Provided by Tim Brigstocke-
1. The Government has reached an outline agreement for the UK to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is considered unlikely to have a material effect on trade as the UK already has free trade agreements with many of the member states.
2. The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act has become law. The Act will set in motion changes to allow farmers to grow crops which are drought and disease resistant, reduce the use of fertilisers and pesticides and help breed animals that are protected from catching harmful diseases. A new science based and streamlined regulatory system will be introduced to facilitate greater research and innovation in precision breeding. Stricter regulations will remain in place for genetically modified organisms.
3. Three projects have been awarded funding totalling £9.13 million under the Large R & D Partnership competition. Only one is livestock related and that’s the AG ARC project, led by Garnett Farm Engineering which has been awarded £2.5 million towards the development of an autonomous cow cubicle bedding unit.
4. Data released by the Environment Agency shows that, during 2022, water companies released raw sewage into rivers and seas in England for over 1.75 million hours, an average of 824 spills per day. Whilst the average was a third down on 2021,the EA attributed the fall to dry weather rather than any action by the water companies!
5.Between 2018 and 2019,Scotland’s carbon footprint fell by 1.3% to 75.9 million tonnes carbon equivalent. It has fallen by 23.6% since 1998.
6. The first estimate of Farm Business Income for the year to Feb 2023 has been published. Average cereal farming income is forecast to rise by 11% to £134,000; average income for general cropping farms will rise by 75% to £249,000 but income on lowland grazing farms is set to fall by 50% to £17,000.Average dairy farming income will rise by 75% to £249,000.
7. The Scottish Government has reported that an average farm incomes in 2021/22 are estimated to have been £50,000,up £11,000 on 2020/21, and the first time in 10 years that farms have been profitable without subsidies. Without subsidies, the average farm would have achieved a profit of £5,100 but 56% of all farms would have recorded a loss.
8. The Average All Milk price for December the latest available and reported in February shows an average price of 51 pence per litre, an increase of 0.45 above the Nov average and 17 pence above the price a year earlier and more than 19 pence above the 5 year rolling average of 32.47 pence per litre. The initial Jan results are a significant fall of 2.4 to 49.20 pence per litre. The EU Average for Dec was 51.40 pence per litre.
9. A single case of atypical BSE has been confirmed on a farm in Cornwall. Atypical BSE is a naturally and sporadically occurring non contagious disease which is believed to occur in cattle populations at a very low rate.
10. Meat and Livestock Australia has forecast that their cattle herd will grow by 4.5% in 2023 to 28.8 million head.
11. In the year to Dec 2022 there was an increase of 3% in the number of new bovine TB incidents in England, with increases of 6% in the High Risk area and 17% in the Low Risk but a fall of 14% in the Edge area. There was an increase of 21% in Scotland and a fall of 10% in Wales.
12.Milk production in 2023/24 is forecast to be 12.46 billion litres, up 0.5% on 2022/23.Global milk production is forecast to increase by 0.7%.
13.Average Butterfat in Feb fell by 0.3% to 4.31% but was up 1.1% on a year earlier. Average Protein fell by 0.4% to 3.38% but was up 1% on a year earlier.
14. According to BCMS, the GB milking herd fell by 0.8% in the year to Jan, the smallest decline since Jan 2018 although the 2-4 year old category grew by 1.7%.
15. According to Kantar, in the year to 22 Jan 2023,spend on meat free meals totalled £3.7 billion, but still only represented 15.1% in the out of home market.
16. Other Kantar data shows that in the year to Feb 19 spend on cow’s milk increased by 19.2% due to a 26.9 % increase in average price while volumes fell by 6.1%.Semi skimmed accounted for 62% of volumes but drove 65% of the decline. Volume of cheese sales fell by 4% with only processed cheese showing an increase. Total spend increased by 9.1%due to average price increases of 13.6%.Cheddar accounted for 49% of sales by volume.
17.Finally scientists at George Washington University have suggested that 85% of urinary tract infections may be related to food borne zoonotic E.coli which could be linked to meat consumption.
As ever hope that this is of interest. Happy to answer any questions/queries/comments.
Tim Brigstocke
Policy Director