Ukraine Increases Agricultural Exports

UKRAINE - In 2012, Ukrainian agricultural export increased by nearly 40 per cent, reaching US$17 billion, according to the Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Mykola Prysyazhnyuk.

Additionally, he noted that Ukrainian agricultural industry produces twice as much as is consumed by the domestic market. Comparably, the UK produces only 60 per cent of the food consumed in the country.

Ukrainian agricultural export in January - October 2012 included meat, fish, dairy, poultry, vegetables, vegetable oils, sugar, wine, nuts, apples, as well as 6.7 million tons of wheat worth nearly USD 1.8 billion, according to ukrstat.gov.ua. Major buyers of Ukrainian agricultural products in 2012 were the EU and CIS countries.

In late December 2012, the Financial Times noted Ukraine's potential in wheat, barley, corn, and sunflower seeds export. Notably, in 2011, Ukraine joined the world's top three grain exporters. A year prior - in 2010 - it landed fourth on the list of the leading grain exporters, following the USA, the EU, and Canada. Moreover, Ukraine currently ranks number one in global barley exports.

Additionally, the Eastern European country became the third largest corn supplier in the world in 2011, surpassing Brazil and being the second runner-up to the USA and Argentina. In 2012, China - the world's largest corn consumer - imported Ukrainian corn for the first time.

Suffice it to say that in 2011, Ukraine became the world's largest sunflower exporter, according to Erste Bank. The top consumer of Ukrainian sunflower oil is India - the country acquires around one quarter of the annual Ukrainian sunflower oil export, according to Ukragroconsult.

Given Ukraine's rich grain production in 2011, the country initiated the creation of the world's grain reserve under the auspices of the United Nations to ensure more efficient price regulation on the world grain market. Ukraine aimed to form a grain reserve of 10 to 12 million tons and use it for grain interventions.

ThePigSite News Desk

Weekly Overview: New Year's Resolution: Feeding the World

ANALYSIS - 2013 started with the publication of a new report on the huge amount of food wasted each year between 'field and mouth'. Reducing it by just a small percentage could make a big difference to the growing human population, as could further developments in and application of biotechnology. These are huge challenges that we will all have to face, sooner or later. And sooner or later, we must accept our share of the responsibility for feeding present and future generations.

A call has gone out for urgent action to prevent 50 per cent of all food produced in the world ending up as waste - up to an estimated two billion tonnes of food wasted. 

A new report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers has found that as much as half of all food produced around the world never reaches a human stomach due to issues as varied as inadequate infrastructure and storage facilities through to overly strict sell-by dates, 'buy-one, get-one free' offers and consumers demanding visually perfect food. 

The degree to which science, emotion or assumed ethics should drive technological changes in agriculture and farming are becoming central to the arguments over the development of biotechnology and genetic modification (GM), according to Editor in Chief, Chris Harris, who attended the annual Oxford Farming Conference last week. 

Concerns over the growth in the global population and how to feed growing numbers at a time of climate change and diminishing land and water resources were at the forefront of the debate. 

The question of the acceptability of GM foods was first raised by the UK Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson, who told the conference: "GM needs to be considered in its proper overall context with a balanced understanding of the risks and the benefits. 

"We should not however be afraid of making the case to the public about the potential benefits of GM beyond the food chain, for example, significantly reducing the use of pesticides and inputs such as diesel." 

He added: "I believe GM offers great opportunities but I also recognise that we owe a duty to the public to reassure them that it is a safe and beneficial innovation." 

While the Environment Secretary embraced the potential of GM products, it was a former leading anti-GM campaigner, Mark Lynas, who, in the Frank Parkinson lecture, openly attacked the anti-GM lobby for not basing their arguments on scientific fact. 

How European funds are distributed and the differences of territorial issues are expected to be major debating points as Europe decides on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, Chris also reported from Oxford.

