14 October 2013

National news

• We invite you to discover this week’s video on our YouTube channel :

Ms Even and Mr Daniel, pig farmers in Brittany, introduce their environmental practices and their methanisation unit: Watch video

• Mr Benoit Collard, a FARRE farmer in Champagne-Ardenne, is invited to participate to a symposium on “Agroecology and research”, organized by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research on 17 October 2013. INRA collected more than 150 scientists’ participations to prepare this symposium: you can have an overview (in English) here : http://www.inra.fr/en/Scientists-Students/Agroecology/All-reports/Agroecology-at-INRA-mobilising-research
• Mr Gilles Maréchal, Director of FARRE, and Mr Mickaël Jacquemin, a FARRE farmer in Eastern France, will lead an IFOCAP (farmers training institute) training on the subject of environmental regulations and their consequences, held on 21 October 2013.
• Mr Philippe Collin, a FARRE farmer in Easter France, will give a speech at the General Assembly of France Conseil Elevage on 20 November and at Supagro Dijon on 28 November to explain his global approach of on-farm sustainability.

Local news

• FARRE Meuse has now a running and independent website : check it here
• Open House Day at Ms. And Mr Francart’s farm on 20 October : programme here

Members

• FARRE, together with UNIFA and AXEMA, organize a symposium on “Nitrogen fertilization : how to reconcile performance and sustainability ?” on 22 October in Paris.

Miscellaneous

• The French National Commission for Environmental Certification announced on 9 October the end of the certification “Agriculture raisonnée” and the creation of a logo for the level 3 of the environmental certification (HVE : High Environmental Value). So far, only 70 farms have undertaken level 3 of the certification. Read the press review (French)

Elveden Farms has become the latest farm to join LEAF’s nationwide network of LEAF Demonstration Farms.  It joins over 40 other farms across the UK set up to showcase the very best of sustainable farming practices. Read more …

(Photograph: Left: Galton Blackiston, Chef de Patron, Morston Hall; Middle: Jim Rudderham, Conservation & Wood Manager, Elveden; Right: The Earl of Iveagh)

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recently published a report on the sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents in 25 EU/EEA countries in 2011 (third ESVAC report). See IFAH-Europe press release on that issue …

Report available for download here: http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Report/2013/10/WC500152311.pdf

LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) has announced its programme and speakers for its forthcoming President’s Event held on the 5^th November in London, UK. The conference will address the three pillars of sustainability – economic health, environmental quality and social health, exploring new ideas on how money can be made from each of them. Read more …

Programme available for download here:
http://www.leafuk.org/resources/000/809/289/LPE13_Programme.pdf

National news

• We invite you to discover this week’s videos on our YouTube channel:

– Mr and Ms. Benoît, fruit farmers in Eastern France – watch video

– Mr Bardet, a winegrower in Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux – watch video:

• Mr Daniel, a pig breeder in Brittany together with his wife, gives us his experience on methanisation in “La France Agricole” read more…
• Sylviane Martin-Pierrat and Laure Le Quéré will attend EISA’s General Assembly on 16 October.

Members

• FARRE and UNIFA (Fertilisation industries) co-organise a symposium on 22 October in Paris with the support of AXEMA (agroequipement industries) : “Nitrogen fertilisation : how to reconcile performance and sustainability ?” More details and inscriptions here
• Syngenta has recently published a brochure on competitive and responsible winegrowing. Read more…

Miscellaneous

• The sector of fresh fruit and vegetables organises a debate on the challenge of taste on 29 October. Mr Jean Thiault, FARRE honorary President, will participate to the roundtable. Read more…
• Unigrains, a private investor in the agrifood industry, celebrates its 50th anniversary on 8 October in Paris. Read more…

20 September 2013: An EPRUMA delegation

Jones, Chairman, met the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, Tonio Borg, on 16 September. EPRUMA requested the Commission to make the Responsible Use of veterinary medicines a key component … Read more …

Caroline Drummond, Chief Executive of LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) will receive an honorary doctorate from Harper Adams University in recognition of her work to combine modern farming with conservation and in engaging the public in farming matters. Read more …

LEAF are pleased to announce that all fresh Outdoor Bred pork sold by one of the UK’s leading supermarkets, Marks & Spencer is now LEAF Marque certified, demonstrating that it has been produced sustainably. Read more …

Food security is affected by a variety of highly complex social, political, economic and geographical factors. That is why analyses have been very difficult so far. The Global Food Security Index which was presented in Juli 2012 closes an important gap in this regard. Read More …

If fertilization does not meet the demand of soils and crops, considerable yield losses will occur, in turn leading to more land which then will be needed for agricultural production. In the light of climate change, the still growing world population, and limited natural resources such as soil and water for example, resource use efficiency becomes increasingly important. Read more …