Teat tampering probe launched at show
Investigations are under way into two suspected cases of
tampering in the animal classes at the Great Yorkshire Show.
A statement released by the show
organisers confirmed that a probe was
launched on Wednesday 10 July after
checks on dairy animals by vets working
for the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.
The owners of the animals have been
informed and substances that may
contravene the society's malpractice rules
have been taken away for analysis.
It will take two to three weeks before
results from tests confirm whether
tampering has taken place.
It is understood the two animals under
investigation were allowed to continue
taking part in the competition.
Speaking before the event, show
director Bill Cowling warned that the
society would be taking a tough line on
tampering.
Mr Cowling described tampering - the
banned practice of applying chemicals
to give the udder a fuller appearance - as
"heinous" and "despicable" and called on
exhibitors to help stamp out the practice
and "outlaw the cheats".
He said: "For a number of years we have
carried out random scanning. Previously
we've never had cause to suspect anyone
but no one is in any doubt as to how
seriously we take this."
He added that if tampering was confirmed
Page II
Rural energy projects offered £15m in funding
A £15m fund for rural energy projects in
England is now open for applications.
the owners would be banned from future
competitions and any prize money would The Rural Community Energy Fund
(RCEF), launched by the Department of
be forfeited.
Milk production set to fully recover this month
Milk production continues to recover
following the late spring, reaching 1.17bn
litres in June - 13m litres below last year but
14m litres above the five-year average.
Provisional figures from the RPA put
cumulative production at 3.52bn litres 37.6m litres below the five-year average
and still 123.3m litres behind last year.
"However, the weather has delivered good
quality forage and time to make up for
below par forage yields," said Nick HoltMartyn, principal consultant at The Dairy
Group.
He expected UK production to rise above
last year in July, reaching an estimated 13bn
litres by the end of the milk year. The Dairy
Group's market price equivalent, based on
a basket of commodity prices, increased by
0.59p in June, to 32.63p/litre. This followed
a 5% increase in mature Cheddar and cream
markets, against a slight dip in milk powder
and whey prices.
"The range across the sectors has narrowed
but liquid and cheese are still behind
butter and powders," Mr Holt-Martyn said.
"Despite the May farmgate average dipping
below 30p/litre due to seasonality, UK
prices should all be between 30p and 35p by
October."
environmental permits.
The loan is repayable once projects have
Energy and Climate Change (DECC), will received the necessary private sector
funding required to get them up and
provide money for rural communities to
carry out feasibility studies into renewable running. Community groups will be required
to pay back a set amount on top of the loan
energy projects as well as funding the
costs associated with applying for planning borrowed; this will then be rolled back
into the fund to support further community
permission. It is hoped rural communities
energy projects.
will then be able to attract private finance
to get the projects up and running. Eligible RCEF is a follow on from the Local Energy
project types include wind, solar, biomass, Assessment Fund (LEAF) launched in
December 2011, which helped fund 236
heat pumps, anaerobic digestion, gas
community energy projects across England.
combined heat and power, and hydro.
Interested communities, including those who
"This investment will help kick-start
hundreds of clean green energy projects in received funding via LEAF, can apply for
the fund via the Waste and Resources Action
rural areas across England. This new fund
will give aspiring communities access to the Programme (WRAP), who is administering
the scheme.
cash they need to make this happen," said
There is no set deadline for applications,
energy and climate change minister Greg
which will be reviewed on a monthly basis
Barker.
by DECC and DEFRA, with guidance from
"Not only can local [energy] generation
bring people together, boost local economies WRAP.
and drive forward green growth, it can help
save money on energy bills too."
How the fund works
The fund offers money in two stages - first
there is a grant of up to £20,000 available
to cover feasibility studies into projects
in local areas, followed by the option of
securing a government loan worth up to
about £130,000 to help with project costs
such as planning permission and gaining