Farming & Agriculture news

• Why rural Britain would be a sadder place without beautiful hares

  21-10-2018 08:00 via Agriculture | The Guardian
  As myxomatosis spreads from rabbits, there are fears for the future of a species that holds a unique place in our affectionsI usually come across them at night, when I am driving home, or very early in the morning as I cycle across the Somerset Levels. Sometimes one runs down the road ahead, before darting under a gate and disappearing into the long grass. At other times, I glimpse what looks like a clod of earth in the middle of a field, which then surprises me by starting to move. And every on
  
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• New export markets for UK farming discussed at Global Britain

  21-10-2018 06:29 via Farming UK News RSS
  The importance of exploring new export opportunities and the potential rules of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit were some of the key points discussed at AHDB’s Global Britain conference.Headlined by International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, the high-profile eve...
  
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• DowDuPont slips as farming weakness prompts $4.6 billion charge

  20-10-2018 06:31 via Farming UK World News RSS
  DowDuPont Inc. fell after cutting the asset value of its DuPont Co. agriculture business by $4.6 billion, less than nine months before a planned spinoff of the seed-and-pesticide unit.The impairment charge reflects weaker markets for farm products since last year’s merger with Dow Chemical Co., DuPont said in a regulatory filing. Reduced planting areas and delays in product registrations mean that sales will grow more slowly, while an unfavorable shift to soybeans from corn in Latin Americ
  
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• 'Devastated' farmer at centre of BSE case calls situation 'heartbreaking'

  20-10-2018 06:31 via Farming UK News RSS
  The farmer at the centre of a farm lock down due to a case of BSE, or 'mad cow disease', has said the situation is "heartbreaking".Boghead Farm in Lumsden, Aberdeenshire has been put in a state of lock down as a case of Bovine spongiform encephal...
  
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• 'Skippy Scout' smartphone app flies drones for farmers

  19-10-2018 19:07 via Farming UK News RSS
  A new revolutionary app is being launched which uses drones to make walking in the fields a thing of the past.And all that is needed is a smartphone and a small drone.After choosing a field, the 'Skippy Scout' app flies the drone, collecting ...
  
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• UK dairy cooperative looks to 'growing opportunities' in US amid Brexit

  19-10-2018 15:42 via Farming UK News RSS
  A UK organic dairy cooperative highlights "growing opportunities" in the United States as the potential impact of an impending Brexit looms.The Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo), formed in 1994 and now having 270 farmer members, reported...
  
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• Twenty-two farmers selected for Emerging Leaders programme

  19-10-2018 15:42 via Farming UK News RSS
  Twenty-two farmers have been selected to join Oxford Farming Conference's Emerging Leaders programme, which aims to promote and support the next generation of agriculture.Now in its third year, the aim of the programme is to enable farmers aged 3...
  
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• How livestock farmers can maximise straw usage this winter

  19-10-2018 15:42 via Farming UK News RSS
  A new resource will help farmers find ways to extend straw use this winter, following chronic shortages experienced throughout the UK.The bedding materials directory by the AHDB will help farmers assess a range of bedding options to ensure they a...
  
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• Twenty-one farmers selected for Emerging Leaders programme

  19-10-2018 13:00 via Farming UK News RSS
  Twenty-two farmers have been selected to join Oxford Farming Conference's Emerging Leaders programme, which aims to promote and support the next generation of agriculture.Now in its third year, the aim of the programme is to enable farmers aged 3...
  
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• New workshops to develop farmers' supervisory skills

  19-10-2018 13:00 via Farming UK News RSS
  New workshops have been set up to allow farmers and growers to develop their supervisory skills.The AHDB funded workshops are aimed at those who are starting out on their agricultural career or have been recognised as potential supervisors of the...
  
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• 'Farming through the seasons' children's competition launched

  19-10-2018 10:46 via Farming UK News RSS
  A 'farming through the seasons' competition to get children thinking about agriculture and the countryside has been launched.The NFU Scotland competition, open for ages three to 15, encourages children and teenagers to think about the rural lands...
  
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• New licensing arrangements for importing bovine semen into NI

  19-10-2018 08:04 via Farming UK News RSS
  New licensing procedures for importing bovine semen into Northern Ireland from Britain has been announced.Individuals and organisations who import bovine semen to NI from GB no longer need to obtain a specific import licence, as this material can...
  