Original Article Here

Ukraine Increases Agricultural Export

UKRAINE - In 2012, Ukrainian agricultural export increased by nearly 40 per cent, reaching USD 17 billion, according to the Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Prysyazhnyuk.

Additionally, he noted that Ukrainian agricultural industry produces twice as much as is consumed by the domestic market. Comparably, the UK produces only 60 per cent of the food consumed in the country. 

Ukrainian agricultural export in January - October 2012 included meat, fish, dairy, poultry, vegetables, vegetable oils, sugar, wine, nuts, apples, as well as 6.7 million tons of wheat worth nearly USD 1.8 billion, according to ukrstat.gov.ua. Major buyers of Ukrainian agricultural products in 2012 were the EU and CIS countries. 

In late December 2012, the Financial Times noted Ukraine's potential in wheat, barley, corn, and sunflower seeds export. Notably, in 2011, Ukraine joined the world's top three grain exporters. A year prior - in 2010 - it landed fourth on the list of the leading grain exporters, following the USA, the EU, and Canada. Moreover, Ukraine currently ranks number one in global barley exports. 

Additionally, the Eastern European country became the third largest corn supplier in the world in 2011, surpassing Brazil and being the second runner-up to the USA and Argentina. In 2012, China - the world's largest corn consumer - imported Ukrainian corn for the first time. 

Suffice it to say that in 2011, Ukraine became the world's largest sunflower exporter, according to Erste Bank. The top consumer of Ukrainian sunflower oil is India - the country acquires around one quarter of the annual Ukrainian sunflower oil export, according toUkragroconsult. 

Given Ukraine's rich grain production in 2011, the country initiated the creation of the world's grain reserve under the auspices of the United Nations to ensure more efficient price regulation on the world grain market. Ukraine aimed to form a grain reserve of 10 to 12 million tons and use it for grain interventions.

ThePoultrySite News Desk

Program to improve Africa's agriculture

By Jin Zhu (chinadaily.com.cn)

A four-year program jointly launched by the UK and China will start this year to help African countries to improve their agricultural production capacity in a major effort to eliminate hunger.

With a UK investment of 10 million ($15.9 million) and the Chinese contribution of expertise, the program will facilitate the transfer of agricultural technology to low-income countries in Africa and Asia. Pilot projects will be first established in Malawi and Uganda.

Thanks to the input of advanced technology and supportive policies, China's grain output realized a ninth consecutive year of growth since 2004, Niu Dun, vice-minister of agriculture said at the second Africa-Britain-China Conference on Agriculture and Fisheries in Beijing on Monday.

"In addition to realizing self-sufficiency in grain, China has helped other developing countries, especially in Africa, to improve agricultural productivity and food security in recent decades," he said.

Since the 1950s, China has dispatched nearly 10,000 agricultural technicians to Africa and built more than 240 agricultural projects in African countries, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

"Further cooperation with African countries, such as in the freshwater fishery and deep processing of agricultural product industries, will be strengthened in future," Niu said.

African participants also called for more technology and knowledge transfers to help the countries in term of the sustainable development of agriculture.

For instance, annual fish production in Malawi now is estimated at 90,000 metric tonnes mainly from natural sources while annual aquaculture production is only 3,600 tonnes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security of Malawi.

"Great challenges, including the lack of appropriate improved technology in aquaculture and poor fish feed formulations, may hinder the country from increasing fish production from aquaculture," said Bright Kumwembe, director of finance and administration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Malawi.

"Food security is a global challenge, requiring innovation and efforts across the international community. The UK will certainly play its part in this global effort," the British Ambassador to China Sebastian Wood said at the conference.

The program will provide a platform to extend technology tailored to the needs and conditions of African countries and support joint research to find solutions to food security issues, he said.

"China has a lot of advanced technology in the agricultural sector, which may offer much support to African countries. But how to choose those appropriate technologies and seed varieties, which are adaptable to the actual situation in Africa, are the key to success," said Zhang Feng, a researcher from CABI, a research group in Britain that focuses on agriculture and the environment.

