Farming Information for Rural Ministry

No .	Title	Summary
303	England catchment sensitive farming delivery initiative	Catchy title from your friendly Defra. It doesn't even produce a catchy acronym. The upshot is that dedicated advisers will soon be on hand to help farmers with free advice to tackle the causes of harmful water pollution
302	TB - new measures	New measures to tackle bovine TB in cattle in England, including the pre-movement testing of cattle and a 12-week consultation on badger culling have been announced by Defra. This briefing just gives you a bare outline of what is proposed. There is a consultation document which I will summarise early in the new year.
301	Horse Industry Strategy	The horse industry needs to bury its disagreements and work together locally, regionally and nationally to increase participation and develop its social contribution. It needs to boost its economic performance, raise its skills, increase access to off-road riding, work on its environmental impact, encourage sporting excellence and improve breeding of horses and ponies
300	Farmers' payback from the environment	Making the environment pay is not a new idea but the changes to CAP have opened up more options for environmental rewards for farmers. Direct support will continue but farmers will have to convince taxpayers that they are getting value for their money. Integrated farm management provides the potential for cost savings and easier regulatory compliance and there are a number of ways to gain premiums by marketing environmental benefits. People are prepared to pay for their recreation and the climate change agenda will also produce opportunities for farmers. The sustainable consumption movement may also produce benefits
299	Productivity in Rural England	Whilst the majority of rural areas are experiencing relatively high levels of economic prosperity and low levels of social exclusion t is possible to identify areas that have consistently lower rates of productivity than others. Lagging productivity can be due both to underlying factors associated with the nature of some rural areas and to instances of market failure. In such areas the evidence shows that poor economic performance tends to be associated with higher levels of social exclusion.
298	People in Farming	The joint conference of RASE, FRAgS and the Royal Smithfield Club discussed the ways farming manages its people, including those on small farms with no hired labour. It concluded that farming needed to sort out more of its own problems and being more professional in the way it handled its people would help. Creative approaches are needed to encourage more training and retraining. Learning to handle regulation more effectively and ‘finishing and certifying’ to make the basic skills most farmers have marketable outside farming were both highlighted.
297	A vision for the CAP	This discussion document was produced jointly by Defra and the Treasury and argues that the CAP is increasingly needs changing to produce an industry which is fundamentally sustainable, protects the environment better and promotes broader development in rural areas whilst reducing the costs of protectionism on developing countries and EU taxpayers. It argues that agriculture should be rewarded by the taxpayer only for benefits which the market cannot deliver.
296	Farm regulation and charging strategy	Defra is developing an internet service, the Whole Farm Approach, to help farmers manage their communications with government. This includes sending and checking data to demonstrate regulatory compliance, applying for funding, and searching for relevant information and advice.
295	Environment Agency and farmers	Farmers can save money by better planning of the fertilisers and pesticides and reduce pollution at the same time. On average the Environment Agency will visit a farm only once in 9 years. They will concentrate on high risk enterprises. Their aim is to work in partnership with farmers and help them meet the regulations rather than litigation.
294	Food trends and the supply chain	Another paper from the IAgM/BIAC conference. Shoppers find food shopping dull – we do not tempt them enough. 49% want to eat more local food and 66% want to enjoy its seasonality. Between 10 and 30% of the costs in every food chain are unnecessary. Everyone involved needs to work for excellence with more focus on building long term relationships. Price is still the main factor affecting purchasing decisions but taste is second.
293	EU farming – the way forward	Witty and wise quotes about the farming business from a farming conference
292	Biofuels	Using biofuels for transport presents an opportunity to reduce CO2 emissions. There are different degrees of processing of vegetable oils and these require different amounts of modification of diesel engines. At one extreme straight vegetable oil can be used with modification, at the other biodiesel can be used often with no modification. Also available is Modified Used Vegetable Oil which needs less energy to make than biodiesel yet runs in some vehicles unmodified, and also, unlike biodiesel, may be mixed with fossil fuel diesel. Fuel price, car insurance and regulation can present difficulties to manufacturers and users of biofuels.
291	Changes in Rural support	Defra funding streams are being simplified to three major funds but most funding is being delegated to Regional Development Agencies. The RDAs will focus on the needs of their regions and are moving towards a ‘bottom up delivery led by a strategy’ and working largely through partnerships. Government Offices have each produced a Rural Delivery Framework. Most current European Funding programmes finish in 2006 and most funds are used up already. Organisations need to focus on more than just Defra policy and voluntary and community organisations need to engage with local and regional government better to influence their various plans. ‘Rural is falling off the twig’
290	Levy Bodies Review	The review, which examined the role and structure of five levy bodies, concluded that they are needed in these times of huge change. It recommends that the levy bodies keep their independence but under an umbrella body to ‘guard’ their common framework of activities and monitor performance. Another new body would provide shared services.
