No
|
Title
|
Summary
|
1085
|
Review of the rural payments agency
|
The RPA is not fit for purpose but scrapping
it would be unlikely to produce a better organisation. The review process
was made unnecessarily difficult by the RPA leadership’s resistance. It needs
to choose the right priorities, establish a target cost per claim, it’s remit
needs to be reconsidered, it needs to sort out errors in farmers’ base data
once and for all, it needs to target 100% e-claims within about 3 years and
it needs the right leadership to develop a single overarching plan with clear
milestones, objectives and budget.
David Lane for Defra |
1084
|
Affordable housing
|
Many rural areas face a challenging future,
with reasonably priced homes increasingly scarce. Providing affordable housing
on suitable sites creates balanced communities, breathes fresh life into
rural villages and can help ensure that local people can stay in their community,
whatever their age or circumstances.
National Housing Federation |
1083
|
Changes in the fresh produce sector
|
The sector needs to develop more effective
supply chain partnerships and for growers to work more collaboratively with
each other to generate greater market influence and operational efficiencies.
Pilot supply chain collaborations should be used as models to encourage their
wider development. To collaborate more amongst themselves growers need business
advice, supply chain expertise and better knowledge of the EU Fruit and Vegetable
Aid Scheme. Defra should review the provision of information and guidance
to the industry.
EFFP |
1082
|
State of the countryside - tranpsort and travel
|
The distance people in villages and hamlets
travel each year is approximately 40% more than in urban areas, but rural
people make similar numbers of journeys and spend a similar amount of time
travelling. 96% of households in urban areas have an hourly or better bus
service within 13 minutes walk compared with 50% in villages and hamlets.
People in the lowest income quintile in villages and hamlets spend on average
£50 per week on travel compared with £32 in rural towns and £28
in urban areas. Rural minor roads (and motorways) have seen the
fastest increase in traffic.
Commission for Rural Communities |
1081
|
State of the countryside - access to services
|
The number of cashpoints and GP surgeries has
increased in rural areas over the last 10 years but the number of Job Centres,
Post Offices, banks and building societies, primary schools and petrol stations
all fell. Rural residents have the following services within 4km: 51% have
a bank or building society, 85% have a cashpoint, 80% a GP surgery, 62% a
supermarket, 57% an NHS dentist, 67% a pharmacy and 48% a secondary school.
70% of households in urban areas are connected to the internet, compared
to between 40% and 50% in rural areas. Only 5% of rural households had no
broadband.
Commission for Rural |
1080
|
Recovery and growth in rural England
|
Economic recovery is underway for most rural
areas. Local businesses, communities and voluntary organisations must be
given a central role in the development of local economic assessments and
plans. Barriers to growth include the need for better broadband, skills gaps
and access to training and business support and the need for a more supportive
land use planning system. Government support may become too focussed on sectors
with the highest potential for growth. Important features of rural economies
are being neglected - self employment, home based businesses, large firms
and economically inactive residents.
Commission for Rural Communities |
1079
|
Community buildings
|
Use of rural community buildings has trebled
in the last 20 years and investment in them has a multiplier effect - building
works create local employment, new halls activate community activity and development
of services, which have important social benefits and create further employment.
Key fiscal measures and targeted investment will help community buildings
deliver these effects, weather the economic downturn and contribute towards
the new Government’s vision for society.
ACRE |
1078
|
State of the Countryside - population and
migration
|
The population of rural areas has risen faster
than urban areas. The fastest growth was in less sparse village, hamlet and
isolated dwellings. Rural areas have a greater proportion of older people
(23.5%) than urban (18.1%). There are a smaller proportion of younger people
- 13.7% in rural areas are aged between 16 and 29 – compared with 20% in urban
areas. Rates of internal migration slowed in 2008 but there was a net
movement of 92,000 people from urban local authorities to rural districts.
Rates of migration from overseas into all area types (except major urban)
fell during 2007/08.
Commission for Rural Communities |
1077
|
Peat bogs and carbon
|
It is reasonable to assume that the majority
of peatbog erosion in the UK results from human action and thus warrants restoration.
Where bogs have lost their soft protective top layer, as have a large proportion
of UK peat bog, their carbon stores are being lost. Nonetheless all natural
bogs appear to be greenhouse cooling. In the short term, conifer forests
grown on peat may result in a net carbon gain but eventually these are outweighed
by losses from the bog. Burning on peat bogs causes long term carbon losses
and erosion which itself is a major source of carbon loss.
Richard Lindsay, Environmental Research Group, University
of East London |
1076
|
Tackling diffuse water pollution in England
|
The report concludes that the Environment
Agency has had little impact in reducing diffuse pollution and so has not
proved value for money. It needs to improve its evidence base, manage its
information more consistently, assess the value of regulatory visits, intensify
its efforts to change farmers’ behaviour and consider developing more formalised
agreements at a River Basin level. Defra should improve the targeting of
Environmental Stewardship to focus better on diffuse pollution and should
consider introducing more flexibility in England Catchment Sensitive Initiative
grants to ensure that it funds activities with the greatest impact.
National Audit Office |
1075
|
Implementing the water framework directive
|
The Water Framework Directive is one of the
most far-reaching and demanding pieces of EU environmental legislation.
The RELU ecosystems approach can assist implementation because it emphasises
the need to view proposed actions to benefit the water environment in their
wider economic and social contexts. It also offers a framework for adaptive
management as external pressures change over time. To succeed the approach
needs to strengthen engagement of all with an interest stressing ‘learning’
rather than ‘telling’. Imaginative policies and governance which have more
local input are also needed.
RELU |
1074
|
Food chain - value for values
|
Shoppers are including ethical judgments
more in their shopping decisions but they don’t want to pay a lot more.
Their values vary from person to person and from country to country. The
issues are complicated and the hot topics change quickly and unpredictably.
Big companies find it difficult to change long held perceptions and as soon
as they solve one problem, the public moves on to another. The key
to delivering value for values is raising efficiency and ethical standards
at the same time through teamwork within companies and through the supply
chain.
IGD |
1073
|
State of the countryside
|
Rural businesses have high levels of entrepreneurship
and resilience and can support the national return to growth – particularly
in providing ‘green jobs’. Rural people are more likely to give unpaid
help, to participate in local decision-making and to feel that people in
their area share values and pull together, than people living in urban areas.
Rural land is still required for food production; there is also a desire
to improve environmental quality and opportunities for public enjoyment of
the countryside and to mitigate climate change through developing renewable
energy and bio-fuels.
Commission for Rural Communities |
1072
|
Hill farming
|
Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) England make up
17% of the total farmed area of England. The average LFA farm is 137ha,
half owned and half rented and run by a 55 year old farmer with 33 beef
cows and 308 ewes. His net income including Single Farm Payment, any
diversification income and putting a charge on his family’s labour left
him a loss of £3354 in 2008/2009. This was an improvement on the previous
year when he lost £9,958
Farm Business Survey |
1071
|
Andersons agribrief bulletin - June 2010
|
Savings called for in the Budget will require
cuts to whole programmes not just better housekeeping. Caroline Spelman tells
EU farm ministers that the CAP needs to cut bureaucracy and encourage innovation,
research and development. A task force is to review farming regulation
and report in early 2011. Natural England has announced cuts to the
RDPE and the Farming Minister has said he aims to move RDPE spending away
from environmental schemes and towards competitiveness – this may be long
term aspiration because it will require EU approval |
1070
|
Biofuels
|
There are a limited number of biofuel products
available. Biodiesel and bioethanol account for 82% and 18% respectively
of UK consumption. However, the potential number of biofuel products is high
and includes straight vegetable oil, upgraded pyrolysis oil, butanol, methanol,
dimethyl ether, synthetic diesel, jet fuel and petrol, methane and hydrogen.
Biofuel feedstocks include vegetable oils, sugar crops (82% of the ethanol
used in the UK comes from Brazilian sugar cane), lignocellulose and algae.
