* The Government has announced that regulations concerning dairy supply contracts will be introduced in the autumn and this will be followed by reviews into the egg and horticulture supply chains.
These will include:
1.Clearer pricing terms with contracts setting out the factors which determine the milk price and allowing farmers to challenge the pricing process.
2.Contracts may not be changed without farmers' agreement
3.Contracts must promote accountability and have a timely resolution mechanism
4.Notice periods and contractual exclusivity must be unambiguous
5.An enforcement mechanism will be set up.
* The RPA made advance Basic Payment Scheme payments of up to 50% of the annual entitlement on 1 August.
* With the closure of the Glastir scheme in December, the Welsh Government has announced a new agri-environment scheme to be introduced next Jan to support the protection of habitats on agricultural land pending the introduction of the Sustainable Farming Scheme in 2025.
*Defra has announced that £5 millions of funding will be available under the Farming Innovation Investor Partnership Competition to provide solutions that support productivity, environmental sustainability, farming resilience and progress towards net zero emissions. Up to 45% of project costs can be covered by grant funding but must be matched by at least twice that amount in private investment.
*A report from the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL) has revealed that current technology and practices in the livestock sector will only deliver a 24% reduction of the UK Committee for Climate Change set target.
*£10 millions is to be made available via the Animal Health and Welfare Infrastructure Grant to replace ageing cattle buildings with new and upgraded calf housing being given priority. Grants of between £15,000 and £500,000 are available.
*Information on UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions has been published:
1.Between 2019 and 2020,the UK's carbon footprint fell by 13% and was 39% down on the peak in 2007.
2.Emissions relating to imports were 4% higher than in 1996 but those associated with imports from China were up 62%
4.Emissions relating to the consumption of goods and services produced in the UK were 53% down on 1996.
* Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that labour costs in the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector grew by 10% in 2022 to an average weekly wage of £462 whilst provisional data has indicated that this growth has continued in 2023 with average weekly earnings in March of £476.
* Figures released by Defra for 2022,compared to 2021 show:
The Utilised Agricultural Area fell by 2.2% to 17 million hectares,69% of the total land area.
The total labour force increased by 0.7% to 471,000.
The average Farm Business Income increased by 55% to £72,000 with 41% of farms having an FBI of greater than £50,000 but with 10% making a loss.
UK Total Income from Farming rose by 17% to £7.9 billions.
Agriculture's contribution to the economy rose by 15% to £13.9 billions,0.6% of Gross Domestic Product.
*The UK average "all milk" price continued its downward trend in May, falling from 39.43 pence per litre(p/l) in April to 37.58 p/l, down 1.85 p/l and down 2.81 p/l on a year earlier but still 3.75 pence above the rolling 5-year average. The EU average from May was 41.39 p/l,1.73 p/l down on April and 0.6 pence down on a year earlier.
*AHDB data covering the year to March shows that sales of sexed semen increased to 76.5% of all dairy semen, up from 70% in 2021/22. Beef semen sales to the dairy herd rose by 1% to 49%.
* New requirements for post-movement TB testing have come into force. Cattle moved into herds in annual surveillance testing in parts of the Edge area may require compulsory pre-movement testing if they originate from Wales, the High Risk area of England or the six- monthly surveillance testing parts of the Edge area.
*In April ,global milk production grew by 4.7% with all regions seeing growth apart from Australia.
* Meadow Foods has reduced its milk price by 0.5 p/l to 35 p/l whilst Muller has reduced its milk price by 1 p/l to 37 p/l but Saputo has increased its milk price by 0.5 to 37.5 p/l.
* Campaign body Feedback has initiated a judicial review of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement contending the UK government acted unlawfully in opting not to assess the carbon intensities of beef in the two countries.
*From 13 Dec, non-assured UK livestock farmers will need a declaration signed by a vet following an annual farm visit for their products to be eligible for export to the EU.
*The ONS has reported that more than 40% of farmers are over 60 while nearly 30% are 65 or over. This compares to 10% and 4.3% respectively of the wider workforce. Only 11% of farmers are agreed 25 to 35 compared to 25% of the wider workforce.