289	Biomass taskforce report	Biomass can contribute to the climate change agenda but a strategic approach by the Government is needed to enable the potential to be exploited. Renewable heat, in particular needs more attention and waste-derived biomass could be utilised better
288	Farm incomes down	Farm incomes continue to decline and the average farmer is losing money producing food. This means diversification and European aid are vital to underpin farm profits and maintain investment in the countryside.
287	Disabled access to the outdoors	Guidance for anyone welcoming visitors to the countryside.
286	Country Life Power 100 of the Countryside	In a lighter vein …Country Life has been consulting with experts and drawing up its definitive list of those who have most power, for good or evil, over our lives and could affect Britain's rural areas for generations to come. The list contains some interesting facts and figures.
285	285 Connecting Consumers with Farming and Farm Produce	87% of the population considers farming to be important to Britain its heritage. However, the challenge is to transfer this view into buying decisions as only one in five people will now go out of their way to buy British food if it means paying more and 51% say they don’t care where their food comes from. However there is scope to make more of seasonality, heritage and countryside, to target quality to ‘foodies’, and to do more to educate schoolchildren.
284	Farm Business Advice Service “Knowing your options”	Free farm business advice is available to help farmers consider the implications of the Single Payment Scheme.
283	Supporting migrant workers in rural areas Some Citizens Advice Bureaux initiatives	In some localities migrant workers now represent up to 25% of Rural Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) clients. As a consequence rural CAB have adapted to ensure they are able to meet the needs of these clients. This summary gives a wide range of examples of how rural CAB are currently meeting the challenges in order to ensure their services are accessible to migrant workers. These include interpretation initiatives, special advice sessions, and links with cultural associations, credit unions and job centres. It also shows how workers with experience of these initiatives can influence developing policy.
282	Under-users of the countryside	People from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, the disabled, young people, people who live in inner cities, women, older people and those on low incomes all make limited use of the countryside. All thought that making more use of it would be beneficial to them but there were significant factors limiting their access. There is a lack of understanding among service providers about the needs of under-represented groups and so opportunities from inclusion for both the user and provider are lost.
281	Temporary workers in UK agriculture and horticulture	The food supply chain is so intent on serving the customer at the lowest possible price that labour users and labour providers are prepared to tolerate poor employment practices to ensure supply and temporary workers, who are often migrants from overseas, have little option but to fit in. Subcontracting may help facilitate criminal activity such as VAT fraud and worker abuse.
280	New Rural Agencies	This briefing summarises the new arrangements which have set up the Commission for Rural Communities and will set up Natural England by merging and redistributing the activities of the Countryside Agency, English Nature and the Rural Development Service to make them more effective.
279	Single Farm Payments in February - hopefully	Farmers waiting for news of when they can expect to receive their Single Farm Payments were offered a small ray of hope as Defra announced that payments should start in February 2006. There has been speculation that they might not go out until later next spring. On the old system many of the payments would have been paid before the end of this year and many farmers will be put under financial pressure by the delay. However there are some ‘ifs’.
278	State of the Countryside – taking stock	A good concise summary of problems and opportunities in the countryside. Sustainability is threatened by a shortage of affordable housing, the continuing existence of largely hidden disadvantage, and conflicts over uses and development. Agriculture remains under threat but the wider rural economy looks better. Use of the countryside for recreation and tourism reflects an appreciation and valuing of it. Satisfaction with services is similar to that reported by urban users but care will be needed that reduced expectations do not provide an excuse for excluded groups to remain significantly disadvantaged.
277	Fairer trading	Proposing the development of a set of guidelines for retailers drawn from the Fairtrade experience. These would set a standard for all the purchases a retailer makes to assure customers that none of their purchases have contributed to the exploitation of producers. However new public policies would be required to underpin better corporate standards.
276	State of the Countryside – climate change	Agriculture has reduced its emissions of greenhouse gases at a greater rate than many other sectors, but there are indications that the effects of climate change will lead to marked changes in the countryside.
275	State of the Countryside – water, soil and air	The biological and chemical quality of river water is improving steadily. Almost 15% of the land area of England is at risk of flooding at least once every 100 years. Rural air quality fluctuates with the weather. Local studies indicate that there are areas of improvement and areas where soil has been damaged but better information is needed.
274	State of the Countryside - biodiversity	The overall picture of biodiversity appears to be stable and there are far more SSSIs in favourable than poor condition. Whilst there are winners, there remain losers however, with continued decline in some wild bird species, and concerns over poor and declining condition of SSSIs in montane habitats and bogs.
273	State of the Countryside – recreation and leisure	The countryside is used by a significant but falling number of people. Countryside users are mainly older, better off and white.
272	Over Thirty Months rule to end - older cattle to re-enter food chain	The rules which took cattle over thirty months old out of the food chain as a precaution against vCJD in humans is to be superseded in November by a system of which allows them for human consumption subject to testing for BSE.
