Farmers Weekly articles from February 2008

Farmers Weekly archives from February 2008

Crop Watch.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Mild weather means that crops have come through the winter well, according to the first Crop Watch reports after the winter break. Below is a summary of each one, but visit www.fwi.co.uk/arable to read them in full EAST Andrew Blazey,...

Make the most of crop-cooling opportunities.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... If you were in the habit of switching off low-volume grainstore fans during wet weather for fear of dampening grain, then think again, consultant Ken Wildey said. "Make use of all the 'cooling' hours you can and don't switch off fans...

Beware residues risk from PGRs.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Pesticide residues in grain and cost-effective cooling strategies were both under discussion at an HGCA grain storage workshop in Essex last week. Paul Spackman was there Stricter EU legislation and changing consumer attitudes towards food...

Herbicide choice is key to control.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Paul Spackman resistant ryegrass Herbicide resistance in ryegrass is an increasing problem in arable rotations and growers can't afford to overlook the threat this spring, experts advise. Results from a new Rothamsted...

Hugh's dilemma...(Opinion)
February 15, 2008... Hugh Fearnley-W walked into the butchers "I'd like a nice chicken" he said. "Would you like to have one from the freezer, or one that has not long been dead?" H F-W "I'm fussy about food and diet, and fresh food is all...

Nothing much to smile about.(Opinion)
February 15, 2008... Q The cover of Farmers Weekly on 1 February was enough to make anyone stamp on it. The photo suggests: "Happy days are here again - all is well, the future is bright." By the looks on those faces, the family had just been told oil has been...

Farmlife.
February 15, 2008... "A victory for people power," is how Ludlow MP Philip Dunne greeted the surprise news that Shropshire County Council is withdrawing plans to close 22 primary schools in the county. But the council is going ahead with the merger of 16...

Trouble comes in sixes.(Farmlife)
February 15, 2008... Q My neighbours may well have been raising an eyebrow at the comings and goings from our farmhouse. A string of men in boiler suits have been in and out at regular intervals. The reason was because of a series of malfunctioning domestic...

Become the sensation of the slopes.(Farmlife)
February 15, 2008... The half term break is a great time to start building your own go-cart - and you might find Dad and your friends are more than willing to help out. By Tessa Gates Things to look out for: (Anas platyrhynchos) Q The mallard is the...

En garde against bluetongue.(Farmlife)
February 15, 2008... Q This time last year France was relatively free of bluetongue, with only a few cases confined to the north. Now the disease is rife, moving in a definite and thorough downward sweep through the country. The official map, with each case...

Farmlife.
February 15, 2008... I lived with a partner for a number of years and watched the transfer of his two boys from the local village school to the big secondary in the nearest town. The village school was amazing and their teacher grew up in the village - it really...

Heart of the community.(Opinion)
February 15, 2008... The school, the shop, the pub, the church and the village hall represent the heart of many rural communities. When they disappear, the quality of life falls and the community is diminished, writes Farmlife editor Tim Relf. With the threat...

Sugar beet still on agenda.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Cambridgeshire-based Philip Bradshaw grows cereals, sugar beet and potatoes on about 300ha (740 acres) of fenland and other soil types from Flegcroft Farm, Whittlesey Q I have enjoyed the feedback from my first Farmer Focus article -...

Teamwork eases the pressure.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Farmers Weekly's new Scottish Barometer farmer is keen on collaboration, Andrew Blake hears The land that Sentry's Mike Eagers manages for three clients on Hopetoun Estate, Linlithgow near Edinburgh produces good crop yields. But the...

Min-till helps reduce costs.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Philip Reck manages 900ha (2224 acres) of light to medium loams within 20 miles of Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, Ireland. Cropping is cereals and oilseed rape, all min-till established Q January turned out wet. The land is saturated and it's...

Preparing to drill barley.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... David Shepherdson and his father rent about 182ha (450 acres) of arable land, mainly thin limestone, on the Dawnay Estates near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, They grow wheat, barley and oilseed rape. He also undertakes contract work including...

Permission given to steal.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Edward Tupper farms 700ha (1730 acres) on the South Downs near Petworth, West Sussex and manages a further 112ha (277 acres) on contract. Crops include wheat, oilseed rape, barley, maize and grass for a 175-cow dairy Q By the time you read...

