No .	Title	Summary
99	Tenancy reform accepted (R0505)	Most of the proposals made by the Tenancy Reform Industry Group to boost the tenant farm sector have been accepted by Defra.  A Code of Practice has been published by TRIG which should help tenants to diversify their businesses and Defra have proposed legislation which will remove other barriers to change
98	Sustainable farming progress (R0604)	A list of progress towards the progress to objectives set out in the Curry Report – includes a paragraph on the development by Defra of the Whole Farm Appraisal which aims to bring together all government contact with farmers through one basic format.
97	Consultation - Off-Road Vehicles on Rights of Way	Proposals to curtail the inappropriate use of mechanically propelled vehicles on countryside rights of way are outlined in a public consultation launched by Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael. The consultation responds to widespread concern about problems caused by the use of mechanically propelled vehicles - including motorbikes, quad bikes and 4x4s - whose users can currently claim rights of way on the basis that the routes were historically employed by horse-drawn carriages.
96	CAP reform, historical or regional (R0204)	In England payments will be allocated on a historic basis in the first year (2005), but this will change progressively to a flat-rate basis over the following eight years. England will be split into two regions land in severely disadvantaged areas and all other land. Different flat rates will apply in these regions. Wales and Scotland have decided to opt for the historical basis and Northern Ireland for a hybrid system but in which the proportion of historical and regional payments does not change.
95	Prospects 3 - policies (R00505)	Changes in social priorities mean that, for farmers, society is at once more remote and more intrusive. The policy agenda has developed a new language with its most prominent theme, ‘sustainability’ and with farming no longer seen as the predominant economic activity of the countryside. The solutions do not lie within the changing CAP but in economic development, training and aids to mobility.
94	Prosepcts 2 - drivers (R0505)	This paper looks at the forces that will shape the world within which EU and UK farming will have to compete.  Farmers will need to apply technologies that are more productive, find new routes to markets including non-food markets, accept more regulation and work with new policies now focussed on resources rather than output.
93	Prospects 1 – killer facts (R0505)	This is the first part of a three part summary of a paper presented at the 2003 Farm Management Conference by Professor Sir John Marsh.  The ‘Killer Facts’ are that; food consumption is a declining part of consumer expenditure and farm output is a declining part of the total consumer cost of food; the value of farm output is falling; farming is a less important constituent in rural communities; public expenditure on farming is still high and farming highly protected. They mean that the agricultural industry has reached a major turning point. It will be one of major importance as a producer of food, a source of wealth for society and as custodian its land area.
92	EU Enlargement (R0604)	EU enlargement will have a modest economic impact on the European Union. However, the real challenge will be the political and institutional implications. For agriculture enlargement could lead to a drive for better, simpler regulation. The new Members will be defenders of the EU model of agriculture. However, the industry should watch carefully the influence that the new Members could have on the budget of the European Union.
91	British Food Fortnight (R1104)	The objectives of the fortnight are to nurture a renaissance in the pleasures of preparing and eating Britain's regional food and drink.  Next – 8th – 23rd October 2005 .... provisional
90	Great North Meet (R0505)	A series of quotes from speakers which gives an impression of this wide-ranging conference.
89	Rural Delivery Review (R0505)	Includes the recommendations of Lord Haskin’s review of rural services and organizations and extracts from Margaret Beckett’s statement which show what the government intends to do about it all in the next few months.
88	Pig ID (R0604)	New pig identification rules took effect on 1 November 2003.  Pigs going for slaughter must be clearly slap marked (tattooed) on both shoulders with a Defra herd mark linked to the premises they are leaving.
87	Horse Passports (R0505)	From 28 February 2005 all horses, ponies and donkeys must have a passport to be presented whenever a horse moves premises, travels in order to enter competition, is used for breeding, leaves the United Kingdom, is sold, or is presented for slaughter.
86	Village appraisals & design statements & Parish plans (R0505)	Village Appraisals are the old system, now superseded by Village Design Statements which consider the character, design, the landscape, street furniture etc.  Once they have been agreed the local council take them on as supplementary planning guidance which means the village can’t change them. Parish Plans look more at the people in the village and their needs.  The plan is owned by the village and hopefully will be adopted by the Parish Council.