271	State of the Countryside – forestry and woodland	Woodland accounts for 8.6% of England’s area and is increasingly managed in a sustainable manner. A study into the broader value of forestry suggests that the annual value of the social and environmental benefits of forestry in Britain may be around £1 billion a year.
270	Environmental marketing of food	Increasing consumer interest in the environment may mean there is scope for more environmental marketing of food. However food safety, quality, price, health and convenience are still the main factors driving purchasing habits and environmental brands need to satisfy these as well as convey simple environmental messages. More collaboration between producers and along the food chain should strengthen brands, reduce costs and make research about the market easier.
269	State of the Countryside - farming	A substantial proportion of England’s agricultural land is now being managed pro-actively for some form of conservation. However, increasing diversification and the increasing age of those owning farms indicate that there are broader challenges to the ongoing social and economic sustainability of farming.
268	EU strategic guidelines for rural development 2007–2013	The guidelines set out the strategy and options for Member States to base their rural development strategies on. They are based around four ‘axes’ - improving the competitiveness of agricultural and forestry, improving the environment and countryside, improving the quality of life in rural areas, and building local capacity using the Leader programme.
267(iii)	'Bird flu' update	a second update after the governemnt warned outdoor poultry keepers to make plans to bring rheir stock indoors. Governement still believe the chance of an outbreak among poultry to still be low. The update also contains a list of government action to date and the main part of the briefing describes the disease
267(ii)	'Bird flu’ update	A severe form of avian influenza or ‘bird flu’ – called H5N1 – has affected poultry flocks and other birds in several Asian countries since 2003. As of 17 October 2005, 117 people have also caught the infection, as a result of close and direct contact with infected birds. Sixty of these have subsequently died. There is no firm evidence that H5N1 has acquired the ability to pass easily from person to person. However, concern remains that the virus might develop this ability, or that it might mix with human flu viruses to create a new virus. It is this ability of avian influenza, to change and to mix, that has given rise to the fear of a new human flu pandemic. This article explains the background to the disease, and assesses the nature of the risk to people living in the UK. Defra advises poultry owners to maintain a high level of biosecurity to reduce the risk of introducing any disease into their birds. There are more details for poultry keepers at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/poultrykeepers.htm The Farming Help organisations are available for anyone who is particularly worried about the situation. http://www.farminghelp.org.uk/
267 (i)	'Bird flu’	A severe form of avian influenza – called H5N1 – has affected poultry flocks and other birds in several Asian countries since 2003. As of 26 August 2005, 112 people have also caught the infection, 57 of whom have subsequently died, raising concern about the possibility of further spread among humans and even a pandemic.
266	State of the Countryside – enterprise and business	There are higher numbers of businesses per capita in rural areas generally and smaller settlements and sparse areas in particular. Business turnover is high in rural areas. Most rural areas perform as well as urban areas but there are a number of mainly peripheral areas where productivity lags behind.
265	265 State of the Countryside - incomes	Households in the smallest settlements in the less sparse areas have the highest levels of income. Income disadvantage occur most in sparse rural areas. There may be growing disadvantage in sparse areas. Rural unemployment is relatively low and lower in smaller settlements. Within the sparse areas there is a greater reliance on ‘traditional’ rural sectors. In all rural areas there is a greater degree of self-employment and of home based working.
264	Milk and meat prices	Dairy farmers are going out of production at an increased rate as a result of low prices. Prices received by farmers have increased by less than 1p per litre recently despite supermarket prices going up by 3.5p. Similarly farmers are getting a lower share of beef, lamb and bacon prices though their share of pork prices has increased slightly
263	Fuel prices and farm debt increases	The increase in fuel prices has pushed up the prices farmers pay for red diesel by over 50% since the start of 2005. Also farm debt has increased 4.5% since this time last year
262	State of the Countryside - community	Smaller rural settlements continue to be seen as places of greater social cohesion than urban settlements but residents communicate with their neighbours less frequently. Rural areas continue to have lower levels of recorded crime but the fear of crime remains. In general, rural areas are perceived as having a higher level of local environmental quality but there are households experiencing high levels of deprivation which may be difficult to reach by area-based solutions.
261	State of the Countryside - transport	People in rural areas rely more on private transport and spend more on transport than their urban counterparts. This may be partly because of the lower availability of public transport services, particularly for those living in smaller settlements and sparse areas. Residents of sparse areas have particularly limited access to public transport and a high proportion of households have access to either no car or only one car.
260	State of the Countryside - Services	Access to services for rural people continues to decline steadily. Only a small proportion of people feel that problems with childcare are limiting their access to jobs. There is a continuing disparity in the access to broadband between urban and rural areas particularly for those in sparse and dispersed rural areas.
259	State of the Countryside - Education	Rural pupils secure higher levels of educational qualifications, skills and training than their counterparts in urban areas, with attainment levels tending to increase as settlement size falls. However, 1.4% of smaller settlements demonstrate severe education, skills and training disadvantage.