OSR weeds worth hitting.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Surging prices should make spring weed control, even in poor crops, worthwhile, growers are being advised. Oilseed prices have almost doubled since last year to about [pounds sterling]310/t for harvest 2008, says United Oilseeds' Ian...

Miscellaneous.
February 15, 2008... NEWS FROM THE SALES Luings at Castle Douglas match breed record with 14,000gns bid 127 Caddington pedigree Holsteins dispersed 128 MARKETS 129 UNDER THE HAMMER In-lamb ewes draw the bids at Penrith 135

Machinery.
February 15, 2008... PHILIPS X-TREME POWER Score: QQQQQ Cost/pair: [pounds sterling]24.99 Comment: Averaged 23% more light than NH's standard fitment. Result brought down by relatively poor intensity at 5m, suggesting beams are particularly coherent....

Tests show phenylamide blight resistance on rise.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Blight testing that found higher levels of resistance to phenylamide blight fungicides has resulted in Syngenta temporarily reducing the number of Fubol Gold applications recommended during rapid canopy growth to one. All of the A2 strains...

Beet fertiliser use needs a reassessment.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Mike Abram Sugar beet growers are being advised to reassess their fertiliser strategy this season after a review of the crop's nutrient requirements by the British Beet Research Organisation. The changes are likely to be...

Oust beet weed.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Weed beet problems in sugar beet could be solved by chemical means, according to Eric Ober of Broom's Barn. "We've been looking at chemicals that prevent plants from setting seed," he said. Spraying such a chemical around the time...

Improved genetics could help sugar beet yields.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Better agronomy and varieties are the most obvious routes to improved sugar beet yields, Robin Limb of British Sugar suggested to growers at Beet 08. Yield increases of about 17% would be needed to take the average output of 60t/ha to the...

Xbeet speeds up seed emergence.(Arable)
February 15, 2008... Xbeet, a new generation of seed priming treatment, could advance sugar beet emergence by one or two days over the current standard Advantage, according to Veronique Heyes of Germain's Technology Group. The new treatment took the priming...

Feeling that things are getting better in Wales.(Business)
February 15, 2008... Byline: agent's eyeEdmund Bailey Carter Jonas Q Agents in North Wales were watching the property market with some dismay towards the end of the last half of 2007. Livestock farmers were experiencing dramatically rising costs, there were new...

briefing...'Feeding frenzy' sees land values break [pounds sterling]10,000/haSainsbury's raises organic beef pricePulse area on the way downOutlook for oilseed rape values good.(Business)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Andrew Shirley business Look out for News and reports from Beet 08 p51 Look out for Topical updates in Farmer Focus p46 Edited by Andrew Shirley 020 8652 4920 Looking ahead... Land prices have hit new...

briefing...(Business)
February 15, 2008... Milk Output down * National milk production fell further in January, with dairy farmers delivering just under 1.1bn litres to processors. Adjusted for butterfat at an average of 4.14%, January's milk production rises to 1.12bn litres, more...

'Feeding frenzy' sees land values break [pounds sterling]10,000/ha.(Business)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Andrew Shirley Agricultural land values have broken the [pounds sterling]10,000/ha barrier for the first time amid a "feeding frenzy" of farmers and investors, claims the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Average prices...

Preparing for Darling's tax change.(Business)
February 15, 2008... Landowners have just a few months to prepare for the Chancellor's "streamlining" of capital gains tax legislation. Be prepared with our detailed guide Alistair Darling has announced dramatic changes to capital gains tax from 6 April 2008....

in brief.(Business)
February 15, 2008... Tax changes see flurry of activity in north east Q North-east agent George F White says it is experiencing a flurry of interest from farmers looking to sell land before changes to capital gains tax legislation this April. The firm has...

Bullish about Salisbury.(Business)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Andrew Shirley The guide price for West Farm typifies the boom in land values seen over the past 12 months. David Cross of Savills' Salisbury office is selling 360 acres of arable land at West Farm, Fovant, near the cathedral...

Business.
February 15, 2008... Web Headline: Three Devon Farms For Sale Picture: Marsh Farm Caption: Marsh Farm is a former dairy farm that will attract lifestyle buyers. James Baker of Strutt & Parker's Exeter office is set to test the resilience of the...

