Prospects look good for 2014 cereals harvest
After the disappointing harvest of 2013 and widespread regional flooding, there is finally some positive news for British farmers. The prospects for this year’s harvest are good, according to national agricultural and environmental consultancy, ADAS, which has today released its data analysis report on crop establishment conditions for 2012/13 and 2013/14. ADAS’ figures show the […]
Red Tractor Assurance announce winners of Suzuki ATV
Mr and Mrs Iveson, Red Tractor beef and sheep farmers from North Yorkshire, have claimed the Suzuki All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) prize after entering the competition at the NSA North Sheep event in 2013. Throughout 2013 Red Tractor Assurance were offering the chance to win the ATV, kindly donated by Suzuki, through filling out a short […]
New wireless network to revolutionise soil testing
A University of Southampton researcher has helped to develop a wireless network of sensors that is set to revolutionise soil-based salinity measuring. Dr Nick Harris, from Electronics and Electrical Engineering, worked with a group of professors from the University of Western Australia (UWA) to produce the revolutionary sensor that can carry out non-destructive testing of […]
Firefighters rescue farmer skewered by metal spike
Firefighters were faced with an extraordinary rescue operation when a farmer accidentally impaled himself onto a 45 centimetre long tractor fork. The 40 millimetre thick spike had gone straight through the right side of Graham Heatley’s lower back, across his abdomen and was sticking out of the left side of his stomach. He had been […]
Arable farmers let down by EU seeds decision
The European Parliament’s decision to reject proposed Plant Reproductive Material (PRM) legislation represents a backwards step and is a missed opportunity to help increase the resilience of UK arable farms in the face of climate change and to improve their ability to compete internationally, the NFU said today. MEPs today failed to support NFU calls […]
Farming industry sets out future agenda for low-carbon food production
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the future should go hand in hand with producing food for a growing population and delivering for the environment. This was the message during a workshop held by the agriculture industry’s Greenhouse Gas Action Plan (GHGAP) when policymakers, officials from the Committee on Climate Change, supply chain representatives, scientists and […]
John Homewood – Farmer with vision of the future
John Homewood, an Oxfordshire farmer who developed a reputation as being ahead of his time in many aspects of farming, has died unexpectedly aged 84. His vision of the future of farming helped to shape the growth of buying groups and grain marketing, while he also influenced the resurgence of traditional turkeys and geese for […]
EU sees sense on MOTs for tractors and livestock trailers after NFU lobbying
The NFU has successfully secured exemptions for agricultural vehicles from unnecessary MOT testing following a vote by the EU Parliament. After a ‘trilogue’ agreement between the European Parliament, Council and Commission at the end of last year, MEPs in Strasbourg have today finally decided to ditch the proposals in a full plenary vote. The plans, […]
FSB concerns heard as European Parliament introduces new roadworthiness regime
Commenting on today’s vote in the European Parliament to introduce a new roadworthiness regime, John Allan, National Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Small businesses will be pleased that they are not facing new and unnecessary burdens to test their light trailers and tractors. Having campaigned hard on this issue for almost two years, the […]