There are sustainability concerns about crops which compete with food production.
NNFCC |
1069
|
Lowland grazing livestock
|
The majority of Lowland Grazing Livestock
farms are small or part-time and, compared to other lowland farm types,
produce the lowest incomes per farm, per hectare and per labour unit with
an Average Farm Business Income (which includes the Single Farm Payment)
of £18,507 in 2008/09 and 19% of farms making a loss. Organic farms
made £4,661 per farm less than average largely because of higher fixed
costs.
Rural Business Research |
1068
|
Rural business survey
|
Rural and urban economies are increasingly
similar but rural areas have a higher proportion of sole traders and microbusinesses,
home based working is growing and in-migrants are important in starting up
new businesses. 44% of respondents run two businesses and 14% ran three.
This multi-layered activity has a positive impact on individuals, households,
business supply chains and rural communities - they are inter-related and
mutually supporting. A third of businesses were 20 years old or more and 60%
of respondents were over 50 years old. Only 39% of businesses were looking
to expand.
Centre for Rural Economy (CRE) at Newcastle University |
1067
|
Food in the future
|
The food industry responds quickly to societal
change. The next generation of shoppers will put more emphasis on values
than value per se. But Government, industry and others need to work together
to help consumers navigate through some complex issues. The future will see
smart packaging which will keep food fresher for longer more efficient processing
that reduces waste, energy and water usage and greater use of biotechnology
in production. The food industry will be helping to tackle obesity by improving
recipes, nutrition information and by responsible marketing.
Campden Lecture, Ross Warburton, President of the
Food and Drink Federation |
1066
|
Budget cuts and rural jobs
|
Massive reductions in public sector expenditure
are bad news for rural areas which are more dependent on average than urban
England on public sector employment. Whilst the huge public sector deficit
cannot be addressed without significant pain all round careful thinking
is needed in how that pain is shared out to avoid unintended consequences.
Ivan Annibal, Rose Regeneration |
1065
|
Recommendations for EU dairy sector
|
The EU High Level Expert Group on Milk
has recommended to the Commission that it moves to enhance the use of written
contracts, should consider proposals to increase the collective bargaining
power of dairy producers, look at the feasibility of interprofessional
groups in the dairy chain, further increase dairy chain transparency, consider
‘green box’ measures to reduce income volatility, extend marketing standards
and origin labelling and improve research and its communication.
|
1064
|
Where is our energy going to come from?
|
No one single technology or solution can
provide all farm energy in the right place, at the right time and in the
right form. We need to be open to all new forms of energy generation and
the impact that these new energy technologies will have on our landscape,
homes and businesses. If we are to maintain anything close to our existing
lifestyles and foster a competitive agricultural sector we need new sustainable
forms of energy and we need them soon.
ADAS |
1063
|
Climate change - arable crops
|
UK farmers are well placed to increase
arable production with a warming temperate climate, a Government food strategy
that supports an increase in sustainable food production and a developing
biofuels market. But there are other objectives including recapturing the
benefits of set-aside, improving the water environment reducing nitrous
oxide emissions from soils, managing market volatility and rising input
prices, coping with changing pest and disease pressures, and changing pesticides
regulation. Efficient use of resources is essential to maintaining profitability,
as is the development and uptake of new technologies and plant varieties
to maintain yield improvements in a changing climate.
Farming Futures |
1062
|
Climate change - solutions from the grassland
sector
|
Plant breeding is a cost effective route
to delivering increased production and improved environmental protection.
High sugar ryegrass (HSG) varieties, bred at IBERS, improve (nitrogen)
N use in the rumens of cattle and sheep, reducing emissions and increasing
milk and meat production. Modern clovers are a high yielding and persistent
quality forage that can replace fertilizer and reduce nitrous oxide emissions.
Birdsfoot trefoil has high palatability and could be useful to farmers
at sites with low fertility, particularly in the uplands. Utilisation of
grass for animal production in the UK can be viewed as inefficient relative
to other food production systems, and we need to involve all parts of the
food chain in determining research and knowledge transfer requirements.
IBERS and RASE |
1061
|
Dairy farming
|
Dairy farmers experienced a sustained
period of higher milk prices during 2008/09 but feed, fertiliser and energy
costs increased. The more profitable performers tend to operate larger
herds, with relatively high input-output systems but there are marked differences
in returns and technical efficiency between top and bottom performers. The
industry continues to down-size - returns on capital are still low and
many producers face the prospect of significant investment to be environmentally
compliant and economically competitive. Also with tenancy succession and
farmer age profile issues the industry is set for more re-structuring.
Rural Business Research |
1060
|
Globalisation and agriculture
|
Agriculture has not been affected by globalisation
as much as other industries - food has a strong cultural and regional identity
and when the chips are down countries look inwardly. Global trade disproportionately
affects countries who are either major exporters or who need to import.
Even where a market is relatively self-contained, prices in domestic markets
are influenced by the major trends that exist in world markets. Developing
countries only benefit from free trade if they have the commercial and infrastructure
capacity. Farm support policies provide insurance against market volatility,
facilitate access to credit and help to deliver public goods.
Tom Hind, NFU |
1059
|
A future for Englands upland communities
|
A new integrated strategy for the uplands
is needed which strengthens leadership and empowers communities. There
is scope to enhance upland biodiversity, sequester more carbon, supply
more high-quality meat and distinctive foods, generate renewable energy,
and provide recreational and tourism services that contribute to people’s
health and well-being. This can all be achieved by supporting the development
of communities. Funding should come from a better targeted CAP. Improving
broadband and mobile telephone communications is vital as well as an approach
to planning which enables sustainable upland communities
Commission for Rural Communities |
1058
|
Impacts of removing farm support
|
Withdrawing subsidies would have the biggest
impact in countries and farms which have the highest levels of support.
The viability of farms in countries like the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium
would be little affected whilst those in Ireland, Denmark, Sweden and the
UK would be heavily affected. Dairy and intensive livestock farms would
be least affected and extensive livestock and arable farms most affected.
Overall about 11% of European farms would slip into negative incomes. However
actual impacts would not be as bad as this as farmers would adjust their businesses
to cope and rents and land values would fall.
LEI Wageningen |
1057
|
Uptake of the Single Payment Scheme by
farmers
|
Single Payment Scheme entitlements are
activated on 93% of eligible agricultural land. Uptake rates are lowest
for pig, poultry and horticultural farms, but even in these cases over
60% of the land area is claimed. The number of holdings smaller than
20ha taking part declined by almost 20% between 2005 and 2007 - although
it has since stabilised. There are signs of consolidation into larger
businesses, with a 9% increase in the number of businesses claiming on
more than a thousand hectares between 2005 and 2009. High uptake of SPS
helps Defra safeguard basic environmental standards.
Defra Agricultural Change and Environment Observatory |
1056
|
Collaboration and natural resource management
|
Building trust and increasing information
sharing is critical to increasing collaborative management of natural resources.
Policy makers and those implementing policies and best practice should
engage with local resource managers at the outset, include all those with
a stake, use social research techniques to identify and give voice to apparent
outsiders who may be able to improve the quality of the collaborative process,
use face to face meetings to develop trust and for information transfer,
use flexible methods, such as field workshops and discussion groups to engage
with stakeholders and schedule these during evenings and weekends.
RELU |
1055
|
Benefits of using modern clover and ryegrass
varieties
|
Modern clover and high sugar ryegrass
varieties produced significant benefits but some extra costs over and above
reductions in emissions. Red clover saved £176 per hectare in
fertiliser costs and silage made from it saved £3,000 in dairy feed
costs and also increased growth rates for lamb finishing. White Clover
in grazing pasture saved £129 per hectare for fertiliser and increased
the protein content and palatability of grassland. Seed costs were higher
for both clovers and there are reduced options for weed control. The Aber
High Sugar Grass (AberHSG 3) had similar growth and production to other
mixtures but produced 1.5 litres per cow per day extra milk.