We must help farmers over CAP reforms

The Government has the chance to show leadership and to ensure that CAP reform does not lead to serious disadvantages for our farmers, NFU President Peter Kendall has said.

Speaking to delegates at Food Security 2012, Mr Kendall expressed his continued concerns that the European Commission proposals to reform the CAP would do very little if anything to ensure European farmers contributed to the global food security challenge.

Mr Kendall, however, said it was not too late for the Government to revert the course of CAP reform – and in doing so, showing leadership to other member states and influential MEPs.

“Under previous reforms, we had very clear direction of travel in favour of a policy that eliminates distorting support, brings decoupling, supports competitiveness and sensibly delivers targeted support to deliver environmental goods. There is a real danger that those positive steps will be lost in this round,” said Mr Kendall.

“Being positive about CAP reform might sit uneasily with some British politicians. But it’s essential if the UK government wants to achieve its ends of downsizing the CAP.

“It needs to set out a pragmatic, relevant policy vision that can command support amongst a sizeable proportion of your allies. This can only be achieved through diplomacy, guile and sound ideas. It means dropping some of the hectoring on the CAP.

"And it also means the UK moving away from a purely narrow approach to reform based solely on the delivery of public goods to a much more rounded, vision based on helping farmers to become more competitive through use of decoupled payments, targeted investment support and exploiting the future Horizon 2020 research programme to deliver more applied R&D.

“To me, this is a much more progressive approach that has the potential not only to serve the ends of food security, but also meeting the serious financial challenges ahead in Europe through growth.”

Original Article Here

Agriculture in the news - August 23

By David Boderke

A round up of agricultural news from across the UK and Ireland.

Claim milk firm will leave farmers poorer

A top milk processor will still leave dairy farmers worse off later this year, despite calling off a potentially devastating price cut, managers of a family business have claimed.

Tracey Lewis-Jones, whose family runs a farm between Welshpool and Oswestry, said her family was losing 4p on every litre of milk it sold to Arla Dairies and would be down by thousands of pounds.

Shropshire Star

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2012/08/20/claim-milk-firm-will-leave-farmers-poorer/

Badger cull at risk of sabotage

Hunt saboteurs are threatening to take direct action against farmers in a bid to halt a planned cull of badgers in a trial to tackle bovine TB.

The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) is the latest organisation to call on its supporters to take “any legal means necessary”, in a move which appears designed to intimidate any farmers involved.

Western Morning News

http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/story-16751142-detail/story.html

‘Strength in numbers’ is the way ahead

With an additional 25 million litres of milk being committed to it from Scottish producers, it would appear that First Milk, the country’s largest farmer-owned co-operative, has benefitted from the recent price battle 
between producers and milk processors.

The figures emerged yesterday when more than 350 farmers and industry representatives descended on Sandyford farm in Ayrshire for a First Milk roadshow. A spokeswoman for the co-operative said that the additional supplies had been recruited in the past fortnight in Scotland and that the company was having discussions “with lots of other producers”.

The Scotsman

http://www.scotsman.com/business/food-drink-and-agriculture/strength-in-numbers-is-the-way-ahead-1-2483087

Travellers moved into field while farmer was harvesting his crop

TRAVELLERS had to be turfed off a Uttoxeter farm after setting up camp while the gates were open for bales to be collected.

Staffordshire Police were called after around eight caravans and ‘loads of cars’, all with an Irish registration number plates, set up camp on a field next to the B5030 on Tuesday evening, which is owned by Aggregates Industries and rented out on a farm tenancy.

Uttoxeter Advertiser

http://www.uttoxeter-news.co.uk/News/Travellers-moved-into-field-while-farmer-was-harvesting-his-crop-21082012.htm

Union wants details of ‘difficulty’ with banks over lending costs

One week after it was revealed that bank borrowing by Scottish farmers had risen to new record levels, NFU Scotland yesterday asked its members to provide details of their relationship with their bankers, especially relating to costs they face in obtaining or maintaining credit and overdraft facilities.

