg); cows 400kg butchers types 93c/kg...

WORLD NEWS: Russia - Switch from offal to beef.
September 5, 2008... For many years, Russia was the world's best market for offal's, livers, hearts, tripe and head-meat. But current figures show a rapid decline in the import of offal and a large increase in red meat consumption. South Africa is now the...

WORLD NEWS: Australia - Charolais bull sale.
September 5, 2008... Palgrove, Queensland - 172 Charolais stud bulls at Average AU$7,238 apiece (E4,330). The top price was AU$50,000 (E30,000) for a bull from an Irish sire and French dam. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Beware employment law on migrants.
September 5, 2008... * New laws apply all-year-round EMPLOYING illegal migrant workers for the harvest, or indeed any other farm work, could mean jail or financial ruin for the employer. The stark warning comes from law firm Clarke Willmott as thousands of...

BUSINESS: New research into milk price.
September 5, 2008... WHAT you think of your milk price and the way your milk is marketed is being surveyed by Newcastle University. The University has posted an on-line survey to investigate linkages between UK farmers attitudes to the marketing of their milk...

BUSINESS: Council opts for local milk supply.
September 5, 2008... A STAFFORDSHIRE dairy farm has been given a boost after winning a three year milk contract with the County Council. Wells Farm Dairy, based in Bradley, will now supply milk to nearly 400 schools across Staffordshire, as well as all County...

BUSINESS: Wiseman unveils state of the art dairy.
September 5, 2008... ROBERT Wiseman's state of the art dairy at Bridgwater in Somerset was formally opened this week, promising to set new standards in dairy processing. Unveiled by food and farming minister Lord Rooker, the dairy will be able to process up to...

BUSINESS: First minister launches lamb campaign.
September 5, 2008... SCOTTISH first minister Richard Lochhead gave his backing to the Festival of Scotch Lamb this week. Speaking at the annual lamb marketing drive from Quality Meat Scotland he said: "Scotland has a world-renowned reputation for high-quality...

BUSINESS: Irish trader suggests that Wool Board's problems are within.
September 5, 2008... * Texacloth predict improving wool price THE problems of the British Wool Marketing Board lie within it and nowhere else suggests Irish wool trader Aiden Walsh, who was irritated by last week's claims by the Board, of Welsh sheep farmers...

BUSINESS: Countrywide turn around fortunes.
September 5, 2008... RESTRUCTURING and a turnaround in agricultural business contributed to record sales and profits for rural supplies group, Countrywide. Results for the year, to May 31 2008, show strong growth in retail, agricultural and energy businesses...

MACHINERY: JF-Stoll puts sales and distribution in-house.
September 5, 2008... * Aim is to build market share By Mervyn Bailey Danish firm JF-Stoll is to establish a new sales and distribution subsidiary in the UK from the beginning of October. WestMac, which has been handling the franchise for over 16 years,...

MACHINERY: Vicon brings 28-model reach mower range to the UK market.(Industry overview)
September 5, 2008... Vicon is looking to enter the fiercely-contested British verge and hedge mower market with a range of French-made machines. Steven Vale discovers the company has set its sights on securing 10 per cent of the UK market. Although largely...

MACHINERY: Kymco enters side-by-side ATV market.
September 5, 2008... The UXV500RL is Kymco's entry model for the side-by-side ATV market. This #6,497 vehicle is powered by a four-stroke, single cylinder petrol engine delivering 36hp at 6,500rpm, coupled to an automatic continuously-variable speed...

MACHINERY: Handler cuts tractor numbers and the need for extra labour.
September 5, 2008... * Less conventional tractor replacement MANUFACTURERS would claim that linkage/pto-equipped telehandlers combine the flexibility of a tractor and the speciality, lifting and reaching of a telescopic. But while some farmers have...

ARABLE: Legal challenge over MRL rules.
September 5, 2008... EUROPEAN green groups have issued a legal challenge to the EU over new legislation governing maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides, which came into force on Monday. Dutch NGO Natuur en Milieu and PAN Europe, an umbrella group of...

