Livestock Rustling a Serious Problem in Northern Ireland
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - Livestock theft in Northern Ireland has become increasingly problematic in recent years, however tackling it remains a difficult issue. Melanie Jenkins reports....

UK Red Meat Levy Boards Plan New Way to Spread Money
UK - The red meat levy boards in England, Scotland and Wales have submitted a briefing document to Ministers outlining an alternative option for the distribution of red meat levy income....

Police Officers Put Sheep Theft Training into Practice
UK - Sixteen police officers have received expert advice from farmers to help clamp down on livestock theft, as part of a pioneering new specialist training scheme....

Report Urges Antibiotic Target-Setting for Farming
UK - The UK's independent Review on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), chaired by Jim O’Neill, has released a report on the global use of antibiotics in agriculture....

Government Issues Support to Flood Affected Farmers
UK - The UK's Farming Minister, George Eustice, has confirmed that support payments worth up to £20,000 will be available to farmers across Cumbria and North Lancashire who have been affected...

UK Sheep Farmer Honoured for Industry Contribution
UK - Sheep farmer and former Chairman of AHDB Beef & Lamb, John Cross, has been honoured by the Royal Smithfield Club for his services to the livestock industry over the last 25 years....

West Country Lamb Hits Italian Supermarkets
UK - West Country Lamb bearing the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) banner has made a breakthrough in the Italian market....

Minister to Look Into Sheep Dip Related Illnesses
UK - Agriculture minister, George Eustice has promised the Sheep Dip Sufferers Support Group that he will look into government archives relating to illnesses that are believed to be related to...

How Can Food Be Produced in the Face of Climate Change?
ANALYSIS - More information needs to be made available on the impact of climate change on food production in order to mitigate its effects in future, writes Chris Harris....

Farmers Notice Increase in Severe Weather Events
UK - As the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) today hosts its ‘Farmers’ Day’, a new survey from the National Farmers Union has highlighted the damage that severe weather events have inflicted...

How Can Risk be Managed in Volatile Markets?
ANALYSIS - Collaboration and partnership are key to managing risk in a volatile market....

Thousands of British Farmers to Receive BPS Payments on 1st Dec
UK - The Government's Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has announced that around 30,000 farmers are set to receive their 2015 Basic Payment Scheme payments on Tuesday 1 December....

Many Welsh Sheep Farmers Unprepared for Tagging Rule Change
WALES, UK - Evidence that not all Welsh sheep farmers are prepared for the January tagging rule change has been identified by an independent survey conducted on behalf of Allflex at Monmouthshire...

Carcase Balance Challenges Change in Run-Up to Christmas
UK - The year-round challenge processors face in achieving carcase balance is brought sharply into focus during the run-up to the festive period....

Defra Budgets Cut, but Ag Research Protected
UK - The UK's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will be enacting administration budget reductions of 26 per cent by 2019-20, announced as part of the Chancellor's spending...

Should Food Production Change to Combat Climate Change?
ANALYSIS - Food production counts for 30 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and this is largely due to growing crops and rearing livestock....

Report Celebrates Improved Sheep Industry Genetics
UK - Genetic advances in the English sheep industry have been championed in a new report from AHDB Beef & Lamb....

Sheep Producers Warned Over Worm Risk
UK - Sheep producers are being cautioned to watch out for gut worms in lambs, after research identified that internal parasites are still a common cause of deaths in the autumn....

UK Makes Progress in US Lamb Access Negotiations
SCOTLAND, UK - Scotch Lamb and haggis could be back on US plates by 2017 after a positive response from the US Government during a meeting with Food Secretary Richard Lochhead....

Sheep Farmers Reminded of New Tagging Law
WALES, UK - NFU Cymru is reminding sheep keepers that from 1 January 2016, the non-electronic slaughter tag will no longer be allowed as the single tagging option to identify lambs intended for...

Trees Provide Money-Making Opportunities for Land Owners
UK - Land owners have the potential to make money and tackle climate change at the same time, by "selling" the carbon absorbed by trees on their farm....

Technology Investment to "Unlock Farming's Potential"
UK - Technological innovation is the key to unlocking the potential of farming by improving productivity and tackling problems such as pests and disease, Farming Minister George Eustice said...

Welsh Farmers Told to Promote Grass-Based Sheep Meat
WALES, UK - Delegates at a recent NFU Cymru meeting were told that grass-based produce could be promoted more, and that Welsh lamb quality should be emphasised to consumers....

How Can Grazing Systems Produce Livestock Sustainably?
ANALYSIS - Ruminant production has a vital role to play in global food security....

Lords Look at Creating Resilient EU Agriculture Sector
UK - The House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on Energy and the Environment have launched a new inquiry into how the agriculture industry can respond to price volatility and help make farming more...

New Protocols to be Set for UK Beef and Lamb Exports to US
ANALYSIS - Establishing sanitary protocols for the whole of the UK will be the key to re-establishing exports for both beef and lamb to the US....

Defra Cuts Could Hurt UK's Animal Disease Preparedness
UK - The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is one of four government departments, which has provisionally agreed to cut its spending by an average of 30 per cent over...

Animal Welfare Research Receives Funding Boost
UK - A network is being set up that will foster collaboration within the UK animal welfare research community, and will receive over £100,000 in funding from BBSRC....

Urgent Meeting Held over Sheep Inspection Processes
UK - An urgent meeting has been held to address serious issues being relayed around the inspection and penalty process for sheep movement reporting and recording....

Lamb Mini-Roasts Hit the Small Screen
UK - Beef and Lamb advertising has this week returned to TV screens in the UK....