Today's News

26 November 2012

 “Quite apart from the huge economic benefit of bees as pollinators of food crops, there is something particularly poignant and depressing about the loss of bees. If we are stupid enough to risk destroying something so vital to our own food, what hope is there for us as custodians of this planet?”
Guy Watson, Riverford founder, Mumsdiary 25 November 2012

EU budget talks collapse puts CAP timetable under pressure
Talks on a new EU budget settlement ended in failure in Brussels on Friday, putting renewed pressure on the timetable for agreeing Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reform.
Farmers Guardian (23 Nov)

Growing food in the desert: is this the solution to the world's food crisis?
Philipp Saumweber is creating a miracle in the barren Australian outback, growing tonnes of fresh food. So why has he fallen out with the pioneering environmentalist who invented the revolutionary system?
The Observer (24 November)

Future ban on bee-killing pesticides investigated
The Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is examining the possibility of banning the controversial nerve-agent pesticides increasingly implicated in the decline of bees and other pollinating insects.
The Independent (22 Nov)
NFU gives evidence on bees and insecticides to Select Committee
NFU Online (23 Nov)

Riverford joins Soil Association to Keep Britain Buzzing
Riverford which delivers veg, meat and other organic food to homes in North Somerset, has joined up with the Soil Association’s Keep Britain Buzzing campaign. The campaign deals with issues close to Riverford’s heart and the organic delivery company sees this campaign as a great way of raising awareness about the massive implications of declining bee populations.
Mums Diary (25 Nov)

British bird species 'face extinction' if EU cuts £8bn agriculture subsidy
Conservation groups are warning that the UK could lose several species of bird within a decade if, as expected, billions of pounds of European funding to help farmers promote biodiversity are cut.
The Guardian (24 Nov)

Reduced Cap cuts still unacceptable, says Kenny
The Taoiseach said cutbacks from the Common Agricultural Policy remained unacceptable to Ireland even after European Council president Herman van Rompuy eased his demand for a smaller budget.
The Irish Times (24 Nov)

Live interview : GMO food ban
Following the Kenyan government’s decision to ban all GMOs, KTN; Kenya’s national news channel, reports on the issue, interviewing various experts.
KTN, watch now (26 Nov)
News: Scientists oppose GMO's ban
KTN, watch now (26 Nov)

New Suckler Dairy System
Farmers from across the region were given an insight into the workings into a new approach to dairy farming and renewable energy.
Find out more about what the Soil Association is doing in Scotland.
Scottish Farmer (24 Nov)
Find out about what the Soil Association is doing in Scotland.

Mexico GMO Corn Plantings Postponed as 7,000 Years of Agriculture Hangs in the Balance
A temporary halt on the planting of GMO corn took place on Thursday, Nov. 22 as it was announced that proposed plantings of the highly controversial genetically modified maize were halted in Mexico. The news means that the successor’s government of president-elect Enrique Pena Nieto will now handle the issue sometime in the spring of 2013 according to Reuters.
The Natural Independent (23 Nov)

AIC boss: Food supply chain needs to empower shoppers
Agri-supply companies should engage with consumers more, two of the speakers at the AIC conference told the audience.
Farmers Weekly (23 Nov)

Nitrogen fixing wheat 'possible in the next 20 years'
The transfer of genes from legumes and oats into wheat will allow the production of cereal crops capable of fixing nitrogen and with resistance to take-all in the next 20 years, according to one scientist.
Farmers Weekly (23 Nov)

Farming Today
Russians end import ban on British Beef as safety checks are scaled back in the UK and the rain hasn’t deterred efforts to save juniper in the Lake District.
BBC Radio 4, listen again (26 Nov)

And another thing… Britain's oldest tortoise celebrates 130th birthday
A female tortoise called Thomas survived a bomb blast during the Second World War and has since seen in another seven decades.
The Telegraph (25 Nov)