Adrian Joynt, Farm Manager at Walford & North
Shropshire College |
1054
|
Farming in the English uplands
|
Livestock farming contributes to the
maintenance of the upland landscape and its mosaic of semi-natural habitats
and farming is important to rural communities. Previous intensification
has led to pressures on habitats, species, soils and water. Following CAP
reform, livestock numbers are now declining and this is allowing vegetation
to regenerate and reducing risks to soils and water bodies. Significant
uptake of the Uplands Entry Level Stewardship will help to maintain environmental
benefits and adequate grazing levels on moorland. Upland farming is challenging
but farmers are resilient and widespread abandonment appears unlikely.
Defra Agricultural Change and Environment Observatory |
1053
|
New government and agriculture
|
Grant funding under the Rural Development
Plan for England are likely to be secure because they cannot be altered
by national governments. But the deficit reduction programme takes precedence
over any other measures. Badger control is mentioned in the coalition
document but this may not mean a cull and nothing is likely to happen
soon. Similarly there is a promise of a free vote on hunting but there
is no mention about what might happen afterwards. There may be implications
for RDAs and even the RPA in a promised Bill to abolish, merge or transfer
quangos back to departments.
Andersons Agribrief Bulletin May 2010 |
1052
|
Food security, research, knowledge transfer
and consumers
|
The UK needs to produce more than our
share of world food. We need to expand production whilst using less fossil
fuels, without damaging the environment and against a background of climate
warming and unpredictable weather. It’s a huge ask. We need to expand
production research to achieve this. But expansion will probably be mainly
have to be paid for by farmers. Farmers need to be more involved at all
stages of research and application: We need to expand what we are doing
to increase consumers’ enthusiasm for British Food
Alan Spedding |
1051
|
Local food and climate change - food
waste
|
About one quarter of the food that UK
households buy ends up in the bin. A lot of food is also wasted at the
farm and manufacturing stages. Some community food enterprises have addressed
these issues by efficient ordering, special offers for produce that would
otherwise go to waste, or directing edible left-over food to local catering.
Appropriate packaging, storage and staff training can also help to extend
the shelf life of food.
Making Local Food Work |
1050
|
Local food and climate change - consumption
|
If greenhouse gas emissions are to be
reduced significantly, we will need to change the balance of the food
we eat. A lower impact diet is seasonal, largely based on food that comes
from plants, and can include some meat and dairy products grown to high
environmental standards. Community food enterprises can play a lead
role in changing the way people think about food. Direct contact between
food producers and consumers, and with food growing projects, can help
people to understand that adopting a more sustainable way of living can
be attractive and achievable.
Making Local Food Work |
1049
|
Conservation tillage
|
Ploughing has many benefits including
the complete burial of trash, management of weed seeds and it produces
a level even surface suitable for seedbed preparation. However, in recent
times, much has been done to develop conservation tillage to reduce establishment
costs and help to manage environmental concerns, such as soil erosion and
diffuse pollution often associated with bare, exposed soils. Those drivers
and statutory legislation (Water Framework Directive and the Soil Framework
Directive) are seen as key in the implementation and use of conservation
tillage.
RASE Journal |
1048
|
Knowledge exchange
|
The Relu programme has taken a novel
approach to stakeholder involvement that recognises the myriad ways in
which research findings ripple outwards into policy and practice. As
well as the “hard innovation” of technological developments and evidence-based
policy making we need to recognise and acknowledge the “soft innovation”
of behaviour change within business and everyday life.
RELU
|
1047
|
Crops - facts and figures
|
In 2008/2009 the value of sterling
against the euro fell and prices of agricultural commodities and crop
inputs both rose. The early consequences of the ‘credit crunch’ to agriculture
were generally limited, although more pronounced to producers exposed
to premium markets. Following a dry June, the 2008 harvest was the second
in a series of wet harvests. Gross margins for cereal crops fell but those
for oilseeds, protein crops, sugar beet and potatoes all rose. Most arable
farms in England enjoyed a strengthened balance sheet due mainly to an
increase in the value of land.
Rural Business Research
|
1046
|
Bovine tuberculosis, hosts, pathogens
and environments
|
Culling badgers is ‘a very finely balanced’
decision and would need to be done in big discrete areas – 150 sq km
would only prevent 10% of breakdowns. Breeding resistant cattle should
be possible, could reduce incidence and severity of herd breakdowns and
would be complementary to other measures to control bTB. Knowing the
genomics of the bTB agent will help the development of vaccines. Vaccines
for cattle could be available by 2015 but a test needs to be developed
to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals. The injectable vaccine
for badgers will be operationally difficult. Oral vaccines for badgers
are feasible.
RELU and Warwick University
|
1045
|
Local food and climate change - manufacturing
and retail
|
Community food enterprises can take
action to reduce the emissions from manufacturing and retail activities
by using energy more efficiently and by buying electricity from renewable
sources. A focus on fresh and less processed foods, with short supply chains,
can reduce dependence on energy-intensive storage and refrigeration, but
needs to be achieved without compromising on food safety. Reducing packaging
is also important, and often a strong motivating factor for consumers and
enterprises interested in the environment.
Making Local Food Work
|
1044
|
Farming, community food and climate
change
|
Community food enterprises can help
to reduce emissions by providing custom for farmers who are taking steps
to reduce their emissions. Soil emissions and soil storage are poorly
understood. Seeking to reduce emissions from one farm input could increase
emissions from others. The high impact of internationally sourced
farm inputs mean that localising farm inputs is potentially important. The
paper contains short case studies which illustrate how some of these ideas
might develop.
Making Local Food Work |
1043
|
EU statisitics
|
In 2009 income from agricultural activity
in the UK was 37% higher than in 2005, while for the EU27 it was 0.3%
lower. Of the EU27 Member States the UK produced the third largest quantity
of wheat, was the ninth largest producer of pig meat, the third largest
producer of cows’ milk, the fourth largest producer of beef and veal and
the largest producer of sheep meat. Between 2000 and 2008 producer prices
for crop products rose by 64% in the UK and by 36% in the EU27, producer
prices for animals and animal products rose by 50% in the UK and by 22%
in the EU27; and purchase prices of inputs rose by 63% in the UK
and by 40% in the EU27.
Defra |
1042
|
Bovine TB: people, politics and culture
|
For bovine TB referring questions
to advisory committees and inclusive stakeholder groups did not resolve
them because of polarised views. A stakeholder strategy which engages
a more limited range of interests may be more effective. Evidence can inform
policy decision-making, but can’t eliminate the decisions themselves. Press
coverage was important in polarising opinions. The broadsheet ‘right’ press
was in favour of culling badgers whilst the ‘left’ press was against. Coverage
was heavily focussed on culling rather than other policy actions. Vets
reshape standard operating procedures to suit individual circumstances
and take into account farmers’ coping mechanisms.
Rural Economy and Land Use Programme (RELU)
and the University of Warwick |
1041
|
Farm intyelligence from the regions
|
Improved finished beef prices over
the winter pushed up prices of stores and cross-bred dairy calves. Farmers
continue to be dissatisfied with the introduction of Electronic Identification
Database scheme; however lamb producers have benefited from improved prices
though prices of breeding stock have increased too. The lower cereal prices
over the most recent winter and spring months are likely to lower profitability
in the combinable crop sector have provided some cost relief to pig and
poultry producers. Optimism in the industry was relatively high at the
close of 2009, and more farmers are welcoming the improved public perception
of the farming industry.
Rural Business Research |
1040
|
Horticulture production
in England
|
Horticulture contributes about 12%
of UK agricultural output. Since 1985 ornamental plants have increased
from a fifth to a third of horticultural output and vegetables have decreased
from 60% to 45%. The most pronounced trend in the value of production is
for soft fruit, up from a little over £100 million in 1998 to over
£300 million in 2008. After four years of improving incomes all
the sector witnessed a decline in profitability in 2008/09.