ARABLE: Pesticides plan could kill off British beet industry.
September 5, 2008... * Return to sulphur sprays predicted by Teresa Rush SUGAR beet production in the UK would certainly be less profitable, and may not continue, if EU pesticides proposals become law, the British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) has...

ARABLE: Sugar dates.
September 5, 2008... British Sugar has announced the start dates for the 2008/09 sugar beet harvesting campaign. The dates have been agreed with NFU Sugar. Newark and Wissington will start accepting loads on Wednesday, September 17. Bury St Edmunds and Cantley...

ARABLE: Long way to go on winter wheat, but RL yields are up this year.
September 5, 2008... WINTER wheat yields are up by 0.9t/ha in the HGCA Recommended List trials this year, according to RL manager, Jim McVittie. "Yields have definitely been higher this year, but as yet we have only had a couple of quality results in, which...

ARABLE: Loss of IPU and trifluralin has serious implications.
September 5, 2008... WHILE IPU and trifluralin were less important in terms of controlling rye-grass rather than black-grass, their loss from the market will still be significant, says to Sygenta's Jason Tatnell. The implications of the loss of the two active...

ARABLE: CTU applications require careful planning - Bayer.
September 5, 2008... * Atlantis in spring not the best timing GROWERS considering chlorotoluron (CTU) as an IPU alternative in black- grass control programmes need to be aware of sequence restrictions with Atlantis, Bayer CropScience is warning. Increased...

ARABLE: Early plant needs can be met by starter fertiliser technique.
September 5, 2008... USE of a starter fertiliser technique used in vegetables and maize could help raise average winter wheat yields and at the same time maximise nutrient efficacy. According to Francis Dunne of Field Options, who is introducing a new soluble...

ARABLE: New head of NIAB.
September 5, 2008... DR Tina Barsby took over as the new chief executive of Cambridge-based plant science organisation National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) on Monday, (September 1). A plant geneticist, Dr Barsby became the first female chief...

ARABLE: Wet-process slug pellets may be a better option.
September 5, 2008... WET-process slug pellets with a larger number of baiting points could be a better option for slug control this autumn, says Makhteshim Agan. The company points out that because dry-process manufactured pellets breakdown quicker, standard...

ARABLE: Trials reveal winter OSR varieties that perform well.
September 5, 2008... * Trials compared pure and hybrid OSR * Hybrids showed a clear advantage COMMERCIAL scale trials by Cambridge Arable Technologies at Great Wilbraham near Cambridge have underlined the ability of some winter oilseed rape varieties to...

ARABLE: Long-term future with miscanthus energy plans.
September 5, 2008... IF all of Bical's figures add up, farmers who choose to grow miscanthus in the south west of the country could be in for a long-term, profitable income. This follows the announcement of a new project Bical plans to run with RWE npower for...

FARM FEATURE: Adapting to change to maintain a quality.
September 5, 2008... Ahead of decoupling on the Isle of Man next year, suckler herd owner and pedigree Suffolk breeder John Teare tells Howard Walsh what he believes will be the key to sustaining a profitable farming business. Producing quality is the key to a...

YOUNGSTOCK: Devon YFC's success in Tanzania.
September 5, 2008... * The team installed a water pump * Project raised over #13,000 TWELVE members from the Devon Federation of Young Farmers Clubs (DFYFC) have successfully completed the installation of a water pump at an agricultural college in...

YOUNGSTOCK: Processing award winner.
September 5, 2008... WELSH young farmer John Hopkins has been announced as the winner of a new competition, aimed at encouraging YFC members to become more involved in the meat supply chain. Sponsored by Meat Promotion Wales, the Lamb Processing Award offers a...

YOUNGSTOCK: Pedalling for local charity.
September 5, 2008... TEN members from Haltwhistle YFC pedalled their way through difficult conditions to raise more than #2,000 for a number of local charities. The cyclists were on their bikes for 13 hours and took on 140 miles of tough terrain, travelling...

