In its second forecast for the 2024 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 295.5 mln t. This would be slightly down from the previous forecast of 296.5 mln t and up from the 292.4 mln t harvested in 2023.
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The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU yesterday on the revision of the Plant Health Law proposed by the Commission.
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The European Commission officially adopted a regulation which grants a partial exemption for European farmers from the conditionality rule on land lying fallow. This follows the Commission's proposal presented on 31 January, and discussions with Member States in committee meetings. The Regulation will enter into force tomorrow, 14 February, and will apply retroactively as of 1 January for one year – that is, until 31 December 2024.
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COCERAL, UNISTOCK, and EUROMALT acknowledge the ongoing technical and political debate in the EU on managing residues of Plant Protection Products in food and feed, in a way that is safe for human and animal health, and respectful for the environment. At a time of severe trade disruptions, climate change, pest pressure, and geopolitical uncertainty, it is relevant to frame the debate in a non-ideological way, considering all available methods to protect crops and related products along all stages of cultivation, storage, and transformation, to ensure food security.
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In its first forecast for the 2024 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 259.3 mln t.
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In its fourth forecast for the 2023 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 289.8 mln t. This is down from the 296.7 mln t in the June forecast and in line with the 290.1 mln t harvested in 2022.
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Commission authorises three genetically modified maize and renews the authorisation of four genetically modified crops for use as food and animal feed only
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In its third forecast for the 2023 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 296.7 mln t. This is down from the 303.5 mln in the March forecast, but up from the 291.1 mln t harvested in 2022.
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There have been several rumours that crops of inferior quality have been placed on the EU market. COCERAL members, which trade agricultural raw materials destined to the supply of the food and feed chains, as well as for technical and energy uses, are vigilant when receiving shipments whether the goods are originated from EU member countries or from import.
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In 2020, there were 9.1 million farms in the EU. This is an estimated 5.3 million fewer farms than in 2005 (the equivalent of a decline of about 37%).
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The potato is the main food crop grown in the Andean region. More than 50% of small-scale producers in the region lack access to water and irrigation systems, which negatively impacts crop yields. Most losses, which can be as high as 95%, occur during production and stem from poor crop management practices that yield just 8 tonnes per hectare compared to the optimum of 16 tonnes per hectare, depending on the crop. Variable climate patterns, leading to frequent frost and droughts, also increase losses.
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In its second forecast for the 2023 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 303.5 mln t. This is down from the 304.4 mln t in the December forecast, but up significantly from the 290.7 mln t harvested in 2022.
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In Northwestern Europe (EU-04; NL, DE, BE, FR) the potato sector is facing a range of issues in the upcoming months. The million dollar question: How will the potato market respond? An analysis by the North-western European Potato Growers (NEPG).
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There is much debate about whether the (mostly synthetic) pesticide active substances (AS) in conventional agriculture have different non-target effects than the natural AS in organic agriculture. We evaluated the official EU pesticide database to compare 256 AS that may only be used on conventional farmland with 134 AS that are permitted on organic farmland. As a benchmark, we used (i) the hazard classifications of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), and (ii) the dietary and occupational health-based guidance values, which were established in the authorization procedure. Our comparison showed that 55% of the AS used only in conventional agriculture contained health or environmental hazard statements, but only 3% did of the AS authorized for organic agriculture. Warnings about possible harm to the unborn child, suspected carcinogenicity, or acute lethal effects were found in 16% of the AS used in conventional agriculture, but none were found in organic agriculture. Furthermore, the establishment of health-based guidance values for dietary and non-dietary exposures were relevant by the European authorities for 93% of conventional AS, but only for 7% of organic AS. We, therefore, encourage policies and strategies to reduce the use and risk of pesticides, and to strengthen organic farming in order to protect biodiversity and maintain food security.
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"The year 2022 will go down in the books as a challenging year for our members. Costs in the fields rose sharply and our earnings model is under pressure."
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Farmers arrive with tractors at the Esplanades des Invalides during a demonstration against "constraints" in agriculture, in particular restrictions on the use of pesticides, in Paris, on February 8, 2023.
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Scientists at the University of Maine are evaluating if lobster shells can cultivate beneficial microbial communities that ward off soil borne potato pathogens. The novel shell-to-spud combination may connect two cornerstones of Maine’s food system and enhance the state’s circular economy.
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The European farmers’ confidence survey was carried out in seven[1] EU Member States and the United Kingdom. The survey saw a continuous decrease in overall confidence since the last semester of 2021. Going closer into national context, the results showed a mixed feeling in confidence mainly connected to the economic situations of the sectors.
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In the fast-growing potato sector, innovations are the common thread that enables efficient, competitive and sustainable growth. An independent group of experts has carefully selected the most relevant innovations in the chain, which offer significant added value to you as a user and to the further sustainability and professionalisation of the potato sector.
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After two dry years out of four, many farmers are seriously considering the future viability of a water hungry crop like potatoes. An exceptionally dry summer for much of the UK this year came on the back of a dry growing season in 2018, which has led some growers to question which fields might continue to be fit for future potato planting.
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McCain Foods, the world’s largest manufacturer of prepared potato products, is entering the Metaverse and introducing new Regen Fries as part of the #SaveOurSoil initiative. Regen Fries are made with potatoes that are grown using regenerative farming methods which build soil health, improve biodiversity, and enhance on-farm resilience to climate change.
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The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 136.3 points in September 2022, down 1.5 points (1.1 percent) from August, marking the sixth monthly decline in a row.
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One third of Pakistan has been flooded. Crops and topsoil washed away; farming infrastructure destroyed. On the other side of the Arabian Sea, Somalia is experiencing its worst drought for 40 years with crops failing and livestock dying. Our climate isn’t just changing, it has changed.
Climate change is fuelling hunger for millions of people around the world. Extreme weather events have increased five-fold over the past 50 years, destroying homes, decimating livelihoods, fuelling conflict and displacement, and deepening inequality.
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During its last meeting prior to Potato Europe 2022, the North-western European Potato Growers (NEPG) estimates that total potato production in the NEPG zone (EU-04; Belgium, Netherlands, France and Germany) will be down by 7 to 11 %. Probable final hectareage of the NEPG zone (EU-04) in 2022 will be 510.938 ha, an increase of 3,2% in comparison with last year, and an increase of 1,7 % compared to the 5-year average. Dutch growers planted 7,7 % ha more potatoes compared to 2021.
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Almost three quarters of the world’s current food production will face extreme risks from heat stress by 2045, jeopardising the health of outdoor workers and threatening the world’s supply of key crops, according to our new research.
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* Drought, heatwaves set to bring worst potato yields in years
* Small, poor-quality crop may push up prices for fries
* Producers grapple with costs, consumers with food inflation
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Getting potato crops off to a strong, healthy start can lead to better tuber distribution and greater uniformity at harvest, both of which are important for marketability and profit potential.
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The drought situation in many regions of Europe remains severe, according to the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) latest ‘Drought in Europe - August 2022' report, an update of the assessment of Europe's drought situation based on the data and analyses of the European Drought Observatory. The evolution and impacts of the prolonged drought in the EU confirms the worrying situation of July 2022: 47% of the EU is still under warning conditions, meaning that precipitation has been less than usual and soil moisture is in deficit, and 17% of the EU is in alert, meaning that also vegetation and crops show the negative effects of drought. Cumulatively, 64% of Europe is under warning or alert, which is also contributing to spread widely the areas of fire danger across the EU.
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The yield outlook for EU winter crops was slightly reduced for the third consecutive month. At EU level, the yield forecasts for soft wheat, durum wheat and winter barley are now just below the 5-year average. The forecasts for rapeseed, maize and sunflowers were also reduced but remain at, or just above, the 5-year average. Forecasts for sugar beet, potatoes, and soybeans (still mostly based on historical trends), as well as spring barley, remain essentially unchanged.
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Experts from the Copa and Cogeca working groups on cereal and oilseed gathered in Brussels this week, with an estimated total cereal production of 277 million tonnes in the EU-27 for the 2022 harvest.
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Over 180 exhibitors signed up – broad technical program: from intercropping, autonomous machines to direct farm sales – machinery demonstrations – September 7 and 8, 2022 in Springe- Mittelrode near Hanover, Germany
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These events have disrupted all four indicators of food security i.e., food availability, food access, food use, and quality as well as production stability. The world population is estimated to reach about 9.7 billion wherein people will demand 70% more food than is consumed today (FAO, 2018). The additional demand will further put immense pressure on the already fragile global agri-food system.
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Delegates at this World Potato Congress in Dublin should commit to expanding support to under-serviced countries.
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Potatoes could make a greater contribution to global food security, according to the director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN). Qu Dongyu keynote speech to the 11th World Potato Congress (WPC) in Dublin on Monday, May 30 outlined that the total production of the crop could double in the next decade.
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How do different potatoes respond to heat, drought, and waterlogging stresses? EU-backed scientists are investigating the changes that make potatoes resilient or susceptible.
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Potato production in the current crop year is estimated to be 53.60 mt, down from 56.17 mt last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture's first estimate of horticulture production. Production has been hampered in West Bengal, Punjab, and Haryana due to heavy rains in November and December of last year, just before sowing.
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Today, the Commission authorised three genetically modified crops (1 soybean, 1 oilseed rape and 1 cotton) and renewed the authorisation for one genetically modified cotton crop used for food and animal feed.
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In its second forecast for the 2022 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 305.6 mln t. This would be up from the 304.5 mln t forecast in December, but slightly down from the 307.3 mln t harvested in 2021.
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Dutch potato exports are not currently busy at all.
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Dutch potato exports are not currently busy at all.
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Agriculture drones can be used to do anything from precision agriculture, to efficiently dispersing weed control or fertilizers, to optimizing field management. Drone manufacturer DJI shares its insights.
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In its first forecast for the 2022 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 304.5 mln t. This would be slightly down from the 307.6 mln t harvested in 2021.
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After a very wet summer, slow and difficult harvesting conditions in Belgium, Holland and Germany.
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Dewulf, a full-liner in agricultural machines for the cultivation of potatoes and root crops, will present the Enduro at Interpom. The new 4-row self-propelled potato harvester was first unveiled to the public during an online event last year.
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North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension soil science specialist Dave Franzen examines soybeans in a field. Due to increasing natural gas prices, nitrogen fertilizer prices are relatively high compared to recent years and are expected to remain high and possibly increase through next spring.
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Potatoes are the most consumed vegetable in the United States. According to the USDA, US farmers grew more than 42 billion lbs. of potatoes in 2019. That’s 128 lbs. of potatoes per person. But farmers growing potatoes face many challenges. One tiny, yet devastating, the pest is the Colorado potato beetle. It can cause immense damage to potato crops. It’s also notorious for becoming resistant to chemical insecticides.
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The Summer of 2021 is one of the most humid and difficult summers in the last decades!
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in its fourth forecast for the 2021 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 312.6 mln t. This is down from the previous forecast of 315.1 mln t, but significantly up from the 297.2 mln t harvested in 2020.
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The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 127.4 points in August 2021, up 3.9 points (3.1 percent) from July and 31.5 points (32.9 percent) from the same period last year.
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One of the most humid and difficult summers in the last decades!
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Due to the current developments in regard to the coronavirus pandemic in the Netherlands and the associated lack of official approval from Dutch authorities to hold the event, PotatoEurope 2021, an outdoor exhibition on 25 hectares, scheduled for 1-2 September 2021 in Flevoland, Netherlands, has been cancelled.
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Chinese scientists have 'fixed' hybrid potatoes using genome editing technologies, simplifying the breeding process and allowing multiplication using True Potato Seed (TPS).
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After a complicated year in 2020 throughout Europe, Copa and Cogeca is forecasting better results for the 2021 harvest. Still, for cereals, the total EU-27 production should be about 3.8% beyond the 5 year trimmed average with around 292.45 million tonnes, while for oilseeds EU production could reach the threshold of 30 million tonnes, 1.6% beyond the 5 year trimmed average.
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Potatoes are the fourth most important food crop in the world after corn, rice and wheat and play an important role in Europe and worldwide in ensuring food security. Their short cultivation cycle and adaptability to a wide range of climatic conditions have helped potatoes to spread from their South American roots across multiple geographical borders. Today, there are over three thousand potato cultivars distributed far and wide across more than 125 countries, particularly in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions. They are of major economic value on the global agricultural market and their global production exceeds 370 million tonnes of potatoes. Europe is the world’s second major potato-producing region.
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Anyone who spots an unknown plant disease or pest in a garden or neighborhood can now identify and report the pathogen in the new Beware&Note application on the existing website waarnemingen.be. Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), the Experimental Centre for Ornamental Horticulture (PCS) and Natuurpunt Study hope in this way to involve citizens in the protection of our public and private green spaces against alien diseases and pests. These so-called Q-organisms (with the Q from quarantine) are increasingly crossing the borders of the European Union, causing damage to our environment and food production.
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In an effort to increase agricultural productivity and limit waste, a team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU)'s Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment developed a method to detect signs of stress before the plant is damaged.
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As plantings for the 2021 potato crop in North-western Europe is wrapping up, it seems very probable that total potato area within the NEPG zone (EU-04) will be reduced by 3 to 5 percent.
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In its third forecast for the 2021 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 315.1 mln t. This is significantly up from the previous forecast of 306.8 mln t and from the 297.2 mln t harvested in 2020.
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Water availability and thoughtful use of available water are becoming an increasing priority for agricultural and horticulturalists. In times of drought and water scarcity, irrigating crops with rain and groundwater is no longer a given. Therefore the partners in the VLAIO project Irrigation 2.0 are developing the online viewer WaterRadar. This tool integrates water demand and supply and thus promotes sustainable and circular water use.
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Copa and Cogeca take note that agriculture will not be part of the first set of economic activities that will be covered under the re-drafted Taxonomy delegated act as discussed yesterday by the Member States Expert Group on Sustainable Finance. European farmers and agri-cooperatives welcome this postponement as the only way to ensure consistency with the ongoing discussion of the future CAP.
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In its second forecast for the 2021 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 306.8 mln t. This is slightly down from the previous forecast of 307.4 mln t,but would be up significantly from the 297.2 mln t harvested in 2020.
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The European Commission adopted today a new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change, setting out the pathway to prepare for the unavoidable impacts of climate change. While the EU does everything within its power to mitigate climate change, domestically and internationally, we must also get ready to face its unavoidable consequences. From deadly heatwaves and devastating droughts, to decimated forests and coastlines eroded by rising sea levels, climate change is already taking its toll in Europe and worldwide. Building on the 2013 Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, the aim of today's proposals is to shift the focus from understanding the problem to developing solutions, and to move from planning to implementation.
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Fears over supermarket shortages during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic led many people to buy their food from local producers, raising the prospect of a transformation in the way people get their food in the future. But while eating locally and shorter supply chains are often viewed as a more sustainable alternative to our global food system, the reality is much more complicated, explains Dr Tessa Avermaete, a bioeconomist at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium.
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2SummaryCrop farming in Northwest Europe highly depends on non-renewable nutrient sources such as imported rock-phosphate. Within the scope of a Circular Economy, nutrient recycling rates at the scale of Northwest Europe need to be increased. Farmers’ requirementstowards recycling-derived fertilisers (RDFs) are the focus of the Interreg NWE project ReNu2Farm. In this context theobjective of this study is to quantify the requirement of N, P and K in various regions within the NWE territory and to formulate the desired properties of the RDFs, from an agronomic perspective.
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Today, the Commission has authorised five genetically modified crops (3 maize and 2 soybeans) and renewed the authorisation for three maize crops used for food and feed.
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PotatoEurope 2021 Innovation Award professional jury members announced In January 2021, the year in which another Dutch edition of PotatoEurope will take place on September 1 and 2, the organiser DLG Benelux has announced the members of the professional jury of the PotatoEurope 2021 innovation award.
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The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, launched the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 (IYFV) with an appeal to improve healthy and sustainable food production through innovation and technology and to reduce food loss and waste.
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In its first forecast for the 2021 crop, COCERAL sees the total grain crop in the EU-27+UK at 307.4 mln t. This would be up significantly from the 295.7 mln t harvested in 2020.
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The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 105.0 points in November 2020, up 4.0 points (3.9 percent) from October and 6.4 points (6.5 percent) higher than its value a year ago.
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Dewulf, full-liner in machines for the cultivation of potatoes and root crops, proudly present their new 4-row self-propelled sieving harvester: the Enduro. This new harvester on tyres is intended for growers and agricultural contractors that harvest potatoes. The Enduro combines new harvesting technologies with existing, proven technologies. The result is a powerful harvester that excels in product-friendliness, capacity and ease of use. Dewulf introduced the Enduro during a large, international, live online unveiling, and the harvester is now available.
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One bad year follows another for European beekeepers. 2020 marks a new negative record for the sector with a drop of 40% in honey harvests. The EU, that is not self-sufficient, will only provide 40% of the honey placed within the EU market. Tense climate conditions have affected honey producers in most EU countries with the reduction of flowering periods. A new blow for a sector that suffers from deep and structural market distortions as evidenced by the volatility of the markets despite the low volumes produced.
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Only last week the organisers of PotatoEurope 2021 have opened the pre-registration for former participants of PotatoEurope and already now a great number of participants have signed up for the upcoming edition.
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Copa and Cogeca confirm an overall drop in production for wheat and oilseed rape and express their concern about the dire cash-flow situation of European cereal producers
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The potato is used to cooler climate and vulnerabe to environmental stresses; particularly to combinations of heat and drought.
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Covid-19 has shaken up all predictions and profoundly changed the fundamentals of the 2019 campaign in France and the rest of Europe. On the French fresh market, it has meant a revival in terms of household consumption.
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Wageningen University & Research and DLG Benelux have signed a contract for hosting PotatoEurope 2021 at the location of Wageningen Plant Research in Lelystad, The Netherlands.
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New DLG Feldtage Digital robot webinar explored mechanical weeding as alternative to herbicide: Field requirements, monitoring, wear parts, solar power and remote service. Webinar attended by 450 international participants
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Sub-zero conditions have caused severe damage to potato haulms in some areas around the country.
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The outbreak of the coronavirus brings about unprecedented challenges for the EU agri-food sector. The sector responds and adapts to the new circumstances, including logistical disruptions and rapidly evolving demand, with efficiency, supported by measures taken by the European Commission.
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With preliminary figures suggesting that demand has decreased by up to 80%, the sector (cut flowers, ornamental plants, trees, bulbs and nurseries) has, since mid-March, endured a historic collapse in demand and consumption in most EU Member States and abroad. The coronavirus crisis is currently responsible for the widespread closure of shops, the disappearance of sales channels and some major losses for the ornamental sector. Against this backdrop, Copa and Cogeca have sent a letter to the European Commission asking for the Community aid scheme to urgently address the specific needs of the sector.
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The increase in world potato production stalled in 2018 and failed to recover significantly in 2019. World output slipped by 1.5% to 368.247 million tonnes in 2018 figures just released by the UN Food & Agriculture Organisation show. However, that was still the third highest total ever after 2017 and 2014.
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The second forecasts of the economic accounts for agriculture confirm an improvement in 2019. The sector’s gross value added would therefore once again pass the 2 billion mark (2.28 billion compared to 1.96 in 2018). The significant differences with the previous estimate concern cereals, industrial crops and fruit.
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Microbial biological control agents (MBCAs) against pests and diseases in crops are regarded as sustainable tools in integrated pest management. In the European Union, biological control should be preferred to conventional chemical methods if they provide satisfactory pest reduction.
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Plant breeding innovation is essential to contribute to a sustainable agriculture production that fosters food security and healthy nutrition. This is one of the key messages by the High-level Conference on Plant Breeding Innovation “Growing the Future Together” held by Copa-Cogeca and Euroseeds in Brussels this morning.
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Dewulf, full-liner in machines for the cultivation of potatoes and root crops, will, as always, bring several machines with them to Agritechnica ’19. The manufacturer will show seven machines at its stand. They range from soil cultivation to planting and from harvesting to storage. Of course, Dewulf will also have a top lifting harvester on its stand. The machines will be on display in Hanover (DE) (hall 25 - stand H23) from 10 to 16 November.
Dewulf will bring the following machines to Agritechnica 2019:
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Haulm destruction represents an important challenge in potato production following the loss of the chemical diquat. This step, which also contributes to a reduction of food waste, will result in far-reaching changes.
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Trends in seeding and cultivation technology aim to address these goals: the conservation of soil moisture; the improvement of nutrient availability; and simplified machine operation via digital-electronic aids.
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In its third estimate for the 2019 crop, Coceral sees the EU total grain crop at 304.9 mln t. This is up from the May forecast of 301.0 mln t and significantly up from last year’s crop when farmers harvested 281.5 mln t of grains.
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The DLG (German Agricultural Society), organiser of Agritechnica, today announced the winners of the Agritechnica Innovation Awards. Overall, the DLG Innovations Jury recognised one innovation with the Agritechnica Gold Innovation Award 2019, and 39 innovations with the Agritechnica Silver Innovation Award 2019. The full list of awards follows:
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Hot and regionally dry conditions negatively impacted the final part of the – hitherto very positive - summer crops growing season in south-eastern Europe. This, combined with the poor condition of crops in large parts of central and western Europe has resulted in an overall mediocre yield outlook for summer crops at EU level.
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The NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) estimates the forecasted potato harvest 2019 between 27 and 27,3 million tons for the 5 leading potato countries. This is 3% more than the 5 years average and 12% more than last year.
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On 11th September, the EU’s Trade Defence Instruments Committee will examine the Commission’s proposal enforcing definitive anti-dumping measures on imports of UAN fertilisers[1] originating from Russia, Trinidad and Tobago and the USA. What might at first seem like a dry, technical decision sounds like a potential new hard blow to many farmers across Europe. Such an approval could impact our competitiveness and our livelihood.
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The FAO Food Price Index* ((FFPI) averaged 169.8 points in August 2019, down 1.1 percent (almost 2.0 points) from July but still 1.1 percent higher than in August 2018. The decline in August marked the third consecutive monthly decrease in the FFPI, with the latest drop reflecting sharp falls in the prices of sugar and leading cereals, outweighing increases in all other sub-indices, especially vegetable oils.
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Climate change affects agriculture in a number of ways. Changes in temperature and precipitation as well as weather and climate extremes are already influencing crop yields and livestock productivity in Europe. Weather and climate conditions also affect the availability of water needed for irrigation, livestock watering practices, processing of agricultural products, and transport and storage conditions. Climate change is projected to reduce crop productivity in parts of southern Europe and to improve the conditions for growing crops in northern Europe. Although northern regions may experience longer growing seasons and more suitable crop conditions in future, the number of extreme events negatively affecting agriculture in Europe is projected to increase.
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Member States today agreed to a series of support measures proposed by the Commissionto ease the financial difficulties faced by farmers due to adverse weather conditions, and increase the availability of feed for animals.
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Dewulf, full-liner in machines for the cultivation of potatoes and root crops, will place particular focus on haulm processing, sieving capacity and roller cleaning during Potato Europe ’19. Machines on display for visitors will include an RA3060 with two separate haulm rollers, a Kwatro featuring a bunker with sieving discharge elevator and an MH 241 with Clean-Boost. This is the very first time any of these three options will be presented to the public. In addition to these machines and their innovations, the manufacturer will also conduct numerous harvesting and storage demonstrations. The machines will be on hand for your close inspection in Doornik (BE) from 4 to 5 September (outdoor stand no. 55).
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De Ruiter and Seminis seed brands discuss sustainable and tailored solutions / Industry collaborators demonstrate new advances in digital automation technology
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UK consumers may face a home-grown potatoes shortage next year as stocks run out due to new storage rules.
Experts fear a 12-week gap could open up in the UK supply in 2020 as a result of the loss of the main chemical used on stored spuds.
But Suffolk farmers could play a critical role in helping to solve the problem, as an advice group for growers tries to work out potential solutions which can be used on-farm.
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Today, an update of the JRC MARS Bulletin - Crop monitoring in Europe - was published, focusing on the extent and impacts of the unusually early, and intense, heatwaves that affected most of Europe during June.
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As harvests have already begun in a number of Member States, Copa and Cogeca are releasing their consolidated, arable-crop production forecasts for the 2019 harvests in Brussels Today.
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Plants collected by Darwin have helped reveal the ancestry of European potatoes. New genetic analysis, led by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Germany, settles nearly 100 years of debate about the origins of the European potato.es.”
