Today's News

07 August 2012

"Scotland's fantastic wildlife and landscapes have to be protected and this requires investment, and a fall in investment will inevitably lead to decline in biodiversity and key species. This will be a loss to us all. The government has to get these policies firmly embedded in its future actions and policies."
Stuart Housden, the Scottish director of the RSPB, on cuts to agri-environment funding in Scotland – The Guardian – 6 August 2012

EU organic wine rules ‘not strict enough’
The European Union's first rules governing organic wine production have come into force – but some are concerned that they do not go far enough. The Soil Association has tougher sulphur dioxide limits in its own certification scheme than the EU.
Decanter.com (6 Aug)

Cuts to Scotland eco-farming schemes could mean species loss, RSPB warns
Scotland faces the loss of some of its most vulnerable bird species and habitats after ministers cut environment spending on farmland by £25m, a senior conservationist has warned. Stuart Housden, the Scottish director of the RSPB, said ministers in Edinburgh were risking legal action by the EU after "raiding" the budget which was intended to conserve corncrakes, rare orchids, peatbogs and flower meadows in the face of modern farming techniques, climate change and habitat loss.
The Guardian (6 Aug)

Poll: Should GM crop trials be allowed to go ahead?
Cast your vote in this Countryfile survey. You will need to register on the website to vote in the poll.
Countryfile (6 Aug)

Floods hit farms across Britain
Torrential rain has caused widespread flooding over the weekend, with 31 flood warnings issued across Britain. Up to 30mm of rain fell in an hour in some parts of the country on Sunday (5 August), with slow moving thunderstorms affecting southern Scotland, northern England, Wales and south-west England
Farmers Weekly (6 Aug)

Crop data gives drought-stricken farmers a leg up on getting by with less
The device keeping disaster away from Glenn Cox's farm in this summer's devastating drought could well be the laptop on his kitchen counter. A few keystrokes and eventually his painfully slow dial-up connection pulls up graphs tracking temperature and moisture levels from his corn and peanut fields. The real-time feed gives Cox an advantage over farmers across a vast swathe of the mid-west who are preparing to give up on their crops.
The Guardian (6 Aug)

Activists grill producers of modified corn
As the Midwest crunches into sweet corn season, a new type will be appearing on grocery store shelves — even though shoppers have no way to recognize it. It's genetically modified sweet corn from the biotech giant Monsanto, engineered to resist a common herbicide and certain pests. The arrival of the crop's first harvest has alarmed consumer groups and activists who say genetically modified foods may pose environmental and health risks.
Chicago Tribune (4 Aug)

5 perennial veggies to plant once and enjoy forever
Most of the foods we grow are annuals: Each winter, they disappear and must be replanted in the spring. A bountiful garden of delicious organic food is worth the work of planning and planting, but smart gardeners also curate a few perennials, which come back year after year with little maintenance required. Here are some classic perennials to plant now for harvest next summer.
Huffington Post (6 Aug)

Farming Today
Russia's grain yields are being forecast sharply lower. How have floods affected farmers in Scotland? Farmers in Suffolk are still irrigating crops . Anna Hill finds out the science behind it from one arable grower. This week, Farming Today is examining the barley harvest. Emma Weatherill visits a barley farmer in Hereford.
BBC Radio 4, listen again (7 Aug)

And finally…Guard llamas: the ultimate crimefighters?
Animal rustling is on the rise. And farmers are taking unusual steps to combat the problem.
The Guardian (6 Aug)