Agriculture stories in the national news

23 Mar 13:32

Dairy Farmers of Britain collapse condemned by MPs

THE collapse of a major dairy co-operative, with the loss of more than 1,000 jobs and millions of pounds for farmers, was the result of over-ambition and poor decisions, MPs said today.

Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFB), which collapsed in June 2009, had 1,800 farmer members supplying more than a billion litres of milk to the food and drink industry, comprising 10% of UK production.

Journal Live
http://tinyurl.com/ya6zp5a

Farmers lost millions due to 'inadequate' bosses at troubled dairy co-op, say MPs

FARMERS who lost millions of pounds when a dairy co-operative collapsed were let down by "inadequate" bosses whose ambitious growth plans stretched beyond financial reality, say MPs.

More than 1,000 jobs were lost and 1,800 farmers were left out of pocket following the demise of Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFB), one of the major players in the UK milk-buying market.

Yorkshire Post
http://tinyurl.com/ybbfpko

Monitor farm beefs up production

THE advantages of discussing cattle husbandry issues within a group of beef farmers is now bringing about profitable herd management changes in the beef enterprise on a Borders farm.

Brothers Neil and Keith Thomson, who farm 1,600, mainly arable acres, over three units near Kelso, run a suckler herd of 120 predominantly Limousin cross suckler cows.

The Scotsman
http://tinyurl.com/yka7stc

Asda axes 200 dairy farmers

Supermarket chain Asda has axed 200 dairy farmers after telling them it had a milk lake.

The dumped farmers say they will be £5,000 out of pocket from April and some say the move will dent their plans for the future.

North Yorkshire farms have been the hardest hit and Harrogate dairy farmer David Brown who lost his contract said:"It basically means there will be no investment at this farm - that will be it."

The Mirror
http://tinyurl.com/yclhcrh

EU wants US to jump-start Doha trade talks

The European Union cannot make more concessions on farm trade to restart stalled world trade talks and the United States must make the first move, the EU's new trade chief said on Monday (22 March).

The ball was not in the EU's hands in the Doha trade talks, Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht said. "We are not responsible for what is presently happening," he said, speaking at the London School of Economics.

Euractiv
http://tinyurl.com/yzo7rhd

Farmer zapped with 50,000 volt power cable saved by his wellies

A farmer who was electrocuted when a 50,000 volt power cable fell on his tractor was saved from near certain death by his wellington boots.

Simon Mabin, 24, was ploughing a field on his family's 170 acre farm when the overhead pylon collapsed and landed on the vehicle's roof.

Daily Mail
http://tinyurl.com/yaky9yy

Veggies are wrong and eating less meat will NOT save planet

Calls to save the planet by eating less meat are based on an exaggerated UN report linking livestock to global warming, according to an analysis of the study.

Celebrities from Sir Paul McCartney to Gwyneth Paltrow have long urged less meat consumption but, according to air quality expert Dr Frank Mitloehner, the green campaign has been barking up the wrong tree.