The latest borrowing figures to the end of May 2012 reached £1,670 million, some £56 million or 3.5 per cent higher than a year ago.

The Scotsman

http://www.scotsman.com/business/food-drink-and-agriculture/union-wants-details-of-difficulty-with-banks-over-lending-costs-1-2483088

Food prices may rise as rain, drought hit harvest

HIGHER FOOD prices could be on the way in the autumn because of problems with the grain harvest at home and abroad, UCD’s professor of crop science Jimmy Burke has said.

His latest research suggests that the recent unfavourable weather will push down Irish grain yield potential by 10 per cent compared with last year.

Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0823/1224322767898.html

Food prices could rise as result of the bad summer

FARMERS are unlikely to be the only ones counting the cost of this summer’s abysmal weather as food prices are likely to increase and locally produced potatoes and veg will become thin on the ground.

Potato crops have been decimated by blight, caused by the damp conditions, and as the US faces the opposite problem with blistering heat destroying their grain and soya bean crops, the outlook does not look good for global prices, and therefore the consumer.

Isle of Man Today

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/business/food-prices-could-rise-as-result-of-the-bad-summer-1-4856330

Glanbia’s farmer shareholders have a week to accept deal

GLANBIA’S farmer shareholders have yet to agree on whether to take on their milk processing business with only a week to go until the company’s deadline for a final decision.

The farmer-controlled co-op is in negotiations with Glanbia PLC, the food group it part owns, about a proposed joint venture (JV) to run milk processing ahead of the end of EU quotas on milk production in three years’ time.

Irish Independent

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/glanbias-farmer-shareholders-have-a-week-to-accept-deal-3208243.html

Payment warning on soil review

FARMERS who do not complete their Soil Protection Reviews are risking missing out on Single Farm Payment Scheme payments.

Early findings from Rural Payments Agency inspections have shown that smaller farms are particularly at risk. RPA is urging farmers to complete their reviews and avoid any issues as inspections continue during the summer. Farmers are being reminded that the Farming Advice Service offers help on how best to carry out the review.

Cornish Guardian

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/story-16751524-detail/story.html

Livestock antibiotics ‘could have contributed to human obesity’

FARMERS may have played their part in the obesity epidemic by fattening their livestock with antibiotics, a study suggests.

By altering the fine balance of gut bacteria which influence our metabolism, even small amounts of the drugs entering the food chain could have caused obesity rates to rise, researchers claim.

Irish Independent

http://www.independent.ie/health/health-news/livestock-antibiotics-could-have-contributed-to-human-obesity-3208375.html

Farmers at tipping point over rubbish dumped on land

ROADSIDE laybys and gateways are the most common places to find fly-tipped waste.

A long-running case involved a layby on the A487 at Maentwrog, where for years rubbish was thrown in to a SSSI gorge managed by a local farmer. This summer a wall was built along the layby by Gwynedd Council to stop further tipping.

NFU Cymru policy officer Dafydd Jarret said the farmer had initially cleared the waste at his own expense – but then turned to the authorities for help.

Daily Post

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/farming-north-wales/farming-news/2012/08/23/55578-31678963/

Helpline needed for distressed farmers says Ó Cuív

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Agriculture, Éamon Ó Cuív has called on Minister Simon Coveney to direct his Department and Teagasc to immediately set-up a helpline for the farmers who are in distress due to the poor weather conditions this summer.

Deputy Ó Cuív commented: “Every day I am contacted by farmers and farm organisations concerned about the effect the terrible summer is having on farmers’ mental health and the need for emergency action and support.”

Galway Advertiser

http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/54518/helpline-needed-for-distressed-farmers-says-cuv

Project will assess farming’s true value

FARMING contributes much to the public good according to the Oxford Farming Conference, and a newly commissioned project plans to discover what these contributions are and measure their value.

