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Tuesday 18 June 2013

RuSource - a source of information for the farming community

A regular newsletter on things rural is produced by 'RuSource'...



RuSource Briefings is a free rural information service for anyone working in the countryside or with rural people, and those supporting rural life. The briefings are produced by the editor, Alan Spedding, whose goal is to, "Cut important issues down to essentials and tell it straight", saving subscribers to the weekly e-news bulletin hours of time searching the internet for up-to-date, accurate & unbiased information. Alan also provides less frequent 'Easy Guides' to key areas of agriculture & land-based activity for the educated 'outsider'.
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20May2013
Our £350m biorefinery, based at Saltend near Hull, uses 1.1 million tonnes of feed-grade wheat to produce 420 million litres of bioethanol and 500,000 tonnes of animal feed per year. This makes us the largest bioethanol producer in the UK and one of the biggest in Europe. We are also the largest wheat tip in the UK and the biggest single-source supplier of animal feed. Our plant runs 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The whole process begins with locally-sourced feed wheat, which is brought to our site by truck. In simple terms, our process is comprised of four key stages– The Mill, The Brewery, The Distillery and The Feed Factory. Read on to discover what happens once the wheat arrives on site... Down load the book at: www.vivergofuels.com/downloads-fact-sheets/‎

AgriChatUK “Climate Change - farmers' perceptions & on farm actions” 16/05/13

There is an increased frequency of extremes and longer weather patterns. The weather is less predictable leading to lower yields and higher costs. A lot of drainage systems built with grants in 60's and 70's are getting to the end of their lives. Misrepresentation by media, knowing who to believe is a problem. Science websites/academics most trusted - but scientists often have difficulty conveying theories. Farmers need to grow a range of crops/varieties rather than put all eggs in one basket, be adaptable and innovate, conserve nutrients, water and diversity. Need to be sure of climate trends before long term action like breeding. Is more guidance the answer to helping farmers? Many basics of EU policy prevent adaption and the market doesn't reward it. More research is needed but involving farmers. Focus on soil especially organic matter. Tradition of mixed farming practiced by many organic farmers builds a more resilient diversified farm. CAP should support capital investment and there should be increased tax allowances. Advice needs to be tailored to individual farming situations - resources, weather, skills, markets, financial control and aspirations. We need open data and ag-tech interoperability.

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