Farming Category
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New online weather info for farmers
Farming Minister, George Eustice, is promoting a range of measures to help farmers increase their resilience to severe weather. These range from encouraging local groups of farmers to share information, to developing tailored weather forecasts and information specifically for farmers, including a Met Office-hosted Get Reading for Winter webpage. the new webpage should give farmers accurate and up-to-date information on the weather coming their way to help them to protect their crops and livestock. Mr Eustice comments: "The ...
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Flood risk deadline set for 31st July
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says its members will continue to meet their commitments to offering flood insurance for an extra month after an agreement with the Government expires on 30th June. Flood insurance for existing customers will be renewed until 31st July but according to the ABI, the current agreement is unsustainable beyond that date as it distorts competition, there being no incentive for new insurers to offer flood cover. Around one in six homes ...
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CMM Rural heads for bootcamp
CMM managing director, Graham Allen, will be in attendance at the 2013 Enviro-Entrepreneur Bootcamp, a major event hosted by the Nottingham CleanTech Centre (NCTC), for anyone with a cleantech business idea. From the 15th to 17th May, entrepreneurs, start-ups and small companies, who are developing products or businesses in the low carbon and environmental goods and services sectors, can benefit from an intense three-day programme delivered by seasoned cleantech entrepreneurs, business experts and investors. Sessions include: Clarifying your ...
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Dairy Fund grant application deadline approaches
England's dairy farmers are reminded that they have until 17:00 on 3rd June 2013 to apply for funding for projects aimed at delivering "transformational" changes to their businesses. Part of the Rural Development Programme for England, the Fund is providing grants from £25,000 to around £1 million to encourage the establishment, development or expansion of co-operation structures and structures that will improve profitability. The main objectives are to strengthen connections with existing markets; enable dairy farmers to explore and ...
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Prince’s Countryside Fund launches emergency appeal
The Prince’s Countryside Fund has launched an urgent appeal to the public to donate funds to help farmers in financial crisis throughout the UK. The charity has recently seen a rise in demand for financial help from farmers, many of whom have suffered severe losses due to heavy snowfall. Around 50,000 farm animals died as a result of last month’s snow, leaving many farmers unable to afford to dispose of carcasses. The charity has already released its emergency fund of ...
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The Milk Race reborn in Nottingham
Nottingham City Council has announced that The Milk Race is to make a return to the British sporting calendar after a 20-year absence. The event, which initially ran between 1958 and 1993, is being reborn as a city centre race - to take place in Nottingham on Sunday 26th May 2013. In its previous incarnation, The Milk Race was the most prestigious multi-stage event in the UK and the (now disbanded) Milk Marketing Board's 35-year sponsorship remains ...
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Defra to meet the cost of removing sheep killed in snow
Farmers in England are to be reimbursed for the cost of removing sheep killed in last month's snowfall. Defra is making up to £250,000 available to help cover the cost of removing sheep that didn't survive the freak weather. The move is the latest in a programme of support to help England's farmers, who have already been permitted to bury or burn livestock onsite. Farming Minister, David Heath, comments: "As I saw on my recent visit ...
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Maximise milk’s value or lose supplies says NFU
Dairy farmers expect forward-looking buyers to seek markets that maximise the value of milk and dairy products, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) said today. Around 85% of milk procurement volume is now signed up to the Dairy Industry Code of Best Practice for Contractual Relations. In addition, major milk buyers are developing modern, dynamic milk pricing mechanisms and the general public has a much better understanding of the situation facing British farmers. According to NFU dairy board chairman, ...
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Surveillance cameras used to combat bovine TB
Infrared surveillance cameras monitoring badger visits to cattle farms are to be used in a new study to determine the risk faced by individual farms of badgers entering buildings. Defra has announced that cameras will be installed at 75 volunteer farms across South West England and over a four week period will count the number of badger visits. The study will also determine what factors encourage badgers to visit farm buildings regularly. Badger visits to farm buildings ...
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Search for Chalara-resistant Ash intensifies
A major project to find Chalara-resistant Ash trees has been announced by Defra. The £1.5 million scheme, which forms part of the Chalara Management Plan published earlier this week, will see a quarter of a million young Ash trees planted in up to 25 sites. The sites will mainly be in East Anglia as this is the area with the most cases of Chalara, and the young trees will be exposed and monitored in the search for ...
