Dairy Farmer articles from February 2006

Dairy Farmer archives from February 2006

Comment: Empty tucker box?(annual Semex conference)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Three telling points emerged from the annual Semex conference last week. Firstly we had the outspoken Lord Haskins blasting off about `stupid' processors committing `suicide' by not securing a big enough margin for themselves. Well even...

Urging restraint on organic production.
February 20, 2006... A new report is calling for farmer restraint in the organic milk sector as the market returns to being undersupplied for the first time in five years. The market has been blighted by over production in the past as farmers converted from...

Producers won't see anything of retail rise.
February 20, 2006... Retail milk prices may have moved up 5p for a four pint polybottle, but don't expect any of it to work its way into your milk cheques. Despite farmers' costs having gone up by over 1ppl in recent months, all additional monies from Tesco,...

NFU hits out over delay in payment.
February 20, 2006... Defra's announcement that Single Farm Payment cheques would be delayed resulted in wholesale condemnation of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) by the NFU, and a reputed no confidence vote by Council members in Lord Bach himself. "Every...

Glanbia Cheese looking for milk.(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Having invested over #15m over the last three years in the latest processing technology, EU's leading Mozzarella manufacturer, Glanbia Cheese, Llangefni, Anglesey, North Wales (49% owned by US giant Leprino Foods, one of the world's largest...

Timing is tight for any set-aside deals.
February 20, 2006... Dairy farmers who are tight for forage and have to leave up to 8% of their land out of action should look at the option of selling their set- aside entitlements to arable farmers, says Kite Consulting. "Set-aside entitlements will,...

Welsh Milk suspends director.
February 20, 2006... Farmer directors of small Welsh producer group Llaeth Cymreig (Welsh Milk), Camarthen, have suspended fellow director and company secretary Trevor Routley, as well as seizing company computers and equipment from his home office. Routley's...

Wiseman links up with famous cartoon figures.(Robert Wiseman Dairies PLC, Walt Disney Studios)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Wiseman has teamed up with Disney to produce the first Disney branded milk featuring characters from the blockbuster film The Incredibles. The launch comes hot on the heels of a milk promotion tie-up with another film producer, Universal...

Cowmen comment: It's time for a proper badger control policy.(programme of badger culling)
February 20, 2006... Top of the wish list for John Trunch this year is that of a proper control policy for badgers to help check the raging advance of TB, and he has some pretty strong advice about how to go about it. One thing about not making any New Year...

Cowmen comment: Mr Bradshaw not sticking to his side of TB bargain!
February 20, 2006... With concessions being made by farmers as to TB testing and compensation, Pat Bird wonders if the minister will actually do something to keep his side of the bargain. Angus calves are hooligans. Christmas started with one group of them...

Cowmen comment: SFP is all spoken for as soon as it arrives.
February 20, 2006... In a frank admission Donald McColm admits he was too optimistic in his forward plan budgeting, but does wonder just who will guarantee the security of UK food supplies if more producers decide to call it a day. The long wait is over for...

Interview: Softly, softly as milk gets school go-ahead.(Interview)
February 20, 2006... With school milk coming under some pretty severe scrutiny lately, David Matthews talks to co-ordinator Dianne Cannon to find out exactly what is going on. What do you do? I am the project manager for the MDC's School Milk Project. ...

Potter's View: NFU may be letting itself get too close to government.
February 20, 2006... With NFU elections just around the corner, Ian Potter asks whether the NFU hierarchy is being too lax in letting ministers off the hook. Does anyone out there doubt just how much the retailers and processors have squeezed the milk price?...

FERTILITY: Key factors to improve fertility.
February 20, 2006... In this the second in the cut-out-and-keep Intervet series, vet Keith Cutler tells us about the factors which are conspiring to push fertility rates down and what we can do to combat them. Lameness, high yields and a lack of time are the...

EU News: Spain takes to GM.(genetically modified commercial crops)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Despite the world now having around 22m acres of genetically modified commercial crops the EU remains largely GM-free, according to figures published by an agricultural monitoring agency. Spain, France, Germany, Portugal and the Czech Republic...