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Roughage, such as grass and silage maize, is the main source of feed protein, representing 45% of EU total feed use. Oilseed meals supply almost a quarter of the feed proteins. While the EU is fully self-sufficient in roughage, the EU produces only 26% of what it consumes for meals from soya bean and rapeseed. Looking at the total EU use, about 80% of the feed is from EU origin. These are among the key findings of the ‘EU Feed Protein Balance Sheet’ for 2017/18, published today by the European Commission.
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On 6 June 2019 FEFAC celebrated its 60th Anniversary, with the theme “Resource Efficiency Champions of the Food Chain”. The event featured a key note speech[1] by European Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development Phil Hogan and panel sessions on the challenges for the agricultural and livestock sector linked to sustainability and societal expectations.
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Having banned unfair trading practices and improved producer cooperation, the Commission is today presenting the third element to improve fairness in the food supply chain by introducing greater transparency in the way prices are reported throughout the chain.
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The European Commission published today its latest ‘EU Feed Protein Balance Sheet', which provides a comprehensive overview of EU feed supply.
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EuroBlight is continuously examining the ongoing evolution of the European population of the potato late blight pathogen and now reports on the 2018 results. Approximately 1000 samples were genotyped from 22 countries.
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Researchers from Australia, Germany, Switzerland and the United States have quantified the effect of climate extremes, such as droughts or heatwaves, on the yield variability of staple crops around the world.
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New figures released by the European Commission today, show that imports of U.S. soya beans by the European Union increased by 121% over the current market year (July 2018 to mid-April 2019), compared to the same period in the previous year.
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The Cereal Supply and Demand Brief provides an up-to-date perspective of the world cereal market. The monthly brief is supplemented by a detailed assessment of cereal production as well as supply and demand conditions by country/region in the quarterly Crop Prospects and Food Situation. More in-depth analyses of world markets for cereals, as well as other major food commodities, are published biannually in Food Outlook.
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Agriculture Ministry: “Since the beginning of the export season of agriculture products, Egypt's exports of potatoes increased to 200,000 tons.”
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In its first forecast for the 2019 crop, Coceral projects the EU total grain crop at 298.5 mln t.
This is significantly up from last year’s crop when farmers harvested 280.2 mln t of grains.
Wheat production is seen at 139.8 mln t, up from 127.4 mln t in 2018, because of higher plantings and an expected recovery in yields in Germany, France, the UK, Poland and Scandinavia. The Spanish crop is seen down on year due to dry weather and lower soil moisture levels.
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At Fruit Logistica 2019 in Berlin, Bayer will announce new collaboration agreements with some companies active in the agricultural sector, with research institutes and with the American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), an intergovernmental organization in the Americas.
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The Climate Corporation (Climate), a subsidiary of Bayer and the industry leader in bringing digital innovation to farmers, today announced strong harvest results for farmers using Seed Advisor, its new predictive seed selection and placement technology for corn. In addition to Seed Advisor, Climate accelerated 25 innovation advancements in 2018 through its global, digital farming pipeline to provide farmers more data-driven insights to sustainably improve their productivity.
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Imports of U.S. soya beans by the European Union increased by 112% over the current market year (July-December 2018), compared to the same period in the previous year. With a share of 75% of EU soya beans imports, the U.S. remains Europe's number one supplier.
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Food security under climate change depends on the yield performance of staple food crops. We found a decline in the climate resilience of European wheat in most countries during the last 5 to 15 y, depending on the country. The yield responses of all the cultivars to different weather events were relatively similar within northern and central Europe, within southern European countries, and specifically regarding durum wheat. We also found serious Europe-wide gaps in wheat resilience, especially regarding yield performance under abundant rain. Climate resilience is currently not receiving the attention it deserves by breeders, seed and wheat traders, and farmers. Consequently, the results provide insights into the required learning tools, economic incentives, and role of public actors.
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Potato tubers of one of the founder lines of Solynta. These parental plants could be the first self-compatible, diploid potato plants ever grown. Homozygous parents are needed for the creation of hybrids.
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That the potato harvest this year in Europe was well below average due to extreme weather conditions is well known by now. I this article we present some recent data from Great Britain, The Netherlands and Spain that further clarify the situation.
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The Commission published today in the framework of the 2018 EU Agricultural Outlook Conference projections for the European agricultural markets to 2030 for a wide range of agri-food products, including meat, arable crops, milk and dairy products, and fruit and vegetables.
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Today the European Commission adopted its report on the development of plant proteins in the European Union. The report reviews the supply and demand situation for plant proteins (such as rapeseed, sunflower seeds or lentils) in the EU and explores ways in which to further develop their production in an economically and environmentally sound way.
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Los Angeles - Today, the new documentary “Secret Ingredients” was released worldwide by filmmakers Jeffrey Smith and Amy Hart featuring dramatic stories of people who regained their health after switching to organic food. The film implicates GMOs and pesticides, particularly Monsanto’s Roundup, in contributing to a global health crisis of chronic disease.
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Royal Agrifirm Group is introducing a number of integrated agricultural and feed solutions for agricultural entrepreneurs and feed manufacturers at the EuroTier international trade fair in Hanover, Germany. All these new and recently launched solutions are the result of synergy effects within and between the various divisions of Agrifirm and the company's cooperation with third parties. The solutions comprise of a combination of products, advice, knowledge sharing, and monitoring of results. The objective of this customized cooperation is to deliver demonstrable returns on farms, in fields, and within the industry. Agrifirm has demonstrated that its ‘Better Together’ strategy, launched last year, is flourishing.
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The European Commission has published the first report on the application of competition rules in the agricultural sector. The report shows that the work of European competition authorities can help farmers to obtain better conditions when selling their products to large buyers or cooperatives.
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Published today, the latest farm economics overview, covering the years 2014 and 2015, shows that incomes in the EU farming sector grew. This increase reverses the decline seen in 2013.
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A UK based company focused on the analysis and interpretation of satellite data - has in collaboration with AHDB Potatoes investigated the effectiveness of using satellite data to map the extent of potato crops in pilot locations across England and Scotland.
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The European Commission adopted today the derogations on certain greening rules, which were proposed earlier this summer. This additional flexibility is aimed at increasing the availability of fodder, one of the main challenges that livestock farmers are facing due to the impact of drought​.
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Today the European Commission has published the latest figures on EU imports of soya beans, showing that the U.S. has become Europe's main supplier of this commodity, reaching a 52% share compared to 25% in in the same period last year.
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Joined by farming stakeholders, academia, NGOs and industry experts from around the globe, Bayer outlined its vision for the future of agriculture today, reaffirming its commitment to innovation, sustainability and digital transformation to help ensure the world’s rapidly growing population can be fed without starving the planet.
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During Potato Europe 2018, Dewulf, full-liner in agricultural machines for the cultivation of potatoes and root crops, will not only present several familiar favourites but also two new machines. The first new offering is the recently announced Field Loader 240, and efficient transfer combi that excels in ease of use and capacity. The CP 22 Farmer, a light, mounted 2-row cup planter for potato growers with smaller acreage will also be on display. The full-liner will also conduct numerous harvesting and planting demonstrations during the trade fair with the Miedema Structural 4000, the Kwatro, the RF3060 and the Torro. Dewulf will be located at stand GD69.
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The Emsland Group, a potato processor with seven production plants throughout Germany, produces Potato Starch, Protein and fiber, Potato Flakes, Potato Granules and a number of potato specialties.
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In light of the difficulties faced by European farmers affected by drought this summer, the European Commission continues acting to provide practical support to the sector. Additional flexibility will be granted to help farmers provide sufficient feed to their animals.
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The VOG Consortium has just ended an absolutely abnormal apple season: after a three-year cycle of difficult “post embargo“ seasons, the 2017/2018 season ended prematurely as product ran out.
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Dewulf, full-liner in agricultural machines for the cultivation of potatoes and root crops, launches a unique transfer combi: the Field Loader 240. This compact, stand-alone machine combines a high cleaning capacity with ease of use and product-friendliness. Aspects that make the Field Loader 240 a true stand out: suitable for road transport; a 4-piece discharge elevator with an extremely wide swing radius; and a built-in, super-silent diesel generator. The machine will be officially launched during the Aardappeldemodag ('potato demo day') on 22 August 2018 in Westmaas (NL).
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It's not just the weather that makes this year's potato crop in Washington promising. Chris Voigt also credited the great care and detailed management by the Washington potato growers for the expected high yields and good quality
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At the 30th International Horticultural Congress (IHC2018), which will take place from August 12 to 16 in Istanbul, Turkey, Bayer introduces its latest innovations and novel approaches for sustainable horticulture production.
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In Belgium, the continuing drought and especially the extreme heat is increasingly disastrous for the upcoming potato harvest and threatens to cause havoc for processors as well.
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The European Commission is standing by Europe's farmers this summer, as they grapple with the difficulties of extreme droughts.
Farmers will be able to receive their direct and rural development payments in advance and will be granted more flexibility to use land that would normally not be used for production, in order to feed their animals.
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Today the European Commission has published the latest figures on EU imports of soybeans, showing an increase of 283% in imports of soybeans from the U.S., bringing the EU's total share of imports of U.S. soybeans to 37%, up from 9% one year ago.
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The non-production requisite on land lying fallow for farmers under crop diversification and/ or ecological focus area requirements have been lifted in eight EU member states for 2018. A severe drought significantly affected agricultural activities, especially in relation to animal feed resources, in those countries.
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Copa and Cogeca released new estimates for this year’s EU grain harvest today, forecasting a 6% drop in EU cereal and oilseeds production, due to extreme weather conditions.
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The organizer of the DLG-Feldtage 2018 outdoor exhibition for crop cultivation, the DLG (German Agricultural Society), along with exhibitors, have expressed their satisfaction with the way this year’s event has been carried out, and with the overall result.
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In its second forecast for the 2018 crop, Coceral revised down its EU total grain crop forecast from the previous figure of 302.5 mln t to 299.1 mln t. This would be almost exactly as much as last year’s crop when farmers harvested 299.2 mln t of grains. The wheat crop was revised down from 140.5 mln t to 138.8 mln t, which would also be lower than the 141.6 mln t reached in 2017. Reductions have been made for Germany, Scandinavia, all Baltic countries as well as Romania due to the ongoing dryness. Crops in France and Spain, in turn, have been revised up.
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The international comparison of winter wheat cultivation methods, which has been an important part of the technical program at the DLG-Feldtage since 1988, will this year feature crop experts from seven countries presenting their strategies for growing the crop. This will once again give visitors the opportunity to get to know a wide variety of cultivation philosophies from different European growing regions, as well as Germany, and to discuss these with the experts involved to reach conclusions that could inform how they cultivate their own wheat crops.
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One in ten pollinating insects is on the verge of extinction, and a third of bee and butterfly species is declining. This is why today the Commission is proposing the first-ever EU initiative to address the decline of wild pollinating insects.
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The European Commission today published proposals for regulations modernising and simplifying the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
These proposals are for a regulation on the CAP Strategic Plans (a proposed new way of working covering direct payments to farmers, rural development support and sectoral support programmes), a regulation on the Single Common Market Organisation (CMO) and a horizontal regulation on financing, managing and monitoring the CAP. These proposals give shape to the ideas for the future of the CAP, as outlined in the Communication on the Future of Food and Farming, presented by the Commission in November 2017.
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German farmers are currently faced with a long list of challenges that are impacting on their businesses, according to the president of the DLG (German Agricultural Society), Hubertus Paetow. Addressing agricultural journalists at Neugattersleben, Germany, on 26 April, he said the issues included: resistance to pesticides; approval-related loss of important active ingredients for crop protection; stagnation in breeding progress; loss of biodiversity; problems due to too narrow crop rotations; and new measures aimed at protecting water and soil.
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The DLG International Crop Production Center (IPZ) will host the DLG-Feldtage 2018 field exhibition, which takes place from 12-14 June. The event will occupy about 40 ha of the IPZ area, which is set to welcome some 25,000 visitors from across Europe and the rest of the world.
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With world food demand set to rise by 60% by 2050, the European Agri-Cooperative (Cogeca) Presidency Business Forum examined today strategies that agri-cooperatives are creating to overcome the economic and environmental challenges created by climate change.
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There are more than 300,000 hits on Google for “asparagus”. It is a ridiculous amount, although not particularly surprising if we consider that 210,000 hectares of asparagus are grown worldwide. Yet, despite the increasing appeal, for some time now there has not been an international event specifically dedicated to this crop. The first edition of the International Asparagus Days, to be held from 16 to 18 October 2018 at Cesena Fiera, is set to fill this “gap”.
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The DLG-Feldtage 2018 will have live machinery demonstrations on all three days of the exhibition, with an expanded program on offer this year. Comparative demonstrations will take place on the key topics of crop protection sprayers, mineral fertilizer spreaders, sensor technology for precision farming Seed drills for cereals and steering and data management systems and, new for 2018, mechanical weed control. Many of the demonstrations will have live commentaries, which will mostly be in German.
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A complete liquid fertilizer that contains every essential plant nutrient has been the ‘holy grail’ of liquid fertilizers for many decades. Many have tried to create such a product, all have failed. That is why the development of “Gold Leaf” by Plater Bio is such a major achievement.
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Over the years, many urban legends have circulated on fresh-cut products. Some people believe that these products are of inferior quality, more expensive, and full of preservatives or harmful microorganisms. But is it really so?
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As German arable farmers deal with the consequences of limited cropping practices, DLG-Feldtage 2018 will provide them with the opportunity to find out how increasing the number of different crops in their rotations could address problems that currently need to be addressed by special management practices and crop protection regimes
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European Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development, Phil Hogan, has confirmed that he will agree to UK requests for EU rules on crop diversification to be relaxed following excessive rain that has delayed crop planting.
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Cropping strategies from agronomists based in seven European countries will be assessed at the renowned DLG-Feldtage, taking place this year at the DLG’s International Crop Production Centre (IPZ) at Bernburg, Saxony-Anhalt, from 12 to 14 June. They will take part in the European Cropping Comparisons, which date back to the first DLG-Feldtage held in 1988.
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After New Plant Processing Techniques (NBTs) have been allowed in the USA without restriction, Copa and Cogeca urge the EU to improve Europe’s challenging policy and regulatory framework.
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The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of Monsanto by Bayer. The merger is conditional on the divestiture of an extensive remedy package, which addresses the parties' overlaps in seeds, pesticides and digital agriculture.
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Benjamin 'Benjy' Firester, 18, of New York City, won the top award in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2018, the oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors in the United States.
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The Sandals group, with 11 resorts in Jamaica, provides potato farmers with major financial assistance in order to cut its import bill, support the local farming community and to serve their guests with local potatoes...
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In its first forecast for the 2018, Coceral sees the EU’s total grain crop at 302.5 mln t, which would be a slight increase from the 299.9 mln t last year. Wheat production is expected to fall to 140.5 mln t from 141.5 mln t. This is due to an expected drop in acreage by almost 500,000 ha after unusually wet weather had affected plantings last fall in Germany, Denmark, Poland and Scandinavia. As a result, production is forecast to drop in these countries, especially in Denmark, Poland and Scandinavia, whereas the Spanish crop is expected to recover after last year’s exceptional drought.
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A bill has exited the Ministry of Rural Affairs regarding the payment of support to potato growers and field-scale vegetable growers who were unable to harvest part of their crops due to excessive rainfall last fall.
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Copa and Cogeca welcomed today advice from the EU Food Safety Authority (EFSA) which confirms that there is no justification for a total ban on the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments on all crops.
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COCERAL publishes its report on “Applied methods for insect management in stored grain and oilseeds”. This third edition of the survey covers the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 crops and describes the techniques implemented by European grain and oilseeds traders and collectors to manage insect infestation in grain storage facilities: own silos, port silos and farms.
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The DLG-Feldtage 2018 will take place under the theme "Crop 2030”. The focus is on productivity, innovations and strategies. Exhibitors at the event will present their pioneering developments in processes, technologies and resources that will enable sustainable increases in output from crop production.
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The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is one of the best performing policies, but improvements are vital to make it work better, Copa and Cogeca told EU Farm Ministers today.
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From November 15 to 17, Bolzano will once again become the apple capital of the world, as more than 20,000 professionals from all over the world descend on the city to find out the latest news from the sector. In the last few years, Interpoma, the international trade show on apple production, storage and marketing, has pursued innovation as its main theme, becoming the key event for finding out about the development of new ideas in the apple production sector.
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At Fruit Logistica 2018 in Berlin, Bayer will sign collaboration agreements with two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) committed to supporting smallholder farmers. "80 percent of the food consumed in developing countries is produced by more than 500 million smallholder farmers. Helping them to increase their productivity in a sustainable manner is key to address food security whilst protecting the environment," says Liam Condon, Member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and President of the Crop Science Division. "That’s why we are collaborating with strong partners to ensure access to important know-how, quality products and markets."
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Initial Copa and Cogeca EU-28 cereal and oilseeds estimates released today show the grain area to be quite stable this year, but producers are being hit by extreme weather events, low market prices and high production costs, creating uncertainty about the final figures.
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New results from Copa and Cogecas’ survey in the third quarter of 2017 shows that farmers are concerned about their future economic prospects, mainly as a result of global market developments and trade.
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New results from Copa and Cogecas’ survey in the third quarter of 2017 shows that farmers are concerned about their future economic prospects, mainly as a result of global market developments and trade.
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This report presents the medium-term outlook for the major EU agricultural commodity markets and agricultural income to 2030, based on a set of coherent macroeconomic assumptions deemed most plausible at the time of the analysis. The projections assume a continuation of current agricultural and trade policies.
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NRGene, the worldwide leader in genomic assembly and analysis, is working with a team of researchers from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands and leading commercial partners to create multi-genome mapping of commercial food potatoes.
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Ahead of EU Transport and Energy Ministers meeting, Copa and Cogeca urges the Estonian Presidency not to cut the target for crop-based biofuels used in transport by 2030.
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A raft of changes due to come into force on 1 January 2018 continue the drive towards a simpler, more modern Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
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A trade show press conference, focus on Italy-China trade, was held in Shanghai last week during Mac Fruit Attraction China, a new trade show for international fresh produce exhibitors. Mac Fruit Attraction China is a joint effort between Spain’s IFEMA, the home of Fruit Attraction; Italy’s Cesena Fiera, the host of Macfrut; and VNU, organizer of Horti China 2017.
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COCERAL regrets that no decision has been made during today’s Standing Committee meeting on the European Commission proposal to re-authorise glyphosate.
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New figures released by Copa and Cogeca today estimate a good EU olive and olive oil harvest this year, despite the spread of the disease Xylella fastidiosa
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Ahead of discussions on 9 November, COCERAL calls on the European Commission and Member States to re-authorise the active substance glyphosate for fifteen years following positive assessments on the safety of the substance from both the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
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Brazilian farming business SLC Agricola is not afraid to try new smart farming technologies, but will only invest in those that are proven to provide a financial return in tests on the company’s farms
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Dewulf~Miedema, full-liner in potato and root crop machinery, has chosen Dewulf as its new official company name. With this, the next step is taken in the merger process that both companies began in 2014. Aside from the name, nothing changes for the personnel. The customers and the dealer network can soon enjoy the comfort and advantages of Dewulf as a one-stop-shop. Furthermore, the unified Dewulf is more driven than ever to make work as enjoyable as possible for its customers and to help them grow. This is expressed with its new slogan, “enjoy growing”.
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The European Parliament Environment Committee’s vote to phase-out the use of biofuels by 2030 seriously undermines the EU’s climate and sustainability objectives. It diverges sharply from the latest draft proposal from the EU Council, which safeguards the role of biofuels in the renewable energy framework.
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As talks step up on the commonly used herbicide glyphosate, Copa and Cogeca call on the EU to re-authorise this active substance for 15 years, as strong EU scientific evidence has confirmed its safety. Failing to re-authorise it would put food supplies produced in an environmentally friendly way at risk.
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New EU cereal and oilseeds figures released by Copa and Cogeca today confirm that EU production recovered in 2017, despite the extreme weather events, but concerns remain on the quality of the crops.
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Copa and Cogeca welcomed this week an agreement struck during the trilogues between MEPs and the EU Council on rules to simplify EU agricultural policy, boost farmers’ bargaining power and improve insurance schemes to compensate for losses.
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Copa and Cogeca welcomed this week an agreement struck during the trilogues between MEPs and the EU Council on rules to simplify EU agricultural policy, boost farmers’ bargaining power and improve insurance schemes to compensate for losses.
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More than 300 innovations will be on show at Agritechnica 2017 in November, reinforcing the event’s position as the worlds primary forum for new agricultural equipment and technology
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New EU cereal and oilseeds figures released by Copa and Cogeca today confirm that EU production recovered in 2017, despite the extreme weather events, but concerns remain on the quality of the crops.
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Ahead of the European Commission’s conference on Modern Biotechnologies in Agriculture on 28 September, the European seed sector launches the campaign #EmbracingNature to underline and explain the essential role plant breeding innovation plays in tackling Europe’s agri-food challenges, including meeting consumer demands and contributing to a highly productive and more sustainable agriculture and food production system.
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Copa and Cogeca call on the EU Commission to deal with European biodiesel industry’s appeal against dismantling duties on Argentinian biodiesel imports to EU via fast-track procedure
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Coceral revised down the EU’s 2017/18 total grain crop down from 300.3 mln tonnes to 299.5 mln tonnes.
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Digitally assisted agricultural machinery and equipment can already be found in arable farming. A few examples of this are self-steering tractors, application technology with variable dose rates for fertilizers and plant protection agents, and automatic yield logging with combine harvesters. Milking robots, sensors, databases and various items of digital auxiliary equipment have been assisting farmers in animal husbandry for a long time too.
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The trend towards further automation of processes – coupled with intelligent data management systems to optimize the regulation and control of equipment, logistics, documentation, quality assurance and traceability – is proceeding unabated in agriculture. This is demonstrated by the more than 320 new product registrations the DLG (German Agricultural Society) has received for this year's Agritechnica.
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Agrifirm introduces TopCote potato, an innovative fertiliser for propagating material and ware potatoes. TopCote[1] features a unique composition of coated and uncoated fertiliser granules. The phased release of minerals and nutrients means the needs of the potato crop are optimally supported throughout the growing season.
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New results from Copa and Cogecas’ survey in the first quarter of 2017 shows that farmers are more optimistic about future economic prospects, compared to 2016, when they hit an all-time low.
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The Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess the proposed acquisition of Monsanto by Bayer under the EU Merger Regulation. The Commission has concerns that the merger may reduce competition in areas such as pesticides, seeds and traits.
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VIB, Ghent University and KU Leuven have launched a new spin-off: Aphea.Bio. This new company will develop sustainable agricultural products based on natural microorganisms to increase crop yields and to protect them against specific fungal diseases. Thanks to a successful Series A financing round and an R&D grant approved by Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO), Aphea.Bio is now backed by 9 million euros of funding, giving it a clear shot at a leading position in the fast-emerging market of biopesticides and biostimulants. Headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, Aphea.Bio will be led by CEO Dr. Isabel Vercauteren and CSO Dr. Steven Vandenabeele.
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Commission conditionally clears both FMC's acquisition of parts of DuPont's crop protection business and DuPont's acquisition of FMC's Health and Nutrition business
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The Commission launched today a market observatory for crops to ensure more transparency and increase availability of market data for European farmers and traders.
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Coceral and Copa-Cogeca sent a joint letter to Member States this week calling for the full 15 years re-authorisation of the herbicide active substance glyphosate in the EU after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) gave it a positive assessment.
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On 6 July 2017, the CEJA General Assembly met in Brussels in order to elect a new President and four new Vice-Presidents for the next mandate of 2017-2019.
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Bayer and the Israeli company Netafim are joining forces to enhance the application of crop protection products while supplying crops with water in the most efficient way. With the new approach called "DripByDrip", both water and crop protection are distributed throughout the fields via the drip irrigation system and then delivered directly to the roots of the crops. This approach will enable farmers to apply crop protection products in a more targeted way using Netafim’s drip irrigation technology. The companies plan to launch the system in Mexico by the end of 2017.
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As of tomorrow, 1 July, the exceptional measures already in place to help producers of perishable fruits affected by the ban on imports imposed by the Russian authorities will be extended for a further year until end of June 2018.
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FEFAC will discuss the competitiveness of EU animal production with European Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development, Mr Phil Hogan, at its XXVIII Congress in Cordoba on 8 June 2017.
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Overview of protein crops – a useful tool in CAP post 2020 discussions
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Newly re-elected Chairman of Copa & Cogeca Working Party on Organic Production Kees Van Zelderen outlines priorities including getting good deal on EU Organic Farming Review
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Copa and Cogeca regret EU Commission plans to re-authorise use of herbicide active substance glyphosate for only ten years and not fifteen after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) gave it a positive scientific assesssment #farmers4glyphosate
Copa and Cogeca regretted today the EU Commission plans to re-authorise the use of the herbicide active substance glyphosate in EU crop production for only ten years and not fifteen, after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) gave it a positive scientific assessment.
