News article

Scientists, farmers, businesses, retailers and policy-makers from across the agri-food sector are backing a co-ordinated industry approach to ensure a sustainable and efficient UK food supply chain.

It follows the Centre of Excellence for UK Farming (CEUKF) inaugural conference, where delegates from industry, academia and government debated how the UK could become the best place to produce safe and nutritious food - against the backdrop of global population growth, climate change and other key challenges.

If there was a world-record for the number of crop inspections carried out by one person it would be awarded to David Muncey, who retires this week after a 45-year long career at NIAB.

In the past 21 years records show that David has inspected 2,182 crops, but he believes he’s clocked up 50 a year since he began inspecting in 1976, so add at least another 700 to the original figure.

New research will show how carbon emissions can be significantly reduced by farmers and how a ground-breaking agricultural project could lessen heart disease

A powerful network of scientists, farmers, industrialists, policymakers, and retailers, including Waitrose, will gather today to address major issues concerning the food supply chain. Their aim is to help farmers and food producers find ways of becoming more efficient and sustainable.

The 2011 NIAB Variety Cup has been awarded to the Nickerson-Zwaan carrot variety Eskimo, bred by Vilmorin, in recognition of its unique frost tolerance and resulting commercial impact.

Check grass leys for the fungal disease Drechslera leaf spot as high levels have been seen in variety and grazing trials warns NIAB TAG. If left unchecked the disease can damage leys, reducing the quality and value of late season grazing.

The Centre for Contemporary Agriculture (CCA) is a unique partnership between UEA, Easton College, John Innes Institute, Food Research Institute and NIAB-TAG. It aims to develop agricultural education, training and research to meet future local, national and international needs. As this century progresses our world faces massive challenges to produce sufficient food sustainably and to provide adequate nutrition for all. The Global Food Initiative, within the CCA, seeks to bring together experts and interested individuals from different spheres of activity associated with food to:

Letter to The Times newspaper

Two key changes to the 2012 NIAB Descriptive List for forage maize make it indispensable reading for farmers wanting to choose the best maize varieties for their situation.

The List, launched by BSPB and NIAB at the Dairy Event today, now includes data on cell wall digestibility - an increasingly important factor for farmers feeding high levels of maize silage in the diet.

NIAB CEO Dr Tina Barsby was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today yesterday (Monday 29^th August) as part of the programme’s feature on the ‘story of seed’ this week. Tina gives a brief overview on why we need plant breeding and seed certification.

The full programme can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b013r3ls with Tina’s interview at 4.32-8.29.  This will be available for the next 6 days.

NIAB TAG is holding a one-day courses in Autumn 2011 on grassland weed identification and management for farmers, crop inspectors, seed producers and agronomists on:

• 16^th November 2011

The course programme includes the theory and practice of grass identification, managing grass crops including variety choice and cultural and chemical weed control and understanding the legislation covering grassland management and seed standards.

NRoSO = 2 CPD points
BASIS = 12 CPD points