258	Upland Farming Concerns	After looking at the likely financial impact of the changes in the Common Agricultural policy on 60 of its tenanted upland farms the National Trust has warned that hill farming is ‘on the brink of a rapid, and unmanaged collapse’. Large numbers of upland farmers could go out of business before they have had the chance to adapt to the new CAP reforms.
257	State of the Countryside - health	The rural population as a whole remains broadly healthier than its urban counterpart. There is not, however, ‘fair’ access in that the availability of services, such as GP practices, is patchy, in particular within the sparse areas and in the smaller settlements, which may impact in particular on individuals with low mobility. Nevertheless, there would seem to be a degree of satisfaction with the National Health Service.
256	State of the Countryside - housing	The government objective to deliver a better balance between housing demand and supply is not being met in rural England. There would seem to be an increasing imbalance in supply and demand for rural housing, in particular within smaller rural settlements. As a consequence, affordability is a very real issue in many parts of rural England. In the most extreme case, the hamlets and isolated dwellings in the less sparse areas, average house prices are around ten times local average household income.
255	Defra Rural Social and Community Programme Consultation	The programme is designed to develop the capacity of the voluntary, community and parish council sectors, to address rural social problems especially social exclusion. It will stimulate co-operation between voluntary and community organisations and with statutory bodies so that rural communities can shape their own futures. Funding will not be competitive but will depend on partnerships producing business cases.
254	State of the Countryside - the characteristics of rural England	9.51 million people live in rural settlements and it is an increasing population. There are proportionally fewer people in the age group 16–40 within rural areas and more older people, particularly in sparse settlements. Rural settlements tend to have larger household sizes. The proportions of businesses in different sectors are similar in rural and urban areas. Approaching one-quarter of the land area is covered by coastal and landscape designations.
253(viii)	Harvest-2005	This will be the last of this year's updates on the harvest. It has been a stop and start affair with spells of wet weather making difficulties. The quality of this year’s grain crop has been better than last year for most farmers but prices are low and costs high, particularly in the north, because of high fuel costs and damp grain needing a lot of drying. Yields have varied but have often been low in the South of England, affected by dry weather in June.
253 (vii)	Harvest-2005	As the harvest is completed for many especially in the southern half of England farmers are concentrating on getting next year’s crops sown. Quality of early harvested cereals is better than last year for most but low prices are still low. Because of the wet weather a lot of grain has needed drying with expensive fuel and this will erode profits too.
253(vi)	Harvest-2005	Fine weather over the bank holiday weekend allowed good progress for many growers. There are reports of below average yields for second wheats especially on lighter soils after the dry June. Wet weather in the early spring and drought later has combined to produce a ‘dreadful’ barley harvest for many in Scotland. Recent bad weather has slowed the potato harvest and prices have improved slightly.
253(v)	Harvest -2005	Current low prices for grain mean that farmers need all the quality premiums they can get. The financial impact of the rain in most areas over the past week is not just caused by the delay but because the wet reduces quality. High drying costs for wet grain will also increase production costs. The impact will be greater in the north where the harvest is not so well advanced and so a higher proportion of the crop is affected. The potato harvest is also behind last year and prices farmers are getting are lower.
253 (iv)	Harvest - 2005	Drought earlier this year has taken its toll on wheat yields in some parts of the country, but quality remains generally high, according to latest reports. With the lightest soils worst affected, low prices mean many growers are struggling to cover high input costs with lower yields.
253 (iii)	Harvest -2005	Harvest began early across most of the southern parts of the UK, helped by dry weather in June and July. Quality and yields from the first crops were reasonable but prices remain subdued. This was despite the serious drought in Spain and Portugal.
253 (ii)	Harvest - 2005	The weather is still in charge of the harvest. Some areas had made no progress for up to ten days but are getting going again now. Quality of most crops coming off are good but yields are variable, drying costs often high and prices not good either.
253 (i)	Harvest - 2005	The weather is governing this years harvest. Those who have had dry weather are cracking on but often getting lighter yields of small grains. In the south where it has been wet progress has halted and farmers are beginning to worry about damage to standing crops. On a drive up to Yorkshire on Tuesday I didn’t see a combine working until I was in Nottinghamshire and it wasn’t till I started driving up Wensleydale that I saw more than a small proportion of fields harvested. There some ploughing had been done and straw was baled and much of it removed.
252	State of the Countryside 2005 - overview	9.5 million people live in the newly defined rural areas of England. The population is older than that in urban areas with generally larger households but fewer children. Health and education is generally better but there is a lack of access to affordable housing and a critical dependence on car ownership. Incomes are higher than in urban areas but are often earned outside the area. Indicators of biodiversity and water quality are broadly static.
251	Food Miles	Dramatic changes in the food supply chain have led to a large increase in food miles which has led to increases in carbon dioxide emissions, air pollution, congestion, accidents and noise costing an estimated £9 billion a year. However we need to study the complexities of food miles before going for blanket reductions. For instance HGV food miles have declined by 7% since 1998 because of improvements in logistics.
