1 Sep 2007 - Rural RoundUp© - E-Magazine Vol 1
FARMING
Calls to farming helplines rocket Calls to farming charities are rising to higher levels than at any point since the 2001 foot-and-mouth epidemic as the effects of the movement restrictions are felt. 'Over the past two weeks there has been a four-fold rise in calls on our helpline,' says Trish Pickford of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI). The calls are coming from livestock farmers who are feeling the effects of the movement
restrictions, particularly smaller family farms where cashflow is especially critical, she says. 'Hardest hit are those who were already
suffering as a result of the July flooding.'
http://www.xpressdigest.org.uk/2007/08/22/calls-to-farming-helplines-rocket/
22 August 2007
© Farmers Weekly
State of the land.
For the south and east, the last week has been dogged by rain allowing little or no progress, but more ground has been covered in central and western regions and the North East. If the current good weather continues it will allow farmers to complete the majority of wheat. Many producers still have wet fields that remain at risk from waterlogging if rainfall resumes in the South East, South West and East Anglia. Farmers in most parts of the country still need four or five weeks of fine weather for the rest of harvest and preparing land for this autumn's planting.
NFU
Education and Farm Visits
Teachers are keen to get their pupils onto farms. New research reveals a strong willingness among teachers to incorporate food and farming into the national curriculum. Interviews of 175 teachers, conducted on behalf of the Kids Connect Campaign and sponsored by Bayer CropScience, showed that more than 80% of the schools surveyed had carried
out a farm visit in the past five years and half had already planned visits for 2008. The survey also suggested an imbalance between supply and demand, with 41 teachers saying there were no farms in easy reach of their
schools. If there were, 38 said they would visit them. Enthusiasm to use a
farm visit as an outdoor classroom for so many aspects of the curriculum
surprised the researchers, England Marketing. "We anticipated that biology, mathematics and environmental studies would be important, but history, religious studies and personal health and social development are also applicable," says EM's Sara Killingworth.
Calls to farming helplines rocket Calls to farming charities are rising to higher levels than at any point since the 2001 foot-and-mouth epidemic as the effects of the movement restrictions are felt. 'Over the past two weeks there has been a four-fold rise in calls on our helpline,' says Trish Pickford of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI). The calls are coming from livestock farmers who are feeling the effects of the movement
restrictions, particularly smaller family farms where cashflow is especially critical, she says. 'Hardest hit are those who were already
suffering as a result of the July flooding.'
http://www.xpressdigest.org.uk/2007/08/22/calls-to-farming-helplines-rocket/
22 August 2007
© Farmers Weekly
State of the land.
For the south and east, the last week has been dogged by rain allowing little or no progress, but more ground has been covered in central and western regions and the North East. If the current good weather continues it will allow farmers to complete the majority of wheat. Many producers still have wet fields that remain at risk from waterlogging if rainfall resumes in the South East, South West and East Anglia. Farmers in most parts of the country still need four or five weeks of fine weather for the rest of harvest and preparing land for this autumn's planting.
NFU
Education and Farm Visits
Teachers are keen to get their pupils onto farms. New research reveals a strong willingness among teachers to incorporate food and farming into the national curriculum. Interviews of 175 teachers, conducted on behalf of the Kids Connect Campaign and sponsored by Bayer CropScience, showed that more than 80% of the schools surveyed had carried
out a farm visit in the past five years and half had already planned visits for 2008. The survey also suggested an imbalance between supply and demand, with 41 teachers saying there were no farms in easy reach of their
schools. If there were, 38 said they would visit them. Enthusiasm to use a
farm visit as an outdoor classroom for so many aspects of the curriculum
surprised the researchers, England Marketing. "We anticipated that biology, mathematics and environmental studies would be important, but history, religious studies and personal health and social development are also applicable," says EM's Sara Killingworth.
SMOKING
Cigarette sales dropped nearly 7% in July after a smoking ban was
introduced in England.
Employment
More rural than urban areas achieve government targets for full employment, total employment is growing especially in sparse rural towns and rural areas also offer more diverse employment and more self-employment. Migrants working in rural areas have doubled over the last three years. Rural areas host large numbers of economically inactive residents and of employees working part time. Many residents have retired before state retirement age and tend to be amongst the richest or poorest groups, in poor health, or are looking after home and family. Nevertheless many rural residents older than state retirement age remain in employment
The State of the Countryside report, Commission for Rural Communities
South West Home Truths: The real cost of housing 2007-2012
The National Housing Federation has released a report showing that the lack of affordable homes in the region is resulting in a rapidly escalating housing crisis. One in every 15 families in the region is now on a waiting list for social housing and the numbers are rising faster than anywhere else in the country. South West Home Truths: The real cost of housing 2007 - 2012 includes Oxford Economic house price forecasts for the next five years. The figures show that affordability is going to worsen drastically as house prices across the region are set to increase by a further 44% to an average of £316,000 by 2012.
Average house prices across the South West are now nearly 12 times average incomes, making the region one of the most unaffordable areas in the UK to buy a home.
Cigarette sales dropped nearly 7% in July after a smoking ban was
introduced in England.
Employment
More rural than urban areas achieve government targets for full employment, total employment is growing especially in sparse rural towns and rural areas also offer more diverse employment and more self-employment. Migrants working in rural areas have doubled over the last three years. Rural areas host large numbers of economically inactive residents and of employees working part time. Many residents have retired before state retirement age and tend to be amongst the richest or poorest groups, in poor health, or are looking after home and family. Nevertheless many rural residents older than state retirement age remain in employment
The State of the Countryside report, Commission for Rural Communities
South West Home Truths: The real cost of housing 2007-2012
The National Housing Federation has released a report showing that the lack of affordable homes in the region is resulting in a rapidly escalating housing crisis. One in every 15 families in the region is now on a waiting list for social housing and the numbers are rising faster than anywhere else in the country. South West Home Truths: The real cost of housing 2007 - 2012 includes Oxford Economic house price forecasts for the next five years. The figures show that affordability is going to worsen drastically as house prices across the region are set to increase by a further 44% to an average of £316,000 by 2012.
Average house prices across the South West are now nearly 12 times average incomes, making the region one of the most unaffordable areas in the UK to buy a home.