YOUNGSTOCK: Welly Week gathers support.
September 5, 2008... ROYAL Agricultural Benevolent Institute (RABI) Welly Week is a fundraising initiative that is capturing the imagination of YFC members nationwide. The aim is to not only raise funds but also to raise awareness among people who might not...

YOUNGSTOCK: Winter Fair launches new trophies.
September 5, 2008... TWO new trophies will be up for grabs at this year's Royal Highland Winter Fair in a bid to attract more young farmers to the annual event. The Scottish National Fat Stock Club will offer a trophy for the best pen of Young Farmers Lambs...

YOUNGSTOCK: Taking on the TV chefs.
September 5, 2008... THREE members from the Lancashire Federation have appeared on television after pitting their culinary skills against two celebrity chefs in a cook-off challenge. Adam Thornber of Bolton-by-Bowland YFC, Lizzie Coar from Samlesbury YFC and...

YOUNGSTOCK: Sausage eating competition draws crowds.
September 5, 2008... PEMBROKESHIRE members competed in a sausage eating challenge to try to promote local produce at their local county show. The club took on teams from the National Farmers' Union, Farmers' Union of Wales and Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society...

COUNTRY VIEW: The debate around mobile phone masts.
September 5, 2008... * Disadvantages may outweigh gains LANDOWNERS tempted to allow mobile phone masts to be erected on their property have been warned the long-term disadvantages may outweigh any short-term gain. Mike Noble, conveyancing property partner...

COUNTRY VIEW: Scottish food celebration.
September 5, 2008... SCOTTISH Food Fortnight 2008 gets under way today, (Friday, September 5) with almost 60 events taking place involving schools and numerous participants from the food and drink industry. Nicola Chalmers-Watson, director of the SCA...

COUNTRY VIEW: A Red Poll real ale.
September 5, 2008... A Red Poll bull named Larry the Lamb and his mate Susie are to `front' the latest real ale to hit the market. `Mercian Red Poll 200' celebrates two centuries of the Red Poll Cattle Breed and is the idea of Mickle Trafford, Cheshire, farmer...

COUNTRY VIEW: The farmhouse cheese is due a major comeback.
September 5, 2008... Paul Peacock gets his taste buds tingling thinking about local cheeses. I have been standing outside the oldest inn in England. The date on the door is 947 AD, when England had only just become a unified nation and the King, Edmund 1st,...

LIVESTOCK: Be aware of liver fluke and lungworms.
September 5, 2008... * New stock should be treated with care * Disease can affect fertility and condition By Neil Ryder Farmers should be aware of bringing in problems with lungworm and liver fluke when introducing new stock on to their farms, warned...

LIVESTOCK: Correct vaccine protocol.
September 5, 2008... AMID concerns over outbreaks of clostridial disease back in May, Intervet/ Schering-Plough Animal Health has emphasised correct vaccination protocols. Rosemary Booth from the company said, "Failing to complete a course of the two doses...

LIVESTOCK: Testing new bulls to assess fertility and body condition.
September 5, 2008... TO avoid a disappointing pregnancy diagnosis session or calving, farmers should have their bull tested at least two months before he goes out with the cows, according to vet Maarten Boers from the Westpoint Veterinary Group. Those two...

LIVESTOCK: Shropshire sheep exported.
September 5, 2008... THE first Shropshire sheep have been exported to France, specifically for use in commercial fruit tree cultures. Marion and Aubrey Webb from Lutterworth, Leicestershire, sold 14 ewes, 11 ewe lambs and two ram lambs to Herve Duclos, a cider...

LIVESTOCK: Quality fears as harvest expected to be two weeks late.
September 5, 2008... * Sustained sunshine would help ripening ACROSS the country, forage maize is desperately in need of sunshine, and although crops grown on lighter land are generally better developed, overall optimum harvest maturity is predicted to be two...

LIVESTOCK: Research and development focus as Advanta joins Limagrain.
September 5, 2008... AT an open day at Rothwell, Lincolnshire, Advanta Seeds announced a change in ownership - from November the company will be known as Limagrain United Kingdom, with all new maize varieties re-branded as LG maize. Limagrain is an...