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Crop damage caused by herbicide drift should be a risk on Manitoba potato producers’ radar this year.
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The International Bremia Evaluation Board for the EU (IBEB-EU) has evaluated all Bremia races found in 2016 and earlier. Once again, many outbreaks of Bremia were caused by new Bremia races with only local importance. However, one race spread in most European counties and IBEB-EU decided to denominate this isolate as the new race Bl: 33EU. The Board emphasizes the importance of chemical control and hygiene measures in addition to the use of resistant varieties to prevent the development of new races.
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Syngenta in Zambia, through its subsidiary MRI Seed, has partnered with the Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programme implemented by Fintrac Inc., to help smallholder farmers gain access to high-quality, disease-free horticultural seedlings, giving them the opportunity to become commercially viable vegetable farmers.
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Copa and Cogeca send letter to EU Commission President Juncker urging the Commission to re-authorise use of herbicide active substance glyphosate in EU for fifteen years, after ECHA and EFSA gave it a positive scientific assessment #farmers4glyphosate
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AVR is launching the trailed Ceres 450 combined potato planter, a 4-row trailed potato planter with a hopper capacity of up to 3,500 kg (4x75 cm) or 4,000 kg (4x90 cm).
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Potato breeder Solynta started a potato revolution nearly ten years ago: to develop and apply new breeding technologies to convert potatoes into a hybrid crop. Years of research went into the development of a hybrid potato.
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”DLG will be co-operating with Informationssystem Integrierte Pflanzenproduktion e.V. (Information System Integrated Plant Production) on a new special feature at Agritechnica 2017
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The European Commission published for the first time on April 10 a comprehensive EU protein balance sheet. The EU protein balance sheet 2015/2016 is an overview of total EU production, consumption and trade of all marketable sources of proteins used in animal feed production. Next to well-known protein-rich materials such as soybean meal, rapeseed meal and pulses, the balance sheet includes sources with lower protein content like cereals.
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The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Syngenta (based in Switzerland) by ChemChina. The approval is conditional on the divestiture of significant parts of ChemChina's European pesticide and plant growth regulator business.
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Copa and Cogeca welcomed in Brussels today the fact that the EU Commission will keep the rate for Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs) at 5% after releasing a new report.
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The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed merger between US-based chemical companies Dow and DuPont. The approval is conditional in particular on the divestiture of major parts of DuPont's global pesticide business, including its global R&D organisation.
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Copa and Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said "On the basis of the strong scientific evidence, vis a vis both the opinions of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the European food Safety Authority (EFSA), we urge the EU to re-authorise this substance for use in crop production without further restrictions.
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Plant breeders must have free access to biological material in order to be able to breed new crop species. Patent law thus does not apply to conventional plant breeding.
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New Copa & Cogeca EU-28 cereal estimates show production is expected to be stable this year but producers are cautious about the estimates which are dependent on weather events, newly elected Chairman of Copa & Cogecas Cereals Working Party Max Schulman said today.
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The Commission publishes today its short-term outlook for arable crops, olive oil, meat and dairy markets in the EU for 2017-2018, confirming that the reduction in the EU milk supply at the end of 2016 contributed to a significant recovery in EU milk prices. Exports and domestic demand led to record high prices for butter and a significant price recovery for cheese.
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The latest addition to the Copernicus satellite Earth observation family will halve the time needed to provide precision land-use data to benefit farmers, builders, fishermen and anyone who needs rapid access to up-to-the-minute data on conditions on the ground.
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Newly elected Chairman of Copa & Cogecas Oilseeds Working Party Arnaud Rousseau optimistic about this years’ EU oilseeds harvest
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New Copa & Cogeca EU-28 cereal estimates show production expected to be stable this year but producers cautious about estimates as depends on weather events
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Agritechnica will have an overall theme for the first time this year. It has chosen “Green Future-Smart Technology”, which recognizes the need for today’s agriculture to be sustainable in terms of ecology, economy and human resources. It also suggests the way to achieve this is for farmers to use all the available knowledge about interactions of plants and soil, technology and labor to develop appropriate farming systems.
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Copa President Martin Merrild pays tribute to FNSEA President and Copa Vice-President Xavier Beulin, saying it is a great loss to agriculture
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Agritechnica 2017 has just launched its overall theme “Green Future – Smart Technology” in 2017.
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Time is rapidly running out to make sure potato stores in the United Kingdom comply with new rules on using chlorpropham (CIPC), which require the sprout suppressant to be applied using “active recirculation” at new lower rates.
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Bayer showcases its Food Chain Partnership activities at Fruit Logistica in Berlin that is taking place from February 8 to 10. The company presents a number of successful partnership examples from various regions that link partners along the value chain enabling safety, quality, affordability, transparency and above all sustainability, from seed to shelf.
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The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) in January 2017 averaged 173.8 points, up 3.7 points (2.1 percent) from the revised December value. At this level, the FFPI is at its highest value since February 2015.
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For 30 years, KU Leuven (University of Leuven, Belgium) has been home to an impressive collection of bananas that already contains over 1,500 varieties and is the biggest in its kind.
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In a high-level meeting, Copa and Cogeca discussed today the Maltese Presidency’s work programme and outlined key ways to ensure a sustainable EU agriculture sector in the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
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NRGene's GenoMAGICTM Software Makes Genomic Selection and Trait Mapping More Efficient
Syngenta, a leading global agrochemical and seed company, has chosen NRGene's GenoMAGICTM cloud-based software package for more comprehensive evaluations to accelerate trait discovery and breeding across diverse crops. NRGene is the leading genomic big data company.
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The new Plant Health Regulation[1], which enters into force today, is a major overhaul of the EU's Plant Health legislation which has been in place since 1977. It will repeal and replace seven Council Directives on harmful organisms and will become fully applicable on 13 December 2019.
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With the opening of exhibitor registrations for Agritechnica 2017, the new exhibition theme has been announced. Reflecting the high-tech side of modern agriculture, and the new working environment of today’s farmer, Agritechnica’s new main theme in 2017, “Green Future – Smart Technology”, will shape many of the features at the fair, which takes place in Hanover, Germany, from 12–18 November 2017.
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Copa & Cogeca welcome EU Farm Ministers calls to introduce EU legislation to fight unfair trading practices (UTPs) in food chain & to maintain targets for conventional biofuels used in transport
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Celebrated in several countries on Dec. 5, World Soil Day raises awareness about the importance of soil preservation and stimulates discussion on effective crop practices. These discussions quickly become a call to action.
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25,437 visitors from 57 countries came to Messe Stuttgart from 27 to 30 November for the première of INTERVITIS INTERFRUCTA HORTITECHNICA. This year the traditional trade fair opened with an extended concept: In addition to technology for wine and juice, the event also presented innovations for special crops. The halls were well-filled - organisers, exhibitors and visitors were relatively positive and optimistic. Particularly pleasing: The quality of the visitors increased once again compared with the trade fair in 2013.
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Copa & Cogeca outlined key priorities and goals for the EU Platform on Food Losses and Waste (FLW) at the first meeting held in Brussels today.
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2016 GB potato production estimated down 5% at 5.22 million tonnes
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INTERVITIS INTERFRUCTA HORTITECHNICA will open its doors today in Stuttgart: around 400 exhibitors will present their innovations at the International Technology Trade Fair for Wine, Juice and Special Crops up until 30 November.
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Copa and Cogeca send letter to MEPs urging them to approve herbicide active substance bentazone after EU food safety authority (EFSA) gave positive assessment
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The long-term consolidation of the coffee industry, as unprofitable farms switch to other crops, while farmers in areas with a low cost of production up their output, will leave the coffee market more vulnerable to volatility from weather and pests, Sucden Financial warned.
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Economic study gives valuable information on potential effects of future trade agreements and validates current EU approach of systematically protecting sensitive sectors.
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As fall potato harvest wraps up around the Columbia Basin, farmers are expecting above-average yield and quality thanks to an exceptional growing season.
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Copa & Cogecas’ Cereals and Oilseeds working parties confirm bad 2016 EU market situation but prospects promising as long as sufficient supply plant protection products available
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Currency and supply dynamics are affecting the relative price of British processing potatoes compared to supplies from Belgium and the Netherlands.
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The European Commission has opened an in-depth probe to assess whether the proposed acquisition of Syngenta by ChemChina is in line with the EU Merger Regulation. The Commission will assess whether the deal may reduce competition in crop protection products and the supply of certain input chemicals.
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INTERPOM | PRIMEURS, the leading indoor trade fair for the entire potato, vegetable and fruit sector in Europe, will be held in Kortrijk Xpo (Belgium) from Sunday November 27 to Tuesday 29 November 2016.
Once again, the event has chalked up strong growth figures and with 310 exhibitors, all stand space available is already fully booked, weeks before the opening date. This year will be the largest edition ever, making it the biggest indoor potato trade fair in the world where the whole chain is represented, from growing to processing and marketing.
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COCERAL and COPA & COGECA organized a workshop in the European Parliament this week, hosted by MEPs G. La Via, D. Buda and N. Nicolai, to discuss the outlook, competitiveness and challenges of producing and supplying raw materials in the EU.
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At a major event held in European Parliament today, hosted by MEP Elisabeth Köstinger, Copas’ Innovation Prize for Women Farmers and Special Achievement Award were presented to Margaret Farrelly from Ireland and Lisa Paganelli from Italy.
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Copa & Cogeca outline views on the EU omnibus regulation proposal and CAP greening simplification measures discussed by EU Farm Ministers in Luxembourg this week.
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Copa & Cogeca outline views on the EU ombudsman regulation proposal and CAP greening simplification measures discussed by EU Farm Ministers in Luxembourg today.
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Samples of Kings Brother Dairy's chocolate milk were handed out at a World Dairy Expo Virtual Farm Tour, while Jeff and Jan King speak in the background.Photo by Wyatt Bechtel
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Koppert and Lantmännen BioAgri have agreed on the acquisition of the assets of BioAgri’s microbial products, registrations and IP by Koppert. The agreement means Koppert will expand its seed treatment capabilities and Lantmännen BioAgri will continue to cover its home market area in Scandinavia and around the Baltic Sea. Both parties have also agreed to further develop a strong partnership around the acquired product portfolio with joint R&D and marketing.
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With more than 38,000 participants, +9% of visitors compared to 2015 and +30% of participants from abroad, the 2016 edition of Macfrut ended with remarkable record numbers. Cesena Fiera, the organiser of the international trade fair of the fruit and vegetable sector that ended a few days ago in Rimini, is already busy preparing the 2017 edition, to be held in the spring, as in the past, from 10 to 12 May.
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Copa & Cogeca Presidents sent a letter to the EU Commission today warning against latest EU Commission plans to simplify the greening measures under the Common Agricultural Policy, saying that they will not make life easier for farmers.
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Copa & Cogeca cereals and oilseeds working party discuss difficult market situation and warn of farmers severe cash flow problems
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Despite a big world grain harvest this year with low prices seen globally, new figures released by Copa & Cogeca show that EU-28 wheat production fell by as much as 10% this year and rapeseed by 9.2%, compared to 2015, leaving EU farmers with severe cash flow problems.
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Strong innovation pipeline will help solve key agricultural challenges / Sustained high R&D investment level of about 10 percent of sales confirmed / EUR 2.5 billion capital expenditure program from 2017 to 2020 / Strong commitment to sustainability also supported by investments in Digital Farming, ForwardFarming and Smallholder Farming
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Potato plantings by variety in Great Britain in 2016
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Potatoes are the second largest cultivated crop in Belgium and a key ingredient in Belgian cuisine. It's the base of the world-famous French fries, and is considered by Belgians as part of their national pride.
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The Commission has opened an in-depth probe to assess whether the proposed merger of Dow and DuPont is in line with the EU Merger Regulation. The Commission will investigate further whether the deal may reduce competition in areas such as crop protection, seeds and certain petrochemicals.
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From winegrowing to enology through to marketing: The programme of the 62nd German Winegrowers' Congress at INTERVITIS INTERFRUCTA HORTITECHNICA
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Staff and students from the University of Warwick Crop Centre took part in the ‘70 tractors for 70 years’ Massey Ferguson procession organised by Coventry Transport Museum on Saturday 30 July.
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New EU study reveals EU would need 19 million more hectares of farm land to produce same amount of food without plant breeding techniques but warns of challenging policy environment
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Invasive alien species are plants or animals alien to their natural environment, crowding out indigenous species and thereby representing one of the most rapidly growing threats to biodiversity in the EU.
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New Copa & Cogeca forecasts released today reveal EU-28 soft wheat and oilseeds production is down this year, compared to 2015, mainly as a result of bad weather as well as increasing pests and diseases.
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New EU impact study reveals if more crop protection products removed from market, quality food supplies threatened and unemployment will rise, costing the economy billions of euros
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The biggest edition ever and …. the biggest indoor potato trade fair in the world The 18th edition of INTERPOM | PRIMEURS will be held from Monday 27 to Tuesday 29 November 2016 at Kortrijk Xpo (Belgium). INTERPOM | PRIMEURS is the most specialised indoor trade fair for the potato, vegetable and fruit sector in Europe where the whole chain is represented: from growing, to processing and marketing. The trade fair is set to continue growing and improving its global reach and the 2016 edition will be the biggest edition ever. INTERPOM | PRIMEURS is also the biggest indoor trade fair in the world for the potato sector, the professional platform par excellence where you can check all the latest market developments and innovations. The next edition will take up the whole of the Kortrijk Xpo complex – including additional space for stands in the Rambla. And the theme of this year’s promising event is ‘Growing through precision technology’.
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Waste from potato crops could be ‘recycled’ into personal care products such as medical gels and beauty creams – thanks to a new University of East Anglia (UEA) research project.
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Copa and Cogeca, representing 23 million EU farmers and 22,000 agri-cooperatives, regret that the EU Appeal Committee did not today deliver an opinion on re-authorising the herbicide active substance glyphosate, after EFSA gave a positive assessment.
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Copa and Cogeca, representing 23 million EU farmers and 22,000 agri-cooperatives, expressed major disappointment that the EU Standing Committee on Plants, Animal Health and Food failed this week to deliver an opinion on re-authorising the herbicide active substance glyphosate, warning EFSA’s positive assessment should be followed.
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From 14th to 16th of June 2016 the DLG-Feldtage take place at Gut Mariaburghausen in Hassfurt, Bavaria. The Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR) is partner of this event and presents the main topic “Bioeconomy – agriculture as raw material producer”. Various crops, products and special harvest equipment show many possibilities of energetic and material use for renewable resources.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Glyphosate
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Bayer and the aerospace technology company Planetary Resources, based in Redmond, Washington, USA, have signed a memorandum of understanding about the development of applications and products based on satellite images. Bayer intends to purchase these data from Planetary Resources to create new agricultural products and improve existing ones. The collaboration will be part of the Digital Farming Initiative at Bayer (www.digitalfarming.bayer.com). Financial details were not disclosed.
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In response to further market speculation and stakeholder inquiries, Bayer is publicly disclosing the contents of its private proposal to acquire Monsanto. Bayer has made an all-cash offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Monsanto Company for USD 122 per share or an aggregate value of USD 62 billion.
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At the ISF World Seed Congress, which took place from May 15-18 in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Bayer presented its first-class product portfolio and comprehensive knowledge in the field of seed treatment and seeds. The focus was on new developments in soybeans such as the success of ILeVO™ seed treatment tackling Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) and nematodes, the expansion of Bayer’s biological SeedGrowth portfolio for soybeans and the introduction of Credenz™ soybean varieties in Latin America. As a global player in seed treatment and seeds and as a longtime sponsor of the Congress, Bayer strongly supports the International Seeds Federation (ISF) where it is actively engaged in policy dialogue and industry best practices in the areas of plant breeding innovation, sustainability and stewardship.
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Ahead of the EU Standing Committee on Plants, animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) vote this month, Copa & Cogeca urge the EC to keep the herbicide active substance glyphosate on the EU market for 15 years after EFSA confirmed its safety
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At a major Conference held in Brussels today, Copa and Cogeca underlined the benefits of crop-based biofuels in terms of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, creating jobs, reducing the EU’s protein deficit in animal feed, improving energy security and outlined key elements of future policy post 2020.
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The DLG-Feldtage 2016 will again offer live machinery demonstrations on all three days of the exhibition, and new this year will be individual demonstrations performed by exhibitors on three key topics.
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Biofuels are promoted as an option to reduce climate emissions from the transport sector. As most biofuels are currently produced from land based crops, there is a concern that the increased consumption of biofuels requires agricultural expansion at a global scale, leading to additional carbon emissions. This effect is called Indirect Land Use Change, or ILUC. The EU Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC) directed the European Commission to develop a methodology to account for the ILUC effect.
The current study serves to provide new insights to the European Commission and other stakeholders about these indirect carbon and land impacts from biofuels consumed in the EU, with more details on production processes and representation of individual feedstocks than was done before. ILUC cannot be observed or measured in reality, because it is entangled with a large number of other changes in agricultural markets at both global and local levels. The effect can only be estimated through the use of models. The current study is part of a continuous effort to improve the understanding and representation of ILUC.
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Today, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) released its annual report detailing the adoption of biotech crops, “20th Anniversary of the Global Commercialization of Biotech Crops (1996-2015) and Biotech Crop Highlights in 2015,” showcasing the global increase in biotech hectarage from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 179.7 million hectares in 2015. This 100-fold increase in just 20 years makes biotechnology the fastest adopted crop technology in recent times, reflecting farmer satisfaction with biotech crops.
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International wheat and oilseed rape professionals will compare their crop production skills Frankfurt/Main, Germany, 8th April 2016 – Cropping strategies from agronomists based in eight European countries will be assessed at the renowned DLG Feldtage – this year being held at Mariaburghausen, Hassfurt, Lower Franconia, from 14 to 16 June. They will take part in the European Cropping Comparisons, which date back to the first DLG Feldtage held in 1988. The comparisons started with oilseed rape, with wheat being added in 2002.
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A research project into the development of potatoes with sustainable resistance against phytophthora via genetic modification with genes from wild potato varieties and good resistance management (DuRPh) has concluded with a scientific publication on the research results.
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BASF has submitted the regulatory dossier for a new active ingredient, Revysol®, to the European Union (EU). The proprietary compound is expected to be the company’s new blockbuster fungicide from the chemical class of triazoles (SBI). Extensive research has shown its outstanding biological performance against a range of difficult to control pathogens. Revysol’s submission for registration in the EU marks a key milestone towards the compound’s global registration in row and specialty crops.
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Agrifood Consulting, in collaboration with Veronafiere, is the official co-organiser of the 8th International Table Grape Symposium, which will take place in Puglia and Sicily, Italy, from 3rd to 7th October 2017.
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A growing number of pollinator species worldwide are being driven toward extinction by diverse pressures, many of them human-made, threatening millions of livelihoods and hundreds of billions of dollars worth of food supplies, according to the first global assessment of pollinators.
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Researchers discovered that in this wild variety of potato (Solanum Microdontum) Calcium levels are about seven times higher than in a regular potato. They developed a molecular marker to facilitate the transfer of the high Calcium trait to newly bred potato varieties (Courtesy: John Bamberg)
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Sources say the 2016 Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative contract will include new language mandating a minimum of two years of alternate crops between potatoes.
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Global improvements in grassland management could see grasslands taking on a significantly more important role in food production. Better management would increase the production of meat and milk and prevent the need for additional feed for grazing livestock – feed in the form of grain crops that could otherwise be available for human consumption.
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Bayer has acquired the plant health diagnosis and infection level warning service provider proPlant Gesellschaft für Agrar- und Umweltinformatik mbH. The acquisition continues the expansion of Bayer’s activities in the field of agricultural digitalization. The company based in Münster in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany, was originally established as a spin-off by employees of the Institute for Geoinformatics at Münster University. It will operate as Bayer Digital Farming GmbH in the future.
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Danespo is the leading company in Northern Europe in the field of breeding, producing and selling quality ware and seed potatoes. Danespo exports to more than 40 countries worldwide and specialises in sales to professional potato growers.
80% of the seed potatoes are sold in export markets in North Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
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Bill Gates, who is a major backer of food biotechnology, has spoken passionately how food biotechnology can help the people of Africa fight the numerous challenges they face.
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New Copa and Cogeca figures show good EU cereals plantings this year due to favourable weather conditions but grain prices remain low whilst the EU rapeseed harvest is expected to be down, partly as a result of the the neonicotinoid seed treatment ban
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More than 270 companies registered – About 25,000 visitors expected – Held from 14 to 16 June 2016 at the estate of Mariaburghausen in Haßfurt (Bavaria).
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Syngenta today announced that ChemChina has offered to acquire the company at US$ 465 per ordinary share plus a special dividend of CHF 5 to be paid conditional upon and prior to closing.
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China is bracing itself for a week-long cold wave that has seen temperatures drop well below freezing and in some cases as low as -47.8 degrees Celsius.
Schools in several cities in north China have been suspended and emergency services are preparing themselves for the worst, the People's Daily Online reports.
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This guide describes the practical application of FAO’s ‘Save and Grow’ model of sustainable crop production intensification to the world’s key food security crops: maize, rice and wheat. With examples from Africa, Asia and Latin America, it shows how ecosystem-based farming systems are helping smallholder farmers to boost cereal yields, strengthen their livelihoods, reduce pressure on the environment, and build resilience to climate change. The guide will be a valuable reference for policymakers and development practitioners during the global transition to sustainable food and agriculture.
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New Copa and Cogeca Task Force debated in Brussels this week the importance of technology in modern farming - big data and precision farming – to improve farmers returns .
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Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said “Farmers play a vital role in protecting soils and it is in their interest to keep them healthy in order to enhance soil fertility and yields. Food Production and Environmental Protectionare not competing but instead complementing each other. It is important for farmers to use good soil management practices to improve soil fertility. By cutting down on intensive tillage for example soil health will be improved a lot. Crops and forests also sequestrate carbon and need to be included in the soil carbon cycle in order to acknowledge agricultures contribution to fighting climate change”.
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The European Technology Platform ‘Plants for the Future’ (Plant ETP) in collaboration with Mr Jasenko Selimović and Mrs Anthea McIntyre, both Members of the European Parliament (EP), organised the first event of a series of workshops “Sustainable growth: Unlocking the potential of plants”. This series of workshops follows a report by former MEP Marit Paulsen on “Plant breeding: what options to increase quality and yields” published last year.
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Conditions look good for next years 2016 EU-28 cereals harvest and good harvest this year compared to record levels last year, but still serious pressure on farmers cash flow problems,Copa and Cogeca warned .
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The Guidelines aim to support European farmers by clarifying how they can, under certain conditions, cooperate to jointly sell olive oil, beef and veal, and arable crops without breaching EU competition rules. These markets are worth more than €80 billion annually.
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Mycotoxins are highly toxic secondary metabolic products of moulds. Mycotoxin producing moulds damage crops and can cause great economic losses at all levels of food and feed production. Moreover, many of the mycotoxins impair health, cause diseases and may even result in death in humans and animals when contaminated food or feed products are consumed.
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Precision agriculture is already the norm for many arable farms. Modern technological advancements like guidance systems and positioning technology are helping us get the most out of the land.
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Whether soil erosion, water shortage or hail damage – in particular the cultivation of crops such as grapes, apples and asparagus suffers from the effects of climate change. However, new opportunities such as intelligent irrigation or "smart breeding" and proven equipment such as hail protection nets help farmers to optimally protect their crops. With over 600 international exhibitors and around 36,000 visitors from Germany and abroad, INTERVITIS INTERFRUCTA HORTITECHNICA 2016 in Stuttgart will promote the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas and opinions and dialogue between science and practical application for the benefit of protection against climate change.
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Belgium and the Netherlands are the main production area for ‘Conference’ pear due to its temperate climate which suits ‘Conference’ pear. In 2012 total production in Belgium and the Netherlands accounted for 52% of total ‘Conference’ pear production. Since 2002 there was a sharp increase in ‘Conference’ pear acreage in Belgium and the Netherlands. Encouraged by a higher financial benefit for pear fruit, growers shifted from apple growing to pear growing.
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Commission co-finances under LIFE programme projects supporting the environment, nature and a more sustainable economy.
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Two and a half months after fending off a $46 billion bid from Monsanto Co., Switzerland’s Syngenta AG is back in play -- this time from China.
