What you need to know

Bovine TB and badgers – Improving farm biosecurity video
A training video demonstrating practical on-farm measures to reduce TB risks to cattle from wildlife has been produced. The information and advice in the video is drawn from studies carried out by researchers at the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA). The video, funded jointly by Defra, NFU, the Welsh Government and the National Animal Disease Information System (NADIS), is being used to help deliver a series of industry-led workshops promoting husbandry best practice.

A note for All Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Stakeholders: Consultation on CAP Reform Proposals
The European Commission is expected to publish the CAP Regulatory proposals in October this year. Following this release Defra will be seeking stakeholder views and comments on how these proposals might affect them. News of this will appear on the CAP pages of the Defra website in due course.

Opportunities to lease out land to community groups
Increased interest in people growing their own fruit and vegetables in recent years has led to a shortage of allotments and pressure to find alternative solutions. A Meanwhile Lease has been developed which we hope will help provide access to land on a temporary basis for community groups and individuals interested in growing food.  We are now looking to road-test a template Meanwhile Lease that has been developed to make it easier for landowners to confidently lease land on a temporary basis.  If you are interested in leasing out some of your land please contact Liz.moorman@defra.gsi.gov.uk.

New electronic service for pig movement reporting (PDF)
From 1 October 2011, new legislation will come into effect that requires keepers to pre-notify pig movements electronically, through the British Pig Executive (BPEX) /Meat & Livestock Commercial Services Ltd. Keepers without electronic internet access are offered a telephone bureau service. We will further update the Defra website throughout October.

What you may have missed

Dairy industry skills given funding boost
Funding to help boost skills in the dairy industry was announced by Agriculture Minister Jim Paice earlier this month.

Young people wanted to join Shropshire’s food industry

Future of the Farm Advisory System
We have been looking at how we deliver advice on cross compliance and other topics under the Farm Advisory System as the current contract is coming to an end later this year. We are undertaking a competitive tender exercise for a new contract from 1 January 2012. The procurement has now been published and is taking place on the Defra eTendering portal, with a closing date for bids of 12pm on 6 October 2011. Those interested in bidding for this work can access the Invitation to Tender by registering.

Find out about Defra’s current formal written consultations