Space becomes increasingly scarce and thus ever more precious in our agricultural landscape. In addition to settlements, also traffic infrastructure demands land. Agriculture, on the other hand, does not provide us with food alone but also contributes more and more to our energy supply. The available land resources must therefore be used as efficiently as possible. With regard to agriculture, Read more…
(Photo: Christoph Künast)

The new LEAF publication ‘Great habitats, more flowers, better protection – LEAF’s guide to pollinating insects for farmers’ has just been published. This guide sets out some practical and cost effcetive ways for farmers to increase the number of pollinating insects on their farms.

Please contact LEAF for more information.

18 April 2014: The UK Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) has launched its revised guidelines for farmers on the Responsible Use of Antimicrobials in Poultry and Game Production. Read more …
A pdf of the guidelines is available for download http://www.ruma.org.uk/guidelines/antimicrobials/short/poultryandgameApr2014.pdf

Pork producer Stockcroft Pigs has joined sustainable farming organisation LEAF – Linking Environment And Farming – as a corporate member. Stockcroft Pigs is looking to implement LEAF’s Integrated Farm Management (IFM) sustainable farming principles across its 50 contracted farms based in the South, West of England and Wales.
Read more …

(Photo: LEAF)

LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming, United Kingdom), organisers of Open Farm Sunday give their top tips for hosting the perfect Open Farm Sunday event. Read more …

(photo: LEAF)

“Comfort for cows“ – symbolised by a cow enjoying the pleasures of being coddled by a rotating stable brush – has been a fixed parameter for dairy farmers and manufacturers of barn equipment for years.
And yet, “comfort for cows” is far more than just the provision of a stable brush. Read more …

(Photo: DeLaval)

New project at Julius-Kühn-Institute, Germany, looks at the potential of pearl lupin as bioenergy crop
Groß Lüsewitz (13.3.2014): A new research project is about to start at Julius-Kühn-Institute (JKI) investigating the potential use of pearl lupin (Andenlupine) as new bioenergy crop. With a long-term perspective, this South American plant shall be used complimentary to corn in biogas production. Read more …
[Flowering pearl lupins on a field of JKI in Groß Lüsewitz (photo: S. Roux/JKI)]

LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) is delighted to announce that the backing from the UK farming and food industry for this year’s Open Farm Sunday is stronger than ever, with both new and previous sponsors committing to support the 2014 campaign. Read more …
(Photo: Mark Howe)

As relatively new grape variety, Regent offers resistance against fungal diseases – and thus an important feature for Integrated Pest Management IPM.

Peter Bleser, Parliamentary Secretary of State at the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, priced three wine producers as “best Regent-wine producers 2013” during International Green Week in Berlin this year … Read more…

(Photo: JKI – Institut für Rebenzüchtung Geilweilerhof)

LEAF’s Ebrief 28th January 2014
Late last year, a group of nine UK farmers set off on an agricultural tour of Equatorial Africa. The tour, organised by Susie Emmett of Green Shoots Productions, featured visits to some of our African LEAF members and LEAF Marque certified producers. Since the group’s return we’ve been pleased to share their experiences through our blog!
Read more …