China National Chemical Corp. is in talks to buy the pesticide maker in what would be the largest acquisition ever by a Chinese company, people with knowledge of the matter said. Syngenta shares gained the most in six months.
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New Zealand potato growers could gain a new marketing edge thanks to a line of potatoes developed by University of Canterbury researchers.
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Hanover, Germany, 12th November, 2015 - The reputation of Agritechnica as the meeting place for agricultural professionals from around the world is undisputed, but with more than 20,000 young farmers attending in 2013, it is also an important date in the calendar for the people that represent the future of the industry.
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Agritechnica 2015, the world’s leading forum for the future of the agricultural sector, is celebrating the thirtieth year since it started with record exhibitor participation. As Dr. Reinhard Grandke, Chief Executive Officer of the organizer DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft – German Agricultural Society), told the international press, up to and including Saturday, 14 November 2015, the Fairgrounds in Hanover will be the meeting place and forum for the world’s agricultural sector. “With more than 2,900 exhibitors from 52 countries we have reached a new record level”, said the DLG CEO. “The Fairgrounds are fully booked.” Agritechnica is thus impressively continuing its success story and further consolidating its leading position as the international trade fair for agricultural machinery and equipment and the agricultural sector.
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The new FR Forage Cruiser self-propelled forage harvesters deliver consistently high chop quality and industry-leading crop processing efficiency. This exceptional productivity is further enhanced by the powerful and fuel efficient performance of the new engines – with horsepower ranging from 476 to 775 – and ECOBlue™ Hi-eSCR Tier 4B technology, with the top model retaining the 20.1 litre 824hp engine. The new five-model line-up offers superior comfort in the spacious flagship cab, enabling operators to make the most of the forage harvester’s exceptional productivity with its ergonomic layout and intuitive automation.
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NNew Holland Agriculture launches the new generation CX Series of super conventional combines – 2 five-strawwalker and 4 six-strawwalker models that set new standards of operator comfort, grain and straw quality, productivity and versatility while preserving the soil with lower compaction. The CX range has been expanded with the new CX8.85 450hp six-strawwalker model with a 12,500 litre grain tank. At the top of the range, the flagship CX8.90 is the highest capacity conventional combine in the world and, with its 360 kW (490 hp), vast 12,500 litre grain tank and state-of-the-art cleaning systems, it delivers threshing and separation efficiency combined with a cleaning performance without equal.
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On Thursday 5 November, Agrico opened its annual varieties and seedlings show at its breeding and research facility, Agrico Research, in Bant. The varieties show, which was also open on Friday 7 November, attracted many interested national and international visitors. During the opening day, Agrico’s managing director Jan van Hoogen presented three promising new varieties that have recently been included in the Dutch list of varieties.
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Every two years, many thousands of international farmers visit Agritechnica exhibiting which takes place in Hanover, Germany every two years. In 2013, Brazilian farmer Richard Dijkstra made his first visit to the event, and it is with a contagious enthusiasm that he describes his experience.
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Bayer CropScience has reached an important milestone towards the market introduction of its innovative insecticide Sivanto™ prime in Europe. Its active ingredient flupyradifurone, which belongs to the chemical class of butenolides, has been approved for the maximum time span of 10 years by the European Commission in accordance with Regulation (EC) 1107/2009. Sivanto prime controls a wide range of sucking pests on fruits and vegetables as well as speciality crops such as hops. The approval decision will enter into force after being published in the Official Journal of the European Union. First national registrations of Sivanto prime in European countries are expected in 2016 and the market introduction is planned for 2017.
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As a recognized international event for agricultural professionals, Agritechnica, which takes place at Hanover’s exhibition grounds every two years, can proudly boast a high level of visitors from outside Germany. Nearly a quarter of the 450,000 who attended in 2013 came from outside the country, and they included Ukrainian farmer Gennadii Smolniuk, who has become a regular at the event.
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Dewulf, specialist in harvesting technology for potatoes and carrots, has implemented extensive updates for 2016 on the current Kwatro, a self-propelled 4-row sieving harvester. Without changing the concept that forms the basis of the harvester’s success, careful attention was paid to what the professional users in the field had to say.
With this, Dewulf introduces the second generation of the Kwatro.
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Volatile compounds and extrafloral nectar are common defenses of wild plants; however, in crops they bear an as-yet underused potential for biological control of pests and diseases. Odor emission and nectar secretion are multigene traits in wild plants, and thus form difficult targets for breeding. Furthermore, domestication has changed the capacity of crops to express these traits. We propose that breeding crops for an enhanced capacity for tritrophic interactions and volatile-mediated direct resistance to herbivores and pathogens can contribute to environmentally-friendly and sustainable agriculture. Natural plant volatiles with antifungal or repellent properties can serve as direct resistance agents. In addition, volatiles mediating tritrophic interactions can be combined with nectar-based food rewards for carnivores to boost indirect plant defense.
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The first edition of the "new phase" of Macfrut, concluded last Friday at the Rimini Expo Centre, ended with a bang. Here are the numbers: 39,000 people attended the trade fair of the Italian fruit and vegetable sector, the highest number the event organised by Cesena Fiera has ever reached in 32 years.
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At a major Awards Ceremony held in European Parliament today hosted by MEP Tibor Szanyi, Copa and Cogeca awarded first prize to a French project from the region of Aisne for good agricultural practices vis-à-vis pollinators.
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The mid-term review of EU biodiversity strategy shows progress in many areas, but highlights the need for greater effort by Member States on implementation to halt biodiversity loss by 2020.
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In response to exhibitors demand for clear product groupings, Agritechnica organiser DLG has further adapted the hall layout for this year’s event at the Exhibition Grounds in Hanover, Germany (10-14 November, Preview Days on 8-9 November). Visitors can expect optimized use of exhibition space and an even clearer product concept. With relevant product sectors arranged logically, participants can find the companies they are interested in easily and more quickly, which makes for a more efficient and enjoyable visit.
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Researchers from Ghent University succeeded in stabilizing folates in biofortified rice, which can offer a solution to serious health problems caused by folate deficiency in developing countries.
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Two major guidance documents have been noted at the EU Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed recently. The guidances covering the areas of derivation of soil (DegT50 values) and groundwater exposure. Both have an implementation date of 1 May 2015.
Ctgb has considered how to implement the proposed changes in regulatory submissions in a pragmatic and practical way that will not place an unnecessary burden on Applicants. Ctgb will be applying the new guidance in the following ways:
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Faced with lack of plant protection products for minor uses and speciality crops in EU, Copa and Cogeca outlined at Global Summit need for increased research and investment to find solutions
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Agritechnica is the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural machinery and equipment. This year approximately 2,800 exhibitors from 52 countries will be presenting their new and further developments at the Exhibition Grounds in Hanover. A distinct hallmark of Agritechnica is its clear key area concept, offering visitors optimal orientation in the Exhibition Grounds. This year, due to the addition of the new Hall 20 and the omission of Hall 1, DLG has introduced changes in hall allocations and further optimised the sector group concept. This gives visitors from all over the world optimal conditions for comparing products and innovations in their specific fields of interest efficiently and easily.
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DLG, organizer of the world’s largest trade fair for agricultural machinery and equipment, Agritechnica, being held from 10 to 14 November 2015 (Preview Days on 8 and 9 November), reports outstanding registration figures. Around 2,800 exhibitors from 52 countries will be presenting their innovations and current further developments at the Exhibition Grounds in Hanover. This means that the grounds are fully booked. All the leading companies in the industry will be represented with a complete range of products. With these exhibitor figures, Agritechnica impressively affirms its high attractiveness and its position as the internationally largest agricultural machinery show. The trade fair generates impetus and signals for the agricultural machinery markets worldwide.
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Growing crops with stacks of two or more resistance genes from closely related species, introduced into the crop via for instance genetic engineering, combined with the simultaneous introduction of resistance management, can ensure the long-term resistance of these plants to economically significant and aggressive diseases.
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Copa and Cogeca regreted today that member states did not agree to raise the EU milk intervention price to reflect rising production costs or take sufficient measures to improve the drastic situation hitting the EU milk, pork, beef, fruit and vegetable markets.
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Weather is the most important factor in determining whether aflatoxin contamination will be a problem. Hot and dry weather is associated with increased aflatoxin production by the fungus from Aspergillus species. Extremely high temperatures and changing weather conditions (high humidity and drought, high precipitation, big difference between day and night temperatures) are ideal for aflatoxin formation.
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(DLG) Agritechnica is the world’s leading trade fair for farm machinery. This year’s show to be held at the Hanover exhibition centre from 10 to 14 November (Preview Days: 8 and 9 November) will feature numerous innovations. No fewer than 311 innovations have been registered with DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft / German Agricultural Society) which is organizing the fair. Applying the strictest criteria, an independent panel of experts appointed by DLG has conferred Gold Medals on five of these innovations and Silver Medals on a further 44:
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Scottish scientists are warning that the chips could be down later this year due to a combination of dismal summer weather and scaled back potato planting.
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Bayer CropScience has reached an important milestone towards the market introduction of its biological insecticide Requiem™ in Europe. Its active ingredient Terpenoid Blend QRD 460 has been recently approved by the European Commission. For growers and the entire food value chain, Requiem™ provides control of sucking pests and extends quality of harvested produce. First registrations of Requiem™ are expected in some European countries before end of 2016. Market launch in Europe is planned for 2017.
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Today the Commission decided to grant aid worth €16.2 million from the EU Solidarity Fund to Greece and Bulgaria following natural disasters that occurred in the winter of 2015. Greece suffered from wide-spread flooding affecting five of its regions, while considerable damage was caused in Bulgaria due to severe winter conditions.
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IBMA, Copa and Cogeca stress at high-level event that demand for bio-pesticides rising, but overly bureaucratic regulatory system stops market developing
Together with IBMA, Copa and Cogeca underlined the benefits of using bio-pesticides on crops at an event hosted by MEPs Giovanni La Via and Pavel Poc today, but warned that the regulatory system for approving products is too long, putting some key food supplies at risk.
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Copa and Cogeca warned EU Farm Ministers in Brussels today of the worrying situation in the EU dairy and pig meat sectors, aggravated by the import restrictions imposed by the Russian Federation on EU farm exports, and called for action.
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Together with COCERAL and UNISTOCK, COGECA welcomed today approval by the EU Commission and Member States of the European Guide of Good Hygiene Practices by COCERAL, COGECA, UNISTOCK for the collection, storage, trading and transport of cereals, oilseeds, protein crops, other plant products and derived products.
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European vegetable canners and freezers in major producing countries are concerned over this year’s spring crops.
After a cold spring, the countries in the central production area of Europe had an exceptionally low rainfall in May and June. While differences are noted between the North and South of Europe, certain regions had 40 to 50% less precipitation than normal.
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Copa and Cogeca warned this week of a big drop in EU cereals production of 7.5% this year, compared to last year, and expressed serious concerns about the lack of products on the market to protect crops against pests and disease.
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New estimates released by Copa and Cogeca reveal sharp 10.6% drop in EU rapeseed production partly as result of poor weather conditions
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In Belgium, the lower area comes partially from a lower early area, with fewer contracts reported to have been available for early crops due to the level of old crop supplies at the time. Nonetheless, trade data for Belgium shows an unusually large amount of seed imported from the Netherlands in May. This could be an indicator of a late increase in maincrop plantings, or else a sign of the currently tight market there leading to seed supplies being imported for processing.
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On Wednesday 8 July the Province of Antwerp will be holding a prominent international forum in the Belgian Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015. A delegation of major players in the agricultural sector as well as leading research and test centers will be participating in order to promote a diverse range of high-quality products and innovative applications to visitors from around the world. The food industry is the economic motor of Belgium and probably the most important employer of the Province of Antwerp.
Besides being a world centre for the diamond trade and fashion, the province is also known as the vegetable basket of Europe. Located at the heart of Europe with a well-connected world harbor, Antwerp offers major assets for logistics and agriculture, going beyond provincial borders and fitting in perfectly with the theme of the expo ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’.
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Copa and Cogeca hold major Conference examining how best to collect and share data from farmers to cooperatives and others parts of food chain to increase efficiency and productivity
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The 2014 crop year is slowly coming to an end with an EU-5 yield of 28.6 million tonnes – over 4 million tonnes more than the previous year – due to extended acreage combined with optimal weather conditions.
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Dewulf, specialist in harvesting technology of potatoes and carrots, has made its 100th harvester sale in the UK, thanks to its dealer Niagri Engineering. Niagri celebrated with cake and drinks with their workers to mark the occasion.
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More than 2,400 exhibitors from 49 countries have already registered to participate in this year’s top international trade fair for agricultural machinery and equipment, Agritechnica, 2015, which features several exciting new ventures.
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The International Bremia Evaluation Board (IBEB) has evaluated all Bremia races found in 2014 and earlier. Once again most outbreaks of Bremia were caused by new Bremia isolates with only local importance. However IBEB decided to nominate one new race Bl:32 . The Board emphasizes the importance of chemical control and hygiene measures in addition to the use of resistant varieties to prevent the development of new races.
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Innovative crop protection solutions from Bayer CropScience have helped a New Zealand farming couple break the world record yield for barley. Warren and Joy Darling, from Timaru in the country’s South Island, produced 13.8 tonnes per hectare, easily breaking the previous record of 12.2 tonnes held by Scottish grower Stockton Park since 1989. The new record was officially ratified by Guinness World Records on April 15 after the crop was harvested on January 23, 2015.
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Potato growers and agronomists in he United Kingdom will be better prepared to cope with more aggressive blight strains this season, with a new BlightCast warning tailored to focus on infections now typically occurring earlier in the season at cooler temperatures.
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In 2014 Agrifirm refined its strategy to more focus and growth in its core activities compound feed, arable farming and horticulture, co-products and specialties. In line with this strategy the specialty division Nuscience has acquired the company Nutrifarma, a leading provider of premixes, concentrates, specialty feeds, additives and services. This important acquisition provides Agrifirm’s specialty division with a stronger foothold in the strategically important Brazilian market.
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Potatoes New Zealand Inc. has won funding from the Ministry of Primary Industries for a major research project aimed at improving crop yield.
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The EU Food and feed chain partners urged European Commission President Juncker today to reject any attempt to renationalize EU market authorisations of genetically modified crops for feed and food use. Properly implementing the existing legislation should be the main priority for the Commission before starting further reflections on changing the current market authorisation procedure.
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In this week 'Nature Plants', scientists from Wageningen University, The Netherlands, and The Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, UK, report the identification of a resistance gene that enhances resistance against potato late blight from a South American wild relative of cultivated potatoes.
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The EU milk quota regime comes to an end on March 31, 2015. First introduced in 1984 at a time when EU production far outstripped demand, the quota regime was one of the tools introduced for overcoming these structural surpluses. Successive reforms of the EU's Common Agriculture Policy have increased the market-orientation of the sector and, in parallel, provided a range of other, more targeted instruments to help support producers in vulnerable areas, such as mountain areas where the costs of production are higher.
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Freedom of choice between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM products is a central goal of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. It is essentially based on the principle of coexistence. EU Member States apply coexistence measures such as minimum distances between fields with, and without, GM that allow the growing of GM and non-GM crops in the same area, transport and market them side by side, preserving their identity in accordance with the relevant labelling rules and purity standards.
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Raising China potato production is of utmost importance. In the coming years a great effort is to be made to meet the increasing demand of potatoes for fresh consumption and for industry.
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New figures released by Copa-Cogeca today reveal EU rapeseed production is expected to fall by as much as 7% this year, compared to 2014, mainly as a result of the neonicotinoid seed treatment ban.
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A new report released by the EU Food Safety Authority (EFSA) today confirms that European farmers and agri-cooperatives provide amongst the safest food in the world.
The report confirms that over 97% of food samples evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) contain pesticide residue levels that fall within legal limits, and are therefore completely safe to eat. Just under 55% of samples are also free of any detectable traces of these chemicals.
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Agritechnica 2015, which takes place from 10 to 14 November (with preview days on 8 and 9 November) is only nine months away and the deadline for booking exhibition stands has now past.
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Ahead of European Parliaments vote on February 24, Copa and Cogeca, together with the EU biofuels industry, sent a letter to MEPs today underlining how successful biofuels made from arable crops have been in cutting greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, creating jobs, reducing the EU’s protein deficit in animal feed, improving energy security. Now is not the time to jeopardise this.
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Year-around availability of high-quality fruits and vegetables at affordable prices is one crucial demand consumers have today: From February 4 to 6, Bayer Crop Science’s Food Chain Management team welcomed experts and partners from different stages of the food value chain. The key focus was the exchange on views about consumer demands, perfect quality and how to keep consistency of food supply for the future at the Fruit Logistica trade fair in Berlin (Germany).
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SIMA, the international trade show for agriculture suppliers, has associated with IMPACT, a Thai trade show organizer, to create a new SIMA show and access the whole ASEAN region.
The first edition will take place in Bangkok, from 17th to 19th of September 2015.
The ASEAN region is experiencing a dynamic agricultural expansion, as well as a growing mechanization of the agricultural practices, and now requires inputs, efficient agricultural equipment and first food process in order to meet its needs and ambition in the agri-food chain.
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FAO’s latest forecast for world cereal production in 2014 stands at a new record of nearly 2 534 million tonnes, marginally higher than estimated in December and 13.5 million tonnes (0.5 percent) above the 2013 output. The small (1.5 million tonnes) production upgrade since December reflects a positive revision for coarse grains that more than offsets a reduction for wheat and for rice. Early indications for 2015 crops are favourable. In the northern hemisphere, plantings of the 2015 winter wheat crops were generally completed under propitious weather conditions with larger plantings in North America and the Near East outweighing decreases in the Russian Federation and parts of Far East Asia.
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A Commission proposal to establish an EU list of 77 candidates for substitution was today endorsed by EU Member State experts. Candidates for substitution (CfS) are pesticides for which national authorities need to carry out an assessment to establish whether more favourable alternatives to using the plant protection product exist, including non-chemical methods. The aim is to encourage more sustainable crop protection.
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Yesterday, three outstanding events concluded the 7th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA). Around 1,200 guests from around the world were in the audience to follow the GFFA Panel discussions at the CityCube Berlin. Afterwards, the German food and farming industries invited the participants to attend the International Business Panel. At a parallel event the agriculture ministers of more than 70 countries gathered to meet with high-ranking representatives of the World Bank and the World Food Organization (FAO) at the Berlin Agriculture Ministers' Summit.
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The European Commission is inviting comments on new draft guidelines on the application of EU antitrust rules in the agricultural sector. After a reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), new specific rules apply to the sale of olive oil, beef and veal livestock and arable crops. In particular, the new rules allow producers to jointly commercialise these products if certain conditions are fulfilled, including that their cooperation creates significant efficiencies.
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Cargill today reported net earnings of $784 million in the fiscal 2015 second quarter ended Nov. 30, up 41 percent from $556 million in the year-ago period. First-half earnings were $1.21 billion, a 7 percent increase from $1.13 billion a year ago. Second-quarter revenues decreased 8 percent to $30.3 billion, which brought first-half revenues to $63.6 billion
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New legislation to allow EU member states to restrict or ban the cultivation of crops containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on their own territory, even if this is allowed at EU level, was passed by MEPs on Tuesday. The legislation, informally agreed by Parliament and Council in December, was originally tabled in 2010 but was then deadlocked for four years due to disagreement between pro- and anti-GMO member states.
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The FAO Food Price Index averaged 188.6 points in December 2014, down 3.2 points (1.7 percent) from November. The Index, which had been in a downward trend between March and September, remained fairly stable in October and November, before falling again in December.
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» The FAO Food Price Index averaged 188.6 points in December 2014, down 3.2 points (1.7 percent) from November. The Index, which had been in a downward trend between March and September, remained fairly stable in October and November, before falling again in December.
Over the full year, the Index averaged 202 points, down 3.7 percent from 2013, with the sharpest year-on-year falls registered by cereals (12.5 percent), followed by dairy products (7.7 percent), oils (6.2 percent) and sugar (3.8 percent). Only the FAO Meat Price Index recorded an increase, advancing by 8.1 percent compared to 2013.
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IRON Solutions provides market information, analytics-based intelligence and a cloud-based enterprise system to improve dealer and producer productivity. Coupled with Trimble's Connected Farm™ solution, IRON Solutions will enable improved real-time decisions for equipment fleets and more tightly link equipment, seed and chemical dealers to the grower through its ERP/CRM systems. Farmers, their equipment dealers and their agronomy advisors will now have one Connected Farm platform for collaboration on key investment and prescription decisions. IRON Solutions manages over 15 million data points annually from over 1,200 manufacturers and over 2,200 retail sources throughout North America.
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In the next 40 years, humans will need to produce more food than they did in the previous 10,000 put together. But with sprawling cities gobbling up arable land, agricultural productivity gains decreasing, and demand for biofuels increasing, supply is not keeping up with demand. Clever farmers, scientists and entrepreneurs are bursting with ideas. But they need money to make this jump.
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Climate change will require major transformations in agricultural systems, including increased irrigation and moving production from one region to another, according to the new study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. However without careful planning for uncertain climate impacts, the chances of getting adaptation wrong are high, the study shows.
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The next edition of Macfrut , to be held from 23 to 25 September 2015, will be a very specific, future-oriented mission with the aim of offering a large trade fair on the theme of professional fruit and vegetable growing.
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Potato machinery manufacturer AVR has much to celebrate this year. This rapidly expanding family business is not only blowing out 165 candles this year but also introduced a brand-new machine: the Puma 3, a self-propelled four-row harvester.
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New figures released by the EU statistical office Eurostat today predict a decline of 1.7% in EU farmers’ incomes in 2014.
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After a bumper harvest in 2014 estimated to reach 322.4 million tonnes, wheat exports will be at a good level and EU grain storage capacities at their maximum. New estimates for EU cereals plantings in 2015 meanwhile show production to be down slightly to reach 305 mt.
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A drop in EU rapeseed production in 2015 was forecast at Copa-Cogeca oilseeds working party today as first results of the neonicotinoid seed treatment ban start to emerge.
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The total ware potato harvest in the five North-Western European Potato growers (NEPG) countries - Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Great Britain - in 2014 is estimated at more than 28 million tons.
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Mycotoxins are highly toxic secondary metabolic products of moulds. Mycotoxin producing moulds damage crops and can cause great economic losses at all levels of food and feed production.
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Fans of the humble potato beware – there's a major shortage in New Zealand and it's big enough that it's forced chip producers to temporarily stop production in the countdown to Christmas. Demand for spuds is up and supply is down thanks to poor growing and harvesting conditions.
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Watchword of the forthcoming exhibition, the slogan "Innovation First!" will be applied around 3 topics: material (techniques, equipment,…), crops (large-scale crops, tropical crops, specialised crops,…) and the human factor (regions, development of professions, the place of the farmer,…).
It will be expressed in the exhibition through:
- the Innovation First! Area: a veritable laboratory of ideas that will combine the work of French and international engineering schools with forecast scenarios on the topic of "agriculture until 2050", and the Innovation Gallery, showcase of the 2015 SIMA Innovation Awards;
- events, with International Forums, Conferences and
Practical Workshops.
More than 600 new products will be presented by the exhibitors.
And, to show how far we have come in less then a century, the Flashback Area presents old equipment, showing to what extent there has been revolution in the development of agricultural machinery! Still in matters of innovation.
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In financial year 2013/2014 Cooperative AVEBE achieved - for the second consecutive year following the abolition of the agricultural subsidies - a good performance price: 75.07 euros. That is slightly lower than last year's record result. The cooperative result totals 8.3 million (12/13 11.4).
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Mansel Raymond, re-elected today as Chairman of Copa-Cogeca Milk Working Party, warned of the difficult market situation made worse by the Russian ban on EU farm exports and outlined ways to ensure there is a profitable sustainable dairy industry in the future.
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Numerous meetings will enliven the five days of the international agricultural mechanization exposition. Agencies, publishing houses and exhibiting industries are promoting gatherings and conferences on technical and policy issues of interest. More than one hundred appointments are on the calendar to confirm the Bologna review as not only a promotional and commercial event but also cultural
Young farmers, contractors, bioenergy, hydrogeological dissolution and international markets are only a few of the issues to be taken up during the 41st edition of EIMA International, the agricultural machinery exposition set for November 12 to 16 in the Bologna Trade Fair Center. The event, one of the world’s greatest in the field of technologies for the primary sector, is also stepping up as an occasion for meetings, conferences and discussions on the salient points of the agricultural economy, the environment, industrial policy, research and innovation as well as the rural society.