The research commissioned for the next Oxford Farming Conference will be presented to delegates at the annual gathering, which runs from January 2 to 4.

Cornish Guardian

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/story-16751546-detail/story.html

New agriculture exhibits planned for New York State Fair

By Debra J. Groom, The Post-Standard

A number of new agricultural exhibits will greet fairgoers at the New York State Fair.

Mary Ellen Chesbro, agriculture manager for the fair, said one of the biggest undertakings this year will be on Labor Day, when fair attendees will be able to learn more about all types of animals and agricultural products at an event call the Agriculture Extravaganza.

The event will take place in the Coliseum, consisting of exhibitors showing off animals, horticulture and floraculture products so fairgoers can see them up close and ask questions.

“People can see animals when they go through the barns, but there aren’t always people available to answer questions,” Chesbro, of Pennellville, said.

“In the barns, the owners are getting ready for shows and many fairgoers don’t want to bother them or they can’t find the owners to ask a question. But here, there will be several people anxiously awaiting someone to ask them a question so they can talk about their passion — which is raising quality agricultural products,” she said.

Chesbro said there also are ways to win prizes at the extravaganza. Attendees will be able to pick up a flyer as they enter the Coliseum with questions to be answered. As they visit the different booths and pens at the event, they will answer the questions and then turn in their flyers in a receptacle as they leave.

Local businesses have donated gift certificates as prizes, Chesbro said.

“We will be having pens of different animals along with the associations that promote and research them,” she said. “There will be all types of livestock from horses, goats, sheep, swine, poultry and there will also be horticultural exhibits. I personally would like to have a dairy cow next to a beef cow so people can really see the difference as well as a meat goat next to a dairy goat.”

Another new ag highlight for the fair is available every day right inside the doors to the Horticulture Building.

Chesbro said the butterfly exhibit will allow fairgoers to obtain a Q-tip and put some nectar on it and then dab the nectar on their nose. “Butterflies then will come on land on your nose,” Chesbro said.

On the far wall of the Horticulture Building will be a new exhibit on aquaponics, which is a combination of fish farming and hydroponic farming.

Chesbro said this exhibit will be run by Aqua Vita Farms in Sherrill and will show how vegetables and greens can be grown using water from fish farming operation. He water contains more nutrients and helps the vegetables while they grow. The water used on the vegetables then is collected and used for growing the fish because the vegetables help purify the water.

Contact Debra J. Groom at dgroom@syracuse.com, 470-3254 or 251-5586. Follow her at www.twitter.com/@DebraGroom

Original Article here

Scottish agriculture sees positive growth

Rising incomes from the Scottish farming sector is helping the sector make a significant contribution to the economy, according to figures published by the Scottish government.

Scotland accounts for 18% of the total UK cattle population, 21% of UK sheep and 9% of the UK’s pigs.

In the past 10 years the country has seen the income from farming increase by £240m (67%). This increase has meant the average farm business income has gone up by £11,000 (32%) from 2009/10, to £45,000 in 2010/2011.

The average output increased by £22,000 (17%), which outweighed the £11,000 (7%) increase in input costs.

Rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead said: “These figures paint a positive picture of Scotland’s agriculture sector – notwithstanding challenges such as rising input costs – which very much reflects the optimistic mood I am detecting from my meetings with farmers.

“This is good news and demonstrates that the agricultural sector continues to make a significant positive contribution to Scotland’s economy.”

Original Article Here

EU Plan to End Sugar Limits Pits France Against the U.K.

By Isis Almeida and Rudy Ruitenberg 

European Union proposals to change rules on sugar output and usage will pit France, the biggest food producer in the bloc, against the U.K. next week when members of the European Parliament meet in Brussels.

Sugar quotas that limit production should expire Sept. 30, 2015, EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos proposed in October. The European Parliament will consider on June 18 and June 19 whether to end that policy that caused sugar supply shortages in the bloc for the past two years.

