Log exports from Canada and the US to Asia have increased this year

Log exports from Canada and the US to Asia have increased this yearwith the shipment from the US South being 130 % higher than in 2013,reports the North American Wood Fiber Review.

Rural Payments Agency business plan 2014 to 2015

This document contains the following information: Rural Payments Agency (RPA) business plan 2013 to 2014.

CAP Reform greening - work out what it means for you

The leaflet provides the latest information on the ‘greening’ rules and adds to the information provided in ‘An introduction to the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) schemes in England’, which was sent to all CAP customers in April.  The leaflet is aimed at stakeholders, agents and farm advisers, to help farmers work out the:      crop diversification rules and exemptions     exemptions from the Ecological Focus Area rules  You should use the list of crops to help work out crop diversification requirements.

CAP reform - how we will manage double funding

The document provides the latest information on the ‘greening’ rules and adds to the information provided in CAP Reform: greening - work out what it means for you which was sent to all CAP customers on 9 June 2014.  The document is aimed at farmers and other land managers with Environmental Stewardship agreements to help work out      whether their payments have to be reduced to avoid ‘double funding’     if so, the choices that are available  The document will also be of interest to agents and farm advisers.

The case for the relaxation of sheep controls

The National Sheep Association (NSA) has written to all 73 newly elected and re-elected MEPs, plus the 39 outgoing representatives, drawing their attention to a £23 million annual bill burdening sheep farmers due to one single piece of EU legislation.

Beak Trim Lobby Pack

Help support your egg industry. Attached is the lobby pack for you to write to your MP calling for the ban on the trimming of a hens beak to be delayed until suitable ways are found to stop hens from cannibalising other hens.

Pig welfare - EFSA updates its scientific advice

Pigs have a need for manipulable materials to satisfy a range of behavioural needs, which can be different in different classes of pig. When these needs are not met, a range of adverse welfare consequences result, one of these being an increased risk for tail-biting in weaners and rearing pigs.

Bovine TB in non-bovine species - Great Britain 2013

As of March 2014, this report includes data collected from AHVLA regional field services relating to the number of premises affected by incidents of M. bovis infection and the number of individual animals tested and removed as TB test reactors.

Badger cull costs and culled badger numbers

Costs EIRs: cost of: cages; bait; gloves, masks and disinfectant; and ammunition used during the original 6 weeks of the pilot culls and during the extended period, as well as labour costs; who paid; information about Defra reimbursements. How many badgers were killed using cage trapping and shooting during the 6 week pilot cull and the extended period, and when the first badger was killed by each of those methods.

Disease continues to be the focus of global pork markets

Pork shortages will be a key concern in many countries in the coming months. According to the Rabobank Pork Quarterly Q2 report, the ongoing spread of porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDv) in the Americas and Asia will have a material impact on pork supply both this summer and in the years to come. Exacerbating tight global supply is Russia’s ban on EU pork imports after recent African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks. However, oversupply in China is expected to continue, driven by high sow liquidation.