Rural Business Research |
1039
|
Lood food transport an
d shopping and climate change
|
Transport of food is responsible
for about 12% of the UKs food related greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting
down on food miles can help reduce this, but it is probably more effective
to help customers to be able to walk, cycle or use public transport to
buy food, or to provide efficient deliveries to people’s homes or in
bulk to a drop-off point or food co-op, to use renewable fuels and to
make efficient use of journeys such as through co-operation and using
return journeys for other deliveries
Local Food Works |
1038
|
Local fodd and climate change
|
Food miles are not a useful shorthand
for the contribution that different foods make to climate change. Other
factors besides transport, such as the use of energy-intensive fertilisers
or even cooking in the home, make a bigger overall difference. However,
this does not threaten community food enterprises - most were set up for
social and economic reasons but they do need help to make more efficient
use of natural resources. This can be done through a more supportive policy
environment, by enabling planning and co-ordination for example in creating
regional food hubs and improving access to technology.
Local Food Works |
1037
|
Environment - facts and figures
|
Agriculture covers about three quarters
of the UK land area; over 8 million hectares of farmland are in agri-environment
schemes; over the last 20 years use of nitrate fertilisers fell by 36%
and phosphate fell by 49% mainly due to less being used on grassland;
there has been a consequent fall in nitrate and phosphate levels in rivers;
pesticide use on cereals is also falling as is the use of water; agricultural
emissions of methane, nitrous oxide and ammonia are all falling; farmland
bird populations increased between 2007 and 2008, reversing a long term
decline.
Defra |
1036
|
Anderson's agribrief bulletin -
April 10
|
The next round of CAP reform is
likely to reduce the amount of money farmers receive but include measures
like insurance funds to manage volatility. Also competition rules
might be relaxed to allow producer organisations more control over prices.
Sales of organic products fell in 2009 – exceptions included baby food
and health and beauty products. DEFRA and its agencies are struggling
to spend the money available under the English Rural Development Programme.
If the money is not spent it will have to go back to the EU. Defra have
asked to be allowed to reduce the match funding the UK government puts
into the scheme.
|
1035
|
Poultry production
|
The poultry industry grew by 42%
between 1990 and 2004 largely due to increases in meat production but
bird numbers have decreased since across both egg and meat systems. Battery
cages are to be banned in 2012 and new legislation for meat poultry housing
will be introduced in June 2010 which reduces maximum stocking densities.
The price of eggs rose but that of poultry meat fell between 2008 and 2009.
Gross margins for meat production rose but egg margins were similar to
the previous year.
Farm Business Survey |
1034
|
Organic farming
|
The area of fully organic land rose
by 13% in 2008 but in-conversion land fell by 5.6%; 84% was permanent
and temporary pasture; half of organically managed land in the United
Kingdom was in England; the southwest region has the highest proportion
of producers. The total area of organic land is about 4% of the total
UK farmed area.
Defra |
1033
|
Dairy greenhouse gas
|
Only 2.7% of world GHG emissions
are attributable to dairy cattle. This increases to 4% when meat products
from dairy cows are included. The emissions per unit milk were highest
in developing regions and lowest in North America and Europe and higher
in grazing systems than mixed systems. Globally, emissions before the
farm gate contribute 93% of the total. Methane contributes most - about
52% followed by nitrous oxide and CO2. Although intensification produces
less GHGs per unit of output, its impacts on eutrophication of water, biodiversity
conservation and social arrangements could be negative.
FAO |
1032
|
Pig profits
|
The profitability of pig farming
improved considerably in 2008/09 compared to the previous year. Average
net margin was £44961 compared to a negative net margin of £1836
the previous year. However 30% of farms still lost money. Pig prices
have improved from an average of 126p per kg in 2008 to 146p per kg in
2009. With lower feed prices this means that margins will probably have
improved in 2009/10. This will help bring some stability to the pig sector
which has been losing money for much of the last decade.
Farm Business Survey |
1031
|
Children and educational services
|
Local authorities must factor rural
in-migration into their long-term strategic planning for children.
About a quarter of children in rural England live in poverty. The infrastructure
required to deliver services in rural areas is often weak but barriers
can be overcome through innovative service delivery. The well-being
of children in care is not solely the preserve of social work staff, but
all involved in delivering children’s services. Children’s Centres should
be able to be more flexible. Extended schools can underpin village life
and local authorities can be more creative in using them to ensure the
future viability of rural schools.
Commission for Rural Communities |
1030
|
Aging
|
The effective functioning of families,
households, communities and local economies is coming more and more
to depend on older people so rural areas need to make more of them. In
England resource allocations do not compensate for additional costs arising
from rurality, nor is there any recognition of the impact of an ageing
population. Voluntary organisations, which have built up relationships
of trust with local communities, are ideally placed to form links and
identify needs which are not always apparent to service providers. A more
systematic and professional approach to (especially older) volunteer recruitment
and support is needed.
Professor Philip Lowe |
1029
|
Support payments and rural development
programmes
|
In 2009 direct payments made to
farmers totalled £3.64 billion of which £3.61 billion was
under the Single Payment Scheme. This was an 11% increase on 2008 largely
due to an increase in the value of the euro against sterling. Payments
under the Less Favoured Areas Scheme totalled £138 million, which
was similar to 2008, and payments under the agri-environment schemes totalled
£497 million, a 1.3% increase on 2008. Total payments made through
rural development programmes in 2008 rose by 6.9% compared to 2007, to
£612 million.
Defra |
1028
|
Agricultural research partnership
needed
|
The UK needs a competitive agricultural
industry to meet the future challenges of food production and land
use. This competitiveness will only occur if innovations and new technologies
are produced and quickly adopted by its producers. The motto of the
RASE is “Practice with Science” which recognises that, to be successful,
the practice of agriculture must work in partnership with science. The
RASE believes that this partnership in agriculture is under serious threat,
and that a new approach is required involving both public and private sectors
working together.
RASE |
1027
|
Broadband
|
Government needs to recognise
the failure of the market and intervene to address the roll-out of
Next Generation Access broadband to rural areas. The public sector will
need to find innovative ways of opening up their infrastructure provision
to remote areas. For example scant attention is given to the transformational
role NGA could play in service delivery which would ensure further connectivity
to rural areas. This could then provide a cost-effective opportunity
for community or private broadband organisations to supply remote customers
at affordable prices.
Centre For Rural Economy, University of
Newcastle |
1026
|
Housing
|
Housing markets are a principal
engine of social change in rural areas. Across rural England only 55%
of newly forming households are able to afford a house in their own ward.
Most villages and smaller settlements are becoming exclusive enclaves
divorced from wider society as opponents of new housing deploy a potent
but flawed rhetoric which characterises rural communities lacking in public
services and transport as inherently unsustainable, and therefore not
suitable for further development. A key challenge is to ensure that affordable
housing provision through cross-subsidy and quotas on private developments
re-emerges as the economy recovers.
Centre For Rural Economy, University of
Newcastle |
1025
|
The food chain
|
In 2008 the agri-food sector in
the UK accounted for 6.7% of our total gross value added. Consumers'
expenditure on household food rose by 8.6% due to food price rises.
Employment in the agri-food sector as a whole fell by just over 3.6 million
in 2009. The value of imports of food, feed and drink increased
by 14% in 2008 compared with a 12% increase in exports. In 2009 the farmgate
share of the price of a basket of items was 36%, a figure which has been
stable over the period of food price rises of 4.5% in 2007, 9.2% in 2008
and 5.3% in 2009.
