Swine Flu mutates again as complacency grows
There have been warnings this week from business leaders against complacency about swine flu. Although the UK’s Chief Medical Officer has …
Shop local - save the planet
Shop local – save the planet. That’s the retail mantra of many greens and environmentalists. But is it true? It’s a question that researchers at Exeter University set out to answer. Their results, just published …
Soil-less in Scandinavia undermines EU Organic credibility
Reports of soil-less production in organic glasshouses in Scandinavia and the EU’s seemingly tolerant position have raised a number of questions…
€18 Million EU research confirms organic claims
The five-year, €18 million research programme, part-funded by the EU, on the quality of organic and low input foods has come to a close…
Surrey FMD report - any lessons learned?
The Government has accepted all 26 of the main recommendations made by Sir Iain Anderson on the response to the Surrey 2007 outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), says the Environment Secretary Hilary Benn. Sadly, there still remains a dismal lack of focus by Government and Ministers on the use of preventative vaccination for …
Warm praise from Farm Commissioner
EU Farm Commissioner Marian Fischer Boel has made clear her own enthusiasm for organic farming and organic regulation at the 20th anniversary Biofach exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany…
The return of set-aside
Cash for farmers to leave land uncultivated as wildlife habitat (set-aside) is on its way back into UK farm policy. Farmers themselves are to be asked to…
New cash for bee research
At last…a boost in funding from Defra to help safeguard the nation’s bees…
Organic holidays or Lay-bys - some explanation
Following the quite heated discussions just prior to Christmas over the floated notion of “Organic Holidays” or “Organic Lay-bys” some clarification of the Organic Research Centre stance on the issue is perhaps necessary.
Movement or market debate at ORC 2009 conference
An impressive gathering of farmers, producers and advisers (over 180 in total) assembled at the Organic Research Centre Producer Conference 2009 at Harper Adams University in Shropshire – January 6th and 7th – to discuss a range of technical and policy matters. Where are …