Devon trio to test lifestyle market.(Business)
February 15, 2008... James Baker of Strutt & Parker's Exeter office is set to test the resilience of the lifestyle market with three attractive Devon farms. Despite rumblings about City bonus cutbacks and banks tightening up their lending criteria, Mr Baker...

Sainsbury's raises organic beef price.(Business)
February 15, 2008... Supermarket Sainsbury's has raised the price it pays for organic beef by almost 10% to help counter increasing feed and energy costs. The 500 farmers in the Sainsbury/Anglo Beef Processors' producer group will be paid a minimum price of...

Outlook for oilseed rape values good.(Business)
February 15, 2008... Oilseed rape prices have scope to climb even higher, says farmer-owned marketing specialist United Oilseeds. The outlook for the 2008 oilseed rape crop looked more positive than for wheat, managing director Chris Baldwin told journalists at...

Pulse area on the way down.(Business)
February 15, 2008... Concern is growing over the 2008 pulse crops as planted areas fall and processors' stocks dwindle. As well as competition from combinable crops, which look profitable again, some bigger pea groups have cut their acreages after several...

quotes...(Business)
February 15, 2008... "It's important not to lose sight of what agriculture is fundamentally about - feeding people. We want profitable agriculture, environmentally sensitive agriculture, innovative agriculture, helping our rural economies to survive. We want...

'We should not overlook our biofuel technology'.(Business)
February 15, 2008... NFU president Peter Kendall defended so-called first generation biofuels, saying that they offered valuable opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and could be produced in an environmentally sustainable way. Mr Kendall told...

Co-operating to lift biodiversity.(Business)
February 15, 2008... Agri-environment schemes remain the key to combining high-output arable agriculture with restoring farmland bird numbers, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. RSPB director of conservation Mark Avery called on farmers...

GM needed if we are to feed the billions to come.(Business)(Conference notes)
February 15, 2008... Population growth means farmers will have to embrace new technology to meet demand, Ian Ashbridge heard at this year's Sentry Conference Meeting the challenge of feeding the world's soaring population will mean embracing genetically...

Passionate and thriving at the ripe old age of 100.(Opinion)
February 15, 2008... Farmers may not always appreciate it, but they have one of the most effective representative organisations in the UK, influencing, protecting and promoting their interests - the NFU. On the eve of its conference and as it celebrates its...

Lambs going well so far.(Livestock)
February 15, 2008... Q We have been fortunate in lamb marketing this season, with most going deadweight via Middleton in Teesdale Auction Mart at a price set before dispatch. This is along similar lines to that advocated by the Carlisle Discussion Group. But...

Livestock.
February 15, 2008... Well-mixed diet optimises intakes Q Poor diet mixing due to incorrect operation of feeders could be one reason for low cow performance this winter. Dairy cows need a blend of different particle sizes in the diet, mixed to ensure a...

We have lots of thrushes.(Livestock)
February 15, 2008... Q I can reveal that results from this year's RSPB Garden Bird watch will probably detail a fall in song thrush numbers. I know this because most of them are in our stubble turnips. The only way I can see to rectify the situation is by...

Livestock.
February 15, 2008... Devising a livestock handling system isn't just about planning a physical structure to gather and contain animals to undertake essential stock tasks. In fact it is pointless - and decidedly unwise - to start thinking about the actual...

Livestock.
February 15, 2008... The ability to thrive on some of Britain's highest and wettest fell land without any supplementary feeding is what the Herdwick is all about - and it's one of the main reasons the Hartley family has remained dedicated to the breed for more than...

What's value of this test?(Livestock)
February 15, 2008... Q A month gone in 2008 and it has rained almost constantly since the New Year. Let's hope things change soon, as lambing is starting and the fields are like a mudbath. Recently I drove from Stranraer to the Carlisle area and I was amazed...

Brazilian ban good for us.(Livestock)
February 15, 2008... Q We aren't often indebted to the Irish, but they certainly deserve thanks for their perseverance in highlighting the shortcomings of the Brazilian beef industry. Regardless of how complete the ban is or how long it lasts, it should give a...

BRILLIANT BULBS LIFT THE GLOOM.(Machinery)
February 15, 2008... Can a small investment lighten your darkness? Andrew Pearce and Shaun Broadway compare eight tractor headlamp bulbs TRACTOR HEADLIGHT TEST One way to take the strain out of night work is to give yourself more light. And the easiest way...