85	Veterinary surveillance strategy (R0505)	Veterinary surveillance detects animal health and welfare problems and analyses the way they spread.  It applies to infectious diseases, chemical contamination and animal conditions, which may pose a threat to human health – either directly, or via food products.
84	Village Greens (R0506)	Village greens are land which has been allotted formally or by customary right for exercise or recreation in a locality.  There are reckoned to be about 3650 registered greens in England and about 220 in Wales, covering about 8150 and 620 acres respectively. The Millennium Greens initiative aimed to provide new areas of public open space that could be enjoyed permanently. By the end of the project in December 2001 245 Millennium Greens had been created.
83	Farm profits down again	A comparison of profit levels for 2001/2 and 2002/3 (in graph 1) shows a further erosion of profitability in most sectors of farming, but especially in the dairy sector following reductions in milk price.
82	Rural Business Support Conference (R0804)	The DTI estimates that there are a million small businesses in rural areas, 85% employ 10 people or less and they provide over 5 million jobs. 80% of new businesses are driven by women. The briefing also notes rural business people’s reluctance to use official sources of advice and their frustration with regulation.
81	Foot and Mouth EU Directive (R0604)	The Directive rejects a return to routine vaccination but it requires Member States to have arrangements in place for possible use of emergency vaccination as soon as FMD is confirmed. The guidelines indicate that, following emergency vaccination to live, disease free status can be regained six months after the last vaccination. This compares to a 12 month waiting period in 2001.
80	GM farm scale evaluations (R0505)	The number of weeds and dependent insects was significantly lower in GM Herbicide Tolerant rape and sugar beet than in their conventional counterparts. In contrast, GMHT maize showed the opposite effect.
79	GM Crop Research results (R0505)	GM crops could produce plants in nearby non-GM crops which contain GM material. This may be caused by pollen carried on the wind, by insects or by seeds carried by wildlife.  It would be a problem for farmers who want to say that there is no GM material in their produce.
78	Planning Policy Statement 7 (R0604)	Larger scale rural developments should be located in or near to towns.  Isolated new houses in the countryside require special justification. Priority should be given to the re-use of previously-developed sites. Development should be well designed, in keeping and scale with its location, and sensitive to the character of the countryside and local distinctiveness.
77	Horticulture - facts and figures	Horticulture produces nearly 12% of the total agricultural output and employs between 25 and 30% of agricultural labour.
	no papers 75,76
74	Farming and Rural Change (R0604)	Summarises several previous briefings and to give background information about some of the factors which are affecting rural change.
73	Access to the Countryside (R0505)	Examines the economic and social value of walking in the English countryside and summarises different types of access and how they will change as the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 comes into operation.
72	Meat Purchases (R0504)	Poultry meat and pork consumption are falling but lamb and beef consumptions are growing. The increase ready meals sales is dramatic. The trouble is that these products contain only about 15% of meat.
71	Pesticides (R0506)	Pesticides are necessary either to prevent direct loss of yield and quality or to prevent spoilage of produce in store.  The briefing covers the history of pesticides, lists different types and explains how they work.
	no papers 68,69,70
67	Consultation on agricultural use and management of common land	There are about half a million hectares of common land in England and Wales. The consultation paper sets out proposals for legislation to improve the agricultural use and management of common land in England and Wales.
	no paper 66
65	Consultation on proposal for EU regulation on animal transport	The European Commission has adopted a proposed Regulation on animal transport, which will radically overhaul the animal transport rules in Europe. To improve enforcement, the Regulation identifies the chain of all those involved in animal transport and who is responsible for what as well as introducing efficient enforcement tools, such as checks via the tachograph.  Paper includes present regulations and future proposals .
	no paper 64
63	Affordable Rural Housing (R0505)	Local people on modest incomes cannot afford to buy or rent a rural home because of high prices and planning controls which make development difficult. Hence rural people are forced to move to towns adding to the decline of rural services, destroying local family networks and making it difficult for local firms to find staff. This briefing explores rural homelessness and ways of providing more affordable housing including the work of Rural Housing Enablers.