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A potato genetically engineered to reduce the amounts of a potentially harmful ingredient in French fries and potato chips has been approved for commercial planting, the Department of Agriculture announced on Friday.
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Thursday 6 November saw the opening of Agrico’s annual presentation of varieties and seedlings at its propagation & research facility Agrico Research in the Dutch town of Bant. The show, which was also open on Friday 8 November, attracted many interested visitors from within and outside the Netherlands. During the opening day Agrico’s managing director Jan van Hoogen presented Constance, the latest variety of table potatoes that has already become very popular and has recently been included in the Dutch list of varieties.
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The 17th edition of INTERPOM | PRIMEURS will take place between Sunday 23 and Tuesday 25 November 2014 at Kortrijk Xpo (Belgium). INTERPOM | PRIMEURS, the most specialised indoor trade fair in Europe for the potato, vegetable and fruit sector, has broken a new record number with 270 exhibitors.
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Supported by the unique partnership between Potato Council and Scottish Government to boost export opportunities, senior officials from Cuba’s Agricultural Ministry and Plant Health section traveled to Scotland this month to meet officials from Scottish Government, SASA, Fera and Potato Council to view our seed potato industry at first hand and discuss revised import conditions for GB seed potatoes.
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More than twenty of Europe's most prominent plant scientists today signed a joint letter warning that Europe will never meet agricultural targets unless it starts allowing GM crops
GM crops have polarised opinion for 30 years
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Explanatory statement for the applicability of the Guidance of the EFSA Scientific Committee on conducting repeated-dose 90-day oral toxicity study in rodents on whole food/feed for GMO risk assessment
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New guidance from EFSA sets out for the first time a harmonised methodology for calculating exposure to pesticides for four major population groups - operators, workers, residents and bystanders.
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In a small army field-hut Dr Arjen de Vos shows off his irrigation machine with pride. Pipes lead out to several acres of muddy field, where only a few stragglers from the autumn harvest of potatoes, salads, carrots and onions are left. The tubes are lined with copper to stop corrosion because – in a move that defies everything we think we know about farming – de Vos is watering his plants with diluted sea water.
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Copa-Cogeca highlighted at a seminar this week how the EU biofuels sector is crucial for creating growth and jobs in EU rural areas, at the same time as reducing oil dependency, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, stabilising commodity markets and ensuring animal feed supplies.
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U.S. apple production only amounts to about 6 percent of world production. China’s 2014 apple crop is expected to top 40 million metric tons for the first time at 41 million tons, which is more than 2 billion bushels and some 54 percent of world production.
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This month, potato machine constructor AVR is introducing it’s new and efficient Puma 3.
The machine’s tight lines, which grant it a very modern look, are striking, but the real innovations for this self-propelled, four-row harvester are its more powerful Stage IV engine (Volvo), extra cleaning capacity, higher traction and more spacious Claas cabin.
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Experience-validated practical tips for IPM on protected crops, and how to improve sharing and adoption of IPM knowledge at the action level?
Neil Helyer, Fargro, UK
Irene Vänninen, MTT Agrifood Research Finland
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Syngenta said on Monday it had appointed Jon Parr as Chief Operating Officer for the regions Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and Latin America.
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Around 3,000 farmers work 6,000 hectares in Veracruz, the west coast of Mexico, to grow potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). In recent decades, the fields of the Cofre de Perote area were affected by the presence of the golden nematode of potatoes (Globodera rostochiensis), also known as the yellow potato cyst nematode, a devastating plant pathogen, which reduced crop yields by more than 40 percent, leading to loss of income, loss of food and greater environmental strain due to making up the gap.
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Presentation by Mr. Cedric Porter, Managing Editor, World Potato Markets
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The all-important goal of safeguarding farmers’ health and protecting the environment is achieved at this Bayer ForwardFarm by means of proactive stewardship measures to protect the health of farmers and consumers, maintain biodiversity on the farm, and protect the environment.
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Bayer CropScience has inaugurated the first Bayer ForwardFarm in the Belgian town of Huldenberg. The "Hof ten Bosch" farm owned by Jan and Josse Peeters brings together farmers, scientists and academia, technology partners and other players throughout the value chain, politics and regulators, as well as consumers, with the goals of exchanging agricultural know-how and forming partnerships to jointly promote the important role of agriculture in society.
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Hof ten Bosch is a farm producing profitable, premium potatoes for crisp processing. At the same time, Jan and Josse Peeters implement the following sustainable farming practices:
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Jan and Josse Peeters own 100 hectares of land and have leased a further 40 hectares in Huldenberg near Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Hof ten Bosch has been farmed by the Peeters family since 1890 and Jan and Josse Peeters have owned the farm since 1980. They grow potatoes for the crisps industry, as well as wheat, corn, and sugar beet. They also cultivate 3 hectares of apples and pears, which are mainly sold directly at the farm. Hof ten Bosch farm is blessed with good soils and enjoys moderate levels of rainfall.
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The number of cases of a late blight (Phytophthora infestans) continues to grow on Prince Edward Island.
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As Potato Council and the GB seed potato sector prepare for next months’ Potato Europe event in Germany, recent export statistics confirm that GB seed potatoes continue to be in demand around the world, with the 2013/14 figures revealing a new seed exports record from Britain.
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In potatoes precision farming technologies may support nearly every part of the production. Which solution is helpful? Agricon, the German supplier for precision farming solutions, will answer this question at the Potato Europe. The side specific application of fertilizer and plant protection agents will be one of the main topics, besides the raise of quality in tillage.
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Do you want to track how much ozone, black carbon and other pollutants you are exposed to when out cycling or walking?
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Experts from the UK and India are working together to identify and develop novel environmentally-sustainable strategies to control plant pests, known as plant-parasitic nematodes or eelworms, to ensure global food production and security. This project is funded by the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI).
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Precision Agriculture (PA) is a whole-farm management approach using information technology, satellite positioning (GNSS) data, remote sensing and proximal data gathering. These technologies have the goal of optimising returns on inputs whilst potentially reducing environmental impacts. The state-of-the-art of PA on arable land, permanent crops (eg potatoes, ...) and within dairy farming are reviewed, mainly in the European context, together with some economic aspects of the adoption of PA.
Options to address PA adoption are discussed, including measures within the CAP 2014-2020 legislation and the important contribution of advisory services across Europe.
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New Holland completed its TC combine range designed to deliver a dependable performance in varied crops and conditions, adding the new TC4.90 four strawwalker model which, just like the 5 strawwalker models launched in 2013, significantly increases output without compromising straw and sample quality.
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New Holland has upgraded its mid-range combines, significantly increasing their capacity and performance. The CX5000 and CX6000 Elevation combines share the distinctive styling, high output levels and excellent performance of New Holland’s flagship combines. The range offers four basic models, two 5-strawwalker and two 6-strawwalker; two Laterale versions for sustained performance on steep slopes; and the CX5090 Elevation Hillside for combining in severe hillside conditions.
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New Holland’s all-new CR combines raise harvesting to a whole new level: up to 15% more productivity in small grains, grain crackage as low as 0.2%, and the ultimate comfort cab. The brand new Harvest Suite™ Ultra cab is larger and offers more glass area than previous models. The six model range is topped by the CR10.90, the first combine to enter the class 10 segment in Europe and the most powerful CR ever, that delivers the highest capacity in the industry and truly outstanding performance.
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In the last decade, both the number of organic farms and the area dedicated to organic farming have grown by 50% or more. Organic area in the EU increased by about 500 000 hectares per year.
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David Thompson, President & CEO, World Potato Congress Inc. (WPC Inc.) has announced the appointment of Mr. Ron Gall, New Zealand; Dr. Nora Olsen, USA; and Anne Fowlie, Canada; as members of the Board of Directors.
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There are around 12 million farms in the EU while agriculture (vegetables, meat, potatoes, rice, ...) represents 5.2% of employment in the EU, with big variations across Member States.
These are among the statistics presented in the Agriculture in the European Union: statistical and economic information report published today by the European Commission, an annual publication covering agriculture-related topics in EU Member States and acceding and candidate countries.
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North Korea needs sustainable agriculture as much as it needs nuclear power to keep enemies at bay, which has led to a push for self-sufficient farming — but for it to succeed the country would have to sanction capitalist-style reforms
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The 2010-11 period was good for cereal producers in the European Union, according to the EU cereal farms report 2013 published by the European Commission. Based on Farm Accountancy Data Network data, the report reviews developments in costs of production, margins and incomes in EU cereal farms between 2004 and 2011, as well as estimates of production costs and gross margins for 2012.
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A total of €57 million of EU agricultural policy funds, unduly spent by Member States, is being claimed back by the European Commission today under the so-called clearance of accounts procedure. However, because some of these amounts have already been recovered from the Member States the financial impact of today's decision will be some €52 million.
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Monsanto Co. (MON), the world’s largest seed company worth $64 billion, recently explored a takeover of $34 billion Swiss rival Syngenta AG (SYNN) in a transaction that would have allowed the U.S. firm to move its tax location to Switzerland.
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Copa-Cogeca released new EU-28 cereals estimates for the 2014/15 marketing year today, showing a good crop this year, up 2.3% on last years levels.
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Copa-Cogeca released new EU-28 oilseeds and protein crop estimates for the 2014/15 marketing year today, showing a good rapeseed crop, close to the record at 22.18 million tonnes.
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Royal Philips and Green Sense Farms (GSF), a Chicago-area commercial grower, have partnered to develop one of the largest indoor commercial farms using LED grow lights. This farming method allows them to harvest 20-25 times a year by using ‘light recipes’ optimized for their produce and uses 85 percent less energy, Philips said in a release.
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The ID Kas concept developed by Technokas in cooperation with Duijvestijn Tomatoes, Boal Systems and Scheuten Glas, has been named Overall Winner of the GreenTech Innovation Award 2014. Mr. Aalt Dijkhuizen, chairman of the jury presented the award this morning during the official opening of GreenTech Amsterdam 2014, the first edition of the international tradeshow on horticulture technology.
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The FAO Food Price Index was down for the second consecutive month in May, continuing its retreat from the 10-month high it experienced in March. Prices fell as generally ample supplies weighed on international prices for most commodities included in the Index.
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Stricter import requirements for South African citrus fruit were today endorsed by Member State experts1. These emergency measures are being taken to protect European crops from citrus black spot, a harmful plant disease not native to Europe.
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EU Member States experts endorsed yesterday detailed emergency measures, proposed by the Commission, to prevent the introduction and spread within the EU of Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterium harmful to many crops. Recently found for the first time on EU territories, the strain of Xylella fastidiosa identified in Italy (province of Lecce, in the Apulia region) attacks mainly olive trees, which show leaf scorching, branch desiccation and quick decline symptoms, leading in the most severe cases to the death of the trees.
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Stricter import requirements for South African citrus fruit were today endorsed by Member State experts1. These emergency measures are being taken to protect European crops from citrus black spot, a harmful plant disease not native to Europe.
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Tong Peal, the UK’s leading designer and manufacturer of agricultural handling and grading equipment, will be showcasing the latest version of its market-leading Caretaker (potato) grader at Cereals 2014.
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have adopted revised guidelines to manage potato cyst nematode (PCN) that will support potato growers, help facilitate international trade, and maintain protection against the pest.
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Cargill announced today, at the Indonesia International Cocoa Conference, that by the end of this month it will begin cocoa processing tests at its state-of-the-art cocoa processing plant in Gresik, in the East-Java region of Indonesia.
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A team of researchers tracking the 2013 population of the potato late blight pathogen have, for the first time, spatially plotted it’s diversity and shown areas dominated by clones contrasting with novel genetically diverse isolates in other regions.
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A broad coalition of associations representing Europe’s agriculture and food chain industries calls on the EU to do much more to find solutions to the lack of plant protection products for specialty crops, such as fruits and vegetables (e.g. potatoes), rice, flowers or seeds.
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AVEBE is a partner in the newly founded Protein Competence Center (PCC).
The PCC, an initiative of Wageningen UR, started on the first of May 2014. Through this initiative, Dutch food and feed companies (incl. for potatoes) and knowledge institutes join forces in respect of their research and knowledge of proteins.
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The Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting of May 2014 will take place in Brussels on 19th May 2014. The Commission will be represented by Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dacian Cioloş, the Commissioner for Health, Tonio Borg. A press conference will be held in the afternoon at the end of the discussions.
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In the United Kingdom, many potato crops are now emerging well - straight into conditions that pose a high risk of blight. There is a ‘perfect storm’ of blight risk building up, warned Syngenta Field Technical Manager, Simon Laidler.
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EU farm supply cooperatives play a key role in ensuring that their members have access to the best possible services and inputs vital to farm production at a competitive cost, Cogeca President Christian Pèes stressed at a Presidency business forum on the farm supply sector in Berlin today
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Weather conditions in various countries and political tensions in the Black Sea region have made food markets more volatile, FAO reports in the new Food Outlook.
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Potato quality is determined by a number of parameters. Some of these apply independent of the tubers’ intended use. A high content of ascorbic acid, citric acid and protein are considered positive, while all types of sugar and nitrate have negative effects on taste as well as on processing qualities.
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Researchers at USDA's Agricultural Research Service are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to finding new ways of managing zebra chip disease and the insect that can spread it to potato crops.
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Cargill has obtained approval for the use of sunflower lecithin in Japan – the only country in the world where it had not previously been approved for food applications.
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The Potato Council Grower Panel Planting Survey estimates that c.63,000ha of the Great Britain crop was planted to 19 April. This estimate is up c.24,000ha on the same week in 2013 (39,000ha, 32% planted) and c.7,000ha less than at the same point in 2012 (c.70,000ha, 57% planted).
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Scientists at the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Neiker-Tecnalia, led by the Doctor in Biology José Ignacio Ruiz de Galarreta, have for the first time identified the existence in Álava-Araba of the two sexual types A1 and A2 of the fungus Phytophthora infestans, responsible for potato blight.
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As researchers warn producers across the country not to underestimate the deceptive new strain currently dominating the late blight pathogen pool, Alberta potato growers are learning more about the enemy at their door. In the heart of Alberta’s processing potato country, Jake Schutter is prepared for the worst.
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In 2012, the combined global production of ethanol and biodiesel fell for the first time since 2000, down 0.4 percent from the figure in 2011. Global ethanol production declined slightly for the second year in a row, to 83.1 billion liters, while biodiesel output rose fractionally, from 22.4 billion liters in 2011 to 22.5 billion liters in 2012. Biodiesel now accounts for over 20 percent of global biofuel production, writes Tom Prugh in the Worldwatch Institute’s latest Vital Signs Online trend (www.worldwatch.org).
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The Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting of April 2014 will take place in Luxembourg on 14th April 2014. The Commission will be represented by Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dacian Cioloş. The morning and afternoon sessions will be entirely dedicated to agricultural issues. A press conference will be held in the afternoon at the end of the discussions.
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Cooperation between FAO and the EU reached a peak with the €1 billion EU Food Facility; the EU’s quick and massive response to rising food prices, set up in 2008.
A report published in 2013 on the Food Facility showed that in three years, it had improved the lives of over 59 million people in 49 countries, and provided indirect support for 93 million others (by for instance enabling people to benefit from increased opportunities for trade in the area, and to learn improved skills from neighbouring farmers). The report also showed that the €1 billion facility has led to the vaccination of over 44.6 million livestock, and helped to train 1.5 million people in agricultural production.
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The DLG Field Days 2014 (DLG-Feldtage) will feature the International Field Robot Event (FRE) for the first time, addressing the potential importance of this rapidly progressing field of technology for the agricultural industry.
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Syngenta announced today that it has acquired Società Produttori Sementi (PSB), one of Italy's oldest seed companies and a leader in durum wheat breeding and production for pasta.
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The Commission contributes to bee health on many areas: On the veterinary side, the Commission: created an EU Reference Laboratory for bee health in 2011; co-financed voluntary surveillance studies to estimate the extent of bee mortalities since 2012; trained hundreds of national veterinary officials in bee health under the Better Training for Safer Food initiative since 2010, and ran research projects to deal with honeybee health. In addition, the Commission takes into account the limited availability of veterinary medicines for bees during the review of the EU veterinary medicinal products legislation. A Commission proposal is planned to be adopted in the second quarter of 2014.
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A total of €318 million of EU agricultural policy funds, unduly spent by Member States, is being claimed back by the European Commission today under the so-called clearance of accounts procedure.
However, because some of these amounts have already been recovered from the Member States the financial impact of today's decision will be some €315 million. This money returns to the EU budget because of non-compliance with EU rules or inadequate control procedures on agricultural expenditure.
Member States are responsible for paying out and checking expenditure under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Commission is required to ensure that Member States have made correct use of the funds.
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The FAO Food Price Index rose sharply in March, up 4.8 points, or 2.3 percent, to an average of 212.8, the highest level since May 2013.
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Today’s Commission College meeting has adopted a special declaration relating to the Delegated Acts of CAP Reform. In addition a number of interpretative notes will be added to the delegated acts to clarify a number of issues.
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target of 10 percent growth in the agriculture sector, the Sri Lankan government says it aims at achieving national food security, ensuring a reasonable price for agricultural products and creating an uninterrupted access to competitive markets both in Sri Lanka and abroad for value added agricultural products.
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Afghanistan would be self-sufficient in potato if proper cultivation and storage strategies were introduced in central Bamyan province, according to an official.
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Organic production is a system of farm management and food production that combines best environmental practices, a high level of biodiversity, the preservation of natural resources and the application of high production standards in line with the demand of a growing number of consumers for products produced using natural substances and processes. Organic production thus plays a dual societal role, where it, on the one hand, provides for a specific market responding to consumer demand for organic products and, on the other hand, delivers publicly available goods contributing to the protection of the environment, as well as to rural development.
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DuPont Pioneer, the agricultural seed unit of DuPont, said on Thursday it was launching a suite of "whole-farm decision" services aimed at boosting crop productivity, a line of business many in the agricultural sector are racing to offer.
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At the end of December 2013 the Basic Regulations for the reformed Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) were published in the Official Journal, following their adoption by the European Parliament (EP) and the Council. This includes the regulations i) on Direct Payments, ii) the Common Market Organisation (CMO), iii) Rural Development and, iv) a Horizontal Regulation on the financing, management and monitoring of the CAP.
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Since 1895, New Holland is committed to providing solutions that improve farming efficiency and productivity by using accessible technology.
The long tradition in innovation is also a long tradition for the improvement of the new Roll-BeltTM Round Baler.
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Copa-Cogeca criticises MEPs vote to impose on farmers fees for inspection costs and to reduce the scope of official controls
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The Commission adopted a report earlier this week concluding that there is a need to create a €350.000 European fund for minor uses of pesticides.
Minor uses of pesticides (plant protection products) are uses on certain niche crops with a high economic value but are not considered as having enough marketing potential to be worth investment.
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Potato Council, Horticultural Development Company (HDC) and the Commercial Horticultural Association (CHA) returned in force to the Fruit Logistica to build their promotion of seed potatoes from Britain and raise the profile of the diversity and quality of UK horticultural crops.
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Thousands of honey bees in Australia are being fitted with tiny sensors as part of a world-first research program to monitor the insects and their environment using a technique known as 'swarm sensing'.
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This Executive Summary focuses on the highlights of ISAAA Brief 46, details of which are presented and discussed in the full Brief, “Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2013”.
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Bob Vernon, an Agriculture Canada scientist, spoke to about 300 farmers on Prince Edward Island on wireworm, a pest he's been researching for 20 years.
The tiny pest burrows into crops and leaves holes that make them unmarketable.
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The FAO Food Price Index fell in January for the first time in 3 months as lower prices of cereals, sugars, oils and meat outstripped gains in dairy values.
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Over the past four years, the farm bill has been an agenda item at every National Potato Council (NPC) meeting, including the Potato D.C. Fly-In where we lobby Congress on our issues.
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At the 2014 Fruit Logistica event, being held in Berlin from 5-7 February, DuPont Food Chain Manager for the EMEA region, Mr Luigi Coffano, highlighted the challenges faced by a world population that is growing by 150,000 people every day and said that better collaboration throughout the food chain is essential to ensure food security.
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Bayer CropScience is reaffirming its commitment to bringing food chain partners closer together by helping them improve productivity and quality of fruit and vegetables in a sustainable manner.
Building on its diverse global product portfolio and strong crop expertise, Bayer CropScience is building up trustful Food Chain Partnerships along the food value chain to the benefit of all partners involved.
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The genome of the hot pepper, the world’s most widely grown spice crop, has been sequenced by a large international team of researchers, including scientists at the University of California, Davis.
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Next month over 200 potato growers, packers, processors, retailers, researchers, specialists, consultants, and international visitors are expected to attend the Storage 2020 International Conference at Peterborough Arena, Peterborough, United Kingdom
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The continued accumulation of heavy frost on plants for the past few days is feared to have damaged 75% of the tomato crop in the district of Karnal, while potato growers may have suffered losses over 20%.
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Jenifer Huang McBeath of the University of Alaska Fairbanks has been researching biological controls and developing environmentally friendly methods for farmers to combat plant diseases since 1985.
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Potatoes South Australia Incorporated, the peak industry body for the potato industry value chain, has been awarded funding of AU$409,800 (excl GST) through the Federal Department of Agriculture’s National Landcare Innovation Grants for a two year project which will help develop a more reliable soil Phosphorus test.
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UTZ certified cocoa, coffee and tea farms generate higher yields and better quality crops than conventional farms, and being trained in the UTZ Code of Conduct helps farmers to improve their knowledge and adopt sustainable farming practices. As a result, farmers can generate more income and create better opportunities while safeguarding the environment. These are the main findings presented in the UTZ Impact Report launched today.
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Bayer CropScience is committed to helping raise agricultural productivity in Africa by giving smallholder farmers access to innovations and knowledge, said Marc Reichardt, Member of the Executive Committee of Bayer CropScience and Head of Agricultural Commercial Operations, at the 3rd AGCO Africa Summit in Berlin, Germany.
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Prospects for EU commodity markets are favourable for the period 2013-2023, according to the European Commission's latest Medium-term Prospects .
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Arnaud Delacour , re- elected as Chairman of Copa-Cogecas Potato Working Party, outlined priorities for the EU potato sector today. These include making progress on determining a new EU promotion strategy for the sector.
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Following the successful first-time collaboration by the British potato and horticulture sector at Fruit Logistica 2013, Potato Council, Horticultural Development Company (HDC) and the Commercial Horticultural Association (CHA) return with their industries to this massive event in February 2014, to build their promotion of seed potatoes from Britain and raise the profile of the diversity and quality of UK horticultural crops.
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Crop Systems Ltd’s new TaperStorTM offers operators total control over the stored crop and the environment in which it is kept, combined with the ability to maximise the volume of storage available on any given footprint and so reduce storage costs per tonne.
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Potatoes South Australia Incorporated, the peak industry body for the potato industry value chain, has been awarded funding of AU$409,800 (excl GST) through the Federal Department of Agriculture’s National Landcare Innovation Grants for a two year project which will help develop a more reliable soil Phosphorus test.
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The mashed potatoes or latkes that enhance your holiday feast have taken a long path from tuber to table – in many cases, several years.
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Herbicide-resistant weeds pose significant economic and production challenges, particularly in specialty crops such as potatoes where weed control options are limited.
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Pollination is a key ecosystem service as many crops but in particular, fruits and vegetables are partially dependent on pollinating insects to produce food for human consumption. Here we assessed how pollination services are delivered at the European scale. We used this assessment to estimate the relative contribution of wild pollinators to crop production. We developed an index of relative pollination potential, which is defined as the relative potential or relative capacity of ecosystems to support crop pollination.
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It is an essential part of the annual Christmas dinner, if also one of Britons' least favourite vegetables. But the much-maligned sprout is under surprise attack this year on the eve of the festive season – from hordes of hungry wood pigeons.
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A total of €335 million of EU agricultural policy funds, unduly spent by Member States, is being claimed back by the European Commission today under the so-called clearance of accounts procedure. However, because some of these amounts have already been recovered from the Member States the financial impact of today's decision will be some €304 million.
This money returns to the EU budget because of non-compliance with EU rules or inadequate control procedures on agricultural expenditure. Member States are responsible for paying out and checking expenditure under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Commission is required to ensure that Member States have made correct use of the funds.
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Europe needs to do more to improve the availability of tailor-made plant-protection solutions for minor uses and specialty crops, participants confirmed at a major conference held in European Parliament today.
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Europe needs to do more to improve the availability of tailor-made plant-protection solutions for minor uses and specialty crops, participants confirmed at a major conference held in European Parliament today.