EU News: Lactalis swallows up Galbani.(Arla Foods Ingredients A.m.b.a. lost its position)(Lactalis International acquires)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Arla Foods has lost its position as Europe's largest dairy group after privately-owned French group Lactalis acquired the Italian company Galbani. They will have combined sales of around #5bn against Arla's sales in the region of #4bn. ...

EU News: EU faces tough decision in preparing for coming round.
February 20, 2006... The European Commission is facing tough choices over the future of the dairy regime as it becomes clear the eventual World Trade Organisation deal will put new pressure on Europe. Export subsidies will no longer be available but at the same...

EU News: China reduces demand for dairy products.
February 20, 2006... There are growing signs that the run of strong global dairy prices is weakening. While UK and most European milk prices have not reflected it, for the past 18 months world prices have been at levels not seen since the 1990s. But now most...

EU News: France fails to shift organic milk.(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... The French dairy industry has admitted that it cannot sell the organic milk being produced in the country. Last year close to 50% of the organic milk ended up in the conventional milk supply. This was despite repeated claims that the...

Breeding: Contract out breeding to visiting technician.
February 20, 2006... With 750 cows to manage one US producer is putting heat detection and insemination out to a visiting technician. Angela Rhodes reports. Contracting out reproductive management has been one of the most important factors in improving...

Breeding: Customised indices set to meet selected goals.(Edinburgh Genetic Evaluation Services)
February 20, 2006... A new web-based service is to be launched this summer which will allow producers to create customised sire selection indices to suit their individual breeding goals. The new service is in the final stages of development by Edinburgh...

Conference: Haskins blames processors for acting in `suicidal' way.(Northern Foods)
February 20, 2006... Milk processors were lambasted by one of their former leaders this week for being "stupid" and "idiotic" and for adopting "suicidal" business practices that have helped retailers to make massive profits on milk which could be equivalent to...

Conference: Don't get caught out by water regulations.(Water Framework Directive)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Deregulation, CAP reform, quotas and now more. Dairy farmers who think that everything has come that will come, forget it! The second biggest challenge to the industry after CAP reform is just around the corner, according to Amy Sullivan,...

Conference: EU boss warns on future milk prices.(European Union)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Farmer and First Milk director Mansel Raymond started the Semex conference off in optimistic mode - explaining the investment his family was making to have a profitable future. He was, he said, very optimistic but his bold efforts to inject...

Conference: Co-ops accused of lacking clear vision.
February 20, 2006... What's the best commercial structure for the future of the sector - co- op or plc? Two very different views about how the industry can best operate and the role of farmer-controlled businesses were put forward at last week's Dairy Conference...

Maize: French look to inert storage to reduce energy feed costs.
February 20, 2006... French researchers at the AGPM Technique division of government funded Maizeurop believe moist whole grain maize has considerable potential for dairy rations in the future. Their specially developed technique involves harvesting maize...

Maize: Grain maize is put to test at Scottish college.(grain maize)
February 20, 2006... With loss of arable aid reducing the cost advantages of growing wheat, work being carried out at the SAC's Crichton Royal Farm suggests grain maize could now become a major source of farm-grown energy for dairy farmers across the UK. If...

Maize: Trial results look set to be thrown into jeopardy.
February 20, 2006... Dairy Farmer can exclusively reveal that the first choice for maize varieties by growers next year (2007) will be more difficult than ever before. That's not because even more varieties will swell the NIAB/MGA recommended list or the NIAB...

Maize: conference.
February 20, 2006... WHOLECROP commands the first day of this year's MGA annual conference held at Hartpury College, Glos, on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 February. The second day focuses on MGA maize trial data with talks on life after atrazine, Diabrotica...

Maize: Picking your way through the latest variety rankings.
February 20, 2006... Cross compliance requirements have added another dimension to maize variety selection. Angela Rhodes reviews the new entries and top performers available this year on NIAB's Descriptive List. Maize variety selection has become a bit more...

