Exciting times! This week I will be attending the Chelsea Flower Show - but not just as a guest. I have been invited by the Society for General Microbiology to help out at their stand, which is all about the role of micro-organisms in your garden.I will of course be telling people all about what rhizobia can do for you!
There seems to be a lot of interest in climate change at this year's CFS, which was mentioned in the Metro on 8th May. This of course fits right in with my research, and my favourite plant, lucerne. In light of this, the SGM have put together a podcast about the 'New Green Revolution' which features me explaining all about rhizobia and why they're so great. If you always wanted to know, I'd give it a listen here.
Thankfully I have quite a few breaks to go exploring and find out a bit about what other like-minded people are up to. I will be taking my camera to record my findings... more later!
Living the Good Life
Sunday 20 May 2012
Thursday 3 May 2012
Milk prices slashed by big 3
Think your milk is too expensive?
Farmers now make a 4p loss for every litre of milk they produce.
You may not be aware, but the big three milk processors (Arla, Robert Wiseman and Dairy Crest) have announced to farmers that they are cutting the price they will pay for each litre of milk by 2p per litre - with a week's notice. This takes the price a farmer receives per litre to -3.7p. That's right - a farmer LOSES 4p for every litre of milk they produce in this country. It's outrageous.
Article at Farmer's Weekly
Farmers now make a 4p loss for every litre of milk they produce.
You may not be aware, but the big three milk processors (Arla, Robert Wiseman and Dairy Crest) have announced to farmers that they are cutting the price they will pay for each litre of milk by 2p per litre - with a week's notice. This takes the price a farmer receives per litre to -3.7p. That's right - a farmer LOSES 4p for every litre of milk they produce in this country. It's outrageous.
Article at Farmer's Weekly
Who wears microshorts?
I do!
Read my microshort about mycorrhizal fungi and orchids in the Society for General Microbiology May newsletter here.
What's a microshort? It's a very short article (less than 100 words) summarizing a recent piece of scientific research. And I actually think mine's pretty interesting ;-)
Read my microshort about mycorrhizal fungi and orchids in the Society for General Microbiology May newsletter here.
What's a microshort? It's a very short article (less than 100 words) summarizing a recent piece of scientific research. And I actually think mine's pretty interesting ;-)
Tuesday 1 May 2012
Duchy Originals Future Farming Programme
I've just been having a peek at the job market, as I do periodically to ensure I'm equipping myself correctly for when I finish my PhD. As happens every now and again, I found a job that would be perfect for me (sigh). The exciting thing here is the project it is being run from. In this case, the Duchy Originals Future Farming Programme. In short, a project to bring 'sustainable' farming practices into line, engaging farmers, researchers and consumers.
It really heartens me that organisations like the Soil Association are looking to this now, as it's going to become more and more important as time goes on.
Full details can be found here.
It really heartens me that organisations like the Soil Association are looking to this now, as it's going to become more and more important as time goes on.
Full details can be found here.
Bees in the Agri Brigade
As a rather cynical postgraduate student I am of course a fan of Private Eye.
I was interested to see in this week's copy the mention of bees (which are very close to my heart) in the Agri Brigade section, and heartened/ saddened to read PE's take on the neonicotinoid debate.
This article mentions the effects neonicotinoid (i.e. nicotine-related) insecticides are having on bee populations. Several scientific studies are cited which have shown that these chemicals have hugely detrimental effects on bees, e.g. bumble bee nests exposed to neonicotinoids produced 85% fewer queens (and queens are required to begin new colonies).
To my great dismay in 2001 the British Bee Keepers Association (BBKA) gave permission to Bayer (an agrochemical giant) to use their logo in conjunction with several 'bee-friendly' insecticides, in exchange for around £17,500 each year. Obviously bees are insects, so this label is an oxymoron. (Excellent coverage here).
As someone who is very pro- organic methods, it is easy for people to pigeon-hole me as some sort of hippy, and say that organic methods could never provide the food requirements of the UK. But one aspect that seems to be frequently ignored in this judgement is that a lot of conventional* agriculture is tied up in big companies who obviously have vested commercial interests. Their main interest is not necessarily in helping farmers or feeding the UK.
It is reassuring to see that a magazine such as PE who have no vested commercial interest in this debate, as well as a reputation for 'telling it like it is' are being so scathing of the refusal for action by the NFU or CPA**. I feel this way not purely because I'm a hippy, but because commercial greed is affecting the future of UK wildlife and farming. This is a massively complex issue, which deserves to be considered from more than the simplistic conventional vs. organic standpoint.
* i.e. produced using 'conventional' methods, such as using mineral fertiliser and spraying with insecticide, herbicides (for weed control), fungicides and nematicides.
** National Farmers Union; Crop Protection Association (previously, as mentioned, the British Agrochemicals Association).
I was interested to see in this week's copy the mention of bees (which are very close to my heart) in the Agri Brigade section, and heartened/ saddened to read PE's take on the neonicotinoid debate.
This article mentions the effects neonicotinoid (i.e. nicotine-related) insecticides are having on bee populations. Several scientific studies are cited which have shown that these chemicals have hugely detrimental effects on bees, e.g. bumble bee nests exposed to neonicotinoids produced 85% fewer queens (and queens are required to begin new colonies).
To my great dismay in 2001 the British Bee Keepers Association (BBKA) gave permission to Bayer (an agrochemical giant) to use their logo in conjunction with several 'bee-friendly' insecticides, in exchange for around £17,500 each year. Obviously bees are insects, so this label is an oxymoron. (Excellent coverage here).
As someone who is very pro- organic methods, it is easy for people to pigeon-hole me as some sort of hippy, and say that organic methods could never provide the food requirements of the UK. But one aspect that seems to be frequently ignored in this judgement is that a lot of conventional* agriculture is tied up in big companies who obviously have vested commercial interests. Their main interest is not necessarily in helping farmers or feeding the UK.
It is reassuring to see that a magazine such as PE who have no vested commercial interest in this debate, as well as a reputation for 'telling it like it is' are being so scathing of the refusal for action by the NFU or CPA**. I feel this way not purely because I'm a hippy, but because commercial greed is affecting the future of UK wildlife and farming. This is a massively complex issue, which deserves to be considered from more than the simplistic conventional vs. organic standpoint.
* i.e. produced using 'conventional' methods, such as using mineral fertiliser and spraying with insecticide, herbicides (for weed control), fungicides and nematicides.
** National Farmers Union; Crop Protection Association (previously, as mentioned, the British Agrochemicals Association).
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