EU biofuels proposals threaten millions of pounds of investment – and our renewables and climate targets
The European Commission today formally announced the changes it intends to make to existing Europe-wide biofuels legislation. Draft versions of the proposals have been leaked to the press over the past month. While the proposals are not as damaging as the leaked versions had suggested, there are still several issues which threaten jobs and investment […]
New environmental stewardship handbooks now available online
The fourth edition of the Environmental Stewardship (ES) handbooks are now available on the Natural England website containing details of a suite of new options and updates aimed at increasing the environmental benefits and value for money of the schemes. As well as the introduction of five new options, changes will also be made to […]
Supporting agricultural cooperatives in the fight against hunger and poverty
Some one billion people belong to cooperatives in nearly 100 countries worldwide guarding consumers, producers, and workers against hunger, bankruptcy, and rights abuses. Agricultural cooperatives help farmers access and share information, get fair prices for their goods, and participate in local decision making. This October 16, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will celebrate […]
Charity demonstrates how trees can aid farmers in times of crisis
The event hosted by Bidwells in Cambridge was held to launch the Trust’s new report – ‘Trees on Arable Farms’ – which explains how trees can be part of the solution to climate problems facing farmers today. Following the NFU’s statement this week about the impact of extreme weather events causing a significantly poor harvest […]
Government announcement major step forward for biomass conversion
Eggborough Power Limited (currently supplying 3% of UK electricity through one of the UK’s largest coal fired power stations), welcomed today’s announcement by Government on certainty for biomass conversion projects. Eggborough Power Station currently provides enough electricity for two million customers, supports hundreds of direct jobs and thousands more across a supply chain which includes […]
Global GM experiment must stop, say’s Green Party
The Green Party’s Leader Natalie Bennett spoke out after research discovered herbicide use increased 11 per cent from 1996-2011 – despite claims from Monsanto that its Roundup plants and weed control products would ‘decrease the overall use of herbicides’. Ms Bennett said: ‘We have been here before and the response we must make remains the […]
Government considers ban on ash tree movements
The announcement follows the discovery of ash trees infected by the Chalara fraxinea fungus in several nurseries and recent tree planting sites in England and Scotland. The infected plants had come from nurseries in continental Europe, or had been in contact with ash plants imported from the Continent. The Forestry Commission, Fera and the Scottish […]
EnviTec Biogas completes three farm AD projects
EnviTec Biogas has completed the anaerobic digestion (AD) plants at Buttermilk Hall Farm near Buntingford, Hertfordshire, Trinity Hall Farm near Dunstable, Bedfordshire and Station Works in Thaxted, Essex. Each of the 1MW facilities has been built in partnership with anaerobic digestion developer Hallwick Energy. Buntingford is a 3,000-acre arable farm run by Scott&Scott, which also […]
Alternative gas – what are the facts?
Shale gas received coverage in the Telegraph and the FT last week, following the release of an IoD report on its potential last week. We thought you should see the comparison between renewable biogas from AD and unconventional shale gas from fracking… Biogas from AD Shale gas from fracking Could create 35,000 jobs Could create […]