Defra |
1024
|
Local food
|
The appetite for more locally
produced foods remains strong, presenting opportunities for small scale
enterprises as well as larger food companies. With a desire among shoppers
to support their local economy, combined with better perceptions of
freshness, better traceability and environmental benefit, as well as
growing concern over food security, the local food trend can be expected
to be long-lived.
IGD |
1023
|
Safeguarding national livestock
biodiversity
|
Long regarded in the UK as the
responsibility of individuals, breeders’ groups or charitable organizations,
livestock breed conservation has now been recognized by the Government
as a national responsibility. The National Standing Committee on Farm
Animal Genetic Resources was set up in 2006 to promote conservation and
sustainable development of livestock biodiversity in general. It is putting
into effect a National Action Plan comprising 38 Recommended Actions. This
article reports on the composition and activities of the Committee and
emphasizes the importance for agricultural sustainability of a full appreciation
of the value of these resources.
RASE Journal |
1022
|
Does sheep dipping have a future?
|
Plunge dipping of sheep in water
both to wash fleeces and as a way to control ectoparasites has been
carried out for centuries. Sheep are plagued with many external parasites
who find their dense moist fleece an ideal habitat in which to carry
part or all of their life cycle. The current and increasing lack of effective
products is of great concern both now and for the future of the UK sheep
industry.
ADAS
|
1021
|
Peatlands
|
We have badly mistreated our
peatlands over the last three centuries, and in many places that damage
continues today. The peatlands of the future should represent a better
balance of land uses which reflects their true value to society and
seeks to integrate carbon storage, water management, wildlife habitats
and the range of other benefits we gain from living, healthy peatland
landscapes.
Natural England
|
1020
|
Rural communities
|
It is politically tempting to
adopt a simplistic policy prescription which places responsibility for
rural regeneration firmly in the hands of ‘local communities’ but this
is short sighted. If the approach to support merely consists of forming
short term partnerships to oversee short term funding programmes then
many communities will be left out. The key challenge is to understand
the ways in which rural communities can be successfully supported and then
invest to ensure both stability and plurality in approaches to mobilising
their resources.
Centre For Rural Economy, University of
Newcastle
|
1019
|
Structure of the industry
|
In 2009 compared with 2008 the
total UK croppable area increased by 2.3% to 6.2 million ha; the total
number of cattle fell by 0.8% to 10 million head; there were 4.7 million
pigs, an increase of 0.2%; the number of sheep and lambs decreased by
3.3% to 32 million; the total number of people employed in agriculture increased
slightly to 535,000.
Defra
|
1018
|
Predator control for upland waders
|
To restore some of the wildlife
we had in the 19th century, we need habitat programmes and environment
schemes to help wildlife live alongside modern land-use, but we may also
need to restore some lost wildlife management, such as predator control,
if vulnerable species like waders are to recover their populations in
areas away from the grouse moors.
Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust
|
017
|
The story of Phosphorus
|
There is uncertainty and lack
of consensus regarding the future of phosphorus, but unless we change
the way we source and use it we will reach a critical point leading
to increased scarcity and pollution, further price fluctuations and
increasing energy consumption. We must adopt a globally coordinated approach
that includes achieving a high recovery rate of all sources of phosphorus
from the food chain and from new sources of phosphate rock and by increasing
efficiency in agriculture, reducing losses in the food chain, and altering
diets.
Dana Cordell, Linköping University,
Sweden |
1016
|
Farm incomes 2009
|
In real terms Total Income from
Farming fell by 6.2% and Total Income from Farming per full-time person
equivalent fell by 8.1% to £20,955. Agriculture’s share of national
gross value added is expected to be about 0.6%. Farm incomes
for cropping and dairy farm types are estimated to have fallen while
incomes for livestock farms are expected to have increased.
Defra, ‘Agriculture in the United Kingdom
2009’ |
1015
|
Socio-economic benefits of environmental
stewardship
|
The incidental benefits of Environmental
Stewardship (ES) contribute positively to local economies and are important
in retaining family members on farms. ES schemes have improved farmers’
management skills and environmental knowledge and given them a sense
of pride in engaging with the public, helping with marketing and maintaining
their incomes. The schemes can also help farmers to develop social networks.
Countryside and Community Research Institute,
University of Gloucestershire |
1015
|
Rural economies
|
Rural economies are highly entrepreneurial
with many knowledge intensive and home-based rural businesses and the
benefit of in-migrants as new human capital. But rural districts
have lower gross value added per head, lower wages and lower investment
than urban. They also often have poor ICT infrastructure and expanding
rural businesses can be difficult. Home-based businesses may be
poorly integrated into the local business community and are ‘under the
radar’ of support. Rural policy should help those living and working in rural
areas to develop their own resources better and planning should encourage
small and home based businesses more.
Centre For Rural Economy, University
of Newcastle |
1013
|
Andersons Agribrief Bulletin
March 2010
|
Views from EU that the CAP
post 2013 must ensure that agriculture can address food security, but
more sustainably and continue (or even increase) the delivery of public
goods whilst (possibly) receiving less support. The wheat price has
stopped falling but the global picture is of plentiful supplies. There
seems little sign of any major upwards movement in milk prices. Also
- Defra plans to accelerate the introduction of anaerobic digestion;
EU fines for the UK; the huge new ethanol plant on Teesside has come
on stream; the number of new Bovine TB incidents fell in 2009 but herds
under restrictions rose; and wool prices have increased.
|
1012
|
Rurality of parliamentary constituencies
|
The changes to local government
structure which came into effect in England in April 2009 (9 new Unitary
Authorities replacing 37 districts and 7 counties) meant that a corresponding
change to the Urban/Rural Classification of Local Authorities was required.
These are mapped in the paper.
Commission for Rural Communities |
1011
|
Rural transport
|
High levels of car ownership
among the less well off in rural communities indicates a lack of
alternative transport options. Accessibility of rural areas
is also important to visitors who can form a significant part of the
rural economy.
Commission for Rural Communities |
1010
|
Housing supply and demand
|
Recent levels of housing supply
in rural areas will be insufficient to meet demand. Affordable housing
supply has increased but tends to be concentrated in larger settlements.
Well managed growth of rural towns and villages can foster local
services, economic development and housing.
Commission for Rural Communities |
1009
|
Anaerobic digestion
|
AD promises good profitability
but making a profit purely from slurry alone is very difficult as
the gas yields are so low. Augmenting them with farm produced wastes
could enhance the yields and energy crops will make a considerable
impact, although also adding costs into the business. Introducing third
party waste for a gate fee can make more profit but requires increased
management, regulation and administration. There is a considerable
learning curve to climb and level headedness, conviction and commitment
are required.
Graham Redman, Andersons Centre |
1008
|
Land use and climate change
|
Fully housed beef and dairy
systems should be adopted on the best Welsh land with emissions minimised
by anaerobic digestion. Extensive sheep and cattle production would be
retained on middle and upland areas. Woodland would be expanded by about
a third over the next twenty years and managed to optimise GHG abatement.
A wide range of renewable energy technologies would be utilised.
Increased efficiency and less waste should apply throughout the food chain
and dietary excess should be reduced. Local feed and food production should
be encouraged except where it would have a lower footprint if brought
in from elsewhere.
Land Use and Climate Change Group |
1007
|
Not enough affordable homes
|
Traditional village life stands
to wither beyond recovery if the lack of affordable rural housing
is not addressed or delivered. It is one of the single biggest threats
to the countryside and rural communities across the UK. Local people are
being priced out of the market by the influx of wealthy commuters, holiday
lets, retired couples and second home buyers, which has increased the
rural population by 800,000 over the last 10 years.
Clemmie Gleeson, Farmers Guardian |
!006
|
Forest and climate change
|
Forests could cost effectively
absorb about 10% of the UK’s CO2 emissions by 2050 if we could increase
the current rate of woodland creation threefold. Sustainable forest
management can maintain the carbon store of a forest at a constant level
while the trees continue to remove CO2 and transfer a proportion of the
carbon into long-term storage in forest products. Trees also have
an important role in helping society to adapt to climate change, particularly
in the urban environment. Policy incentives need to be re-designed to
reward non-market benefits adequately and research is needed to underpin
the changes.