Defender of a tradition.(Machinery)
February 15, 2008... Land Rover Defender: Not sleek, sophisticated, fast or quiet. But if you need to tow or go off-road, this is the car for you. Last year's changes to the Land Rover Defender (on paper, at least) make it sound pretty damned modern. For a...

Machinery.
February 15, 2008... Tractor drivers who like to open a window to let in a bit of fresh air can breathe a sigh of relief - the humble opening side window isn't about to disappear. Unless you want to move up the horsepower band, that is. It was John Sprackman,...

Kiwis take a fresh look at feeding kit.(Machinery)
February 15, 2008... A new range of Kiwi-built feeding equipment is now available for UK livestock producers. The Hustler line-up of bale unrollers includes versions that can handle both round and square bales. With the aim of keeping moving parts to a...

Cleaner power in Case small-tractor revamp.(Machinery)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Nick Fone 65hp, 77hp and 97hp Case IH Quantum tractors gain a greener 4-cyl power-plant claimed to use 4% less fuel than before. Case IH has revamped its smallest tractor range. Replacing previous JXC models, new Quantum...

News.
February 15, 2008... Farmers and food processors that joined the Select Lincolnshire mark have enjoyed increased sales and greater brand recognition among consumers, but the scheme still has a long way to go to meet its aims. Select Lincolnshire is the generic...

My VISION for the NFU would be...(News)
February 15, 2008... The four candidates for the position of NFU vice-president outline their priorities ahead of the election at next week's annual conference Paul Temple * Farming is at a unique point in history. The livestock sector is recovering from...

News.
February 15, 2008... Food marketing consultant and owner of the Asda local producer hub for the West Midlands Rob Ward has been awarded a Nuffield Scholarship to investigate food marketing in other countries. The food chain scholarship, sponsored by bank HSBC,...

Badger-to-cattle interaction puts brock in the centre of TB spotlight.(News)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Andrew Watts An independent report has concluded that the majority of bovine tuberculosis spread in high-risk areas is a result of badger-to-cattle interaction, adding to the mounting pressure on DEFRA to approve calls for a...

News.
February 15, 2008... Any advance on Two Ton Tony? Q Just before Christmas, FW reader Richard Green of Petworth, West Sussex, asked whether his bullock was the largest in the country given that it weighed in at 1460kg. We've found bigger - although...

News.
February 15, 2008... England's livestock farmers are expected to have to pay almost [pounds sterling]20m to vaccinate stock against bluetongue disease - and it is unlikely European funding will be available to help meet the cost, Farmers Weekly can reveal. And...

News.
February 15, 2008... Consumers said they would be happy to pay a little more to help British pig producers and now they have proved it, according to figures from the British Pig Executive. In the first month of 2008 there was a 12% rise in the volume of pork...

News.
February 15, 2008... The Scottish government warned farmers this week they will face fines of [pounds sterling]5000 or six-month custodial sentences if they fail to comply with new laws designed to stop bluetongue virus spreading to Scotland. The cabinet...

News.
February 15, 2008... A "peasants' revolt" to reject new EU Commission demands to individually tag sheep is gaining momentum in Scotland. Borders producers Stephen Withers of Wester Ulston, Jedburgh and Tom Douglas of Nether Tofts, Hawick, have launched a...

News.
February 15, 2008... Region: Uk Pictures: Thre are two pictures in K:\NSHARE\FWEE\Picture Desk\Live Pix 2008\News\FEB 15 - two ton 014 and two ton 015 Topics: Livestock Farmers Weekly's quest to find the biggest bullock in Britain continues. Just...

Cruelty of live long-distance transport highlighted.(News)
February 15, 2008... Animal welfare campaigners have joined forces to launch a global initiative aimed at ending the long distance transport of livestock for slaughter. The Handle with Care campaign, which was unveiled on Tuesday (12 February), is backed by 11...

Unions submit petition for F&M compensation.(News)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Jonathan Riley and Carol McLaren Delegations from farming unions in Wales and Scotland have driven to London to demand compensation for losses incurred in last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak. NFU Scotland took a petition with...

Morrisons to sue over milk cartel allegations.(News)
February 15, 2008... Supermarket chain Morrisons is suing the Office of Fair Trading for naming it in connection with an alleged milk cartel. The OFT alleged Morrisons was one of a number of firms involved in fixing the price of milk products in 2002 but...

