News Category
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New study on economic impact of sea anglers
England’s sea anglers help boost the economy by spending more than £800 million on the sport, a new study has revealed. "Sea Angling 2012", the largest survey of the sport in England so far, estimates there are more than 884,000 sea anglers in the country, supporting more than 10,000 full-time jobs. Fishing Minister, George Eustice, says: "This data will help make decisions on how to ensure all forms of sea fishing is sustainable and will help other ...
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New Marine Conservation Zones announced
The UK has 27 new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), all of which have been created to protect marine life including coral reefs, jellyfish and seahorses. They complement over 500 zones that already exist - new locations are as follows, with maps available via the link below: Blackwater Crough, Roach and Colne Estuaries; Aln Estuary; Beachy Head West; Chesil Beach and Stennis Ledges; Cumbria Coast; Folkestone Pomerania; Fylde; Isles of Scilly; Kingmere; Lundy; The Manacles; Medway Estuary; Padstow Bay ...
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Leap in Scottish farmland prices
According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the cost of farmland in Scotland jumped to £4,438 per acre during the first six months of 2013, with growth in prices driven by sustained demand from farmers and investors alike. As prices look set to continue the upward trend, the RICS warns that it is imperative that industry professionals get to grips with the region's new approaches to the Land Use Strategy and are aware of ...
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22% rise in wheat area for harvest for 2014
A new survey from HGCA (the cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) claims there will be a sharp rise in the total area of wheat and winter barley for harvest 2014, compared to a year earlier. A team of agronomists assessing 280,000ha of arable land have forecast that the total wheat area, including spring wheat, will increase by 22% to 1.98m hectares at the UK level. Winter barley is also set to ...
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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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Fera to seek commercial partners
The Government is considering a new business model for the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) that could turn it into a joint venture with private sector partners. Currently 75% of Fera’s revenue comes from central government but with the level of government support expected to fall over the next few years, ministers are considering whether to bring in a partner or partners who will commit a financial stake in Fera’s future. However, in any new structure, ...
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Larger loads could boost farming production
Regulations could be cut to help farmers transport goods more efficiently and boost agricultural output, Roads Minister, Robert Goodwill, has announced. A consultation launched today seeks views on increasing the weight limit for agricultural vehicles, with a separate consultation also seeking views on allowing conventional tractors to travel faster. The current highest speed allowed for most conventional tractors is 20mph but under the proposals this could be increased to 25mph. At the same time, ...
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CMM supports Enviro-Entrepreneur Bootcamp
CMM managing director, Graham Allen, is listed among the "high calibre" speakers at this year's Enviro-Entrepreneur's Bootcamp which runs from 13th to 15th November at Nottingham's CleanTech Centre. The Bootcamp brings together a line-up of speakers spanning seasoned entrepreneurs, active investors and expert advisers - and its not too late to sign up and hear their pearls of wisdom! This year’s central theme is accessing funding and finance. The Nottingham CleanTech Centre is a home for individuals, start-ups ...
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CBI: UK on a steady growth path through 2015 and beyond
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has raised its growth forecasts for 2013 and 2014 and expects growth to gather pace in 2015 as the recovery continues to build. Business investment and net trade are also expected to provide increasing support to growth over the coming years. Unveiling its latest economic forecast, the business group is expecting GDP growth of 1.4% in 2013, up from 1.2% in its August forecast. The prediction follows signs of a pick-up in ...
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Fracking emissions a “low” risk to public health
A draft report from Public Health England (PHE) published this week reviews the potential health impacts of shale gas extraction, focusing on the potential impact of chemicals and radioactive material from all stages of the process. According to Dr John Harrison, director of PHE’s centre for radiation, chemical and environmental hazards, the potential risks are low, if operations are properly run and regulated. Good on-site management and regulation of all aspects of exploratory drilling, gas capture as well ...
