New Forest trees count the cost of months of storms
Exceptionally wet and windy weather has seen New Forest tree experts inundated with enquiries about damaged and fallen trees. The New Forest National Park Authority’s Senior Tree Officer Bryan Wilson says that in his 25 years of caring for New Forest trees, he and his team has never had to issue so many notices for […]
LEAF urges farmers to consider opportunities presented by wet weather
Following recent severe wet weather, which has left hundreds of acres of farmland covered by floodwater, LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) is urging farmers to take a longer term view and consider some practical steps they can be taking now, to ensure more sustainable water management going forward. The sustainable farming organisation says that whilst […]
Collaboration amongst farmers and hauliers
Andrew Ward a farmers in Lincolnshire has set up a campaign “Forage for Snow Hit Farmers” and Camgrain farmer, Chris Eglington read about this and offered a lorry load of hay but getting it all the way form Norfolk to Wales was proving a challenge. Camgrain’s marketing agency, England Marketing approached Dan Fabb of RF […]
Shocking 2012 weather dents farming’s bottom line
Latest Defra farm income figures show a 14 per cent decrease in the bottom line for UK agriculture, as the total income from farming (TIFF) decreased by £737million in 2012 to £4.7billion. NFU Chief Economist Phil Bicknell said: “The overall fall in farm profitability will not be a surprise for anyone in the industry. The […]
DEFRA to meet the cost of removing sheep killed in snow
This is the latest move in a programme of support to help farmers affected by recent snow. Defra has already permitted farmers to bury or burn livestock onsite if snow makes it difficult to get them to a collection vehicle, and has relaxed rules on driver hours to allow extra time for essential deliveries of […]
Group letter to Minister
Alun Davies Minister for Natural Resources & Food Welsh Assembly Government Cardiff Bay Cardiff CF99 1NA Dear Minister, The gravity of the position on some farms in Wales following the blizzard conditions experienced in the third week of March and those which have since been endured is such that we, as leaders of the […]
CLA calls for extension to derogation for burying livestock
The Association has written to Farming Minister David Heath saying it was particularly important for farmers in the Uplands to be given extra time to bury their fallen stock after recent bad weather, and reported that CLA members in Cumbria alone have lost up to half of their breeding stock. CLA President Harry Cotterell said: […]
Minister’s response to lamb losses just crumbs, say’s FUW leader
The union’s president Emyr Jones, who has lost stock on his Bala farm, said natural resources and food minister Alun Davies’ decision to extend the current derogation for on-farm burial until April 16 with the addition of parts of north Ceredigion was the least he could do. “He has also announced a review of how […]
Banking on severe weather support
The severe weather and heavy snow that has affected many parts of Scotland over the past few weeks has had a significant impact on farmers especially during the busy lambing season. Bank of Scotland Head of Agriculture, Sandy Hay comments: “The recent awful weather has occurred in the midst of lambing and will have severely […]