62	Environmental Crime Statistics (R0505)	Illegal activities from fly-tipping of waste to the stealing of birds’ eggs can directly harm wildlife or the environment. This briefing also covers pollution incidents, obstructing public rights of way, Illegal tree felling, damage to Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and wildlife crime.
61	Invasive Plants (R0506)	Plants like azolla, giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam, rhododendron, Australian swamp stonecrop and parrot’s feather, most of which were first brought to this country in Victorian times, are highly aggressive and can quickly dominate habitats.  They are difficult to control especially because most are aquatic and waterside plants and the potent chemicals needed would cause pollution. For some, like azolla, biological control looks promising.
60	Defra Consultations (R1104)	This briefing summarises the official consultation process and lists current Defra consultations.
	no paper 59
58	The Sheep Year (R0304)	This briefing gives an overview of some of the health challenges facing sheep producers and how they can be tackled.
57	Ragwort Control and the Weeds Act (R0506)	Ragwort is extremely poisonous to livestock whether they graze infested pastures or consume it in dried grass, hay, haylage or silage.  The Weeds Act 1959 enables enforcement notices to be served on occupiers of land requiring them to take action to prevent the spread of ragwort and other injurious weeds.  Last year’s Ragwort Control Act enables a Code of Practice for landowners and occupiers to prevent the spread of ragwort.  The Code will be admissible as evidence for litigation.
56	GM Science Review Report (R0405)	Tests done so far provide no evidence that current GM crops or foods made from them, are toxic, allergenic or nutritionally deleterious. Several studies have been unable to find genetic products from GM crops in produce from animals fed on them. Field experiments show that GM crops are very unlikely to invade the countryside. However we cannot make precise predictions about the impacts of all possible GM crops so a case-by-case approach to their evaluation continues to be best.
55	Farm Assurance Schemes (R0504)	Farm Assurance Schemes establish standards of production for food safety, environmental protection and animal welfare. They are voluntary and involve regular, independent checks to ensure that producers follow the rules. Members of the schemes pay an annual fee and independent inspectors police the standards. Details of the standards to be reached in schemes for beef & sheep, chicken, combinable crops and the LEAF Marque Scheme are given.
54	Public views about genetic modification (R0405)	Among the findings were: concern about GM food has decreased over the past three years but consumers want to understand it better. For many people consumer benefits are unclear and unproven. Consumers want to be able to make an informed choice between GM and non-GM food and see clear labelling as important.
53	End of Over Thirty Month Scheme in sight (R1104)	The Over Thirty Month Rule bans meat from cattle aged over 30 months at slaughter from being sold for human consumption. This is to remove older animals, which are more likely to have developed the BSE agent, from the food chain. The Food Standards Agency has recommended that the rule should be phased out but this is unlikely before mid-2005.
52	Integrated Farm Management (R0506)	Integrated Farm Management (IFM) combines good business, good husbandry and good environmental practice.  It requires an understanding of the biological and ecological interactions of the farm. Unlike organic farming IFM is not the same fixed system everywhere. It recognises that each farm is different so each develops its own programme to fit its circumstances.
51	Farm Diversification (R0405)	Among the main conclusions are: 58.3% of farms are engaged in diversification The average number of diversifications per business was 2.1. On average current enterprises have been established for 16 years (so diversification is not the latest ‘big thing’ as we sometimes hear! It’s been a big part of many farm businesses for a long time). Larger farms are more likely to have diversified than smaller.  Only 5% of holdings actually received any grant aid for the establishment of their new enterprise
50	CAP reform, summary of agreement of 26 June 2003 (R0504)	The main change is that all subsidies will be merged into a single farm payment from 2005.  The payment is conditional on keeping land in good agricultural condition and farmers will also need to meet standards designed to protect the environment, animal health and welfare, public health and plant health. There will be an annual reduction in payments to be used for rural development.
	no paper 49
48	Code of Practice for the safe use of pesticides, ‘The Green Code’ (R0405)	The Code explains how to use pesticides safely and comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH).