News.
February 15, 2008... singing the praises of the humble pig * Pig farmers in Yorkshire have taken up singing to try to publicise the plight of the pig industry. Richard Longthorp and his daughter Anna Oates featured in the Yorkshire Post newspaper ahead...

News.
February 15, 2008... Quote of the Week "What I've always wanted to know is how do you English manage to survive on just apples?" Texas machinery salesman who thought the British agricultural industry survived on one food product alone - apples. He was a...

NFU attacks fuel duty hike plans.(News)
February 15, 2008... The Treasury is coming under growing pressure to scrap plans for a 2p a litre increase in fuel duty. The increase is planned for 1 April and the NFU has joined the call from an alliance including the AA, RAC Foundation, the British Chambers...

Pig producers plan mass rally to earn fairer prices.(News)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Carol McLaren More than 6500 people have signed a petition demanding better prices for pig producers and a mass rally in London is planned to highlight the industry's plight. The petition and rally are part of a [pounds...

DEFRA to back good water practice for three more years.(News)
February 15, 2008... The government has pledged to support farmers in England who tackle the causes of water pollution for a further three years. Anti-pollution advice worth [pounds sterling]21.8m has been provided to farmers in 40 of the most nutrient and...

News.
February 15, 2008... Pro- and anti-GM campaigners clashed this week over the relative performance of genetically modified crops. On the day that new figures came out demonstrating another year of growth in the global GM area, green lobby group Friends of the...

Hill allowances set to rise by 6%.(News)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Philip Clarke Hill Farm Allowances are to go up by 6% when the Rural Payments Agency starts making 2008 payments later this month. The HFA provides dedicated support to beef and sheep producers in England's Severely...

100 years of change.(News)
February 15, 2008... As the NFU prepares to celebrate its centenary conference in London next week, we invited eight 'leading lights' to give their assessment of the organisation's first hundred years, and say how it should change for the next 100 years NFU...

Brazil turns up the heat to overturn export ban.(News)
February 15, 2008... The Brazilian authorities are meeting EU Commission staff in Brussels on Friday (15 February) to try and break the impasse over approving farms to export Brazilian beef. A temporary ban came into effect at the start of the month, when...

News.
February 15, 2008... Byline: Irish claim supermarket pricing is putting farmers' livelihoods at risk By Philip Clarke Irish farmers have stepped up their attack on supermarkets, taking out newspaper ads "naming and shaming" retailers involved in...

NFU looks to the next 10 years of combinable crops.(News)
February 15, 2008... Byline: Robert HarrisArable editor Managing market volatility is a key theme of the NFU's strategy. Profitable, environmentally responsible and globally competitive - that's how the NFU sums up its 10-year vision for the combinable...

News.
February 15, 2008... PRINT AND WEB - release anytime today (Tuesday) Farming will continue to play a key role in the government's recycling push despite a decision to slash funding for its Waste and Resource Action Programme. WRAP, established in 2000 and...

News.
February 15, 2008... * There was a huge turnout for the announcement of the winners of the Countryside Alliance's Best Rural Retailer competition at the House of Lords last week. See a gallery of photos from the event at www.fwi.co.uk/ruralretailer

Miscellaneous.
February 15, 2008... Exclusive Producers face [pounds sterling]20m bluetongue bill 8 Worldwide GM crops acreage grows by 12% 9 Scientists point finger at badgers in TB spread 10 Scots and Welsh tackle Westminster 12 Hill Farm Allowance...

The soft-roader that revels in the rough.(Machinery)
February 15, 2008... In the market for a family hatchback that can tackle slippery stuff and tug a load about? VW's Tiguan might be the answer, reckons Nick Fone country car Ever wondered what you'd get if you crossed a tiger with an iguana? Probably not,...

A FAIR HEARING FOR FOOD.(Opinion)
February 15, 2008... Food shortages are assuming greater importance as the years roll on. So when are those in authority going to sit up and take notice? I'd never met the chap who sat next to me. He had just joined Sentry, a company with which I have been...

Not just tractors that need an MoT.(Opinion)
February 15, 2008... Q Having been an agricultural dealer for quite a number of years, I read with amusement the debate on tractor MoTs. How many caravans, car trailers, plant trailers, etc, are involved in accidents? None is subject to an MoT. What is the point of...