Maize: Ultra early varieties set to project UK market forward?
February 20, 2006... A boom in maize acreage to satisfy market demand is being thwarted by a clumsy and disjointed European maize testing system which sidelines British growers most, according to maize breeders. Geoff King reports. Paul Billings and Dr Loop...

Maize: Grain maize zealots look for best way to store crop.
February 20, 2006... Driven by better varieties and improved post-harvest techniques the Maize Growers Association reports a dramatic increase in grain maize during the last two years. Geoff King investigates. Unlike the early 70s where only a precious few...

Maize: Band sowing maize into ryegrass sward.
February 20, 2006... Agronomist Simon Draper is predicting renewed interest in an environmentally-friendly and cost-saving one pass drill first seen in the UK four years ago, but only taken up by one farmer and one contractor so far in this country. "We are...

Maize: Move from grass silage.
February 20, 2006... Grazed grass is still the cheapest fodder but for some producers grass silage can prove expensive. Looking at an average yield of 40-55t/ha fresh matter grazed grass, this, after establishment, variable and contractor costs, works out at...

Maize: MGA shapes up for future with cereal growers.
February 20, 2006... The Maize Growers Association is subtly re-profiling itself in preparation for increased uptake of maize particularly from former cereal producers. MGA's David Munday is concerned there will be new growers looking at maize purely as a cash...

Maize: Finding a balance between early harvest and maturity.
February 20, 2006... Selecting varieties to meet cross-compliance earliness and yet still get high starch yields is essential if silage quality and profitable crop production are to be safeguarded. Dr Fergus Mould from CEDAR, University of Reading, illustrates the...

Milk prices: Dairy Crest contracts still topping price table.
February 20, 2006... This month our milk price league highlights average prices paid for the calendar year January to March 2005. Dairy Crest with its M&S and Waitrose contracts takes up its customary position at the top of the league, paying prices for our...

Milk prices: Processing to cease at Sheffield Park.(Arla Foods Ingredients A.m.b.a.)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Arla Foods UK has confirmed it is proposing to cease processing milk at Sheffield Park, Uckfield, Sussex, from July this year. Subject to consultation with staff and unions the company expects around 250 of the 330 staff to lose their jobs....

Milk prices: Paynes make temporary cut.(Paynes Farms Dairies)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Independent liquid dairy, Paynes Farms Dairies, North Yorkshire, has confirmed it temporarily cut its Dec'05 direct supply milk price by 0.18ppl, reflecting the difficult trading conditions over the Christmas period. This is a repeat of...

Milk prices: United's auction down on last year.(United Dairy Farmers Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... United Dairy Farmers first milk auction of 2006 held in Northern Ireland sold a total of 41mltrs (all contracts starting Feb 1) for an average price of 18.52ppl, 0.72p down on the 19.24ppl average achieved in Jan'05 for the same volume, and...

Milk prices: Dansco looking for milk.(Dansco Dairy Products)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Mozzarella manufacturer, Dansco Dairy Products, has confirmed that it is to cut its direct supply price by 0.2ppl this month (Jan'06). The decrease follows the company's increase of 0.3ppl from May'05 and takes our standard litre price down to...

Milk prices: Belton finally succumbs to price pressures.(Belton Cheese)(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... Belton Cheese, Whitchurch, Shropshire, has finally succumbed to the cost pressures coming from the huge spike in energy prices, as well as the pressures of the competitive market place, and is to cut its direct supply price by 0.35ppl from...

Milk prices: Defra milk price maintains margin.(Brief Article)
February 20, 2006... According to Defra's average UK farm gate milk price analysis, the Nov'05 average price (including retrospective bonuses) of 19.76ppl was 0.26ppl up on Nov'04 managing to maintain the previous months 0.2ppl margin on last year. Average protein...

Good Evans: Tale of the curled lip dog and the salesman.
February 20, 2006... When Roger Evans took his Discovery into the garage a flush of anticipation welled through his very being as the salesman stuck his hand through the open window unaware of man's best friend lurking in the shadows. For six weeks now I have...