47	Groundwater Protection Code: Use and disposal of sheep dip compounds (R0405)	A practical guide for England and Wales which aims to help people using sheep dip to avoid polluting groundwater and to comply with relevant UK legislation.
46	Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Water (R0405)	A practical guide for farmers to know how to protect water.
45	Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Soil (R0405)	A practical guide for farmers to know how to protect soil.
44	Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Air (R0405)	A practical guide for farmers to know how to avoid air pollution.
	no papers 40,41,42,43
39	Statistics 5 - Labour force, crop areas, livestock numbers, milk production and consumption and product prices  (R0504)	UK numbers for 2003
38	Statistics 4 – UK Income from farming (R0504)	Agriculture’s income and balance sheet trends
	no paper 37
36	Statistics 3 – Some statistics for Scotland (R0504)	Includes stats comparing Scotland with the rest of the UK and the EU15
35	Statistics 2 – Some statistics for Wales (R0504)	Trends in land and labour use and livestock numbers
34	The state of the countryside summary - 2003	'The state of the countryside' report is the Countryside Agency's annual publication drawing together information from a wide range of sources ro describe rural England.  This paper gives an overview of the main ponts of the report.  Short summaries going into more depth will be published in future briefing notes.
33	Statistics 1 - Agriculture in the economy, crops, livestock subsidies and income (R0504)	UK trends to 2003
32	National Carcass Collection Scheme (R0405)	The National Fallen Stock Scheme helps farmers cope with the carcases of casualty animals now that the burial and burning of dead livestock on farms is banned.  The scheme is jointly financed by subscriptions from farmers and a government contribution.
31	People in the hills (R0504)	Describes how hill farmers see their situation and what they believe the future has in store for them. The analysis identified three main issues – low incomes, erosion of the ability to make their own decisions and marginalisation
30	What Biotechnology might do for us (R0405)	The consequences to farmers of some of these developments are mind boggling.  For instance bio-fuel production from crops could take up a huge proportion of our land. Just a 5% inclusion from oilseed rape in the petrol we use in this country would more than double the total area of the crop. At the moment, biotechnology's main uses are in medicine and agriculture. But its biggest long-term impact may be industrial.
29	The future of rural areas (R0405)	Concludes that the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the countryside can be combined, but only with great difficulty.
28	Rural Economies (R0404)	Most commentaries on rural economies underplay diversity and complexity so this briefing concentrates on describing it. Over 5.35 million people work in rural offices, shops, factories and workshops In contrast fewer than 370,000 people work in agriculture, a number still falling by around 4% a year.
27	The UK food market and local food (R0405)	Farmers would gain if we could all eat more locally, regionally and UK produced food but the large scale of operation of supermarkets and the catering sector makes it difficult for them to get a foothold.  This paper summarises the UK food market and looks at some threats and opportunities for local food.
26	Plans for a better Planning System (R0305)	Major changes in the planning system are heralded in the Government’s Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill. Changes include Regional Spatial Strategies, Local Development Documents, wider powers of compulsory purchase, Business Planning Zones, Statements of Development Principles and Statements of Community Involvement
25	New pilot agri-environmental scheme (R0404)	Entry Level Stewardship is the basic level of the new Environmental Stewardship Scheme and aims to tackle diffuse pollution, loss of biodiversity and landscape character and damage to the historic environment. It is proposed that this will be open to all farmers in England from 2005 and that they will be paid at a flat rate of £30 per ha in return.  Organic Entry Level Stewardship has a similar design.
	no paper 24
23	Sugar, European Farmers and Fair trade (R0404)	Liberalisation of world trade over the next decade will make it more and more difficult for the EU to continue subsidising its sugar beet industry and without subsidy the industry will be drastically reduced and maybe even killed off altogether.  The benefits could be gained by some of the poorest countries in the world which will win access to markets which give them the opportunity to build up their own sugar cane production.
