East Midlands Policy Update
EAST MIDLANDS NFU Policy Update No 868 23 September.
NFU RESPONSE TO EGRAIN PASSPORTS CONSULTATION The NFU response to the AHDB consultation on the eGrain pilot is on our website (click here please) From the outset, feedback of information has remained critical to the NFU membership. The facility must be available and operating for farmers from the start. We were pleased to see that in the pilot that function was developed. The decision on whether AHDB progress the eGrain system rests with industry. In the project report AHDB laid out some key questions that needed answering before roll out could potentially occur. The NFU response covers aspects such as farmer benefits, ownership, governance, data security, information feedback, funding and costs in more detail.
TB CONSULTATIONS LAUNCHED: CATTLE MEASURES AND NON-BOVINES Defra has launched two consultations and a call for views in relation to Bovine TB. Consultations: A consultation on introducing further cattle measures including more sensitive tests for TB-affected herds in the High Risk Area, and increased surveillance testing for herds in the Edge Area. A consultation on introducing further measures for controlling TB in non-bovine animals. Call for views (responses will influence a future full consultation): A call for views on a more risk-based approach to TB testing of cattle herds in the High Risk Area. In order for livestock and dairy the boards to have time to consider the views of members please send in all responses by 11 October (DEFRA is accepting responses up to 8 November). To read the consultations click here.
ILLEGAL HARE COURSING IN LINCOLNSHIRE If you have some information to pass on please do not hesitate - text ‘HARE’ followed by details to 80800 anonymously and free. We are in a war of attrition here and the more vehicles/dogs we confiscate the more these people realise it isn’t worth it. Please come along to the local meetings at Bourne and Old Leake on Thursday and Friday next week. See the events section for details.
HARVEST SURVEY 2016 For the past ten years we have seen a series of dramatic seasons with volatile weather, markets and input prices buffeting profitable arable production. We’re inviting members to help us to assess the impact of another turbulent year in this year’s NFU arable crops harvest survey. The deadline for returning final results for England and Wales is Sunday 9 October. Click here to take part.
COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP – DEADLINE 30 SEPTEMBER The deadline for mid-tier applications is 30 September, next Friday. Some members in CS have received letters asking for additional evidence e.g. photo of a plot or copy of field records. They have until 30 September to return that evidence to NE. It is a requirement of the scheme that the land use code claimed in BPS matches the CS option being applied for. Therefore, if you are currently submitting an application for a grassland option the 2016 BPS claim for that field will need to be for permanent pasture. The check against BPS land use codes will continue through the life of the agreement. More information online
BACK BRITISH FARMING DAY ATTRACTS 15 EAST MIDS MPS AND A LORD NFU’s national event to celebrate Great British Food at Westminster last week, saw 15 of the region’s MPs and a Lord come along to show their support for our Back British Farming campaign. You can read more about the event and view our photo gallery, here. Thank you to Mark Leggott, Sarah Dawson, Brian Dalby and Peter Gadd for attending, too, and for helping to brief MPs and peers on the importance of our food and farming industry.
The voice of British farming
NFU East Midlands, Agriculture House, North Gate, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9NX Tel: 01572 824 250 Fax: 01572 824 251 Email: [email protected]
East Midlands Policy Update
MPs were urged to wear a special Back British Farming lapel pin and asked to sign NFU’s Back British Farming Pledge, which asks politicians to support our industry and gives seven principles for them to sign up to. You can read more about the pledge on NFUonline.com. If you’re seeing your MP in the next few months, please ask them for their support for our industry – it is vital that they understand how important food and farming is to the economy, the environment and to future national and international food and farming policy, post Brexit.