Sugar beet growers backed by France oppose the plan, saying they need at least until 2020 to become more competitive, while the U.K. says the proposal will allow farmers to grow their business. While international prices have fallen 20 percent in London over the past year, white sugar in the EU averaged 711 euros ($898) a metric ton in March, the highest since at least July 2006, commission data as of May 3 show. An EU sugar users’ group backed by Kraft Foods Inc. opposes France’s plan.

“European farmers are going to have huge opportunities to feed an increasingly hungry world,” the U.K. Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs wrote in an e-mailed comment yesterday. “Scrapping counter-productive sugar beet quotas will up production, stop shortages and bring down prices.”

The European Parliament gets the final say on farm policy for the first time, Jan Jakubov, agriculture spokesman, said by phone from Brussels yesterday. Policy makers for France and the U.K. will attend the meeting next week when Parliament’s rapporteurs will present their view on the reforms for the first time, he said.

France’s View

“I’ll defend, in France’s name, the position that consists of maintaining the current regulation until 2020 to allow this industry to adjust, and at the same time give it the outlook on the future that it seeks,” French Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll told sugar beet growers at an industry meeting in Reims on June 12. “I also know of the need to have a little bit more time that’s required so you can adjust.”

The end of sugar quotas would mean that French production would have to compete with Thailand, the world’s second-biggest exporter, and India, the second largest producer. Brazil is the top exporter and producer and its production costs have been climbing because of labor costs and strengthening value of the real currency since 2000.

Sugar Users

The Committee of European Sugar Users, representing companies including Kraft Food Inc. (KTF) (KTF) and Nestle SA, is opposed to France’s plan, the Brussels-based group said in a statement e- mailed today.

“EU sugar users have seen an increase of 40 percent in sugar prices within the last year, leading to significant financial instability for many food manufacturers across Europe,” said Robert Guichard, president of the committee and procurement manager of sweeteners for Kraft Foods in Paris.

“Postponing again the debate to 2018 is not going to help prepare EU farmers or the food sectors to adapt to future market challenges,” he said. The committee “demands that the commission proposal of abolishing quotas in 2015 is respected.”

The EU spent four years since 2006 shrinking its sugar-beet industry to comply with a ruling by the World Trade Organization limiting its exports.

Net Importer

After the reform, the bloc became a net importer and dependent on supplies from a group of least developed countries and some nations of the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of countries that have preferential access to the EU market.

“The problem facing the EU has been the limited availability of preferential imports from least developed countries and ACP,” LMC International Ltd. and London-based Overseas Development Institute said in a report at the U.K. Parliament’s inquiry into the EU sugar regime on June 13.

LMC International is an Oxford, England-based agriculture research company and Overseas Development Institute focuses on ways to reduce poverty in developing countries. Shortages of sugar in Europe are set to continue through 2015, they said in the report to the U.K. Parliament.

The removal of sugar quotas is likely to reduce the EU sugar price by 100 euros a ton, LMC International and the Overseas Development Institute said. White, or refined, sugar on NYSE Liffe settled yesterday at $566.70 a ton.

The elimination of sugar production quotas “must only be done alongside opening up markets for tropical cane sugar, which is crucial for British refiners, food manufacturers, and consumers,” Defra said.

The EU has not proposed changing import duties. The levy is 339 euros a ton on imports of raw sugar and 419 euros a ton for white sugar.

To contact the reporter on this story: Isis Almeida in London at Ialmeida3@bloomberg.net; Rudy Ruitenberg in Paris at rruitenberg@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Claudia Carpenter at Ccarpenter2@bloomberg.net.

Original Article Here

Lords Scrutinise Food Security, Highlight Biofuels

UK - Members of the Lords, including the author of the Curry Report on the sustainable future of farming and food and a former chair of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, debated current government policies on food security last week.