250	State of the Countryside 2005 – key facts	Lists of facts and figures about the countryside from the Countryside Agency and the new Commission for Rural Communities.
249	Farming Stress – coping strategies and support	Farming communities use a range of mechanisms to cope with stress but families and wives, especially are important. There is a stigma attached to not coping which makes it difficult for stress-based organisations to make contact before situations become desperate.
248	Farming Stress – the stress	Stress causes farming people lack of sleep, back problems, worrying about work, irritability and feeling down however they take little sick leave and there was stigma about discussing mental health. High workloads and feelings of lack of control were the main causes of stress.
247	Farming Stress - experience	Over recent years farmers have had to reassess the ways in which they work and this has represented an uncomfortable culture shift for many. Their problems have been aggravated by policy changes and high-profile stock crises. There has been more diversification, a fall in the use and availability of farm labour, a heightened administrative burden and young people increasingly deterred from going into farming. The pressures resting upon remaining farming communities in terms of workload, succession issues and housing have become more intense.
246	Farming Stress - work	Farmers see farming as involving a wide range of skills and the need to be adaptable. They are often strongly attached to their farms and committed to staying in business often at great personal cost. It is a lifestyle to them rather than a job but those who were more business oriented seem to get more satisfaction from it. Self employment is important to them though it increases their worries. They take pride in the long and hours they often work. Farmers’ wives have wide responsibilities including domestic and childcare, paperwork and often diversified activities. They differentiate themselves from ‘wives of farmers’ who work off the farm.
245	Farmers, Farm Workers and Work-Related Stress	The farmers who had responded most effectively to change were those with a business perspective, who were able to adapt and continually reassess farming practices in relation to economic pressures. Workload intensity, the non-controllability of certain aspects of farming and insecure futures were the major stressors. There was little evidence of knowledge of the stress-based agricultural support organisations and the stigma attached to not coping with pressure emerged as a major reason why support may not be sought until difficulties have become quite entrenched.
244	Forestry Strategy	The strategy aims to increase the role of forestry in the rural economy, in woodland created on derelict and former industrial land, in woodlands available for access. It will increase the resources available for forestry and woodland through new partnerships between the public, private and voluntary sectors, an increase in integrated action across Government to implement the Strategy and an increase in people’s involvement with England’s woods and forests with a better understanding of the benefits which they bring.
243	Ancient & Native Woodland	Ancient woodlands are important for their wildlife, their production of renewable materials and fuels and because they contain features from the original natural forests. They contribute to people’s sense of place and imagination and enhance the quality of life of local communities. The key priority of this policy is the protection and enhancement of ancient and native woodlands, eg by creating new native woodlands, by reducing the general intensity of surrounding land use, by developing networks of woodland and other semi-natural habitats. This approach will increase the resilience of woodlands to external threats, particularly climate change and diffuse pollution.
242	Local Strategic Partnerships	Local strategic partnerships bring public, private, voluntary and community sectors together to address local issues by developing long-term strategies. At their best they are effective in driving strategies forward away from political issues and they make cross-agency working easier. They need patience from everyone concerned before effective partnership working emerges. Members of groups need to be ‘fit for purpose’ and trained where necessary. Good leadership is vital to ensure objectives are met and commitment is engendered from partner organisations. LSP workings need to be transparent and actively communicated so that all essential interests are engaged in the strategies.
241	New EU Rural Development Policy	The basis for spending over the period 2007-2013 on agri-environment schemes, rural diversification and regeneration projects, tree-planting schemes, and help to the agriculture industry to improve its business prospects and to develop innovative products.
240	Defra Departmental Review	This gives a good idea of Defra's priorities. Climate change threatens the environment, energy security, social development and economic growth. It will be a high priority for the UK’s Presidency of both the G8 nations and the EU. A review of the UK Climate Cfromhange Programme is proceeding and several other initiatives are described. Rural Strategy actions have included the bill to set up the, new agency, Natural England and a bill to give local authorities more power to address, fly posting, fly tipping and neighbourhood noise. The new Environmental Stewardship scheme was launched in March. Future initiatives include an Energy Efficiency Action Plan and setting up an advice service to provide consumers with facts about their environmental choices.
239	Environmental impacts of farming	The length of hedges, fences, walls etc and the area of land down to intensive agriculture changed little between 1990 and 1998. Farmland bird populations fell during the 80’s but the fall gradually levelled out in the 90’s and populations are now more or less stable. Only 55% of agriculturally managed Sites of Special Scientific Interest are in satisfactory condition largely because of overgrazing, inappropriate burning, lack of scrub control etc. Farming is responsible for 68% of our emissions of nitrous oxide and 43% of our methane emissions (greenhouse gases) is using less fertiliser and this means nitrous oxide emissions and pollution of watercourses has fallen. In our soils erosion and organic matter loss are significant problems. Farmers are recycling less plastic and paper than they were in 2001 though some wastes are being used to generate heat and power and with biomass they are improving agriculture’s energy balance.