TAP INTO LEICESTERSHIRE RURAL TOURISM A free event in Leicestershire is being held on 31 October to allow rural businesses and farmers to find out more about the practicalities of setting up and running a tourism business. A range of professionals from the tourism industry will be able to answer questions about practical issues such as marketing, planning permission, environmental health, funding opportunities and more. is being held from 4.30-6.30pm on Monday, 31, October at Melton Borough Council’s offices, Burton Street. It has been organised by East Leicestershire LEADER programme which launched last year to support rural business and tourism across Melton and Harborough, plus parts of Charnwood and Blaby. Tickets can be booked online at the Leicester Business Festival website www.leicesterbusinessfestival.com. For more information contact Charlotte Long on 0116 305 6298 or email [email protected]
LEICESTERSHIRE SCHEME OPENS The Stepping Stones project is offering farmers and landowners the chance to apply for up to £2,500 to enhance green spaces and wildlife habitats in the county. The Landscape and Wildlife grant is available to farmers and landowners who are looking to carry out work that will enhance green spaces and wildlife habitats on their land. This could include creating woodlands and ponds for wildlife, planting hedges, or other work that would benefit local wildlife. The grant offers £2,500 in match-funding to cover 50% of total costs of a scheme. To enquire about the grants, or for an application form, contact [email protected] or call Samantha Village on 0116 305 7264
FREE HEDGEPACKS FOR LEICESTERSHIRE The Woodland Trust, in partnership with Stepping Stones is offering free Trees Make Hedges packs to farmers and landowners. The scheme offers 1x100 metre pack of hedge planting and 25 hedge trees to each applicant living in the Stepping Stones area. Applicants are welcome to apply for more than one pack; however these are awarded dependent on availability. For more information, contact: 0330 333 5303 or email [email protected]
METALDEHYDE Here are the latest metaldehyde results from Anglian Water. Location Result Date Change River Ancholme (Cadney) 0.543ug/L 14-Sep-16 Up Louth Canal (Covenham) 0.274ug/L 14-Sep-16 Up River Nene (Duston Mill) 0.148ug/L 14-Sep-16 Up River Trent (Newton) 0.078ug/L 18-Sep-16 Up River Gwash (Sounding Bridge near Manton) 0.073ug/L 16-Sep-16 Up River Welland (Tinwell) 0.127ug/L 16-Sep-16 Down River Nene (Wansford) 0.108ug/L 16-Sep-16 Down Five river intakes are above the drinking water standard of 0.1 ug/l. Please be as careful as you can during the metaldehyde spreading season. For more information see www.getpelletwise.co.uk
PLANNING
The voice of British farming
NFU East Midlands, Agriculture House, North Gate, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9NX Tel: 01572 824 250 Fax: 01572 824 251 Email: [email protected]
East Midlands Policy Update
The government is consulting on part of the upcoming Neighbourhood Planning Bill – how pre-commencement planning conditions add cost and delay to planning projects. More information here. If members have information about how their development projects have been affected by these conditions please let us know ([email protected] copy to [email protected]).
EVENTS
Please click here to view our events page.
Hare coursing meeting – 8am Gregoire Besson, Bourne PE10 0NU – 29 SEPTEMBER Hare coursing meeting – 8am Old Leake Community Centre PE22 9NX – 30 SEPTEMBER Melton Mowbray Food Festival – Melton Mowbray – 1 & 2 OCTOBER IAgSA Regional Training Day – Kilworth – 6 OCTOBER D2N2’s free Business Breakfasts series – Derby – 11 OCTOBER RABI Charity Clay Shoot – Loughborough – 15 OCTOBER Lincolnshire Rural Support AGM – Hubberts Bridge – 17 OCTOBER D2N2’s free Business Breakfasts series – Nottingham – 19 OCTOBER Lincolnshire Harvest Festival – Lincoln – 23 OCTOBER D2N2’s free Business Breakfasts series – Chesterfield – 3 NOVEMBER Nottinghamshire Rural Support AGM – Blyth – 7 NOVEMBER D2N2’s free Business Breakfasts series – Mansfield – 10 NOVEMBER D2N2’s free Business Breakfasts series – Matlock – 16 NOVEMBER D2N2’s free Business Breakfasts series – Worksop – 23 NOVEMBER NFU Ball – Spalding – 26 NOVEMBER
THE FOOD AND FARMING DEBATE – 3 OCTOBER Please join the NFU for our Fringe Event at the Conservative Party’s Autumn Conference on Monday 3 October, Great British food and drink available from 6.30pm, 7pm start at The Studio, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Broad Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 2EP. Speakers: Rt. Hon, Andrea Leadsom MP, Defra Secretary of State, George Eustice MP, Defra Minister for Agriculture, Meurig Raymond MBE, NFU President, Minette Batters, NFU Deputy President and Guy Smith, NFU Vice-President.
