Rural Business Category
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Maximise milk’s value or lose supplies says NFU
Dairy farmers expect forward-looking buyers to seek markets that maximise the value of milk and dairy products, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) said today. Around 85% of milk procurement volume is now signed up to the Dairy Industry Code of Best Practice for Contractual Relations. In addition, major milk buyers are developing modern, dynamic milk pricing mechanisms and the general public has a much better understanding of the situation facing British farmers. According to NFU dairy board chairman, ...
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Search for the UK’s most enterprising places
A competition to find the local community which is the most creative and successful in creating new jobs, supporting start-up businesses and promoting enterprise, is now open. The "Enterprising Britain Awards" celebrate the best public and private sector work that promotes business development in communities across the UK. There are four categories in this year’s awards: The most enterprising place in the UK. The organisation that best promotes enterprise. The organisation most successful in encouraging businesses to export. The school/FE college ...
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Rural broadband fund launched
Businesses in England’s remotest spots could benefit from superfast internet as the third round of the £20 million Rural Community Broadband Fund opens today. The fund aims to help rural communities with limited or no internet to access superfast broadband, giving rural businesses a greater opportunity to profit and grow. Environment Minister, Richard Benyon, comments: “By getting people better connected, the Government’s £20 million broadband fund will give businesses and a boost and benefit the local economy.” The ...
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New route for SMEs to highlight problems with banks
In the wake of the interest rate swap mis-selling scandal, the Government wants to make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to highlight the problems they are experiencing with banks. Representative bodies of SMEs and consumers generally can now apply to be designated as "super-complainants" to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Once designated they will have a fast-tracked route to raise issues in financial services markets with the new regulator, which will be required to ...
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Wales drives up food hygiene standards
The Welsh Assembly’s Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013 will see Wales become the first country in the UK to introduce a mandatory scheme requiring food businesses to openly display their hygiene ratings. Having already received the Royal Assent, it will require food businesses to display their food hygiene ratings - from between 0 (urgent improvement necessary) to 5 (very good), based on their compliance with food law requirements. The scheme will come into operation later this ...
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Latest bute test results on horse carcasses
In the wake of the horse meat contamination scandal, the Food Standards Agency has reported that tests on the presence of phenylbutazone (bute) in horses slaughtered in the UK found that eight out of 203 carcases tested positive for the drug, which should not enter the human food chain. Of these eight, six were sent to France and may have entered the food chain. They were slaughtered by LJ Potter Partners at Stillman’s (Somerset) Ltd, Taunton. The ...
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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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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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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 ...