238	Conservation and environmental schemed	A concise summary of the plethora of schemes for the protection of land.
237	Farming labour force, prices and productivity	Over the last 10 years the farming labour force has gone down by 81,000. Farmers are getting older and there are fewer young farmers coming into the industry. Only 22% of farmers have even basic training. In 2004 prices of agricultural products rose by 3.3% but the price of inputs went up by 6.8%. Farm rents have gone down a little as has the price of agricultural land but only in England. Farming is 47% more productive than it was in 1973.
236	Organic farming	This briefing summarises the latest facts and figures about organic farming and also some of the basics of the system.
235	Defra grants and funding	A list of Defra grant and funding schemes with links to more details.
234	Farming and Countryside Education (FACE)	FACE distributes relevant, up-to date, accurate and balanced learning materials on rural matters for teachers and pupils. Where gaps are identified FACE will broker the production of new resources. It has a team of regional consultants who can work with farmers and teachers to get the most out of farm visits.
233	Farmer Controlled Business	A short, simple briefing about the range of and reasons for farmer controlled businesses
232	Outdoor Education	Outdoor education benefits curriculum subjects and helps to develop confidence, social skills and personal efficacy. Teachers also get more subject knowledge and acquire new skills and ideas from outside educators. They also appreciate the opportunity to mix with their pupils in a more informal environment. However there was often insufficient time for teacher to prepare adequately for visits and to link the experience into the curriculum after the visit
231	The current economic state of British Agriculture	Published figures of net farm income mask a wide range in the wellbeing of businesses but most farmers on average incomes are poorly off with those depending on cattle and sheep under particular strain. The key role of subsidies is illustrated by the fact that in 2002 total subsidies exceeded total income for faming as a whole. Most farmers are nowadays dependent on income from outside food production for their survival. The article goes on to explore reasons for this situation – they include high land values, high prices for inputs, a dwindling share of the retail food price and the complex working exchange rates between the £ and the euro.
230	Farming incomes and farming and food in the economy in 2004	Total Income from Farming fell by 5.4 per cent over the last year but is expected to improve next year if oil prices fall and there is a better harvest. Average income per full time employee in agriculture is only £14,800. Farmers’ share of the retail price of food is estimated to have fallen by 25 per cent between 1988 and 2004. Only 5 EU countries had larger falls in farm income last year.
229	Key events 1997-2004	Summaries of key events for each year including policy, the weather and farm incomes
228	Working with others - ‘Integrated Rural Development’	Guidelines for working with people and organisations successfully. You need to consider the ‘four I’s’ – integration, individuality, involvement, investment in relation to all involved. With examples from successful projects in the Forest of Dean.
227	Tranquillity	Natural places and natural sounds, beautiful scenery, flora and fauna and greenery were all thought to be important attributes of tranquillity. Tranquil places should also be safe and well-maintained. Among factors which interfered with tranquillity was the presence or impact of other people especially when it produced noise and disturbance. This included ‘development’.
226	Farm Assurance Schemes	Whilst assurance schemes are voluntary they have increasingly become required by buyers of farm produce. So most farmers belong to at least one assurance scheme and most farm sectors have at least 85% of production assured. Most assurance schemes are run with Assured Farm Standards which is responsible for the ‘Little Red Tractor’ logo. This briefing gives an overview of how the schemes work and links to more information.
225	The Local and regional food opportunity	Unique selling points for local and regional food are taste, freshness, food miles, social commitment, variety, convenience, seasonality, heritage and special methods of production. This research shows that 70% of British consumers want to buy local, with 49% wanting to buy more. Smaller suppliers need to compete with supermarkets by making sure consumers know about their produce, making it accessible and regularly available and no too expensive. They will also need to provide meal ideas.
224	224 Agriculture protects the countryside	More information in support of UK agriculture, this time from the NFU. Since 1992 English and Welsh farmers have planted over 70 million trees and woodland cover is nowadays double what it was in 1920. There are over 189,000 km of rights of way mainly through farmland in England and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act will grant access to over 1.5 million hectares of mountain, moor heath and down in England and Wales. Research has shown that most farmers feel responsible for the landscape and its wildlife and 92% were engaged in some sort of environmental practice. The reduction in the length of hedges and walls which took place up to the end of the 1980s has stopped and the number of lowland ponds is on the increase. There are signs that declines in both plant species and farmland birds are being reversed and around 1.3 million hectares of England and Wales are entered into agri-environment schemes.
223	British Food Fortnight (24th September - 9th October 2005)	Aims to make the public – and in particular young people – aware of the diverse and delicious food that Britain produces by increasing awareness of the health benefits and pleasures of eating quality, fresh, seasonal and regional produce. This briefing summarises this years’ plans and includes some ideas for Harvest Festivals.
