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WheatOilseedsBarleyPoultryMaize

The uplift in cattle prices of recent weeks slowed in week ended 11th May read more

With more new season lambs entering the market, the dynamics of the trade have started to change read more

Provisional data for April milk deliveries of approximately 1,111m litres are 93m litres (7.7%) down on the previous year read more

In April, the DAPP averaged 160.9p/kg, almost 4p up on the month. At the same time, the average retail price came down by a small amount read more

The GB weekly average price fell by £7.68/t to £295.35/t and the free-buy average fell by £22.02/t to £368.39/t. read more

The first USDA estimates for world production in 2013-14 forecast record maize and wheat production, citing larger planted areas and a rebound in yields from the US (maize) and the Former Soviet Union (wheat) read more

The USDA has released its first soyabean supply and demand estimates for the new season read more

UK malting barley export prices are at €245/t FOB (spring, South Coast) w/e 11th April. read more

The latest National Statistics produced by Defra on the activity of UK hatcheries and poultry slaughterhouses. read more

USDA’s latest quarterly stocks report, released on 28th September, estimated US maize stocks (at 1st September) at 25.1m t, down 12% on the same point in 2011 and the lowest since 2004. read more

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PAPERS

Rural businesses in Cumbria and north Lancashire look set to miss out on a new ‘hot-line to ministers’. Neither county is represented in any of the new Rural and Farming Networks announced by Defra Minister Jim Paice. This could mean farmers and other businesses losing out on a chance to directly shape future rural policies.

Rural businesses in Cumbria and north Lancashire look set to miss out on a new ‘hot-line to ministers’. Neither county is represented in any of the new Rural and Farming Networks announced by Defra Minister Jim Paice. This could mean farmers and other businesses losing out on a chance to directly shape future rural policies.

NFU Scotland have today insisted that kicking off the New Year with a renewed supermarket price war on milk is sending out all the wrong signals both to Scottish farmers and Scottish consumers. Consumers shopping in the major supermarkets can purchase eight pints of milk for £2 at the moment, cheaper than some of their bottled water. While in the short term this may look incredibly appealing to consumers, it is potentially a further blow to dairy farmers, many of whom are already struggling to survive. The history of price wars show that it is not supermarket profits that suffer the consequences, but those of their suppliers. While dairy farmer confidence in the future of the industry remains at an all-time low, the majority of major retailers are continuing to undermine the value of our Scottish milk industry by using milk as a loss leader to draw customers into their stores. Chief Executive of NFU Scotland, James Withers, said: “The retailers have renewed their cut-throat battle for customers and we really fear that family farms, and ultimately shoppers, will pay the price. We have already seen Asda pledge that their groceries will be 10 percent cheaper than their rivals and now we see milk being sold at huge discounts."

Britain’s organic industry has come together to fund a three-year campaign highlighting the benefits of organic food with the aim of stimulating consumer demand. The £2m “Why I Love Organic” initiative comes on the back of a difficult period for the sector, with sales slumping 14% to £1.7bn since the start of the recession in 2008. Match-funded by the EU, the Welsh Assembly Government is among the campaign’s backers along with a number of organic companies in Wales. A new website has been launched to fuel the organic debate on-line and harness social media applications such as Twitter and Facebook. A UK-wide advertising campaign will also aim to challenge common perceptions about organic food. One key target for the sector is to cast off its elitist image and “democratise” organic by involving “everyday people”. Sue Fowler, director of Organic Centre Wales, said: “We know that people want to eat natural and great tasting food which matches their perception of organic. This campaign will raise the profile of organic food and give consumers the chance to find out for themselves what organic actually means." In the last quarter of 2010, organic sales were starting to increase again but Britain is still ranked only sixth in the European league table of organic consumption.