AGRICULTURE
Agriculture is a vital element of the region’s rural economy. Its importance goes far beyond its contribution to the South West’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Firstly, the sector is an integral part of the region’s food supply chain, providing local produce to the region’s many food and drink businesses which together contribute £5 billion per year to the region’s wealth. Secondly, the livestock sector is a significant exporter beyond the regional boundaries.
Over the last five years, there has been a modest increase of smaller holdings regionally which may reflect new entrants to farming. Some of these may be ‘lifestyle farmers’, who retain some acres without the farm necessarily being their main or sole income, while others include those trying to build up a farm (or perhaps farm agri-food/tourism business). The region’s natural environment is likely to be attractive to new entrants.
WRAP Composting Booklet
WRAP - Waste and Resources Action Programme helps individuals, businesses and local authorities to reduce waste and recycle more, making better use of resources and helping to tackle climate change
Farmers and growers can find out more about the benefits of quality compost, thanks to a new booklet launched today by WRAP. For the home page of the composting section of WRAP's website Click here
Animal Health and Welfare
Livestock Transport - Rule Change beginning of 2008
The rules affecting those transporting animals changed at the beginning of 2008. Animal health have published an information bulletin about the new rules and their effects. There is a particularly useful table on the 4th page explaining the requirements fro different species for different lengths of journey - the abbreviation ATC used throughout stands for Animal Transport Certificate.
The information bulletin can be read from the Defra website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare
More detailed information about the welfare of animals during transport and the associated legislation is available on:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/farmed/transport.htm
About Animal Health and Welfare
The health and welfare of farm animals provides a major contribution to the sustainability of the livestock sector, to the wider farming and food industry, and more broadly to the countryside, rural communities and the rural economy. The Animal Health and Welfare Strategy for Great Britain, published in 2004, applies to all farmed livestock and includes beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry (including egg production) and all other animals bred or kept for the production of food, wool, skin, fur or for other farming purposes. The Strategy complements and also takes forward the SFFS in the protection of public health and food safety.
A better understanding of the true expense of livestock disease and poor welfare, and the value of preventative action and high standards of welfare, is paramount to improving production and profitability. Lameness in sheep and dairy cattle are particular areas of concern, together with the increasing incidence of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in the South West.
Animal Health (previously known as the State Veterinary Service) is a key delivery agent of animal health and welfare policies and actively contributes to disease prevention through checks on imported animals, surveillance of endemic notifiable diseases, promotion of biosecurity requirements and investigation of suspected cases of notifiable diseases. Animal Health are a committed partner in the implementation of the SFF Delivery Plan.
They have revised the Animal Health and Welfare objectives and will take these forward:
The SVS Business Plan, April 2006 – March 2007, has agreed performance targets in the following areas:
- Implementation of the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy for Great Britain
- Implementing specific animal health policies, including public health
- Emergency preparedness
- Animal welfare
- Facilitating international trade
- Business improvement
" Prevention is better than cure' - the Briefing Note on the Animal Health Strategy 2007-13 September 2007
Community Animal Health Policy (CAHP) 2007-13 published by the European Commission in September 2007. This Policy sets out the EU's Animal Health strategy for the next 6 years. It places greater emphasis on prevention of disease outbreaks, on reducing disease and on minimising outbreaks when they do occur.
Bovine TB
The economic and environmental implications of Bovine TB and the measures to reduce its incidence are severe for the many livestock farmers in the region, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Devon and Cornwall. In addition, the low price paid for South West meat is adding increased pressure on the viability of the region’s livestock farmers. This reduced price is attributed in part to products not matching required specifications, and limited abattoirs and buying outlets in the region. However, there is potential to improve the price, in part due to the opportunities for collaboration in the sector but also recognising increasing input costs e.g. feed, fuel, fertilizer and the increasing regulatory burden.
'An Economic Impact Assessment of Bovine Tuberculosis in the South West' - a report produced by the Centre for Rural Research (CRR) for the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA). View the SW RDA's summary of this report. For more information contact Martin Turner, CRR, on 01392 263833 or email m.m.turner@ex.ac.uk
"A review of the international evidence for an interrelationship between cattle and wildlife in the transmission of bovine tuberculosis". The executive summary is attached and the full report can be viewed on:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/pdf/wilesmore141105.pdf
Produced by the University of Reading, this review provides valuable information about control measures from around the world, identifying the evidence for and against, and areas of uncertainty, in relation to culling badgers as a bovine TB control policy.
Last Updated 25Apr08