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• 'Hugely damaging': NFU seeks urgent Brexit meeting with Government

  19-10-2018 08:04 via Farming UK News RSS
  The NFU is seeking an urgent meeting with the Government, highlighting how Brexit uncertainty is now "hugely damaging" the industry.The union has criticised the lack of progress at the recent EU Council meeting on Wednesday night (17 October) for...
  
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• Fire destroys £30,000 worth of bales leaving farmer 'considerably out of pocket'

  19-10-2018 08:04 via Farming UK News RSS
  A fire which destroyed hay bales worth £30,000 has left a farmer "considerably out of pocket", the police have said.The incident, described as a "reckless act" by the police, occurred at Adniston Farm, in Macmerry, around 7.30pm on Wednesday (17 ...
  
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• Farmland volumes in England highest for 10 years

  19-10-2018 08:04 via Farming UK News RSS
  More land has been publicly marketed in England in 2018 than at any point in the past 10 years, according to new figures.Analysis of Strutt & Parker’s Farmland Database shows that 50,000 acres has hit the market in the past three months.This ...
  
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• This robotic farming system could be the answer to labour shortages

  19-10-2018 03:39 via Farming UK World News RSS
  Brandon Alexander grew up on farms, acres and acres of wheat and other broad acre crops in Texas and Oklahoma. So, it’s not entirely surprising that he applied his other expertise—based on a robotics degree from the University of Texas and work at Google X—to some of the biggest issues facing modern farmers: water use, labor shortages and total yield.Iron Ox, which Alexander co-founded with Jon Binney, uses two robots and a cloud-based “brain” to grow lettuce, tomat
  
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• US and China trade war having 'fundamental impact' on world grain

  18-10-2018 18:52 via Farming UK News RSS
  The strained trade relationship between the US and China is having a fundamental impact on world grain markets, according to speakers at the Grain Market Outlook Conference.The US Department of Agriculture’s Seth Meyer delivered the keynote prese...
  
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• Scottish farm in lockdown after 'mad cow disease' detected

  18-10-2018 15:23 via Farming UK News RSS
  A farm in Aberdeenshire has been put in a state of lock down as a case of BSE, or 'mad cow disease', has been confirmed on the property, the Scottish government has announced.Investigators said they are trying to identify the origin of the diseas...
  
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• Brother and sister farming duo win major dairy award

  18-10-2018 12:35 via Farming UK News RSS
  A Hertfordshire brother and sister farming partnership have been awarded a dairy cooperative's Farm of the Year award.Daniel and Claire Howlett of Wicton Farm, Herefordshire have supplied the Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo) for 18 year...
  
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• Plan succession now before radical changes in tax, farmers warned

  18-10-2018 09:54 via Farming UK News RSS
  Farmers have been prompted to put succession plans in place to minimise losses as the Government considers radical changes to the inheritance and capital gains tax regime.It’s now only a matter of time before HM Revenue & Customs attacks these ca...
  
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• 'One in 10' councils supply non-stunned meat to schools

  18-10-2018 09:54 via Farming UK News RSS
  At least 18 councils are supplying non-stunned meat to schools, new research has revealed, despite pressure from veterinary organisations to ban the practice.Around one in 10 UK councils supply non-stunned halal meat to schools, research from the...
  
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• NFU opens new hub in Westminster to make farmers better heard

  18-10-2018 09:54 via Farming UK News RSS
  The NFU has opened its new hub for British farming in the heart of Westminster to ensure the voice of the agricultural industry is better heard.The offices at No.18 Smith Square will give the farming union increased opportunities to meet policy m...
  
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• MPs and police give support to anti-hare coursing campaign

  18-10-2018 09:54 via Farming UK News RSS
  Prominent cross-party MPs have given their support to a campaign aiming to stamp out hare coursing, which can devastate rural businesses.Crime Minister Victoria Atkins and cross-party MPs showed their support for the CLA’s campaign to stamp out h...
  
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• Government urged to 'rural proof' future policies

  18-10-2018 09:54 via Farming UK News RSS
  The Countryside Alliance has called for "rural proofing" to become a reality when political decisions are made because farmers and the wider industry are often "failed" by Whitehall.A House of Lords committee is considering all aspects of the rur...
  
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• Challenging weather tests Britain's ploughmen during national championships

  18-10-2018 09:54 via Farming UK News RSS
  Unexpected and challenging weather conditions tested Britain’s ploughmen and women in the 68th British National Ploughing Championships.Held at Austrey, near Atherstone, Warwickshire, the event took the brunt of Storm Callum, which only challenge...
  