222	Changing Rural Life	What is being called the 'bishop's book' - reflections on a wide range of issues relating to the countryside, the rural economy and rural life from the uniquely close perspective of the rural Church. Chapters focus on: Cultural Diversity, Agriculture, Globalisation and Local Economy, Food Production, Biodiversity, Isolated Communities, Spiritual Refreshment for an Urban Population and more. This briefing gives some illuminating extracts.
221	Social impacts of agricultural structuring	Summary of a meeting arranged as part of a research project. Gives a good summary of the wide range of current concerns of some of those at the sharp end of farming change especially about increasing isolation of farmers.
220	Supporting farmers about farm support	The Rural Payments Agency has released figures of CAP payments to farmers (in England only). The Country Land and Business Association has produced some useful information to help explain the nature of the payments as a means of supporting farmers.
219	Rural Transport case studies	People living in the countryside who find it hard to run are at a disadvantage in reaching jobs, services, healthcare and social activities. The Countryside Agency has published a series of 37 case studies which show how local transport schemes can help.
218	TB in cattle and government strategy (R0605)	There has been a steady increase in the incidence of TB over the past twenty years though there are some indications that the increase has begun to tail off. The presence of a reservoir of infection among wildlife and in badgers in particular is making control difficult. Government is waiting for the results of its trials to see if culling badgers reduces TB. Trials in Ireland have shown a reduction and Government is considering these. Until then the main planks for control will be regular testing of cattle on farms and slaughter of infected animals.
217	Compact Code of Practice on Funding and Procurement	The Code sets out the framework for financial arrangements between Defra and the voluntary sector in a way that aims to improve funding and procurement practice. The conference showed that there are concerns about better understanding between Defra and the sector, about the need for funding over longer periods and about the need to work out the practicalities of full cost recovery for the sector
216	Rural Disadvantage	Rural disadvantage is complex, scattered and so often difficult to identify and deal with. It is exacerbated by costly housing and transport and traditional attitudes about self sufficiency. Elderly people, children, those detached from the labour market, the low paid self-employed, people with disabilities, those lacking skills and increasingly ethnic minorities are all vulnerable. The paper asks for comments about research priorities before 20th April 2005
215	Sustainability Implication of the Little Red Tractor Scheme	The report finds that the Little Red Tractor standards are effective and do a good job of assuring food safety, animal welfare and to a lesser extent, environmental factors. They also generally cover safe working environments and appropriate training where these relate to food safety. The report calls for the programme to be extended to cover viable livelihoods, environmental improvements, rural cultures and economies, nutritious food and accurate information about food, and local foods
214	Farm Business Advice Service	The Farm Business Advice Service ends at the end of March 2005. A free dedicated business advice service will be available from September 2005 for 18 months but after that business advice for farmers will be delivered as part of mainstream business advice. The new service will focus on the business implications of the Single Payment Scheme.
213	Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development	PPS 1 sets out government policies on sustainable development and the basic principles involved in the planning process. The aims are social progress, environmental protection, the prudent use of resources and the maintenance of economic growth and employment. As far as possible development needs to be coordinated with other strategies, focussed near existing centres, accessible by public transport,, be well designed and involve the communities affected at all stages.
212	Environmental Stewardship	The scheme will replace the Environmental Sensitive Areas scheme and the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Environmental stewardship has three elements: (1) Entry Level Stewardship (ELS); (2) Farmers with organic farms or a mix of conventionally and organically farmed land, can apply for Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS); (3) Higher Level Stewardship (HLS)
211	Over Thirty Month Scheme - rules change	As a precaution against BSE the carcasses of all cattle which are slaughtered at over 30 months old are destroyed and their owners compensated. The scheme is due to end, possibly this autumn after which all cattle slaughtered at above 30 months will have to be tested for BSE. In the event of a positive test of an animal all animals reared with it will have to be slaughtered. The cost of the test to farmers will be about 10p per kg carcase so they are advised to slaughter younger than 30 months when they can.
210	Farm Incomes	Incomes for the new EU members have gone up massively with less dramatic increases in Germany and Denmark and falls in the Netherlands, Ireland and France. Incomes for English farmers fell by 8.1% but Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland farm incomes rose. Farm debt is also increasing. There has been a fall in the UK self sufficiency of indigenous foods from 86% to 74% over the last 10 years.
209	Guidelines for Rural Stress Proofing	These guidelines have been written to help organisations to think about and deal with rural stress. They were commissioned by the Rural Stress Action Plan Working Group, financed by Defra and written by Sue Shaw.
208	Ageing & the Countryside - case studies	The experience described in these case studies brings out some of the detail which is key to success in projects involving older people. Perhaps the most important one is ensuring their effective participation – they can make a real difference to the success of outcomes.
