Author Archive
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Health and Safety overhaul well underway
The Government has declared that it is making rapid progress in restoring common sense to health and safety regulations, saving businesses millions of pounds every year. Progress made so far includes: By April 2013, one in 10 sets of health and safety regulations will have been scrapped. 200 sets of outdated guidelines have already been scrapped - one fifth of all health and safety publications. Proactive health and safety inspections by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have been cut ...
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Groceries Code Adjudicator appointed
The Government has appointed Christine Tacon to the newly created role of Groceries Code Adjudicator. Ms Tacon will be responsible for enforcing the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, which regulates interactions between the ten largest supermarkets and their direct suppliers. She will have the power to launch investigations into suspected breaches of the Code, including those arising from confidential complaints from any source. Where there is evidence of a breach, the Adjudicator can make recommendations against a supermarket, ...
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EFSA identifies risks to bees from neonicotinoids
Scientists at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have identified a number of risks posed to bees by three neonicotinoid insecticides. The Authority was asked by the European Commission to assess the risks associated with the use of clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam as seed treatment or as granules, with particular regard to: their acute and chronic effects on bee colony survival and development; their effects on bee larvae and bee behaviour; and the risks posed by ...
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Mobile payments to launch in Spring 2014
Paying a friend or business from a mobile as easily as sending a text message is set to become a mainstream option in Spring 2014, when the Payments Council launches its new mobile payments service. The service will enable secure payments to be made directly to or from an account without the need to disclose the sort code and account number but instead using a mobile phone number as a proxy, and the project has the ...
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Lamb prices lowest for three years
New figures from The National Farmers' Union (NFU) show that farmers are losing on average £29 for every lamb they sell at market, farm-gate prices having dropped by almost a fifth in the past year. With lamb prices at their lowest for three years, the NFU points out that the situation for farmers has been made worse by rising production costs due to the extreme weather in 2012. In addition, impacts from the new lamb-deforming disease Schmallenberg ...
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Keenan wins “Practice with Science” award
An new, science-based approach to feeding dairy and beef cattle has won feed wagon manufacturer , Keenan, the Oxford Farming Conference and Royal Agricultural Society of England "Practice with Science" award. Sponsored by AB Agri, the prize money totals £10,000 and will be used by the firm to further research into feed efficiency and carbon footprinting. The judges were impressed with Keenan's "mech-fiber" system which gives farmers a practical approach to improving their economic, environmental and animal ...
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KPMG warning on “Payment Diversion” fraud
Accountancy firm, KPMG, is drawing attention to fraud suffered by businesses that have been advised that a supplier's bank account details have changed. Over the past six months, KPMG's forensic team has examined 11 new cases of this type of fraud and become aware of at least 13 more. Cases range in value from just over £30,000 lost by one business in a single transaction to a total of £5 million extracted from another. It also appears that ...
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UK shale gas fracking to resume
Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Edward Davey, has announced that exploratory hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for shale gas can resume in the UK, subject to new controls that should mitigate the risks of earth tremors. According to the minister, shale gas represents a promising new potential energy resource for the UK and could contribute significantly to energy security, reducing the UK's reliance on imported gas. Mr Davey commented: “We are still in the very early stages of shale ...
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Autumn Statement: investment allowance raised to £250k
In today's Autumn Statement, Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, announced a temporary increase in the Annual Investment Allowance, from £25,000 to £250,000 for two years, with the move aimed at supporting small and medium-sized businesses. In addition the Chancellor set out plans to create a £1 billion Business Bank to help smaller firms access finance and support. The Country Land and Business Association has welcomed the increase in the investment allowance saying it could kick-start investment ...
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Ugly fruit and veg have their day
Over 300,000 tonnes of "ugly" British fruit and vegetables are thought to have appeared on supermarket shelves this year after retailers relaxed specifications in response to a difficult growing season. According to the National Farmers' Union (NFU), growers across the country have welcomed the decision by major supermarkets to accept imperfect, weather-marked produce including potatoes, parsnips, sprouts, swedes and apples. So far concessions made include: An early move by Waitrose to accept shorter carrots, thinner parsnips and smaller strawberries. A ...
