Myth Number 5: INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE IS EFFICIENT
… Kimbrell | 1st April 2003 News Industrial Farming Agriculture Local Economy Community Small Farms EU Farming Agribusiness Animal Husbandry Factory Farming Agribusiness Organics Gm Products EU …
Below-par farm biosecurity should block farmers from participating in England's badger culls, writes Anna Dale. But a large body of evidence of poor and negligent biosecurity by farmers suggests that Natural England, the government's official regulator, is turning a blind eye to this strict requirement - and undermining the purpose of the cull.
… Anna Dale | 29th March 2017 Activism Badgers Farming Regulation UK England Health Science …
Doctors have been told to limit their use of antibiotics to limit the spread of microbial drug resistance, writes Emma Rose. But 40% of the UK's antibiotics are used on farms, of which 85% is fed to disease-free animals. We can no longer ignore the massive agricultural overuse of the drugs, now a major driver of antibiotic resistant infections.
… resistance - what about routine misuse in farming? Emma Rose | 11th September 2015 Comment Health Farming Regulation UK EU pigs-in-pen-cut.jpg … issue: systematic overuse of antibiotics in farming. Farm animals account for almost two …
It's a hard life being an organic farmer, writes Alicia Miller - and specially when it comes to engaging with a bureaucracy that's trying to 'green' our agriculture. Should small scale farmers change their farming practices to fit in with it? Or the other way round?
… To support 'green' farming, officials must learn that small is … Food Trust | 16th June 2015 Comment Farming Food UK EU Wales Organic Green Economy … Should small scale farmers change their farming practices to fit in with it? Or the …
The UK dairy industry is in crisis, writes Megan Perry, with falling prices forcing many farmers out of business. Smaller, more sustainable farms have been the worst casualties, while the large, intensive producers survive. We must ditch market-driven 'survival of the fittest' attitudes - and recognise both the real costs of intensification, and the true value of traditional farming.
… Food Trust | 30th October 2015 Comment Farming Food Economics UK EU … and the true value of traditional farming. Dairy farmers have faced an ongoing … industry's woes is simply to grow food and farming exports by £7 billion. It has remained …
Labels on meat, egg and dairy products are often the only clue we have into the lives of the animals they came from, writes Philip Lymbery. But they are often confusing or even misleading about the truth of cruel farming practices. Labelling needs to be clearer to allow ethical consumers to make the right choices.
… | 10th March 2016 Comment Animal Welfare Farming Consumerism UK EU Food intensively … this reality â© compassion in world farming-cut.jpg Labels on meat, egg and dairy … or even misleading about the truth of cruel farming practices. Labelling needs to be …
Regulatory failures are allowing Danish pigs infected with lethal antibiotic-resistant bacteria into British farms, writes Andrew Wasley, with contaminated pork found in UK supermarkets, and three human infections recorded. The official response? Deny there's a problem, take no action, and hope for the best. Six people may have died from the bug in Denmark, but the UK is safe, surely?
… | 14th October 2016 News Health Food Farming UK Denmark EU Regulation piglets … concerns about the potential impact on pig farming, a sector that is already under severe … among the most widely-used in intensive pig farming and are also used to treat urinary …
With most of our food exports going to the EU, and most of our food imports coming from the EU, Molly Scott Cato wondered what plans the government had for the sector after Brexit. The answer? None! Two reports published today map out a positive future of sustainable farming, local food, thriving rural economies and abundant biodiversity. But is the government on the same page?
… Brexit and the future of farming: threat or opportunity? Molly Scott Cato MEP | 21st February 2017 Comment Farming Biodiversity Economics Politics Brexit … map out a positive future of sustainable farming, local food, thriving rural economies …
The UK's massive use of antibiotics on farms is breeding lethal drug resistance into bacteria.
… | 24th July 2014 Comment Recycled Health UK Farming EU Politics zac-farm-cut.jpg The UK's … key difference is vested interest. Factory farming is dependent on routine use of … Motion 247: Use of antibiotics in intensive farming . "That this House recognises that the …
A growing number of farmers are now questioning the nature of the cull and its effectiveness. And some are blaming poor biosecurity and intensive farming for the spread of TB in the UK cattle herd. Andrew Wasley and Sarah Stirk report
… Stirk | 18th June 2013 News News Food And Farming Badgers Milk Dairy Animal Health … are blaming poor biosecurity and intensive farming for the spread of TB in the UK cattle … with high powered rifles', the government and farming bodies should urgently be looking …
The EU's farming policy is being touted as 'greener than ever' - but it's no such thing, write Lynn Dicks & Tim Benton. The 'green reforms' pay farmers for actions (and often inactions) that do not benefit wildlife, and contain no real or effective measures to help.
… Dicks Tim Benton | 17th June 2014 Comment Farming Natural World Biodiversity EU farm-ludlow-cut.jpg The EU's farming policy is being touted as 'greener … As part of a team of environmental and farming experts from across the EU, we …
Published in Nature today, a new cattle herd model shows how bTB infects cattle and how to halt its spread, writes Matt Keeling. Most effective is the slaughter of entire herds with even a single TB infection detected. Culling badgers has very little impact.
… Keeling | 3rd July 2014 News Badgers Health Farming UK Science btb-graph-cut.jpg Published …
New regulations on animal slaughter are in force across Russia, writes Georgy Borodyansky, with devastating effects on small farmers and consumers, who face a three-fold hike in the price of meat. Will the 'health and safety' madness destroy Russia's main producers of wholesome food?