207	Ageing & the Countryside	One third of England’s older population live in the countryside. They include locals and incomers, the active and the frail and those dependent on state pension and those with other means. Developing innovative ways of harnessing their skills and experience, overcoming prejudices, ensuring that they can contribute in productive roles and making care services more accessible to them are huge challenges for the future.
206	Draft Natural Environment & Rural Communities Bill	The Government has published the draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill. The Bill will, among other measures, create a new Integrated Agency bringing together the functions of English Nature with those of parts of Countryside Agency and Rural Development Service. It will formally establish a Commission for Rural Communities as an expert advisory body watching out for the interests of rural communities and people, especially those suffering disadvantage.
205	Women in the rural community	Women in farm businesses are often undervalued but the impact of farm women getting jobs outside the farm can be huge. They were often responsible for bringing new attitudes back with them – making the farm family more outward looking and accepting of change.
204	Researching Food: new directions and reconnections	The agenda for food research has widened greatly over the last few years moving from a focus on improving the efficiency of production to more concern with the whole food chain and the wider environment. Even if you are not concerned with research the paper gives a good logical framework to think about agriculture and its relationships.
203	Improving Economic Performance in Rural Areas	This briefing summarises a project to establish how some rural areas of England do better economically than others and to crystallise recommendations that might help to improve things. The ability of areas to attract and retain educated, enterprising and skilled people, accessibility, marketing local identities better, an ‘open’ economy and society and good land use planning are all important. In some areas dependent and fatalistic cultures need to be tackled. Strong public-private-voluntary networks and institutions able to build trust and civic pride also help. But it is difficult to generalise. Local circumstances are important too. Everywhere is unique so generic solutions often do not work and action needs to come from the bottom up.
202	Entry into and exit from UK farming	This paper summarised a national research project financed by Defra and involving several universities and ADAS which aimed to find out the number of new entrants into farming and compare the age structure of farming with the national population.
201	The Impact of CAP reform in Devon	Research has estimated that average net farm incomes of Devon farmers would rise by 3% by 2013 as a result of the CAP reform and once environmental payments under the Entry Level Scheme are taken into account. However there were big differences in different areas of the county and between different farming systems. Livestock farmers in Severely Disadvantaged Areas, for instance could be 57% worse off, and dairy farmers 15% worse off. Gains were predicted for cereal farmers (63%) and livestock farmers in the Less Favoured Areas (34%) though, as the latter suffer such low incomes currently this may not be enough to make them significantly more viable.
200	Healthcare in a rural setting	Different approaches to healthcare provision need to be taken in rural areas to cope better with differences in health between rural and urban areas and increasing centralisation. Steps need to be taken to recruit and retain more GPs by promoting medicine to schools and rural practice to medical students, arranging more placements for students in rural areas, making continuous professional development easier to access for all healthcare professionals and offering them more social support, flexible working opportunities and better remuneration. Patients need better access to services and this can be achieved by improving transport schemes, better branch surgeries and community hospitals, more mobile services and expert patient programmes.
199	Ancient Trees	This briefing looks at how farming may affect the lives of ancient trees and at simple measures that can prevent their death.
198	Village Halls & Community Centres	Village halls and community centres need to adapt to meet the needs of new users with different interests and tastes. This briefing summarises a report by the Charity Commission which looks at what charities are doing to meet these new challenges and outlines some of the options that are open to them.
197	The Water Framework Directive & Catchment Sensitive Farming	The Water Framework Directive is the most significant piece of water legislation to be introduced in the last 20 years. Defra and the Environment Agency will be working together to monitor how far new practices introduced under CAP reform will go to achieve good water quality in terms of chemical and ecological status.
196	Waste Disposal	The end of a 30-year exemption from the Environmental Protection Act will have ramifications for farmers from next June. They will have to find alternative disposal methods to burying or burning 'non-natural' waste materials.
195	Oxford Farming Conference 2005 - Seizing the initiative in a new world for farming	The Oxford Farming Conference covers so much ground that it is impossible to report it comprehensively and briefly. Instead some of the outstanding themes have been summarised. The most striking of these was way the new CAP settlement for agriculture and the recent UK Freedom of Information legislation have made it more than ever important for farmers to demonstrate vividly that taxpayers are getting value for their money. The conference heard about the likelihood of more liberalisation of world trade arising from this year’s Doha discussions but recognised the problems this would cause. It flagged up several pressure which could reduce support for farming in future, heard how EU membership is already improving people’s lives in Poland and remarkable support for farmers from environmentalists and aired the need for more public procurement of food, less red tape, more co-operation, better food labelling and farm diversification.
194	Branding local products and the landscape	Linking local products and the landscape can create markets for products, benefit the rural economy and encourage local confidence and pride. It can also stimulate a better awareness of the countryside. This briefing summarises the ‘Protected Areas Branding Forum 2004’ held in Derbyshire in October 2004 by the Countryside Agency. The main purpose of the forum was to discuss experience of some ongoing schemes.