Farming Category
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New tools and advice for bovine TB
New tools and advice to help farmers stamp out bovine TB have been unveiled. Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, the National Farmers’ Union, the British Cattle Veterinary Association and Landex have come together to promote action and help famers and vets protect herds. All advice on bovine TB from government, farming experts, leading vets and agricultural colleges is now available from one single ...
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Technology key to unlocking farming potential
Technological innovation is the key to unlocking the potential of farming by improving productivity and tackling problems such as pests and disease, Farming Minister, George Eustice, said today. Illustrating the point, the minister drew attention to a group of 40 farmers in Sheffield who are trialling a self-driving “agribot” to help manage hilly moorland grazing for sheep and cattle. The device is based on a bomb disposal robot and uses on-board ...
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Great British Food unit unveiled
Britain’s food and drink pioneers are coming together to launch Great Food Nation, Environment Secretary, Elizabeth Truss, announced today. Top chefs Raymond Blanc and Ken Hom will join entrepreneurs including Leon’s Henry Dimbleby, Sam Bompas and Harry Parr to support a five-year Great British Food campaign. They will be championing UK produce by leading trade missions, food festivals and sharing their knowledge and ideas. In addition, the Government intends to promote British ...
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Processed meat “carcinogenic to humans”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans” having concluded that its consumption causes colorectal cancer. WHO experts claim that each 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. “For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” says Dr Kurt Straif, head of WHO’s ...
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Maize stubble alert
The Environment Agency is urging farmers to cultivate maize stubble as soon as possible before any wet weather sets in. Apparently, stubble left in after harvest can lead to excessive runoff, causing localised flooding and where large amounts of soil enter a watercourse this can cause a pollution incident. The Agency comments: ...
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Simpler price comparisons for supermarket groceries
The Government is to look into ways supermarket price comparisons can be made simpler for shoppers, Consumer Minister, Nick Boles, announced today (15 October 2015). The plans are set out in the Government's response to the Competition and Markets Authority's investigation into a super-complaint made by Which? alleging misleading pricing practices in ...
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Euro exchange rate set for 2015 Basic Payment Scheme
The rate for the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) has now been set. BPS payments for England are set in euros and then converted into sterling and the rate, an average of the European Central Bank exchange rates, will be €1 = £0.73129. The Rural Payments Agency says it will make full payments on BPS claims from December, as early as possible in the payment window.
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New food labels needed for local produce
The Government is calling on food producers and shops to give more information on labels about where in Britain their food comes from, as new research shows that almost 80% of people see buying local food as a top priority. According to the study, vegetables (51%) and meat (40%) topped the list of products that people would buy if a local option was available. Speaking ahead of the launch of British Food ...
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Environment Secretary sets out initiatives to support dairy farmers
Support from the EU to help farmers overcome cash flow problems stemming from current low prices for milk and other produce will be called for today by Environment Secretary, Elizabeth Truss. Ahead of an extraordinary Agriculture Council meeting in Brussels, which will discuss options to help farmers through the current tough times, Ms Truss will urge the Commission to take action to relax some of the checks required on CAP subsidy payments to allow ...
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Groceries Code Adjudicator is making a difference
A YouGov survey carried out on behalf of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) shows a drop in the number of Groceries Code related issues in suppliers' dealings with the ten large retailers - down from 79% to 70% in the past year. At the same time a larger proportion of suppliers said they would consider raising issues with the GCA (up 9% to 47%) but concerns about retribution were still the dominant reason for holding back. Adjudicator, ...