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• Space farming: using plant hormones in space

  18-10-2018 06:50 via Farming UK World News RSS
  A new paper has reviewed the use of plant hormones, as a tool for space farming so that food can be produced in extra-terrestrial environments.Plant biologists at the University of Zurich have shown that plant hormones can be used for space farming, to make food production possible in space. The new paper has been published in Nature today.
  
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• Four people rebailed in missing farmer case

  18-10-2018 06:50 via Farming UK News RSS
  Four people who were arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the investigation to trace missing farmer William Taylor have been re-bailed.Three men, aged 18, 22 and 53, and a 52-year-old woman, all from Hitchin, have been re-bailed unt...
  
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• Cruel treatment of sheep exposed in Scottish wool industry

  18-10-2018 06:50 via Farming UK News RSS
  The Scottish SPCA has received a formal complaint following the release of undercover footage showing sheep kicked in the face and beaten by wool workers.The eyewitness documented workers in Scotland striking sheep in the face with electric clipp...
  
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• Essex Christmas Fair

  18-10-2018 02:23 via Farming UK Events RSS
  Set in the grounds of lovely Cressing Temple Barns between Braintree and Chelmsford in Essex, you can enjoy a huge range of stalls set within the historic barns themselves as well as within marquees and outside stands. You can enjoy browsing, sampling and buying in time for the upcoming Festive Season throughout the weekend.Please note: Cressing Temple do not allow dogs into the barns, and not in marquees with food exhibitors please. Any dog attending must be under control at all times and on a
  
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• Anglesey dairy farmer wins Grassland Farmer of the Year 2018

  17-10-2018 17:42 via Farming UK News RSS
  A dairy farmer from Anglesey has won the British Grassland Society Farmer of the Year competition for 2018.Richard Rogers of Tre Ifan Farm has won the competition. The farm was converted five years ago from a beef-finishing unit to a grass-based ...
  
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• 'Categorically untrue': Farming standards won't slip after Brexit, Fox will say

  17-10-2018 12:46 via Farming UK News RSS
  It is “categoricallyuntrue" that food and farming standards will be lowered as the UK leaves the European Union, Liam Fox will say today.Speaking on Wednesday (17 October) to representatives from the agriculture sector, the International Trade ...
  
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• Search is on to find best livestock person in Wales

  17-10-2018 10:30 via Farming UK News RSS
  The search is on to find the best livestock person working within the agricultural industry in Wales.Now in its fifth year, the ‘Welsh Livestock Champion of the Year Award’ seeks to champion livestock people from all across Wales.The award wi...
  
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• New approach to livestock welfare shifts focus to individual animal

  17-10-2018 10:30 via Farming UK News RSS
  A new approach to farm assurance schemes seeks to change the way they look at welfare by focusing on the individual animal and looking at ‘welfare outcomes’.The new 'AssureWel' guidance follows a six-year project with the Soil Association, RSPCA ...
  
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• Liver fluke warning urges farmers to ‘keep on guard’

  17-10-2018 10:30 via Farming UK News RSS
  Sheep and cattle farmers have been told to "keep on guard" when it comes to the liver fluke threat risk this autumn.While liver fluke burdens on pasture are expected to be much lower than last season, experts are warning it is dangerous to assume...
  
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• Family farm diversifies with new eco-toilet business

  17-10-2018 10:30 via Farming UK News RSS
  A family-run farm in Somerset has took an unusual diversification path with the launch of their new eco-toilet business.Gilcombe Farm in Bruton, which hosts music festivals Shindig and Farmfest, has now built 400 chemical and water-free eco-toile...
  
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• Cotton farmers say Hurricane Michael stole their crop of a lifetime

  17-10-2018 07:35 via Farming UK World News RSS
  Every October, the fields along Highway 319 in southern Georgia look like clouds -- acres and acres of white, puffy cotton broken up by groves of pine trees.But not this year.The images of damage from Mexico Beach and the Florida Panhandle are horrific. But Hurricane Michael's ferocious winds have done catastrophic damage across south Georgia's cotton fields and pecan tree groves, too."It's painful to see all these years of work, in six hours' matter of time taken away from me," says Tom Windhau
  
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• Scottish Land Commissioner criticises Buccleuch over tenant row

  17-10-2018 07:33 via Farming UK News RSS
  The Scottish Land Commission has criticised Buccleuch Estates for the way two tenant farmers have been treated.The Scottish Borders tenants, who have farmed at Cleuchfoot near Langholm for 20 years, are being evicted to make way for forests.A...
  