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Lemken’s product range includes the Sirius, a large mounted field sprayer with a tank volume of up to 1900 litres. The Gemini front tank can be added to increase the volume by another 1100 litres. This system extension not only increases acreage performance, but also ensures superior stability during travel, as tractor loads are evenly distributed.
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A report published today by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) reveals that there is insufficient evidence in the Member States that the measures introduced under Article 68 are necessary or relevant
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A biochip that could detect several viruses in bananas and potatoes has been developed in Taiwan, it was reported Wednesday.
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The topic of diesel efficiency has only become an increasing focus for farmers in recent decades, following earlier decades of concentrating above all on timely and high quality performance of work with modern agricultural machinery and equipment.
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There are more than 186 000 organic farms across Europe, cultivating an area of 9.6 million hectares, i.e. 5.4% of the total agricultural area in the European Union (EU), the report "Facts and Figures on Organic Farming" issued today by the European Commission points out.
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New Holland has launched a completely redesigned combine maize header, which significantly enhances gathering and feeding performance for faster, more productive harvesting. Available in five, six and eight row flip-up versions and a 12 row rigid version, all headers can be fitted with the award-winning Cornrower system.
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New Holland’s acclaimed range of Twin Rotor™ CR combines have been further upgraded to deliver significant improvements in already benchmark harvesting performance. The CR range’s industry-leading grain and straw quality is now complemented by an impressive 10% to 15% capacity increase, and enhanced operating flexibility in all crops. The CR has delivered unsurpassed harvesting performance to the world’s farmers for over 35 years, and is still the default choice for harvesting professionals.
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Every two years Agritechnica welcomes farmers from all over the world to the Hanover Exhibition Grounds. Many will have grown up on family farms and taken over successful businesses, while others will have been introduced to the sector through education and taken on management roles in the industry.
A few, however, will be first-generation farmers that have started and built their own businesses. They have proved passionate about following their dreams and have overcome all obstacles and challenges that got in the way of achieving them.
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Around 400,000 people, approximately 14% of the UK workforce currently works in the food production and manufacturing sector, making it the UK’s second largest employer.
However, despite available jobs and rising unemployment amongst graduates, in recent years the number of students entering the Fresh Produce sector has steadily declined.
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Following its successful introduction at Agritechnica 2011, the Smart Farming special feature will return at this year’s event.
The aim of this feature is still to help farmers manage their farming operations in the most efficient way, but the focus has been widened so that it now includes engineering solutions that make farm machinery more effective as well as high-tech monitoring and control systems.
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In response to the need in the South African foodservice industry for a source of online business information that is convenient, credible, reliable and on-trend, McCain Foods (SA) Foodservice Division has launched a brand new website.
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Canadian farmers are in a pickle. They’ve become worryingly dependent on American and European seeds.
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• Outstanding performance: up to 9.1 metre lift height and up to 4,200kg lift capacity
• Exceptional comfort: best-in-class visibility, ergonomic controls and operator comfort
• Efficient road transport: automatic gear shifting on Elite models and improved traction
• Improved operational flexibility: superior rigidity and enhanced front attachment performance
• Easy maintenance: unique under-hood configuration for swift daily maintenance
• User friendly boom pads system: easy to adjust to reduce costly downtime
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The Commission, the Council and the European Parliament (EP) have reached a political agreement on the reform of the Common Agriculture Policy – subject to formal approval by the Council and the EP as a 1st reading Agreement. Most elements were agreed in trilogue on June 26, and the last remaining issues (linked to the Multi-Annual Financial framework package) were finalised on September 24.
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• Ground-breaking Opti-Speed™ strawwalkers: up to 10% higher productivity
• Innovative Cornrower header: one-pass swathing reduces operating costs and improves bale density by up to 15%
• Harvesting innovations maximise sustainable food and energy production
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Potato prices have almost doubled in most parts of India over the past one week. While most states are yet to take steps to check the spike in prices, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has called a meeting on October 30 to review the situation.
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John Deere GmbH & Co. KG, Mannheim, Germany
Hall 13, Stand C31
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NEW HOLLAND CNH Deutschland GmbH, Heilbronn, Germany
Hall 3, Stand C03
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Approximately 30 per cent of this year’s maincrop potato harvest in Ireland is now in store with growers expecting to have all remaining field work will be completed well before Christmas.
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New research has been funded through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, to help the potato industry reduce issues caused by an insect intruder – the tomato-potato psyllid.
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The Panel on Plant Health assessed the risk to plant health of Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), Strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRSV), Raspberry ringspot virus (RpRSV) and Tomato black ring virus (TBRV) for the European Union (EU) territory, and evaluated the current EU legislation and possible risk reduction options. These viruses are largely restricted to Europe and their vector nematodes and at-risk hosts occur widely in Europe. Plants for planting were identified as the most significant entry pathway and the probability of entry is rated as unlikely to moderately likely for ArMV and as very unlikely to unlikely for RpRSV, SLRSV and TBRV. These ratings have moderate uncertainty.
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Water pollution caused by nitrates has decreased in Europe over the past two decades, but agricultural pressures are still putting water resources under strain.
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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the risks to human and animal health related to the presence of tropane alkaloids (TAs) in food and feed. TAs are secondary metabolites which occur in several plant families. Although more than 200 different TAs have been identified in various plants, respective data on toxicity and occurrence in food and feed are limited. Therefore, the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel) could only perform a risk assessment on (-)-hyoscyamine and (-)-scopolamine, the two TAs for which occurrence and toxicity data were available.
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Trelleborg, global developer and supplier of tires and complete wheel solutions for the agricultural industry, will launch ProgressiveTraction™ technology. A concept tire will feature at the AGRITECHNICA 2013 exhibition taking place from 10 to 16 November in Hannover, Germany.
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The Short-term outlook is based on reflections of market experts within the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission, using the latest data available. It is published three times per year (in late winter, early summer and early autumn).
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Syngenta Crop Protection to modify the existing MRLs for isopyrazam in various root and tuber vegetables, peppers and cucurbits (edible and inedible peel). In order to accommodate for the intended uses of isopyrazam in Europe, the EMS proposed to raise the existing MRLs for isopyrazam in all crops under consideration. France drafted an evaluation report in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA.
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Following the example of the German Agricultural Society’s Field Days (DLG) in Germany the trade fair organizers IFWexpo Heidelberg GmbH and Expo-Volga are organizing the “International Field Days in the Volga Region” which will take place from July 2-4, 2014 in Samara/Russia.
The government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Samara region as well as the DLG are supporting this field event.
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The world's largest exhibition for agricultural machinery and equipment – Agritechnica, being held at the Exhibition Grounds in Hanover from 12 to 16 November 2013 (Preview Days on 10 and 11 November) – will be marked by a veritable fireworks of innovations (also in potato harvesters).
This is reflected in the 393 innovations submitted to Agritechnica organizer DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft – German Agricultural Society). Working on the basis of strict criteria, a neutral Commission of Experts assigned by DLG selected altogether four innovations deserving a Gold Medal and 33 innovations meriting a Silver Medal from among the submissions.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Germany, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft Forsten und Gartenbau Sachsen-Anhalt to modify the existing MRLs for the propyzamide in herbal infusions. In order to accommodate for the intended use of propyzamide in Germany, the EMS proposed to raise the existing MRLs in leaves and flowers of herbal infusions to 0.4 mg/kg and in roots of herbal infusions to 0.15 mg/kg.
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The Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting of September will take place in Brussels on 23rd September 2013, under the presidency of Mr Vigilijus Jukna, Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture.
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EU leaders from the European Farmers’ Organisation Copa today elected Albert Jan Maat as the new President for the period 2013-2015.
He will succeed Gerd Sonnleitner whose term-in office has expired.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the United Kingdom received an application from BASF to modify the existing MRLs for fenpropimorph in commodities of animal origin as a result of the reported use on wheat, barely, rye and oats. The United Kingdom proposed to raise the existing MRLs in tissues of swine and ruminant origin and in milk. In accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 an Evaluation Report was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA. EFSA concluded that the data confirm the MRL of 0.5 mg/kg for the reported use on barley and oats; for wheat and rye a lower MRL of 0.15 mg/kg would be sufficient.
For food of animal origin EFSA derived the following MRL proposals: 3 mg/kg (ruminant liver), 0.5 mg/kg (ruminant kidney), 0.2 mg/kg (ruminant fat), 0.15 mg/kg (ruminant muscle), 0.03 mg/kg (swine liver), 0.015 mg/kg (milk) and the LOQ of 0.01 mg/kg (swine muscle, fat, kidney). Adequate analytical enforcement methods are available to control the residues of fenpropimorph in the commodities under consideration. The exposure resulting from the fenpropimorph uses on cereals and the derived MRLs on products of animal origin will not result in an acute consumer health risk. A potential long-term consumer risk could not be excluded for fenpropimorph, with wheat being the major contributor.
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More than 140 potato growers, advisors and agronomists met at Frederick Hiam Ltd, Tuddenham, Suffolk at the end of August, 2013, for Potato Council’s East of England Potato Day.
Sponsored by Albert Bartlett, Branston, Fenmarc, Greenvale AP, McCain Foods and QV Foods the day comprised short technical presentations, followed by machinery and plot demonstrations.
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Over the next 5 years, northwest European potato prices are expected to gradually climb and elevated price volatility set to persist, according to a new report by Rabobank.
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The general technical and social challenges in the coming years, such as the turnaround in energy policy, electromobility and networked production, also termed Industry 4.0, are predominantly driven by technology.
When mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and information technology join forces with the goal of steering development and production via the internet, we speak of Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution after mechanization with hydro and steam power, mass production with the help of electric power, and the digital industrial revolution. This development in industry can also be observed by analogy in agricultural production.
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Agritechnica is the world's leading trade fair for agricultural machinery and equipment. The organizer DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft – German Agricultural Society) has recorded rising numbers of exhibitors and visitors ever since the first event in the year 1985. This year over 2,700 exhibitors from 47 countries will be presenting their new and further developments at the Exhibition Grounds in Hanover. A distinct hallmark of Agritechnica is its clear key area concept, offering visitors optimal orientation in the Exhibition Grounds.
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The European Commission today proposed new legislation to prevent and manage the rapidly growing threat from invasive species. There are currently over 12 000 species present in Europe which are alien to the natural environment.
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Last week Rea Valley Tractors attended a new John Deere product launch event in Berlin. Over the next few days we will share with you all the new product information starting with combine upgrades for 2014.
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A multinational effort supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization marked a key milestone this week when a Kenyan university debuted two new varieties of disease-resistant wheat to the nation’s farmers. Over the past two days, thousands of Kenyan farmers have visited Eldoret University in western Kenya for a two-day agriculture fair highlighting the latest farming technologies.
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The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). This task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a contract between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s), awarded following a tender procedure. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by the Authority. The European Food Safety Authority reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors.
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Avoid bruising at potato harvest by managing moisture levels pre-desiccation is the advice from Hutchinsons Root Crop Technical manager, Darryl Shailes.
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Bruce Huffaker, publisher of the North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) is projecting a 22.6% production drop in the North Dakota Potato crop this fall. If accurate, that would be 5.7 million less hundredweight than in 2012.
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Agriculture experts worry that a severe drought that began in June may damage the rice harvest in central and eastern China this year, but add that it's too early to know whether the entire country will be affected.
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US Consumers frustrated with historically high potato prices should look for some relief at the checkout lane soon when the late summer and fall crops start hitting store shelves.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Belgium, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS Belgium), compiled an application to modify the existing MRLs for trifloxystrobin in horseradish, parsley root and purslane.
In order to accommodate for the intended uses of trifloxystrobin, Belgium proposed to raise the existing MRLs from the limit of quantification of 0.02* mg/kg to 0.08 mg/kg for horseradish, from 0.04 mg/kg to 0.08 mg/kg for parsley root and from 0.02* mg/kg to 10 mg/kg for purslane.
The EMS drafted an evaluation report in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA.
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In the aftermath of last year’s difficult growing and harvesting season, almost one in ten of Britain’s potato growers decided to call it a day, but, according to Rob Clayton of the Potato Council, the 2013 acreage of potatoes in the country has not fallen.
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Industry leaders with the Maine Potato Board said Thursday that after a wet and soggy spring which forced some growers to do some replanting, crops are recovering and if the weather holds, Aroostook County is on track to have a bountiful potato harvest.
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The United States Potato Board (USPB), the nation’s potato marketing organization and the central organizing force in implementing programs that will increase demand for potatoes, named produce industry veteran, Blair Richardson, as President/CEO, effective August 1, 2013.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the United Kingdom, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from ISK Biosciences Europe SA to set new MRLs for the active substance pyriofenone in cereal grains and grapes. In order to accommodate for the intended uses of pyriofenone in northern and southern EU, the United Kingdom proposed to set an MRL of 0.01* mg/kg in wheat and rye, 0.05 mg/kg in barley and oats and 0.3 mg/kg in grapes.
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The North-Western European Potato Growers (NEPG) has issued an updated estimate of planted area for the 2013 crop (at the start of July).
Based on first estimates and survey work the NEPG reports the total estimated planted area, excluding seed and starch potatoes, across the five main countries at 530,000 hectares, see table 1.
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It may surprise many people to learn that China has been the world's largest producer of potatoes since 1993. But it should not be entirely unexpected.
The Chinese diet has changed drastically since the economic reforms of the 1980's. Introduction of French fries by Western fast food restaurants popularized potatoes.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France received an application to modify the existing MRLs for captan in pome fruits and in commodities of animal origin. In order to accommodate the intended use, France proposed raising the existing MRLs for pome fruit, ruminant tissues and milk.
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Potatoes and sweet potatoes are important staple foods in Africa, representing a significant share of the small farmers’ incomes.
The 9th Conference of the African Potato Association (APA) in Naivasha, Kenya, was therefore themed “Transforming potato & sweet potato value chains for food and nutrition security“.
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The Prince Edward Island Potato Board is hoping a new investment in oil seed research will help farmers make the most of a growing oilseed industry.
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A team of Argentinian scientists led by Fernando Bravo Almonacid, independent researcher of CONICET at the Institute for Research on Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology (INGEBI, CONICET-UBA), developed potato plants resistant to Potato Virus Y (PVY), a disease that affects more than 50 percent and reduces crop productivity from 20 to 80 percent, in the most severe cases.
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Focus on integrated crop solutions based on seeds, chemicals and biologics / Significant expansion of facilities / Relocation from Davis to West Sacramento planned for Q1/201
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For over 30 years, the International Potato Center (CIP) has played a significant role in developing Sino-Peruvian relations through the introduction and promotion of various varieties of drought and disease resistant potato and sweet potato to China.
This has effectively helped the country become the world’s largest producer of both crops.
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Despite one of the most challenging years in British farming history, with early droughts followed by widespread floods, PepsiCo surpassed the target of a one-third reduction in water use using drip irrigation at the same time as growing 'more crop per drop'.
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Working towards a biobased economy is one possible step toward creating a more sustainable society in Flanders. This means using renewable resources as much as possible to produce materials and energy. The optimal use of (waste) from food production and food crops will be an important part of this evolution.
The creative combination of various valorisation trajectories can lead to a more profitable use of plant production.
The question is, can crops can valorised in various trajectories in a sustainable way? Starting with a case study on maize, ILVO is studying how to optimise the entire food production chain to realise this goal.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Italy, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from BASF Italia Srl. to modify the existing MRLs for metaflumizone in various crops.
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According to the second estimates of the economic accounts for agriculture (EAA) submitted to Eurostat by the European Union (EU) Member States at the end of January 2013, agricultural income per annual work unit (Indicator A) at EU-27 level is estimated to have remained stable in 2012 compared with 2011. However, agricultural labour input decreased slightly (- 0.2 %) in EU-27 compared with the previous year.
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According to the second estimates of the economic accounts for agriculture (EAA) submitted to Eurostat by the European Union (EU) Member States at the end of January 2013, agricultural income per annual work unit (Indicator A) at EU-27 level is estimated to have remained stable in 2012 compared with 2011.
However, agricultural labour input decreased slightly (- 0.2 %) in EU-27 compared with the previous year.
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NUTRIHORT brings together all the European expertise about sustainable and innovative nutrient management techniques in horticulture during 16-18 September in Ghent.
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This PhD study investigated the genetic diversity in Sclerotinia isolates from red clover. Using new bio-tests, we investigated sources of resistance; we also characterised clover rot resistance.
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The world quietly reached a milestone in the evolution of the human diet in 2011. For the first time in modern history, world farmed fish production topped beef production. The gap widened in 2012, with output from fish farming—also called aquaculture—reaching a record 66 million tons, compared with production of beef at 63 million tons.
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A Commission proposal to restrict the use of Fipronil, an insecticide which has recently been identified as posing an acute risk to Europe’s honey bee population, was backed by Member State experts meeting today in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health. This proposal follows a scientific risk assessment carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) that was published on 27 May 2013 which identified that seeds treated with pesticides containing Fipronil pose an acute risk to Europe’s honey bee population.
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Copa-Cogeca rejected today European Parliament’s Environment Committee vote to impose a 5,5% limit on the use of biofuels made from arable crops in 2020, warning it not only threatens the future of the EU biofuel industry but also feed supplies for animals and runs counter to the EU 2020 Strategy for Growth and Employment and for Climate and Energy targets.
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Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) and tyramide-FISH are used to visualise economically important genes and markers on the chromosomes of rose and onion and on derived hybrids and polyploids.
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The 8th international AgroTech Russia trade fair will take place in the All-Russian Exhibition Center (VCC) in Moscow from 9 to 12 October 2013. The largest trade fair for agricultural machinery and crop production to be held in Russia this year, it is being supported by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation and by Moscow City Government.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the United Kingdom, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from DuPont (UK) Ltd to modify the existing MRLs in several root and tuber vegetables and to set import tolerances in several oilseeds for the active substance chlorantraniliprole. In order to accommodate for the intended uses of chlorantraniliprole, the United Kingdom proposed to raise the existing MRLs in carrots, beetroot, celeriac, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, parsley root, salsify, swedes, turnips and other root and tuber vegetables, except sugar beet and radish, from the values of 0.02 mg/kg or 0.04 mg/kg (depending on the crop) to 0.06 mg/kg and in oilseeds, except peanuts, soya bean and cotton seed, from the limit of quantification of 0.01 mg/kg to 2 mg/kg.
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Copa-Cogeca rejected today European Parliament’s Environment Committee vote to impose a 5,5% limit on the use of biofuels made from arable crops in 2020, warning it not only threatens the future of the EU biofuel industry but also feed supplies for animals and runs counter to the EU 2020 Strategy for Growth and Employment and for Climate and Energy targets.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the United Kingdom, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the Horticultural Development Company to modify the existing MRL for the active substance metalaxyl-M in currants.
In order to accommodate for the intended use of metalaxyl-M, the United Kingdom proposed to raise the existing MRL from the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.05 mg/kg to 0.4 mg/kg.
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Water management system senses environmental factors plus soil moisture
The sensors available on the Field Connect system provide data on temperature, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, solar radiation, leaf wetness and rainfall.
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This year total cereal production in the EU-271 is forecast to be well above 2012 levels and above the average of the past five years. This agricultural year has so far been marked by an unusually prolonged winter for western and central Europe and heavy rainfall in May and June. However, the impact of poor weather on crops in some areas of the EU has been offset in other areas; for example, the Iberian Peninsula is expecting an excellent season.
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The organizer DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschaftsgesellschaft – German Agricultural Society) reports that 2,200 exhibitors from 46 countries have already registered for the international exhibition of agricultural machinery and equipment, Agritechnica, to be held in Hanover from 12 to 16 November 2013 (Preview Days on 10 and 11 November).
This encouraging stand booking result is around 10 per cent higher than it was at the same time for the record event two years ago, says Agritechnica Project Manager Freya von Rhade.
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The province of Gansu in China has in the past been considered one of the most impoverished areas in China. It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east. With a population of approximately 26 million people, Gansu is home to many Chinese of the Muslim religion. Dingxi, located in Gansu, is considered the highest quality production area for potatoes.
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The European Commission has given the green light for a German aid scheme to compensate German farmers for losses caused by natural disasters, confirming that it complies with EU state aid rules.
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Sainsbury’s has relaxed the product specification of Scottish potatoes to support farmers through one of the toughest seasons. The run of wet weather this season has left many Scottish farmers with crops of smaller potatoes with increased blemishes and scarring.
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Children across the United Kingdom have been harvesting new potato crops as part of the Potato Council’s primary school project, Grow Your Own Potatoes. Keen to observe educational activity in their constituencies, local MPs have been taking time out see how the project is influencing youngsters about food and farming.
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Potato Tuber Moth (Phthorimaea operculella) populations are on the increase across southern Europe, particularly around Mediterranean basin, and are likely to lead to significant in-store losses and threaten the trade of infected tubers.
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The Commission, the Council and the European Parliament (EP) have today reached a political agreement on the reform of the Common Agriculture Policy – subject to formal approval by the Council and the EP as a 1st reading Agreement once the texts have been formalised in all languages. Based on the Commission proposals from October 2011 (see IP/11/1181 and MEMO/11/685), the agreement relates to four basic European Parliament and Council regulations for the Common Agriculture Policy – i) on Direct Payments, ii) the Single Common Market Organisation (CMO), iii) Rural Development and, iv) a Horizontal Regulation for financing, managing and monitoring the CAP.
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Nivalenol is a mycotoxin produced by various Fusarium species. The European Commission (EC) asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for a scientific opinion on the risk to human and animal health related to the presence of nivalenol in food and feed. A total of 13 164 results for nivalenol in food, feed and unprocessed grains, collected in 2001-2011 from 18 European countries, were available for the evaluation.
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Copa-Cogeca released new EU-27 cereals estimates for the 2013/14 marketing year today, showing EU grain production is estimated to be quite stable this year reaching 286.6 million tonnes, despite the catastrophic weather conditions.
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Glyphosate is the world's best-selling weed killer and one of the most widely used herbicides in Europe.
It is crucial for growing genetically modified (GM) crops, many of which are modified to withstand glyphosate.
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Irish Research Institute Teagasc hopes to begin planting out more than 5,000 potato plants in the next two weeks, in the second phase of its study into the environmental impact of blight-resistant genetically modified (GM) potatoes.
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DuPont today opened its seed production facility in Stasi, Dykanka region, Poltava oblast, Ukraine, helping Ukrainian farmers increase their productivity.
The $40 million production facility is operational in time for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, supporting the increased customer demand for Pioneer® brand maize, sunflower and oilseed rape hybrids in Ukraine.
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EFSA has launched a public consultation on draft guidance on how to carry out environmental risk assessments of plant protection products emitted from protected crops – those grown in greenhouses and under cover.
The document provides guidance on how and when to assess such emissions into soil, surface water, groundwater and the air. It also addresses what elements should be used in exposure scenarios for risk assessment - both for soil-bound and soil-less cultivations.
All stakeholders and interested parties are invited to comment on the guidance document through an online public consultation that runs until 30 July 2013.
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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was asked by the European Commission to perform a risk assessment for the active substance fipronil and provide conclusions as regards the risk to bees. In this context the conclusions of EFSA following the peer review of the risk assessment for bees for the active substance fipronil are reported. The context of the evaluation was that required by the European Commission in accordance with Article 21 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 to review the approval of active substances in light of new scientific and technical knowledge and monitoring data.
The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the currently authorised uses of fipronil applied on a variety of crops in Europe. The reliable endpoints concluded as being appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, derived from the submitted studies and scientific publications including data available at EU and national level, are presented. Missing information identified as being required to allow for a complete risk assessment is listed. Concerns are identified.
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The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the international non-profit organization Slow Food today agreed to promote traditional cooking and locally produced food as part of a project to boost incomes for small farmers and rural communities.
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A restriction on the use of three pesticides belonging to the neonicotinoid family was today adopted by the Commission. These pesticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam) were identified as being harmful to Europe’s honeybee population. This restriction will enter into force as from 1 December 2013 and will be reviewed, at the latest, within two years. It targets pesticides used in the treatment of plants and cereals that are attractive to bees and pollinators.
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It’s the free advice every decent florist delivers when you buy their potted plants: how much water they need, and how often. And it’s not just the occasional flower buyer who needs guidance on watering as even experienced farmers can misjudge how much to sprinkle on their crops, leaving them either parched or drenched.
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Nemgenix Pty Ltd, an international agricultural biotechnology company developing new technologies for the control of plant parasitic nematodes and aphids, and SESVanderHave, a leading sugar beet breeding and marketing company, today announced their collaboration to develop a novel nematode resistant trait for sugar beet to address the needs for a long-term resistance strategy to beet cyst nematodes (BCN).
