Further Discussion on Forthcoming EU Ban on Stalls
UK - Working together was the key message to come out of a meeting between BPEX and the NPA with Defra Minister Jim Paice.

Bill for Grocery Adjudicator Needed Urgently
UK - The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has called on the Government to bring forward a Bill to establish a Groceries Code Adjudicator as a matter of urgency.

UK to Challenge Cross-border Trade in Illegal Pork
UK - Farms minister Jim Paice pledged yesterday to press the European Commission on how it intends to police the 2013 partial stalls ban.

Final Members Join Animal Health & Welfare Board
UK - The final two members of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England (AHWBE) have been appointed.

Farm Income Forecasts a Mixed Bag
UK - New government figures confirming a strong year for the farming industry are welcome, but the continued rise in input costs and the crisis in the eurozone means that there’s no room for complacency,...

Govt Looks to Increase Food Exports
UK - A Government-backed drive to boost exports of British food and drink to high growth markets like India and China will be an engine for economic growth, Agriculture Minister Jim Paice said today.

NFU Livestock Board Chairman Steps Down
UK - Outgoing National Farmers Union (NFU) livestock board chairman Alistair Mackintosh believes the industry is more optimistic now than when he was elected in 2008.

Helping British Pig Exports Succeed
UK - A call has been put out to support the British pig industry and to back quality British pig meat after a UK pig meat processing company was blocked from exporting to China, writes Lucy Towers, ThePigSite...

UK Implementing Higher Animal Welfare Too Soon?
UK - Compassion in World Farming was disappointed to hear David Cameron’s lack of support for the UK bringing in higher welfare systems, ahead of the legal obligatory time and subsequently leading the...

Egg Issue Prompts Raising of Pig Industry Concerns
SCOTLAND, UK - NFU Scotland will be in Brussels next week urging Commission officials to learn lessons from the debacle surrounding implementation of the laying cage ban.

BPEX Confidence Survey Under Way
UK - The annual BPEX confidence survey has now been sent out across the whole industry.

Spelman: Alliances Will Shape CAP That Fits
UK - Caroline Spelman says alliances forged with other EU member states will help increase the power and influence held by British agriculture.

UFU President Outlines Priorities for 2012
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - UFU President John Thompson has taken some time to reflect on the challenges and achievements of the past year as well as to look ahead to the coming year.

OFC - CAP Reform to Meet Increasing Food Demand
UK - An increasing demand for food requires a Common Agricultural Policy that encourages efficiency and does not stifle it, writes Chris Harris.

OFC - UK Punching Above its Farming Weight
UK - A new report prepared for the Oxford Farming Conference shows that there has been a shift in power worldwide in agriculture as a result of globalisation of markets and the growth of multinational...

Funds to Protect Wildlife & Manage Flood Risk
UK - Farmers and rural communities across England are set to benefit from nearly £100,000 to reduce the risk of flooding, maintain farmland and create new wildlife habitats, Environment Minister Richard...

Pig Licensing Goes Electronic
UK - More than 370,000 pigs were moved using electronic licensing in November and the count down is on to when eAML2 becomes compulsory on 1 April 2012 in England and Wales.

NPA Urges Planners to Look at Facts of Foston Plan
UK - The National Pig Association (NPA) has written to planners in a bid to bring some balance to the Soil Association's "distinctly selective" criticisms of Midland Pig Producers' application to build...

Pig Keepers Need to Register before Going to Market
UK - Pig keepers taking pigs to auction markets must register their producer details such as name and site details on the electronic pig movement system (eAML2) before they go, if they have not done so...

Consultation on CAP Reform
UK - Farmers, environmental groups and others with an interest in the Common Agricultural Policy will be able to present their views on the European Commission’s proposed reforms, as part of an informal...

Minister Visits Institute for Animal Health in Pirbright
UK - Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts MP, visited the Institute for Animal Health's (IAH) Pirbright campus on Friday, 2 December, to welcome the news of an additional £80M investment...

Figures Reveal Farmings Crucial Value To Economy
UK - New figures confirm that the UK farming industry is playing a crucial role in stabilising the economy the National Farmers Union (NFU) stated, as it emerged that the industry contributed £7.4billion...

NFU: Agriculture Part Of Climate Change Solution
UK - As the world tries to agree on its next steps towards managing climate change in Durban, South Africa, the National Farmers Union (NFU) is working with others in the industry to ensure that agriculture’s...

£100M+ Investment to Protect UK Food Security
UK - Major sectors of the UK economy and food chain have received a significant boost following the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer of £80M of capital investment for the further development...

Junior Minister Attacks the CAP
UK - British junior farm minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach yesterday described existing agricultural policies as "...unfit for purpose..." and looked forward to the CAP reform negotiations as a "...rare..."...

Pig & Poultry Fair Leads the Way
UK - The UK’s premier pig and poultry event is gearing up once again to provide producers with all the help they need to tackle the challenges facing their businesses.

Antibiotic Sales Increase Again
UK - Reports of an increase in the sales of veterinary antimicrobial products in the UK in 2010 is reported, just a week after the EU has announced plans to cut the use of antibiotics.

South West Farmers Urged to Improve Slurry Storage
UK - Farmers in the South West are being reminded that time is running out if they need to enlarge their slurry storage to become compliant in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs).

CAP Plans Fail to Make Farming More Productive
UK - Defra Ministers have told the Europe Union’s Agriculture Commissioner that his draft proposals to reform the CAP fall short of meeting the key challenges he correctly identified some months ago...

Scotland's Veterinary Surveillance Under Scrutiny
SCOTLAND, UK - Proposals to improve the way vital information on animal disease is gathered, analysed and shared were yesterday published by the Scottish Government.