National Assessment of UK Forestry
and Climate Change Steering Group 2009 |
1005
|
Food Security: The Challenge
of Feeding 9 Billion People
|
We can close gaps between
actual and achievable yields by improving access to knowledge, finance,
storage and better transport, by working better locally and by understanding
the complex impacts of globalisation. Modern genetics and understanding
of crop physiology can help to increase yields but public trust in biotechnology
needs to be improved. Reducing waste will also be vital – different
solutions will be needed in the developing and developed world. Reducing
meat consumption would also help. Better stock selection, larger scale
production and cheaper feeds could improve aquaculture but special care
is needed to reduce harm to the environment.
Godfray et al, Science Magazine
|
1004
|
Entry Level Stewardship scheme
renewals - update from Natural England
|
In order to renew ELS agreements
which are expiring a new application must be submitted. Natural
England recommends that applications and final clams are made as
early as possible. Online applications will be easier and quicker
.
|
1003
|
Dairy Company strategy and
performance report
|
World milk production is
forecast to increase with Europe still a main producer but most growth
in China and India. International milk prices will be largely determined
by US production costs. Retailer decisions on milk sourcing are to a
large extent based on price, but also security of supply, provenance,
traceability, service levels and sustainability. This offers significant
opportunities for producers and processors to create value for all links
of the chain. The paper goes on to summarise the approach, finances
and strategies of seven milk buyers.
DairyCo |
1002
|
UK National ecosystem assessment
|
The assessment will implement
an ecosystem approach to conserving, managing and enhancing the natural
environment. It will raise awareness of the importance of the natural
environment to wellbeing and prosperity and ensure wide involvement
in its work. It will describe key factors of change, produce future
scenarios for ecosystems and outline options to continue the delivery
of their services for all. So far the assessment has been collating
data to identify interlinkages between habitats and ecosystem services
and will produce a draft report on these for consultation later in 2010.
UK NEA |
1001
|
Rural residents' views
|
Both urban and rural residents
think the overall prosperity of their area is “much the same as
always”, although those in the rural sparse areas are the most negative
about this. There is a strong sense, especially among people in urban
and rural sparse areas, that decision-makers lack understanding. Public
transport is seen as the highest priority for improving quality of life
by those in rural areas and especially those in sparse areas. Housing,
job prospects and the state of economy feature strongly among priorities
for the future.
Ipsos MORI for the Commission for
Rural Communities |
1000
|
Conservatives farming
|
Including – more British
food served in government departments; agreement on country of origin
labelling; promote local food networks; improve arrangements for seasonal
labour; reduce the burden of legislation, in Europe, with a review of
all regulations and by reducing inspections; reform the RPA; abolish
the AWB; push for the CAP to be changed to reduce the cost of supporting
other countries’ farmers; create rural groups to advise Ministers; introduce
badger control as part of a more intensive package to control bovine TB;
develop a research agenda; improve farmers’ skills and introduce feed-in
tariffs for biogas and heat.
Conservative Party |
999
|
Food and recession
|
Food has been relatively
recession proof but there have been changes in the way food budgets
are being spent. At one extreme ‘value lines’ in supermarkets have
increased in importance, at the other there may be more spending on high
provenance and luxury foods. Also different groups of customers are behaving
in different ways and there is an increased element of thrift whatever
the purchase. Food provenance is an aspiration but is not universal
and not consistent. Organic food is suffering from complex messages
about it whilst fair-trade is tending to replace it because its messages
are simple.
Bidwells |
998
|
Integrated management of
floodplains
|
Countryside land management
could play an increasingly important role in flood planning in the
future. We need to acknowledge the price rural communities may
be paying to protect our towns and cities and consider the whole portfolio
of services that floodplains provide, and how these are paid for.
Relu |
997
|
Village Hubs
|
The lack of access to digital
technology and inadequate broadband limits access to public services
and cheaper bills, NHS Direct online, Business Links etc. ICT projects
can help but they need community support, to be in the right location,
support across all public services, adequate funding and design which
helps other services to join and allows flexibility for adaption to
the needs of the communities they serve. Local volunteers are key
but there is enthusiasm in villages to build and run projects.
Ivan Annibal and Jessica Sellick,
Rose Regeneration |
996
|
Bovine TB -NFU update
|
The NFU believes that bTB
will never be eradicated if we continue to fail to address the level
of TB in wildlife. Their view is that the Randomised Badger Culling
Trial was flawed, in that the cull was not done properly and was not
undertaken for long enough for the impact to be correctly assessed.
They are not convinced that vaccinating a heavily infected badger population
can be relied on as an effective eradication too but might be part
of a multifaceted eradication plan. The paper contains links to further
information.
|
995
|
Uplands policy
|
The uplands need to be
actively managed to sustain the services they provide but currently
there is no coherent policy. Policies should recognise that any
given piece of land is likely to deliver multiple ecosystem services,
and incentives could then be designed that assess and take into account
trade-offs and synergies. Real partnerships with stakeholders are needed
throughout this process to negotiate the required changes in land management.
RELU |
994
|
Disease policy
|
Animal and plant diseases
pose a serious and increasing threat to the food security, food safety,
economy, biodiversity and landscape of the UK. The fields of
animal disease and plant disease do not make contact which hinders
co-ordinated policy-making to reflect disease risk. As the cost
to taxpayers of dealing with disease continues to rise, policy-makers
are seeking ways to redistribute the costs of preventing and controlling
outbreaks. Interdisciplinary research linked to stakeholder involvement
is needed to work out what the best arrangements would be.
RELU |
993
|
Andersdons agribrief bulletin
- Feb 2010
|
Producers can resume applying
to join the Entry Level Stewardship. Around half of farms have a diversification
business with the main activity being letting agricultural buildings
generating 76% of diversified income. Farmland prices have
picked up but there are gloomy forecasts for grain prices. The beef
and sheep markets are forecast to remain strong.
|
992
|
Farmgate milk prices
|
There was a 0.17ppl fall
in the average UK farmgate price between November and December, to
24.70ppl. The latest figures for 2009 give an annual average UK
price of 23.71ppl, showing a 2.20ppl fall compared with the previous
year. To put this in perspective, an average farmer producing 800k
litres per annum would see their turnover reduced by £17,600
this year compared to 2008, a reduction of 8.5%.
DairyCo |
991
|
Campaign for the farmed
environment
|
A voluntary initiative
targeted at English farmers and land managers from most of the leading
countryside bodies, including the NFU and CLA, and agreed with Defra,
to voluntarily replace the environmental benefits gained under compulsory
set-aside, which were lost when it was set to 0% from the 2007/8 cropping
year.
Smiths Gore |
990
|
Animal welfare
|
The farm animal welfare
debate has been developing in the UK since the 18th century and
for much of that time the emphasis has been on the use of legislation
to protect animals. More recently there has been a focus on using
market-led approaches. This paper argues that improving animal
welfare need not penalise business returns and that a greater focus
on delivering improved animal welfare would allow farmers to gain the
initiative in the debate. To realise this requires research combining
economic analysis with scientific information on the animals’ welfare
combined with knowledge exchange that influences farmers.
Journal of the Royal Agricultural
Society of England |
989
|
The need for unity in
a climate of change
|
The massive challenge
of producing more food from a dwindling resource cannot be solved
by adopting low-input production systems. Increasing unit productivity
is part of the answer to reducing the environmental impact of farming.
It is time for a united fight back by land managers to say that agriculture
should not be seen as the problem, but rather a major part of the solution.
We need research which is actually translated into practice and with
the industry covering more of the costs. We also need to greatly expand
education capacity.