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat), who tabled the debate, said: "We have only recently begun to understand the importance of the concept of global food security rather than seeing it as an issue only when there is a regional famine or shortage far from these shores."

Baroness Miller highlighted how the UK has the 'best grass-growing conditions in the whole world and a wonderful range of livestock breeds'. Baroness Miller continued: "Food security is all about resilience and diversity. We must value our seed heritage and our different animal breeds." Baroness Miller predicted biotechnology would be a 'hot topic' and said: "I do not think that GM is the answer to food security issues, but nor should we seek to halt scientific exploration and trials."

Earl of Selborne (Conservative), former chair of the Royal Agricultural Society of England and current chair of the Foundation for Science and Technology, stated: "Our present food system is clearly unsustainable, inadequate and failing in some respects."

Earl of Selborne listed reduced dependence on fossil fuels and exploitation of natural resources, economic use of water, increased use of biomass and reducing carbon leakage as essential components of sustainable agriculture. "It will not be agricultural science that delivers totally. Financial services, the communications sector and a whole raft of interventions - political, economical, sociological and technological - will be involved," he said.

Lord Giddens (Labour), member of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment EU Sub-committee, took a global view and spoke about 'new style risks' which 'we tend to be in denial about'. Human created risks are rising steeply yet "we are not in a world that is getting close to managing their consequences, or even to accepting their seriousness," Lord Giddens explained.

Lord Giddens added: "Three of the biggest new-style risks are climate change, population growth and world urbanisation. In the case of food security these risks overlap and it's time 'to make far more of a dent in these risks than we have so far."

ThePoultrySite News Desk

Agriculture on the up as farmers diversify

William Emmett

By Debbie Waite

AFTER decades of decline, farming is showing growth, according to the National Farming Union’s (NFU) man on the ground in Oxfordshire.

New government figures show the agriculture and horticulture sector of the economy grew by 25 per cent last year.

Farming now represents the UK’s fourth largest exporting sector, contributing £85bn to the UK economy and employing 3.5 million people.

William Emmett, 61, the regional chairman of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) says the future is looking brighter in Oxfordshire.

Mr Emmett, who owns four farms in South Oxfordshire, said: “As a fourth generation farmer who has seen decades of decline due to rising prices and disease, I am immensely happy to say that farmers are now cautiously enjoying some measure of prosperity after many hard years.”

He continued: “Most people know that farming’s reputation was badly damaged by BSE and Foot-and-Mouth disease, but the biggest blight has been the steady decline in the margins farmers can make.

“In the last 30 years here in Oxfordshire we have seen potato farming basically disappear, along with most of our pig industry and many of our dairy herds.

“While farmers once were able to make a living from a few hundred acres, the prices they have been offered for their meat and milk have reduced so far that we have seen countless family businesses fold.”

But he said: “Farmers have looked at what people want and diversified – whether that be through opening their farms up to the public, by producing green energy, by offering holiday accommodation, or opening farm shops etc. We know people want good, locally-grown food and we provide that.”

But he added: “There are still many pressures on farmers. Only two weeks ago, one major supermarket suddenly decided it would be paying two pence less a litre for their milk from that point – and all the other supermarkets quickly followed.

“Farmers also use a lot of oil-derived fertilisers, which are always rising in cost.

“But we are hopeful we can weather the future.”

Original Article Here

Farmers Advised to Get Head-Start on NVZ Appeals

UK - Farmers have just 59 days to prepare their appeal against proposed changes to Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) designations announced this week, the NFU has warned.

Designations are reviewed by Defra every four years and the NFU had hoped farmers would get a minimum of three months to get their appeal ready, as they did during the previous review.

NFU head of policy services Andrew Clark said: “Since farmers must provide evidence to support an appeal, and the designation method and supporting evidence can be complex in some cases, it is important that farmers start reviewing their situation now.