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Spain, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the company Probelte to modify the existing MRL for the active substance 8-hydroxyquinoline in tomatoes. In order to accommodate for the intended indoor use of 8-hydroxyquinoline, Spain proposed to raise the existing MRL in tomatoes to 0.1 mg/kg.
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FAO and the international Slow Food organization agreed today to develop joint actions to improve the livelihoods of smallholders and others working in rural areas.
Under a three-year Memorandum of Agreement signed here the two organizations will join forces to promote more inclusive food and agriculture systems at local, national and international levels.
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As the potato growing season begins, The Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC) will provide free Integrated Pest Management (IPM) supplies for Washington’s potato growers. IPM is a highly effective and targeted approach to pest management that combines numerous tactics to help keep pest numbers and disease pressure low enough to prevent any damage to crops.
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06/05/2013
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The European Commission has today adopted a package of measures to strengthen the enforcement of health and safety standards for the whole agri-food chain. Food safety is essential to ensure consumers' confidence and sustainability of food production.
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Bayer CropScience and KeyGene announced that they have entered into a multi-year agreement to improve traits in a number of major agricultural crops. The scope of the first research program is wheat, potentially to be followed by programs in oilseed rape, rice and cotton.
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According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance bifenox. In order to assess the occurrence of bifenox residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC as well as the European authorisations reported by Member States (incl. the supporting residues data). Based on the assessment of the available data, MRL proposals were derived and a consumer risk assessment was carried out.
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Today, EU Member States did not reach a qualified majority – either in favour or against - in the Appeal Committee1 which discussed a Commission proposal to restrict the use of 3 neonicotinoid insecticides.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Germany, hereafter referred to as the Evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the Landwirtschaftskammer Nordrhein-Westfalen to modify the existing MRL for trifloxystrobin in beans with pods. In order to accommodate for the intended use of trifloxystrobin Germany proposed to raise the existing MRL on beans (with pods) from the value of 0.5 mg/kg to 1 mg/kg. Germany drafted an evaluation report in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA.
According to EFSA the data are sufficient to derive a MRL proposal of 1.0 mg/kg for the intended use on beans with pods. Adequate analytical enforcement methods are available to control the residues of trifloxystrobin in the commodity under consideration.
Based on the provisional risk assessment results, EFSA concludes that the intended use of trifloxystrobin on beans with pods will not result in a consumer exposure exceeding the toxicological reference value and therefore is unlikely to pose a consumer health risk.
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Abu Dhabi Farmers’ Services Centre (FSC) aims to triple the quantity of locally produced potatoes to nearly 2,500 tonnes this year from less than 900 tonnes last year, on 45 farms in the Western Region, Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.
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In a high-level meeting with the Irish Presidency today, Copa-Cogeca outlined key priorities in the trialogue talks between the EU institutions on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform. Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen underlined the need for a final agreement by June to enable the new CAP to be introduced in 2014.
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Nemgenix Pty Ltd, an international agricultural biotechnology company developing new technologies for the control of plant parasitic nematodes and aphids, and SESVanderHave, a leading sugar beet breeding and marketing company, today announced their collaboration to develop a novel nematode resistant trait for sugar beet to address the needs for a long-term resistance strategy to beet cyst nematodes (BCN).
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A Commission measure to revise rules on imports of food and feed originating from Japan following the Fukushima nuclear accident was today endorsed by experts meeting in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH).
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A team of Virginia Tech researchers has succeeded in transforming cellulose into starch, a process that has the potential to provide a previously untapped nutrient source from plants not traditionally thought of as food crops.
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The Panel on Plant Health conducted a pest risk assessment for Bemisia tabaci and the viruses it transmits, including an evaluation of risk reduction options and an assessment of the effectiveness of the special requirements linked to B. tabaci and the viruses listed in Council Directive 2000/29/EC. B. tabaci and a large number of viruses transmitted by this polyphagous insect occur in subtropical and tropical climates around the world.
Five entry pathways for B. tabaci and associated viruses were identified, with the plants for planting pathway being most significant and rated for entry of insects and viruses as likely and moderately likely, respectively.
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Jersey's potato farmers are losing up to two million GBP (3+ million USD, 2.3+ million EUR) a week in exports because the bad weather has delayed crops.
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The FAO Food Price Index (FPI) crept higher by one percent in March compared with a month before, driven mainly by an 11 percent increase in dairy. Dairy products carry a 17 percent weight among the various commodity prices included in the calculation of the overall FPI.
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A simple mesh cover could be the answer to halting New Zealand's most devastating tomato and potato pests, the tomato potato psyllid.
The covers are being trialled at the Lincoln University Future Farming Centre to see if they stop the tomato potato psyllid (TPP) from invading the plants.
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Agricultural researchers of the Oregon State University will begin testing two small, remote-controlled aircraft this month, flying them over potato fields in the Hermiston area in trials that may help farmers use water, fertilizer and pesticides more efficiently.
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Back by popular demand, the Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck officially set off on its seven-month cross-country journey with support and good wishes from Governor C. L. “Butch” Otter and hundreds of Emmett, Idaho residents.
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A delayed start to Europe's potato's plantings has prompted ideas of a revival in potato prices, whose decline this year on futures markets, despite inventories at a "historically low level" has puzzled investors.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Syngenta AGRO S.A.S. to modify the existing MRLs for the active substance difenoconazole in a wide range of crops.
In order to accommodate for the intended European uses on quinces, several root crops, bulb vegetables, cucurbits (inedible peel), witloof chicory, globe artichokes, rice and chicory roots and to accommodate the authorized use in Brazil on papaya, the EMS proposed to raise the existing MRLs for difenoconazole in all these crops.
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Restructuring and corporate advisory firm McGrathNicol was yesterday appointed as receivers following Heard Phillips being appointed administrators of the company.
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A delayed start to Europe's potato's plantings has prompted ideas of a revival in potato prices, whose decline this year on futures markets, despite inventories at a "historically low level" has puzzled investors.
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The potato (Irish) that has fed the people of southwestern Uganda (Kabale) for generations is being threatened by several pests and diseases, including the potato bacterial wilt. These are affecting potato production as plants dry up or produce small tubers.
Abel Arinaitwe, a plant pathologist at Kachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research & Development Institute (KAZARDI) located 8km from Kabale town, says the potato bacterial wilt makes the plant sag. He discloses that this can be transmitted through infected seeds and soils, especially during the rainy season.
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The variable weather conditions in the United Kingdom, leading to a dramatic drop in potato stocks made 2012 the worst year in living memory for growers.
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Unchecked, it invades the roots of potato and other host crops to feed, obstructing the free flow of nutrients and causing stunted growth, wilted leaves, and other symptoms that can eventually kill the plant. Severe infestations in potato fields can cause yield losses of up to 80 percent. To make matters worse, female G. pallida nematodes form hard, round cysts that safeguard their eggs from predators and parasites, inhospitable conditions, or a scarcity of food.
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New EU27 oilseeds estimates for the 2012/3 and 2013/4 marketing years released by Copa-Cogeca today show EU-27 oilseeds production is expected to recover this season, rising by 8.5% on last years levels.
But the EU will still remain the biggest importer of rapeseed.
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Copa-Cogeca released new EU-27 cereals estimates for the 2012/3 and 2013/4 marketing years today, showing EU soft wheat production is forecast to rise by 3.7% on last years levels.
But the poor weather conditions during the sowing period is expected to have a serious impact on crop yields, Copa-Cogeca warned.
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When Anne Njoroge was growing up in the village of Kikuyu, in central Kenya, she would listen to her mother and friends complain that their potato crops had been “Waru KuhIa ni mbaa” – burnt by the wet, cold weather. Years later, when she began working at the Rwanda Agricultural Research Institute’s potato program, it occurred to her that the culprit behind those crop losses had been Phytophthora infestans – the pathogen responsible for late blight, the disease behind the world’s major potato famines – but her mother and neighbors didn’t know that it was a disease.
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The European Commission is currently seeking advice from EFSA, on the risk to plant health for the EU territory including the evaluation of the effectiveness of risk reduction options of seven organisms harmful to horticulture (both food- and non food) plants: Liriomyza trifolii, Liriomyza huidobrensis, Erwinia chrysanthemi pv. dianthicola (updated taxonomic name: Dickeya dianthicola), Pseudomonas caryophylli (updated taxonomic name: Burkholderia caryophylli). Phialophora cinerescens, Puccinia horiana and Chrysanthemum stunt viroid. In addition, the Plant Health Panel is requested to provide an opinion on the effectiveness of the present EU requirements against those organisms laid down in the Council Directive 2000/29/EC.
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Brussels, 7 March 2013
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Ahead of the Special Agricultural Committee discussions in EU Council and European Parliament vote on the future of the EU sugar regime next week, Copa-Cogeca sent a letter to MEPs and Agricultural Attaché calling for EU sugar production quotas to be kept until at least 2020, in order to ensure a stable European sugar market and a dynamic beet industry.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Germany, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from BASF SE to modify the existing MRLs for the active substance dimethomorph in spices.
In order to accommodate for the intended uses of dimethomorph in seeds of spices and caraway, Germany proposed to raise the existing MRLs from the limit of quantification of 0.05 mg/kg to 30 mg/kg. Germany drafted an evaluation report in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA.
According to EFSA the data are sufficient to derive a MRL proposal of 30 mg/kg for the proposed use on the seeds of spices (except nutmeg seed) and on caraway fruits.
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“We were particularly successful in our agriculture business – our second life-science area – in 2012,” Dekkers said.
CropScience increased sales by 15.5 percent (Fx & portfolio adj. 12.4 percent) to EUR 8,383 million (2011: EUR 7,255 million) in an attractive market environment.
This growth was due largely to good business with new products in Crop Protection and rapidly expanding sales at Seeds. Environmental Science also developed favorably.
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Emsland Group, a manufacturer of potato starch and dehydrated potato products, will acquire Mecklenburger Kartoffelveredlung GmbH, a manufacturer of dehydrated potato products.
Both companies are located in Germany.
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With the threat posed to potato crops by nematodes, Polish growers are expected to welcome the announcement that Vydate®, a nematicide from DuPont that is already used to help maintain the quality and marketable yield of crops in the UK and the Netherlands, has gained registration for use in potato crops in Poland. This follows the recent registration in France.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Spain, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State Spain, received an application from Syngenta Agro S.A. to raise the existing MRL for lambda-cyhalothrin in persimmon from the LOQ (0.02 mg/kg) to 0.1 mg/kg in support of a new intended SEU use. Belgium (hereafter the EMS Belgium) compiled an application to raise the existing MRL for lambda-cyhalothrin in azarole from the LOQ to 0.2 mg/kg based on a new intended NEU use on kiwi berries (Actinidia arguta).
The EMS Spain and the EMS Belgium drafted evaluation reports according to Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which were submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA. According to EFSA, the submitted supervised residue trials are sufficient to derive a MRL proposal of 0.09 mg/kg for persimmon.
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For the first time since the introduction of biotech/GM crops almost two decades ago, developing countries have grown more hectares of biotech crops than industrialized countries, contributing to food security and further alleviating poverty in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.
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Unfavourable weather conditions have led Britain's potato stocks to drop almost 20% year-on-year, according to the Potato Council – cautioning over setbacks already this year thanks to poor weather too.
Latest estimates showed that British potato growers stocks totalled 2.7m tonnes at the end of November 2012, a fall of 18% compared with the 3.3m tonnes a year before.
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Potato crops in Hastings and East Palatka took a hit when freezing temperatures moved through the area Sunday night and Monday morning.
That's made it a long couple of cold days for potato farmer Danny Johns of Blue Sky Farm in Hastings.
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Developing networking and stronger cooperation with the Member States and strengthening EFSA’s relationship with its institutional partners (EU and international) and stakeholders are among the key recommendations formulated by EFSA’s Management Board.
In accordance with EFSA’s strategy for cooperation and networking with Member States, the EFSA Scientific Network for Risk Assessment of GMOs (genetically modified organisms—hereafter referred to as “the GMO Network”) was launched in 2010. The GMO Network had its inaugural meeting in November 2010 and since then it has met once per year.
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While the poor price of milk being paid to farmers by supermarkets has often hit the headlines, the same inequality in the supply chain also applied to potatoes, according to Allan Stevenson, chairman of the Potato Council
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When a pathogen attacks a plant, infection usually follows after the plant’s immune system is compromised. A team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside focused on Phytophthora, the pathogen that triggered the Irish Famine of the 19th century, and deciphered how it succeeded in crippling the potato plant’s immune system.
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British seed potatoes are grown in over 50 countries worldwide, with Egypt a long-time major export destination, accounting for around 40% of total seed exported. Even though GB seed export tonnage is still being calculated for the 2012/2013 season, official export statistics confirm that GB is now the EU’s leading source of seed potatoes to Egypt.
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The FAO Food Price Index held steady at 210 points in January 2013 after three straight months of decline. Increases in oil and fats prices offset lower cereals and sugar quotations while dairy and meat values remained substantially unchanged.
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DuPont™ Evalio AgroSystems services is a free pest monitoring tool that helps detect insect pests. Growers using the system are provided with real-time in-season information that helps them choose the most appropriate product and spray timing to achieve optimum pest control and maximise yield and quality.
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The ever changing story of Europe's relationship with biotechnology took another twist recently when the giant German chemical firm BASF announced it was halting the development of all its GM potato varieties in Europe.
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2,543 exhibitors from 78 countries present entire value chain of fresh produce trade – Some 55,000 trade visitors from 120 countries come to Berlin – FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award for the innovation of the year – Peru is official partner country – Some 1.6 billion tonnes of fruit and vegetables (incl. potatoes) were produced around the world in 2012
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Bayer CropScience is forging new Food Chain Partnerships around the world, and has reaffirmed its commitment to working together with the food value chain for the sustainable production of fresh fruit and vegetables around the world.
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According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance silthiofam. In order to assess the occurrence of silthiofam residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC as well as the European authorisations reported by Member States (incl. the supporting residues data). Based on the assessment of the available data, MRL proposals were derived and a consumer risk assessment was carried out. Although no apparent risk to consumers was identified, some information required by the regulatory framework was found to be missing.
Hence, all MRL proposals derived by EFSA still require further consideration by risk managers.
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BASF Plant Science is continuing to strengthen its focus on plant biotechnology solutions to achieve higher yield in plants. BASF will expand its fungal resistance research platform by adding corn as a target crop. At the same time, research activities in Nutritionally Enhanced Corn will be stopped and the European approval processes for potato products will be discontinued.
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We are delighted to invite you to this important congress which is held for the first time in Belgium (Brussels). This congress represents a real opportunity for the Belgian potato industry as well as for research institutions and private companies, who will share their scientific and technical know-how. The scientific topics of the congress focus on all of the classical aspects of the potato sector, especially the latest knowledge about sustainable and innovative techniques. Recent and innovative fundamental research and applied research results will be presented, together with technological transfer and implementation for users.
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Idaho may still be known for its "famous potatoes" but growers across the country wish there fewer of them.
An over abundance of potatoes has created a wreck in the fresh pack market. Growers are receiving $2.50 to $4.50 per hundredweight for potatoes that cost them $8 to $8.50 per hundred (or sack) to produce.
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The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authority of the rapporteur Member State, Germany, for the pesticide active substance acetic acid are reported.
The context of the peer review was that required by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2229/2004, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1095/2007 and Commission Regulation (EU) No. 114/2010. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of acetic acid as a herbicide in pome fruit, stone fruit, paths and roads, ornamental trees and shrubs, turf, and lawns.
The reliable endpoints concluded as being appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, derived from the available studies and literature in the dossier peer reviewed, are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed. Concerns are identified.
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The Panel on Plant Health conducted a pest risk assessment for Phialophora cinerescens (Wollenweber) van Beyma (the causal agent of Phialophora carnation wilt) for the EU territory, identified risk management options and evaluated their effectiveness.
The risk assessment was conducted taking into account current EU legislation. The Panel also provided an opinion on the effectiveness of the present EU requirements against this organism, listed in Council Directive 2000/29/EC.
Four pathways for entry were identified. Plants for propagation (rooted and unrooted cuttings of host plants) were considered as a major pathway.
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ULSTER Farmers’ Union President Harry Sinclair has welcomed the swift implementation of legislation to help protect the local potato industry’s ‘high health’ status.
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According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance metsulfuron-methyl. In order to assess the occurrence of metsulfuron-methyl residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC and European authorisations reported by Member States (incl. the supporting residues data).
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Portugal, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the company Agriphar to lower the existing MRLs for dodine in pome fruits, apricots and cherries (for less critical European uses) and to raise the existing MRL in olives (for the new SEU use) and bananas (for the authorized use in Northern, Central and South America).
The lowering of the MRLs for the crops mentioned is justified as for the existing MRLs for apples, pears, peaches and apricots acute consumer intake concerns cannot be excluded.
According to EFSA, the submitted data are sufficient to derive MRL proposals or tentative MRL proposals for the crops under consideration, except in apricots.
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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was asked by the European Commission to perform a risk assessment of neonicotinoids, including clothianidin, as regards the risk to bees. In this context the conclusions of EFSA concerning the risk assessment for bees for the active substance clothianidin are reported. The context of the evaluation was that required by the European Commission in accordance with Article 21 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 to review the approval of active substances in light of new scientific and technical knowledge and monitoring data.
The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the uses of clothianidin applied as a seed treatment or granules on a variety of crops currently authorised in Europe. The reliable endpoints concluded as being appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, derived from the submitted studies and literature data as well as the available EU evaluations and monitoring data, are presented.
Missing information identified as being required to allow for a complete risk assessment is listed. Concerns are identified.
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The Commission has published today its medium term forecasts, "Prospects for Agricultural Markets and Income in the EU 2012-2022" projecting the trends for major EU agricultural commodity markets until 2022. Based on a set of assumptions, EU commodity markets are projected to remain balanced - on average - over the outlook period.
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European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)’s reports on neonicotinoid-based pesticide provide no ground to challenge their current safe use in practice, and is instead limited to potential risks.
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From protecting seeds to fighting fungal diseases, potato growers face multiple challenges throughout the season and need tools to help them achieve a successful harvest.
Bayer CropScience is showcasing its season-long solutions at its One World to Grow On exhibit at the 2013 Potato Expo in Las Vegas, Jan. 9 -11, 2013.
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Potato growers are invited to an event that will help improve their negotiation power.
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Cargill today reported net earnings of $409 million in the fiscal 2013 second quarter ended Nov. 30, compared with $100 million in the same period a year ago. In the first six months, earnings totaled $1.38 billion compared with $336 million in the prior year. Second-quarter revenues rose 6 percent to $35.2 billion, which brought first-half revenues to $69 billion
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Wheat output in India, the world’s second-biggest producer, may reach a record for a seventh year as cold weather boosts yield prospects and record domestic prices spur planting, potentially boosting exports. Futures in India fell for a seventh day.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, The United Kingdom, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Bayer CropScience AG to set an import tolerance for the active substance spiromesifen in tea.
In order to accommodate for the authorized uses of spiromesifen on tea in Japan, India and Indonesia, the EMS proposed to raise the existing MRL in tea to 50 mg/kg.
The EMS drafted an evaluation report according to Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA.
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According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide cyazofamid.
In order to assess the occurrence of cyazofamid residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC as well as the European authorisations reported by Member States (incl. the supporting residues data). Based on the assessment of the available data, MRL proposals were derived and a consumer risk assessment was carried out.
Although no apparent risk to consumers was identified, some information required by the regulatory framework was found to be missing. Hence, the consumer risk assessment is considered indicative only and some MRL proposals derived by EFSA still require further consideration by risk managers.
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The Panel on Plant Health conducted a pest risk assessment for Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) including the identification and evaluation of risk reduction options. The plants for planting pathway is considered the most important one and rated as likely, with medium uncertainty. TSWV, reported in many Member States, has one of the widest host range for plant viruses and has three widely distributed thrips vector species in the risk assessment area.
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The Polish government has banned cultivation of certain genetically modified (GM) strains of maize and potatoes, according to a government statement on January 2.
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Southern Russia and Ukraine entered the winter much like the Southern Plains - dry. The struggling wheat is now uncovered and subject to current low temperatures and there are reports of winter kill already. This sets up the possibility that exports next year will be small due to deterred planting and winter kill - and low stocks from the current year.
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Due to the importance of business information in an exceptional season AHDB/PCL has updated its estimates following the receipt of further Grower Panel(Note 1) yield forms, updated lifting data and additional intelligence.
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A first for British exports in 2013 will be a joint stand from Potato Council and the Horticultural Development Company (HDC) at Fruit Logistica in Berlin in February next year.
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UK potato growers are facing an uncertain future unless contract prices increase following a 25 per cent drop in production and an increase in costs of 30 per cent.
The NFU says that with around 75 per cent of all potatoes in the UK grown on fixed priced contracts, growers have borne the brunt of the large financial penalty dealt by the unprecedented cold and wet summer conditions.
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The poor conditions which have handed the UK its worst potato harvest since 1976 hurt crops in many European countries too, although, in an echo of the grains result, German farms escaped damage.
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Partnerships are key to the success of the global vegetable food value chain, and Bayer CropScience is committed to leveraging its position to help connect the various parts of this chain, and propel the future of farming.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the United Kingdom, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Bayer CropScience Ltd to modify the existing MRL for the active substance pencycuron in potatoes.
In order to accommodate for the intended use of pencycuron the United Kingdom proposed to raise the existing MRL in potatoes from 0.1 mg/kg to 0.2 mg/kg.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Spain, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received from Nissan Chemical Europe an application to modify the existing MRLs of quizalofop-P in rapeseed, sunflower, cotton and soybean. Spain drafted an evaluation report in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA. The submitted residue trials lead to MRL proposals of 0.3 mg/kg for rapeseed and 0.4 mg/kg for sunflower. These proposals are already covered by the existing EU MRL of 0.5 mg/kg for rapeseed and by the proposals of 0.7 mg/kg made by EFSA for sunflower in an application related to the ester variant quizalofop-P-tefuryl.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State France (EMS France), received an application from Bayer CropScience to modify the existing MRL for fosetyl-Al in kiwi. In order to accommodate the intended use in Italy, the EMS France proposed to raise the MRL in kiwi to 150 mg/kg. Spain (EMS Spain), received an application from Probelte S.A. to modify the existing MRL for fosetyl-Al in potatoes. In order to accommodate the intended use in the SEU and to account for resulting residues in animal commodities, the EMS Spain proposed to raise the MRL in potatoes to 70 mg/kg and in ruminant`s kidney to 0.6 mg/kg. Germany (EMS Germany) compiled an application to modify the existing MRL for fosetyl-Al in several spices.
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Agrifac manufactures agricultural sprayers, sugar beet harvesters and drain cleaners.
As a specialist of self-propelled sprayers, Agrifac expands its range of the Condor sprayer further with a spray boom specially designed for crops such as asparagus; the ‘VertiPlus’ is developed according to the “4e’s for growers” concept.
By testing all its developments according to the 4E’s, Agrifac is running ahead of the competition with developments and innovations.
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With dispatch of the stand registration documents to exhibitors, preparations for the world’s largest exhibition for agricultural machinery and equipment, Agritechnica 2013, have now started. The globally leading forum for the industry will be presenting its programme to the trade public at the Exhibition Grounds in Hanover from 10 to 16 November 2013. The organizer DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft – German Agricultural Society) has again arranged two Preview Days, this time on 10 and 11 November 2013. The closing date for stand bookings for exhibitors is 1 February 2013.
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Potato plants can carry various diseases, and many of the most difficult ones to control are passed on through seed potato tubers. Therefore, seed potato certification is a vital step in the process to protect potato crops.
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According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance mesosulfuron. In order to assess the occurrence of mesosulfuron residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC as well as the European authorisations reported by Member States (incl. the supporting residues data). Based on the assessment of the available data, MRL proposals were derived and a consumer risk assessment was carried out. No information required by the regulatory framework was found to be missing and no risk to consumers was identified.
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According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance carfentrazone-ethyl.
In order to assess the occurrence of carfentrazone-ethyl residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC as well as the European authorisations reported by Member States (incl. the supporting residues data). Based on the assessment of the available data, MRL proposals were derived and a consumer risk assessment was carried out.
Although no apparent risk to consumers was identified, some information required by the regulatory framework was found to be missing.