… | 5th August 2014 News Russia Food Farming Regulation EU Law … Putin spoke of the importance of small-scale farming, at the congress of the Association of …
Thousands of small farmers in Poland are blockading motorways and holding demonstrations to demand land rights, a ban on GMOs and an end to oppressive health and safety regulations - and they are refusing to call off the protests until their demands are met.
… GMOs Oliver Tickell | 9th February 2015 News Farming Poland EU GMOs Land Grabs …
The government may want to press ahead with the English badger cull, writes Lesley Docksey. But after the Brexit vote it may just cost too much - for taxpayers and for the farmers who bear part an increasing share of the expense, now facing the loss of the 55% of their income that currently comes from Brussels.
… Docksey | 27th July 2016 Comment Badgers Farming Brexit Politics Natural World Finance … continue? Some 55% of the UK's income from farming comes from the EU via the Common … When faced with the possibility that British farming might be destroyed by the way FMD was …
MEPs vote tomorrow on Green measures to ensure that TTIP 'harmonisation' on food and farming means applying the highest standards, not the lowest, writes Molly Scott Cato. But will MEP's put farmers, food and animals before corporate profit?
… Scott Cato MEP | 13th April 2015 Comment Food Farming Trade EU USA hens-caged-cut.jpg MEPs … ensure that TTIP 'harmonisation' on food and farming means applying the highest standards, … particularly the risks to our food and farming system . In my position on the …
Al available science indicates that badgers have little if anything to do with bovine TB in cattle, writes Lesley Docksey. This is reflected in Wales's consultation on its 'refreshed TB Eradication Programme'. We must hope that Northern Ireland's bTB Eradication Strategy will be equally science based - and ready to campaign hard if it relies on cruel, ineffective and expensive badger culls.
Badger cull free TB eradication in Wales and Northern Ireland? The science demands it! Lesley Docksey | 6th December 2016 News Badgers Science Health UK Northern Ireland Wales farmyard-cut.jpg Al …
As they argue for an extended and intensified badger cull, some farmers have been making extravagant and improbable claims about giant badgers frolicking with their cattle in the sunshine, write Jay Tiernan & Lesley Docksey. But despite holding office in the NFU, they display astonishing negligence by failing to adopt the most elementary bio-security measures advised by Defra to keep their cattle TB free.
… Docksey | 22nd August 2015 Activism Badgers Farming Health UK cattle-cut.jpg As they argue … to convince people that it's not down to bad farming practice but the fault of the badgers? … wildlife is easier than letting better farming practices, testing and cattle controls …
With controversial plans to allow farmers to cull badgers later this year, Ed Hamer asks whether Bovine TB is really a health problem for either cows or humans
… | 30th January 2011 Comment Badgers Food And Farming Disease badger.jpg Badger culling … Land magazine READ MORE... NEWS Asian factory farming boom spreading animal diseases like … controls on excessive use in intensive farming NEWS ANALYSIS Warning as infectious …
With the 6th International Conference on Bovine TB under way today in Cardiff, Lesley Docksey reports on Defra's latest statistics. BTB in England is falling - and it's falling fastest where the strongest biosecurity measures are in place, confirming the experience of Wales and Scotland.
… 2014 News Natural World Badgers UK Health Farming cows-wales-cut.jpg With the 6th … other country ... ' Yet all Owen Paterson, Farming Minister George Eustice, Defra and the … call for more TB testing BBC Radio 4's Farming Today featured the story in early …
New EU regulations forbid the use of herbal remedies and plant essences to maintain animal health instead of antibiotics, reports Sandra Saadi. An organic ewe breeder in France has already been threatened with the loss of EU farm support payments.
… farms Sandra Saadi | 11th July 2014 News Farming Food France Regulation EU Health … consultant in natural health for livestock farming: " The benefits from these plants are … of disease are present. Antibiotic use is farming is believed to contribute to …
Farmers in northern Poland are demanding the right to sell the food they produce in local shops, fighting oppressive sanitary regulations, picketing the Land Agency for access to prime farmland, and resisting GMOs.
… Jadwiga Lopata | 16th February 2014 News Food Farming Poland EU polish-farmers.png Farmers … farmers' ability to expand their family farming enterprises and secure the long-term … deliberately - favour large, monocultural farming operations while ignoring the needs of …
A programme to be broadcast on BBC2 promoting badger culling as the answer to bovine TB is praised in the corporation's flagship Radio Times, writes Lesley Docksey. But both are criticised by experts for their inaccuracy and bias. The main reservoir for bTB is, and always has been, the cattle themselves - and that's where the real solutions begin.
… March 2016 Comment Badgers UK Natural World Farming Health Media biosecurity-cut.jpg A … Region media, and other media outlets, in farming programmes on radio and TV and papers devoted to farming. As Mark Jones, veterinarian and …
Brexit gives the UK the chance to reform the system of agricultural subsidies that rewards wealthy landowners at the expense of taxpayers, the global south, the environment, and small scale sustainable farmers, writes Alex Scrivener. But strong, effective campaigning will be needed to bring about the changes we desperately need.
… Alex Scrivener | 12th August 2016 Comment Farming Politics EU Brexit Finance UK … in a way that promotes a more sustainable farming model. Subsidies should only be given … with antibiotics are given handouts. These farming practices are contributing to the rise …