“We are concerned that, especially for complex cases, the appeal period Defra has allowed will be too short for some farmers. There is a risk that complex cases will either have to be rushed, or farmers will have to hope that the Tribunals Service, which will deal with appeals, will be sympathetic to allowing extra time in their particular cases. This is not an ideal state of affairs.

“We have prepared initial briefings to help members get started and further information will follow as soon as possible.”

Defra’s latest consultation was launched in December 2011. It explored two options: moving to a situation where the whole of England would be designated; and continuing with the existing policy of identifying specific areas for designation.

If a targeted approach is maintained as the NFU has argued, the current patchwork of NVZs will change, with nearly four per cent being de-designated as nitrate levels continue to fall and a smaller areas designated for the first time. Overall NVZ designations should be smaller and even in those areas provisionally designated the option to appeal is available.

The information published covers definitive maps of the proposed designation area that can be examined down to field level and detailed reasons for designation including a summary of water monitoring results.

Speaking on the NVZ boundary maps, The Country Land and Business Association President Harry Cotterell said: "The Nitrates Directive is one of the most prescriptive pieces of environmental legislation to hit farmers and land managers over the past 10 years. The CLA has lobbied Defra and the Environment Agency to ensure our members are treated fairly by proposed designations for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs). We have tried to help make the appeals process more transparent for those who farm in a NVZ so they can gather evidence and set out their case without being unfairly disadvantaged.

"The UK Government has not followed the approach set out by other member states which are offering capital grants for slurry storage and supporting farm-scale anaerobic digestion better than in the UK. Defra has been unwilling to change the appeals process, and the HM Courts and Tribunals Service has set an appeals window of only 28 days to make an appeal from the time a farmer is notified by Defra.

"The CLA is urging its members to check the boundary maps published today (17 May) by the Environment Agency because we believe 28 days is not long enough to prepare an appeal. Although not a perfect solution to Defra's failure to extend the appeals process, the early release of these maps will give those farmers and land managers who are considering an appeal a few vital weeks to pull their cases together but it is essential to view the maps now."

Further information expected shortly includes detailed monitoring data as well as Defra guidance for farmers wishing to appeal.

TheCropSite News Desk

New Nuffield Poultrymeat Scholarship

UK - The Nuffield Poultry Study Group has announced the establishment of a new biennial Nuffield Farming Scholarship Award called the Poultrymeat Scholarship.

This prestigious award, which is open to candidates in the poultrymeat sector, has the support and sponsorship of the three global poultrymeat genetics companies, Aviagen, Cobb and Hubbard Breeders.

Nuffield Farming Scholarships award individuals in the agricultural industry opportunities to travel and study topics of interest to their sector. Through the scholarship programme the Nuffield organisation nurtures the leaders and innovators of the future. Scholarships make an invaluable contribution to both personal and professional development, helping advance careers, business and industry.

With the help of Aviagen, Cobb and Hubbard Breeders, Nuffield will be providing a bursary on a biennial basis to enable new poultry meat scholars to travel anywhere in the world to further knowledge, explore new ideas and meet influential business contacts.

The objective of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships is to lead positive change in agriculture by inspiring passion and potential in people.

Speaking on behalf of the Nuffield Poultry Study Group, current Chairman Steve Pritchard said; “The Poultry Study Group is delighted to establish the Poultrymeat Scholarship in partnership with Aviagen, Cobb and Hubbard Breeders.

“Today agriculture is a global business and this scholarship sets up the ideal environment for people with a passion to develop new ideas and opportunities that can be taken from all corners of the globe.

“We expect scholars to return from their studies with new thinking, thought provoking solutions and innovative practices that can be applied to the benefit of themselves and their industry.”

With a new application deadline this year of 31 July 2012, awards are open to people working in farming and ancillary industries or are in a position of influence. Applicants must be UK residents, have spent at least two years working in the industry in the UK, and be between 22 and 45 years of aged at the application date.

For more information and to apply, visit the Nuffield website.

ThePoultrySite News Desk