22	Support for cropping - the Arable Area Payments Scheme (R0404)	The Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS) was introduced in 1993 following the 1992 reform of the CAP.  It allows farmers to claim area payments on certain eligible crops and for taking land out of production as set-aside. AAPS is due to be replaced by the new Single Farm Payment in 2005.
21	Alternative enterprises for farmers (R0305)	A list of 350 enterprises from adopt-a-tree to yoghourt making.
20	Scope for poultry production on more general farms (R0305)	A short note pointing out that there is a ‘diversity of opportunities’.
19	Government Support for Rural Areas - The England Rural Development Programme (R0305)	10 schemes to help farmers and foresters to respond better to consumer requirements and become more competitive, diverse, flexible and environmentally responsible. It also provides help to rural businesses and communities which need to adapt and develop.
18	What's all this about broadband (R0404)	How broadband works
	no paper 17
16	You don’t need to be a farming expert to help farmers (R0305)	Challenging rural churches to do more to address the farming crisis by helping farmers to realise the need for change and by supporting their first steps.  The main skills needed are the caring skills the churches have in abundance.  You don’t need to a high level of farming expertise to make a difference.  Includes an analysis of the situation with some suggestions about how to address the problem and sources of information and support.
15	We should shout more about the achievements of farmers (R0305)	Contrary to the impression you get from much media coverage Britain’s farmers are efficient producers of good value food and conscientious custodians of the countryside. This paper gives facts and figures about some of their achievements
14	TB and cattle - a brief overview (R0304)	Farmers are worried about the increased incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in cattle.  All herds are regularly tested for it and over the last few years TB had infected twice as many farms as foot-and-mouth. Cattle to cattle contact is one cause of TB spreading but badgers, birds, deer and cats may all be sources of infection. The Krebs trial, currently proceeding seeks to establish whether culling badgers would help to control bovine tuberculosis.
	no paper 13
12	Organic Support (R0803)	There were 4,104 organic farmers in the UK in March 2003 farming 536,866 hectares plus another 204,308 hectares, equivalent to 4.3% of the farmed area. Sales of organic produce were worth £920m in 2001/02. As a proportion of the whole, imports fell by 5% to 65% of total sales, but the market has expanded so much that the actual amount of imported produce has risen.  An ‘Organic Action Plan’ for England was launched by DEFRA on 29th July 2002.   The objective is to see the proportion of home-produced organic food double.
	no paper 11
10	Sheep and suckler cow quotas (R1204)	Quotas were introduced in 1993 to regulate production.  They will disappear as the Single Farm Payment comes into operation in 2005.
9	Globalisation (R0305)	Globalisation is creating unprecedented prosperity but there are winners and losers. Progress is mainly good in Asia and Latin America but life is getting harder for many people especially in Africa.
8	Genetic Modification ( 0305)	Genetic modification (GM) is achieved by transferring genes from one species to another.  It increases the accuracy and speed with which plants or animals can be improved. It’s proponents say that there is no scientific reason for believing that GM is inherently more unpredictable, damaging to the environment, or dangerous than conventional breeding but its opponents worry that there is very little independent health testing and that it is giving more power to the multinationals who sell it.
7	Farmers and debt  (R0304)	Lending to agriculture has increased over the past few years.  The main reason is harder times but some better off farmers are increasing their borrowings to invest taking advantage of low interest rates.
	no paper 6
5	The Curry Report and resulting policy (R0305)	One of the three reports commissioned by government after the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak.   It presents an agenda for change which has been generally accepted.
	no papers 3 or 4
2	Biofuels (R0305)	Biofuels are fuels made from renewable sources. Biodiesel is refined mainly from rapeseed oil and waste vegetable oil. Bioethanol can be refined from cereals, potatoes and sugar beet. Crops grown for biofuels have the potential to reduce greenhouse emissions because they recycle existing carbon dioxide rather push more into the atmosphere like fossil fuels.   Biofuels could provide extra sales outlets for Britain's arable farmers.
1	Agricultural Tenancy (R0305)	A simple briefing on agricultural tenancy law and how it has developed.

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