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• Scottish farmers to receive EU reimbursement of £5.7m

  17-10-2018 07:33 via Farming UK News RSS
  Farmers in Scotland will this week receive £5.7 million in reimbursement payments from the European Union.Farmers who had a valid 2017 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) claim worth more than €2,000 (£1,755) will shortly receive a reimbursement from the ...
  
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• Nine cattle die after eating poisonous plant thrown in field

  17-10-2018 07:33 via Farming UK News RSS
  Five cows and four calves have died after eating yew tree clippings which had been thrown into the field, a Hampshire farm business has said.Newlyns Farm Shop, Café & Cookery School, which is based on a 500 acre farm in Hampshire, made the discov...
  
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• First Milk announces new 'member premium' payment of 0.25ppl

  17-10-2018 07:33 via Farming UK News RSS
  British dairy cooperative First Milk has announced a ‘member premium’ in the form of a 13th payment to its farmer members from next year.The First Milk Board has confirmed that a 13th payment of 0.25 pence per litre will be introduced from April ...
  
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• Farmers have 'new opportunities' in bid to tackle climate change

  17-10-2018 07:33 via Farming UK News RSS
  Farmers have a host of "new opportunities" in a bid to help the global effort in reversing climate change, the NFU has said.It comes as the union highlights how the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on climate change is...
  
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• Arla unveils new farming standards model to 'benefit everyone'

  16-10-2018 18:08 via Farming UK News RSS
  Farmer-owned cooperative Arla has launched a new standard for UK dairy farming with an approach looking to "benefit everyone".With ongoing volatility in the global milk markets, increasing consumer misunderstanding of the sector, polarised levels...
  
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• 'Training the trainer' programme to spur on farming families to talk more

  16-10-2018 15:18 via Farming UK News RSS
  A ‘training the trainer’ programme is to train professionals who work closely with farming families, to support conversations around sensitive topics such as succession planning.It comes as the industry's attention is focused on the need for farm...
  
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• Ulster Farmers' Union joins 21 organisations in call to secure labour

  16-10-2018 10:13 via Farming UK News RSS
  The Ulster Farmers' Union is among 21 organisations in Northern Ireland calling for regional flexibility around migrant labour policies.Shrinking numbers of European workers in Northern Ireland are creating labour shortages which are affecting bu...
  
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• Third of teenagers would consider food and farming career

  16-10-2018 10:13 via Farming UK News RSS
  More than a third of British teenagers would consider a career in the food and farming industry, a vast research programme has highlighted.The twelve-monthprogramme to encourage teenager engagement is helping the farming industry define how it ...
  
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• Report blames politicians for 'succumbing to pressure' from meat producers

  16-10-2018 10:13 via Farming UK News RSS
  Politicians have "succumbed to pressure" from meat producers in a bid to "restrict" market growth of meat-free alternatives, a new report suggests.The report, by Changing Markets Foundation and Mighty Earth, says there is a lack of policy in plac...
  
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• Police hunt the rightful owners of more than 400 stolen animals

  16-10-2018 10:13 via Farming UK News RSS
  More than 400 farm animals have been seized from a man suspected of stealing them, with police now working to find the rightful owners.Police in North Yorkshire are working to reunite hundreds of suspected stolen animals with their rightful owner...
  
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• MPs recommend single rural mobile phone network

  16-10-2018 10:13 via Farming UK News RSS
  A cross-party group of MPs has recommended the introduction of a single rural mobile phone network to help further and faster delivery of 4G to the countryside.Mobile phone users should have the ability to roam between network providers in rural ...
  
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• China suffers worst case of swine fever yet

  16-10-2018 10:13 via Farming UK News RSS
  China has suffered its most serious case of African swine fever yet, further damaging the country's cherished $1 trillion pig industry.A farm in the northeastern Liaoning province was confirmed on Monday (15 October) in a statement published on t...
  
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• Car which fails to stop for police ends up colliding with tractor

  16-10-2018 10:13 via Farming UK News RSS
  Police are appealing for witnesses following a road traffic collision involving a Mitsubishi Shogun and a tractor in North Yorkshire.The incident occurred on the A170 at around 10.45am Saturday 13 October, between Thorton-le-Dale and Ebberston....
  
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