Professor Bill McKelvey, SAC, Farmers
Club |
988
|
Upland entry level stewardship
|
UELS depends on meeting
a points target based on the size of farm and land type. Points
are earned by meeting a set of compulsory requirements like avoiding
undergrazing and overgrazing and maintaining wetlands. Also by selecting
a number of options from those existing for ELS and/or some new
UELS options which include stone wall restoration, haymaking and cattle
grazing.
Natural England |
987
|
Pesticides consultation
|
The new Sustainable Use
Directive will require national action plans, compulsory testing
of application equipment, certification of operators and distributors,
and access to certification for advisors, a ban (subject to derogations)
on aerial spraying, special measures to protect the aquatic environment,
public spaces and conservation areas, minimising the risk of pollution
through handling, storage and disposal and the promotion of Integrated
Pest Management. Two features of the regulation concerning the placing
of plant protection products on the market are being consulted on – obligations
to provide notice to neighbours who may be exposed to by spray drift
and detailed recording of product use.
Defra |
986
|
New support for renewable
energy
|
The new Government Clean
Energy Cashback Scheme is designed to incentivise small to medium
renewable electricity generation. It provides a guaranteed payment
for electricity generated irrespective of whether or not it goes
into the grid. The big winners will be wind energy and solar photovoltaic
panels. The Government has also announced a consultation on the Renewable
Heat Incentive which will pay for heat produced in a similar way.
Bidwells |
985
|
Badger culling
|
These findings show that
although widespread badger culling can achieve overall reductions
in the incidence of cattle TB, these benefits are not sustained
in the long term once culling is halted. Moreover, the financial
costs of conducting the culling substantially exceed the overall benefits.
So in the absence of other practicable culling methods likely to yield
greater benefits badger culling is unlikely to contribute to the control
of cattle TB in Britain. However both the Welsh Assembly Government
and the Conservative Party have made it clear they will not be diverted
from badger culling policies by these conclusions.
Helen E. Jenkins, Rosie Woodroffe
and Christl A. Donnelly, Imperial College London |
984
|
Agriskills
|
This strategy aims for
a professional workforce that is recognised and rewarded accordingly.
It needs to utilise existing schemes and current best practice and
deliver, record and validate appropriate learning and skills. A
culture needs to be developed that acknowledges the central role
that investment in personal and continuous professional development
plays in the improvement of business performance. The sector’s existing
professionalism, highly technical nature and innovation must be valued
and harnessed to encourage new entrants. There needs to be a robust
partnership between the industry and government so that policies and
practice are integrated to ensure success
|
983
|
Housing demand and supply
|
The levels of annual
supply of market housing in rural areas over the past decade will
only partially meet the increasing annual demand. However, being able
to find a house to buy is only part of the problem. Many rural households
already find that the rural housing market fails to meet their housing
needs and increasing numbers of households will therefore put further
reliance for the supply of their housing on to the social sector.
Commission for Rural Communities
|
982
|
Green Belts
|
Fourteen Green Belts
cover nearly 13% of England. Green Belt land could be improved
and marketed more effectively, could provide more local produce from
community farming, orchards and allotments and by encouraging school
farm partnerships. There is also scope for more trees and wetland to
improve urban fringe landscapes and provide forest products, renewable
energy, new wildlife habitats and recreational space. Better advice
on encouraging and supporting wildlife should be provided to the managers
of Green Belt land.
Natural England and Campaign
to Protect Rural England
|
981
|
Proposals for the future
CAP
|
The future CAP should
move further away from Pillar 1 support and set the framework while
allowing Member States to tailor the actual measures to their own
situations. To regain public support the CAP must be realigned so
that public expenditure matches the delivery of public benefits which
are vital for achieving both food and environmental security. The costs
could be accommodated by a redeployment of direct agricultural support.
All payments should be based on long term contracts which should allow
flexibility to react to changing conditions. Results should be measurable.
European Landowners’ Organization
and BirdLife International
|
980
|
Agricultural support
|
This concise summary
of agricultural support includes a brief history. Pillar
1 of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy covers direct aid to farmers
through the Single Payment Scheme and Market support. Pillar
2, which is growing in importance, supports four Axes of Rural Development
Programmes focussed around competitiveness, land management, diversification
and local partnership programmes under LEADER schemes.
HSBC Bank |
979
|
Understanding economic
wellbeing
|
Economic well-being
goes wider than traditional economic policy objectives by recognising
employees, employers, social enterprises, households and communities
and their environmental and social outcomes. It allows organisations
or individuals to understand, capture and describe the wider contributions
that their projects and activities make to other individuals and
communities at a local, regional and national level. Economic well-being
projects can, for instance, help people to be economically active,
improve their health or engage them in leisure activities. Successful
projects need an effective champion, clear objectives, effective
partnerships, links to the local authority, adequate resources and
risk management, focus and flexibility.
Commission for Rural Communities |
978
|
Agriculture and food
for development
|
The report recommends
that DFID should provide political leadership both nationally and
internationally, to address food insecurity, to provide farmers
in the developing world with adequate education and training to lift
themselves out of poverty and fill the gap left by crumbling extension
services. They should ensure that UK policy makers promote the individual’s
right to food in legislation and present policy options internationally.
All Party Parliamentary Group
on Agriculture and Food for Development |
977
|
Andersons Agribrief
Bulletin - Jan 2010
|
There is to be a Supermarkets
Ombudsman but not till after a consultation. 85% of SPS claimants
had their payments by the end of December but some farmers are still
waiting for full payments for 2009 and before. Global wheat harvests
are estimated as higher than demand – so no great boost to prices
is expected. Sheep farmers need to carefully review their options
under the new electronic ID regulations. The Badger TB Vaccine project
is getting underway in England and arrangements for the Welsh badger
cull are progressing. Beef, pig-meat and lamb producers are getting a
higher share of retail prices .
|
976
|
Farm incomes
|
Total Income from Farming
in the UK fell by 6.7% in 2009. A fall in the value of output was
accompanied by a fall in input costs and an increase in the value
of the Single Payment. Farm Business Income is forecast to increase in
2009/10 on specialist pig, specialist poultry farms, Less Favoured Area
and lowland grazing livestock and mixed farms. This reflects firmer prices
for finished and store livestock. However, incomes on specialist cereal
and general cropping and dairy farms are expected to fall.
Defra |
975
|
Bovine TB- the badger
vaccination development programme
|
Defra is funding a
project to vaccinate badgers against bovine TB in six areas of
England with high TB incidence in cattle, starting in summer 2010.
This is part of a programme dedicated to developing TB vaccines
for badgers and cattle, an important long-term policy option for reducing
the risk of bovine TB in Great Britain
Defra
|
974
|
Re-introduction of
animals into England
|
Many governments are
now legally obliged to consider the restoration of native species
to their former range. In the last twenty years, six animals have
been re-introduced: the red kite, corncrake, pool frog, large blue
butterfly, the osprey and great bustard. Natural England is currently
considering the re-introduction of three species: white-tailed eagle,
hen harrier and short-haired bumblebee. A number of other animal species
(some birds and mammals but mostly invertebrates) which have become
locally extinct have been re-introduced in order to help sustain England’s
existing populations.
Natural England |
973
|
Rural economies recession
intelligence - Jan 2010
|
Businesses in rural
England saw some signs of improvement in the second half of 2009
– although this is not uniform across all sectors and remains
fragile. Access to business lending remains difficult particularly
for small and micro businesses. There are concerns that relationships
between local bank managers and their business clients are deteriorating
as credit risk decisions are taken more centrally. There are marked
sectoral differences in experience. Tourism has had a strong summer,
livestock farming appears buoyant whilst construction, retail and
sectors dependent upon consumer spending remain weak
Commission for Rural Communities |
972
|
The City Food Lecture
|
Our challenge in the
21st century is to manage a single planet with a population of 9
billion by mid-century. We face a group of challenges that are hitting
us all at once as well as food – water resource, climate change, conflict
and terrorism. We need to deepen our global governance procedures
to tackle these problems. GM provides potentially quicker solutions
to food production problems and would save lives. Projects in China and
Rwanda show how we can recover land for agriculture on a large scale
by getting supportive politics and local people behind projects.