BVDFREE! NATIONAL BVD ERADICATION SCHEME – 3 OCTOBER Join AHDB on 3 October to join the local campaign to make Derbyshire and Staffordshire BVDFree. Time: Food from 7:30pm, meeting start 8pm prompt. Bakewell Market, the Agricultural Business Centre DE45 1AH. Book via [email protected] / 07773 234673. Or through your local veterinary practice. Please ensure you register so that catering and seating can be organised accordingly. Free parking permits are available on arrival.
MISCANTHUS GROWERS WANTED – DEMONSTRATION DAY - 5 OCTOBER Terravesta, the Lincolnshire based miscanthus specialists and Anglia Farmers are holding a farm walk and information day on 5 October at Glentworth Village Hall, north of Lincoln. The walk is free of charge and guests on the day will have the chance to view a commercial miscanthus crop on an arable farm, speak to the grower, and hear from Terravesta and Anglia Farmers about long term contracts to supply UK whole bale
The voice of British farming
NFU East Midlands, Agriculture House, North Gate, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9NX Tel: 01572 824 250 Fax: 01572 824 251 Email: [email protected]
East Midlands Policy Update
power stations with miscanthus and wheat and barley straw. Anyone interested in finding out more about growing miscanthus for biomass production is welcome to attend the event. Find out more here.
SHEEP ID, RPA INSPECTIONS & THE ‘10 MILE RULE’ Friday 14 October, 10.30am. Blaze Farm, Wildboarclough, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 0BL. Come and hear the experts explain everything you need to know. Sheep ID and inspections cause lots of BPS penalties. Speakers; Ian Cairns, Farming Advice Service, Margaret Casey, RPA Inspectorate, Paul Drake – Massey Feeds – Sheep Nutrition. Please reserve your place by contacting the NFU NW Office on 01695 554 900 or email [email protected].
RABI CHARITY CLAY SHOOT – LEICESTERSHIRE RABI COMMITTEE – 15 OCTOBER Breakfast starts at 9am, competition from 10am - 4pm on Saturday 15 October 2016 at Bawdon Lodge Farm, Charley Cross Roads, Nanpantan, Loughborough, LE12 9YE, by kind permission of the Bailey family. £20 per gun for a 50 target day. £100 cash prize for top score of the day plus other prizes and raffle. Bring own cartridges/cartridges on sale (FIBRE WAD ONLY - shot size 7 no greater than 28 gms). To register your interest, please contact: Veronica Sutton on 01455 293452 or [email protected]. No dogs allowed.
THE GROWTH OF MAIZE – 2 NOVEMBER Maize production across the region has increased dramatically in recent years. This event will consider: associated issues including blackgrass control, variety choice and soil protection; the results of a Defra funded GLNP study looking at the impact of increased maize cropping on pollinators; ways to overcome some of the environmental implications while maintaining farm profitability. Speakers will include Jeremy Nicholson of Frontier Agriculture, Barney Parker of Ashfield Farmed Environment Services and a representative from the Environment Agency. The event will take place at Branston Village Hall, Lincoln Road, Branston LN4 1PA, 9.30am – 12 noon, lunch to follow. Booking is essential, please call 01507 528384 or email [email protected]
© Whilst every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy at the date of publication of the information and comment provided in this document, no representation is made as to its correctness or completeness and no responsibility or liability is assumed for errors or omissions. This document is intended for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice.
The voice of British farming
NFU East Midlands, Agriculture House, North Gate, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9NX Tel: 01572 824 250 Fax: 01572 824 251 Email: [email protected]