Sir David King, Director of
the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment |
971
|
Dairy cross-breeding
|
Crossbreeding has
been used to improve yield, quality, disease resistance and hardiness
for many generations. Beef, pig and poultry breeders have all used
it effectively. Yet, in the dairy industry, pure‐breeding has remained
the norm. Current interest has been driven by the domination of
the Holstein breed, questions regarding its relevance in all systems
and increased inbreeding. Also breeding objectives have broadened
from an emphasis on milk yield and there are concerns about decreasing
reproductive performance. Producers should choose their crossbreeding
programmes and breeds carefully and use AI progeny tested sires that
meet their goals.
Wes Bluhm, International Agri‐Technology
Centre |
970
|
Future challenges
for the CAP
|
Future development
comes down to finding new balances in the triangle formed by people,
profit and the planet. We need to encourage healthy primary production
of high quality food, renewable raw materials and energy, suited
to local circumstances, linked to processing and marketing sectors
and supported by high quality technology. We need to safeguard intrinsic
values like health, clean air and fixing of CO2. We need to find just
solutions for less favoured areas. The role of the government, whether
at national or European level, will be to lay down the conditions, facilitate
and forge links.
CP Veerman, Oxford Farming
Conference |
969
|
Austerity and rural
communities
|
Those serving rural
communities should: use Rural Proofing to support decision makers;
commit to demonstrably fair resource allocation; use strong leadership
and collaboration to find efficiencies in the rural public sector;
look at innovation and good practice and investing in potential; look
for opportunities to help local economies to fill the slack created by
less public spending, particularly through increased local purchasing;
consider investing in areas that are successful but still punching below
their economic potential and protect and maintain the capacity of local
communities to help themselves.
Commission for Rural Communities |
968
|
Landmarks for policy
|
Some quotations about
the future of land use.
Relu |
967
|
Food Safety
|
Regulators are not
consistent in how they address risk along the food chain and in
society at large. Effective communicating of risk is an essential.
There is a move by the authorities away from inspecting premises
to auditing food safety management systems. One good systems
audit can be much more effective than numerous inspections.
The problems we face in the modern food chain are similar in all jurisdictions
and require global solutions. ” Ask not what the regulators can
do for you but what you can do for yourselves”.
Oxford Farming Conference |
966
|
Zoonoses and farming
|
Zoonoses are infectious
diseases passed from animals to humans. There have been significant
reductions in the incidence of Salmonella enteritidis and variant
Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease but E coli and Campylobacter are two of
the Food Standard Authority’s main priorities, because we have yet
to develop effective ways of dealing with them. The current swine flu
pandemic is technically a zoonosis, although it is primarily spread from
person to person. There is an urgent need for more effective measures to
deal with zoonoses and we need a culture change on farms, in industry and
in local government.
Food Ethics Council |
965
|
Rural Services manifesto
|
On its current course,
with no change of policy and no commitment to action, much of the
countryside is becoming part dormitory, part theme park and part
retirement home. Only if people in rural communities have ready
access to local schools, local jobs, local shops and pubs and homes
will they and their children thrive, and will the nation meet its
environmental and economic needs.
The Rural Services Network |
964
|
Carbon labelling
for overseas vegetables
|
Carbon accounting
and labelling for food products are new factors for producers
and consumers to take into consideration, and they may have serious
implications for developing countries which export food. This kind
of labelling is extremely complex, and in order to provide useful
information it must include a more comprehensive analysis of the entire
lifecycle of the product.
RELU
|
963
|
Food research -
public funders, research councils and other bodies
|
The food research
and innovation landscape encompasses a range of Government departments,
Devolved Administrations and other public bodies, including the
majority of Research Councils (RCs), and various non-departmental
public bodies.
Department for Innovation,
Universities and Skills
|
962
|
Strategy for Food
Research and Innovation
|
Key initiatives
include a food security research programme; a Sustainable Agriculture
and Food Innovation Platform to fund research and development
in areas like crop productivity, livestock production, waste,
and greenhouse gases; more research for developing countries’ agriculture;
research looking at our ability to feed the future world population,
an Advanced Training Partnership to provide more masters, doctorates
and continuous professional development and the development of
indicators to monitor all this. It is important to acknowledge the
complexity of the industry when developing effective solutions to
translate research into practice.
Department for Innovation,
Universities and Skills
|
961
|
Food 2030
|
The government’s
vision is that consumers are informed, can choose and afford healthy,
sustainable food provided by profitable, competitive, highly skilled
and resilient farming, fishing and food businesses, supported by
first class research and development. And that food production uses
natural resources sustainably in a low carbon, low waste food system,
enables a healthy natural environment, promotes high standards of
animal welfare, protects food safety, contributes to rural communities,
and allows us to show global leadership on food sustainability. Our
food security is ensured through strong UK food production and international
trade which supports developing economies.
Defra
|
960
|
The milk environmental
roadmap
|
For 2010 dairy
producers targeted 50% of their farmland being entered into
an Environmental Stewardship Scheme. There are already 45% of
producers in schemes. 47% of dairy farmers have an annual Nutrient
Management Plan (target 65%) Producers are also making good progress
against 2015 targets on carbon footprinting and reducing emissions.
Milk processors are on recycled plastic in milk bottles, environmental
benchmarking and meeting government targets on carbon reductions and
energy efficiency and retailers are involved in saving energy, fuel
and water and packaging.
Dairy Supply Chain Forum
|
959
|
Environmental management
- rewilding
|
Some of the changes
resulting from allowing natural processes a freer rein may lead
to more diverse and interesting, albeit different, landscapes and
wildlife and potential benefits in carbon storage, recreation and
tourism, water quality and flood mitigation and cost-saving.
Eventually landscape character would change to a more wooded aspect
and access may be restricted if there is dense growth
Natural England
|
958
|
Environmental impacts
- tree felling and woodland clearance
|
No system of felling
produces the composition of woodland which would exist under
natural regeneration and woodland habitats reflect their management.
The greenhouse gas budget of mature woodlands is complex and much
can depend on the soils. Removal of conifers for example can
raise water tables and reinvigorate carbon sequestration via peat. Many
woodland habitats and species benefit from the variety of structure
that is created through the felling and restocking process. Felling trees
is not an important contributor to carbon emissions. Mature trees hold
large quantities of carbon but sequester comparatively little.
Natural England
|
957
|
Copenhagen and
its implications for land management
|
No agreed text
emerged from the Copenhagen United Nations Climate Change Conference
but the US reached a framework for a non binding agreement with
China and other emerging nations which was later endorsed by Japan
and the EU but with opposition from some developing nations. A
draft agreement to form a working group to reduce agricultural emissions
was produced. Money was pledged by developed nations to support
the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation Programme.
The Obama Administration will be unlikely in future to rely on multi-lateral
negotiations but will concentrate on making agreements with major
players.
Peter Fane, Eurinco
|
956
|
What is land for?
|
A new book valuably
summarises the complex question of future land use with the
conclusion that “...change is daunting and challenging but...
agricultural landscapes and our use of agricultural land have evolved
over time. With careful planning and management of future
change, it is possible to adapt the way we use land without completely
sacrificing the ‘old’ concerns with landscape and nature conservation
for the new environmentalism of climate change adaptation and mitigation.”
Danger areas highlighted include insufficient research, absence
of stronger pricing signals from government to encourage investment
in new technologies and the difficulty of achieving “effective, transparent
and plastic discourse about what we want and what our priorities are.”
Michael Winter and Matt
Lobley, Centre for Rural Policy Research, University of Exeter,
published by Earthscan
|