Hence, the consumer risk assessment is considered indicative only and all MRL proposals derived by EFSA still require further consideration by risk managers.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from BASF Agro SAS to set an import tolerance for prohexadione-calcium in peanuts grown in the United States of America (USA). In order to accommodate for the authorised use in the USA, France proposed to raise the existing MRL of prohexadione in peanuts from the limit of quantification of 0.1 mg/kg to 0.9 mg/kg.
France drafted an evaluation report in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA. According to EFSA the data are sufficient to derive a MRL proposal of 0.9 mg/kg for the import tolerance request of prohexadione-calcium on peanuts. Adequate analytical enforcement methods are available to control the residues of the active substance in peanuts. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concludes that the proposed MRL for peanuts supporting the authorised use of prohexadione-calcium in the USA will not result in a long-term consumer exposure exceeding the toxicological reference value and therefore is unlikely to pose a public health risk.
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According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance foramsulfuron. In order to assess the occurrence of foramsulfuron residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC as well as the European authorisations reported by Member States (incl. the supporting residues data). Based on the assessment of the available data, MRL proposals were derived and a consumer risk assessment was carried out. Although no apparent risk to consumers was identified, some information required by the regulatory framework was found to be missing. Hence, one MRL proposal derived by EFSA still requires further consideration by risk managers.
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DuPont Pioneer announced today a more than 40 million USD investment in the construction of a seed production facility in Stasi, Dykanka region, Poltava oblast, Ukraine. This is one of the many investments the company is making to support local product development and help Ukrainian farmers increase their productivity.
Construction is underway at the facility that will be operational in time for the 2013 season, supporting the increased customer demand for Pioneer® brand maize, sunflower and oilseed rape hybrids in Ukraine.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Bayer CropScience to modify the existing MRLs for the active substance prothioconazole in rape seed, linseed, poppy seed and mustard seed.
In order to accommodate the intended uses of prothioconazole, France proposed to raise the existing MRLs from the value of 0.1 mg/kg for rape seed and 0.05 mg/kg for the other three oilseeds to 0.15 mg/kg for these four oilseeds.
France drafted an evaluation report in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA.
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OptRx crop sensors measure and record data about crops in real-time using the reflectance of light shined on the growing plants.
Sensors can be mounted on virtually any type of vehicle to collect information while driving through the field.
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FAO Food Price Index dipped in October8 November 2012, Rome - The FAO Food Price Index fell one percent in October 2012, and for the first ten months of the year food prices were on average eight percent lower than in the same period in 2011.
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On October 24, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the purchase of 240 metric tons of dehydrated potato granules and 320 metric tons of dehydrated potato flakes under the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program.
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The EFSA GMO Panel was asked by the European Commission to apply its mathematical model to simulate and assess potential adverse effects resulting from the exposure of non-target Lepidoptera to maize 1507 pollen under hypothetical agricultural conditions, and to provide information on the factors affecting the insect resistance management plan, additional to that in its 2011 Scientific Opinion updating the conclusions of the environmental risk assessment and risk management recommendations on maize 1507.
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Climate change could lead to crops from the banana family becoming a critical food source for millions of people, a new report says.
Researchers from the CGIAR agricultural partnership say the fruit might replace potatoes in some developing countries.
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While rising temperatures in some places may improve the productivity of bananas, conditions may also become more favourable for certain pests and diseases.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Belgium, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State, compiled an application to modify the existing MRL for the active substance iprodione in celeriac.
In order to accommodate the intended use of iprodione, Belgium proposed to raise the existing MRL from the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.02 mg/kg to 0.2 mg/kg. Belgium drafted an evaluation report in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, The United Kingdom, herewith referred to as the rapporteur Member State (RMS), received an application from the company LKC UK Ltd. to set MRLs for penthiopyrad in a wide range of plant commodities in order to accommodate intended European uses and uses authorized in the United States and Canada. Resulting from the use of penthiopyrad on plants, a need to set MRLs in animal commodities was also identified by the RMS. The RMS drafted an evaluation report according to Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA.
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In yesterday's Potato Weekly the Potato Council describes the lifting procgress of the 2012 potato crop: the potato harvest in the United Kingdom is still three weeks behind last season.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Austria, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Bayer Austria GmbH to set MRLs for the active substance tembotrione in bovine kidney, bovine liver and swine liver. In order to accommodate the intended use of tembotrione on maize in Austria and as a result of using maize products as livestock feed, the EMS proposed to set the MRLs of 0.05 mg/kg in bovine kidney, 0.1 mg/kg in bovine liver and 0.02 mg/kg in swine liver.
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The European Commission has granted clearance under the EU Merger Regulation to the acquisition by the Vivescia Group of Nutrixo Group, both of France.
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A recent study showing that potato cultivation has been dwindling in Nilgiris, has prompted officials from the Horticulture Research Centre and Directorate of Marketing Intelligence Centre to initiate steps to encourage farmers to cultivate potato in the hill district in Tamil Nadu.
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Experts meeting in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) endorsed a Commission proposal to revise rules on import conditions of food and feed originating from Japan following the Fukushima nuclear accident. Existing restrictions for food and feed imports coming from the prefecture Fukushima are maintained whereas control measures have been eased for several other prefectures.
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Planting green manure cover crops over the winter, prior to potato cropping, could save growers significant costs with reduced fertiliser inputs and enhanced organic matter to improve soil quality, according to ADAS Senior Soil Crop and Water Researcher, Dr Martyn Silgram.
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pate in a Field Walk event at the Vasse Research Station, located in the south west agricultural region of WA, to hear about current research into potato pests, diseases and viruses, and to take a tour of the facility’s research paddocks.
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Today, EU Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, and the President of Malawi, Joyce Banda, signed two agreements which will help Malawi to reach the Millennium Development Goals. The EU will contribute to a new government programme designed to strengthen agricultural productivity and expand the area under irrigation. With this programme, Malawi aims to increase its maize yield by two thirds and almost double household incomes in agriculture. This will contribute to the goal of 6% of annual growth in Malawi.
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Today, the Commission published a proposal to limit global land conversion for biofuel production, and raise the climate benefits of biofuels used in the EU. The use of food-based biofuels to meet the 10% renewable energy target of the Renewable Energy Directive will be limited to 5%.
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Preventing activity of a key enzyme in potatoes could help boost potato quality by putting an end to cold-induced sweetening, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.
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A bitter feud over plans to import potatoes from New Zealand is escalating, with growers accusing Australia's biosecurity body of fudging the science and lacking the knowledge to prevent a major pest outbreak.
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Tomorrow, 16 October, will mark the World Food Day. It is unacceptable that tonight, across the world, close to 870 million people - more than one and a half times the population of the European Union - will go to bed hungry.
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In sharp contrast with the 2011 production season, potato growers in the Red River Valley may have to deal with the impact of dry weather as they begin production on this year’s crop.
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In a letter sent to the EU Commission today, Copa-Cogeca attacked EU Commission plans to impose iluc factors and a 5% limit on the use of crop-based biofuels, warning the U-turn is totally irresponsible and puts at risk feed supplies for animals, employment and green growth in rural areas across the EU.
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“The combination of low yielding potato crops, increased crop spraying costs and increased wastage from problems such as greening, soft rots and growth cracks has massively increased the average cost of producing a tonne of potatoes in 2012 to over £200 per tonne. There is now a perfect storm of misery in the industry as most fresh and processing potatoes are sold by farmers to packers and processors at fixed prices far lower than the cost of production and they in turn are not able to cover their costs from retail and food service customers.
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In a letter sent to the EU Commission today, Copa-Cogeca attacked EU Commission plans to impose iluc factors and a 5% limit on the use of crop-based biofuels, warning the U-turn is totally irresponsible and puts at risk feed supplies for animals, employment and green growth in rural areas across the EU
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Sistema Producto Papa is proposing a 30% reduction of the 13,500 hectares of crops in the Pacific area to gain better control of the market, as last year many problems were encountered in selling the production due to how weak the national market was.
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Potato growers on Prince Edward Island are concerned that some of their crops might be lost because of the wet weather.
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At the Public University of Navarra, David Gómez Castillo carried out research for his PhD on the possibility of substituting the current use of CIPC in potato storage by treating the tuber with essential oils of mint, caraway, coriander, eucalyptus and clove:
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Following two months of stability, the FAO Food Price Index rose slightly in September 2012, up 1.4 percent, or 3 points, from its level in August.
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While recent rain should help boost protective soil intake by harvesters, the risk of potato bruising remains high, potato agronomists and machinery makers are warning.
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Produce Investments plc (PI), owners of Greenvale AP Ltd, one of the UK’s largest fresh potato companies, has acquired 100% of the share capital of Rowe Farming Ltd, a specialist new and salad potato and daffodil growing business based in Cornwall.
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The Potato Council Grower Panel Lifting Survey estimates that 39,000ha (32% of the total crop and just under 7,000ha greater than last week's estimate) was cleared to Friday 28 September, with the GB harvest running approximately three weeks behind last season.
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With a dry August and September, and little or no rain forecast for the next 14 days or so, Ladner potato farmer Peter Guichon is not too concerned about this year's harvesting conditions.
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AUSTRALIANS' appetite for imported potato chips has soared 700 per cent in just two years.
The rise has been so sudden that local producers fear the trend signals the death knell for their industry.
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Claydon, who are Great Britain’s leading manufacturer of strip till direct drills, have seen exceptional demand for the Claydon Hybrid drill from throughout Europe as farmers there recognise the benefits that strip drilling can bring in terms of yield increase and cost reduction.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Dow AgroSciences to modify the existing MRL(s) for the active substance aminopyralid in rape seed. In order to accommodate for the intended use of aminopyralid, France proposed to raise the existing MRL from the limit of quantification to 0.03 mg/kg.
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Researchers led by Professor Bruce Fitt, now at the University of Hertfordshire, have used modern DNA techniques on late nineteenth-century potatoes to show how the potato blight may have survived between cropping seasons after the Irish potato famine of the 1840s.
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Just a few days left to the inauguration of the exhibition dedicated to the fruit and vegetable sector, to be held at Cesena Fiera from 26th to 28th September. Delegations from more than 80 countries and buyers of the Large-scale Retail Distribution will be there.
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Plant protection products are a reality of modern times, given the quantity of food that we need to produce. They are used primarily to protect crops from infestation by pests and diseases, which can severely reduce harvest yields, usually working by killing insects, weeds and fungi. However, the chemicals in pesticides could have serious undesirable effects if they are not strictly regulated.
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This external report is not produced by EFSA. It is published here to help keep the public informed of developments related to EFSA's scientific work. EFSA reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors.
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Sustainable potato production across the EU could be under threat from potato cyst nematodes (PCN) and free living nematodes (FLN) without a comprehensive review of sampling and management options.
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In the wake of rising food demand, Copa-Cogeca outlined the best ways to maintain the EU’s potential for agricultural production whilst preserving limited resources– especially land and water – at EU Farm Ministers Informal Meeting in Nicosia, Cyprus today.
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The 7th European GMO Free Regions Conference welcomed 200 participants from 33 countries in Brussels. Intensive workshops and lectures, along with the traditional GMO-Free party in the “mundo b” on the first day were followed by debates and presentations in the European Parliament on Wednesday September 5th.
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Bayer CropScience is exhibiting at the Asia Fruit Logistica 2012 in Hong Kong, Asia's leading trade show for the international fresh fruit and vegetable business. From September 5 to 7, experts from the company present successful Food Chain Partnership business initiatives. "We are convinced that the best way to ensure high food quality is to connect the dots - bringing farmers, food processors and retailers together in Food Chain Partnership projects," Dr. Birgitt Walz-Tylla, Head of Food Chain Management at Bayer CropScience, pointed out. "For the benefit of our partners, we focus on increasing marketable yield, traceability and expanding marketing opportunities."
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Today’s decision of the European Court of Justice clarifies the legal requirements for the cultivation of GM crops in the European Union Member States. The decision confirms the non-legitimacy of national authorizations introduced in addition to the approval of biotech crops established by the European legal framework, and it also confirms that coexistence measures are not mandatory to grow GM plants.
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A cartoon portraying Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard and senior ministers as children playing a video game has been launched by the potato industry as part of its war to block imports of New Zealand potatoes.
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As the annual potato harvest begins, Wisconsin farmers continue to check their fields for late blight, the ferocious plant disease that caused the 1848 Irish potato famine and fueled massive emigration from Ireland.
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According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance benthiavalicarb.
In order to assess the occurrence of benthiavalicarb residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC as well as European authorisations reported by Member States (incl. the supporting residues data).
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According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance active substance. In order to assess the occurrence of active substance residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Directive 91/414/EEC as well as the European authorisations reported by Member States (incl. the supporting residues data).
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PepsiCo and Cambridge University have joined forces to introduce mobile technology to crop planning, with a new smartphone app that will help farmers predict future harvests.
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Two innovative Dutch agri-food companies, Solynta and FOODSniffer, have been selected to present at the Ag Innovation Showcase in St. Louis Sept. 10-13.
The first company, Solynta, has developed a revolutionary breakthrough in potato breeding technology, unlocking potato’s genetic potential previously deemed inconceivable as well as significantly increasing both efficiency and effectiveness of potato breeding by more than 300%.
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Current recommendations: Late blight was confirmed in a potato field in the Carberry area of Manitoba on Friday August 17 according to Dr. Vikram Bisht, Plant Pathologist, Potato & Horticultural Crops, Manitoba Agriculture, Foods & Rural Initiatives.
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Wet weather is once again favouring blackleg development in Scottish seed potato crops, although disease levels are believed currently to be below the record levels seen in 2011.
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The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authority of the rapporteur Member State the United Kingdom, for the pesticide active substance penflufen are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Commission Regulation (EU) No 188/2011.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Germany, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from TSGE Deutschland GmbH to modify the existing MRLs for difenoconazole in raspberries and blackberries.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Italy herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the company Gowan Comercio Internacional e Servicos, Limitada, to modify the existing MRLs for the active substance formetanate in apricots, peaches/nectarines, table and wine grapes, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, courgettes, gherkins, melons, pumpkins, watermelons, lettuce and scarole. The EMS drafted an evaluation report according to Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA.
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Figures from the Potato Council Grower Panel Lifting Survey estimate that 11,600ha (10%) was cleared to Friday August 10, compared with 12,500 ha (10%) the same week in 2011 and 13,000 ha (10%) in 2010.
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The application of oils has the potential to assist in the control of non-persistent viruses in potato seed crops. However, more work is required to establish the effects on seed crops here in the UK, due to in-season seed certification inspections, said Eric Anderson of Scottish Agronomy, who is leading a project looking at the practicalities of using oils in seed production.
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AUSVEG has “wrongly accused” the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) of basing quarantine conditions on outdated information, and of avoiding accountability, says DAFF.
AUSVEG released a statement on Friday August 17 claiming a “devastating pest risk to $400 million Australian tomato industry”, with the import conditions for fresh potatoes from New Zealand currently under review by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) Biosecurity.
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Bayer CropScience announced today the completion of its purchase of AgraQuest, Inc., a global supplier of innovative biological pest management solutions.
All required transaction waiting periods have expired without objection from the relevant competition authorities.
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Dutch starch manufacturer AVEBE has started the harvesting season. The factory in Gasselternijveen began supplying starch potatoes today, and a start will be made with processing them at the factory in Ter Apelkanaal next week.
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The hot, dry summer continues to take a toll on the Prince Edward Island potato crop and yields for some varieties are expected to be down 25 per cent.
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In France, according to the UNPT, blight pressure remains strong and there are signs of early senesce in some crops.
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Jerry Knox from Cranfield University will discuss the lessons learnt from the wettest drought in history at the East of England Potato Day to be held at Frederick Hiam, Tuddenham, Bury St Edmunds on August 30.
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Scotland's potato farmers are predicting one of the worst harvests in recent years.
Crops are expected to be down by as much as 50% in places due to a combination of heavy rain and little sunshine.
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Feed costs soared this summer as crops wilted in the intense heat and the worst drought to hit the country since 1956. An analysis found that small dairy farms have been the worst hit in a time already complicated with abundant supplies and stagnant prices.
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Canadian Potato producers received a boost from the federal Government, as Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Member of Parliament Mike Allen (Tobique–Mactaquac) attended the Centennial celebrations at the Potato Research Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick and announced an investment for two innovative potato research projects.
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The broken record keeps on playing the same tune. Another week's passed and the corn and soybean crops have taken another step south in overall crop conditions. Now, only 23% of the country's corn crop and 29% of the soybean crop are rated in either good or excellent condition, according to Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report.
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Potato growers this year have had to endure the worst of conditions and the wet weather has caused crop loss and stress - so much so that when potatoes are harvested and stored this year they will be worth much more and will need protecting, especially for storage quality.
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A new 2,700 tonne potato storage facility – constructed and equipped as a ‘turnkey’ project by Crop Systems Ltd - is helping Shropshire growers J M Bubb and Son hit and beat exacting targets for both energy and CIPC usage.
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Potato growers this year have had to endure the worst of conditions and the wet weather has caused crop loss and stress - so much so that when potatoes are harvested and stored this year they will be worth much more and will need protecting, especially for storage quality.
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Unusually dry weather in central Prince Edward Island and a possible irrigation ban has farmers worried about their crops.
Like Ontario, the island province has experienced an uneven distribution of rain, leaving some parts drenched and other areas parched.
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Potato growers could achieve potential savings of more than €450/ha if they used a blight-resistant genetically modified (GM) potato variety instead of a conventional variety.
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Climate change could result in a positive outcome for the potato industry and possibly lead to potatoes becoming one of the top staple crops in the world, says University of Pretoria (UP) Potato Pathology Programme manager Dr Jacquie van der Waals in South Africa.
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The Bayer Group saw continued growth momentum in the second quarter of 2012, registering gains in both sales and underlying earnings. “In view of the strong business performance, we are raising our guidance for the full year 2012,” said Management Board Chairman Dr. Marijn Dekkers on Tuesday at the presentation of the interim report. He reported that Bayer had achieved sales of approximately EUR 10.2 billion – a new record – thanks in part to positive currency effects. “All the subgroups contributed to the increase, especially CropScience which continued to grow strongly,” said Dekkers.
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The declining state of this year’s corn crop has prompted new calls for elimination, or at least a modification, of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), which currently mandates 15.2 billion gallons of renewable fuels going into the nation’s fuel supply this year, most of that from corn. On Thursday, Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), who serves as vice chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, introduced a bill that would allow flexibility in the RFS based on corn supplies.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Spain received an application from the Spanish Federation of Associations of Producers and Exporters of Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Live Plants (FEPEX) to modify the existing MRLs for the active substance indoxacarb in raspberries and strawberries.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the Czech Republic, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Syngenta Czech s.r.o to modify the existing MRL for the active substance cyproconazole in poppy seed.
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Cargill has supplied the first-ever sustainable verified rapeseed oil to Unilever with an initial consignment covering five percent of Unilever’s rapeseed oil needs. In the next three years Cargill’s European refined oils and grain & oilseed businesses will be able to meet all of Unilever’s sustainable rapeseed oil needs, which is used in products including margarines and mayonnaises.
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According to the NEPG, the 2012 North West Europe potato area is estimated to be 3.5% lower than last season.
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Bayer CropScience announced today that it has entered into an agreement to purchase the watermelon and melon seed business of Abbott & Cobb Inc., a privately-held seed company headquartered in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, USA. The acquisition will strengthen the vegetable seed business of Bayer CropScience, which operates under the Nunhems brand and is a key segment for the company. Around 30 employees of Abbott & Cobb are expected to join the vegetable seed business of Bayer CropScience. Closing is expected within a few weeks. Financial details were not disclosed.
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Bayer CropScience recently announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase AgraQuest, Inc. for a purchase price of US$ 425 million (approximately EUR 340 million) plus milestone payments. AgraQuest, headquartered in Davis, California, USA, is a global supplier of innovative biological pest management solutions based on natural microorganisms.
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Copa-Cogeca elected today Mansel Raymond from the UK as new Chairman of Copa-Cogeca Working Party on Milk and Dairy Products. He will look at ways to improve the difficult market situation and deal with major challenges such as the extreme market volatility, rising production costs and ensure that there is a competitive dairy sector under the future CAP.
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About half of British potato growers do not calculate crop need. Many still irrigate a fixed quantity, regardless of rainfall and evaporation rates, leading to either wasteful or insufficient application of water.
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Home gardeners and commercial growers are alerted of the potential introduction of late blight this growing season, as it has been confirmed in Suffolk County.
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Starting around July 6 potato growers in the Yakima Valley will begin harvesting reds and yellows, as long as the weather remains cooperative.
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Unique technology platform and promising biological pipeline / Wide range of established green product brands / Purchase includes R&D and manufacturing facilities
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The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of Viterra Inc. by Glencore International plc. Viterra is a global agribusiness active in grain handling and marketing, food processing and the sale of agriproducts.
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Overall satisfaction among exhibitors and visitors despite adverse weather conditions – 22,467 visitors at the site of the DLG International Crop Produc-tion Center in Bernburg-Strenzfeld – More than 2,000 international visitors
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East African farmers, who are mostly small-scale, currently select their seed potatoes from the mass of harvested potatoes. That results in lots of virus diseases and potato brown rot, as well as low yields of an average of 10.5 tons per hectare.
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Copa-Cogeca released new EU-27 cereals estimates for the 2012/13 marketing year today, claiming EU production is expected to drop slightly by 1.4%, compared to last year, despite a slight increase in area. In view of the severe weather conditions, farmers had to re-sow over 1.5 million hectares but were restricted by a lack of commercialised seed.
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Copa-Cogeca released new EU-27 oilseeds estimates for the 2012/13 marketing year today, showing a 3.2% drop in production, compared to last year, mainly as a result of lower yields.
The need for increased research and innovation is consequently crucial.
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Currently, eliminating a virus from an infected plant requires considerable time and money. The price is more than US$500, and the process can take up to a year.
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Arable farmers in Britain are bracing themselves for a rough ride this summer as the unpredictable weather takes its toll on crops throughout Britain.
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This Scientific Opinion reports on an evaluation of a risk assessment for the placing on the market for cultivation of genetically modified soybean 40-3-2, and updates the previous EFSA GMO Panel Scientific Opinion on the renewal applications for the continued marketing of soybean 40-3-2.
The EFSA GMO Panel considered that soybean 40-3-2 is unlikely to raise additional environmental safety concerns compared with conventional soybean, but that the management of its cultivation could result in environmental harm under certain conditions.
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Several key actions to drive out waste from the potato supply chain, including improved agronomy, were outlined at the recent World Potato Congress in Edinburgh.
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Late blight, the same disease that caused Ireland's potato famine in the 19th century, was confirmed in three Pennsylvania counties last week.
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At a major CIBE Congress held in France today, Copa President Gerd Sonnleitner called for EU sugar production quotas to be kept until at least 2020, saying that there has already been a major restructuring of the sector on an unprecedented scale in the 2006 reform.
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In accordance with Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, France has granted an authorisation for spinosad on raspberries. In order to accommodate for the emergency use of spinosad France proposed to raise the existing MRL for raspberries from 0.3 mg/kg to 1.5 mg/kg. In accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France submitted to the European Commission an evaluation report summarising the background information. France also performed a consumer risk assessment demonstrating that the proposed temporary MRL is safe.
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Statement on the findings in recent studies investigating sub-lethal effects in bees of some neonicotinoids in consideration of the uses currently authorised in Europe
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In accordance with Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, France has granted an authorisation for spinosad on raspberries. In order to accommodate for the emergency use of spinosad France proposed to raise the existing MRL for raspberries from 0.3 mg/kg to 1.5 mg/kg.
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Arcadia Biosciences, Inc., an agricultural technology company focused on developing technologies and products that benefit the environment and human health, and SESVanderHave, a leading sugar beet breeding and marketing company, today announced the achievement of key field performance milestones for Nitrogen Use Efficient (NUE) sugar beets.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the United Kingdom, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the company Technology Crops Ltd. to modify the existing MRL for diquat in borage. The actual proposal is made to accommodate the intended use of diquat on echium (Echium plantagineum), but this crop is not listed in Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. Since echium (Echium plantagineum) is of the same family (Boraginaceae)as borage, the EMS proposed to consider it under the same food classification code as borage.
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EFSA has published a state-of-the-art scientific review of the risks posed by pesticides to honey bees, bumble bees and solitary bees. This major piece of work will support the development of specific guidance for the assessment of possible risks to bees from the use of plant protection products.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from ISK Biosciences Europe N.V. to modify the existing MRL for the active substance fluazinam in apples.
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In accordance with Article 18(4) of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 the request from Germany to raise the maximum residue level (MRLs) for fipronil in poultry fat resulting from an emergency authorisation of fipronil on potatoes in accordance with Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 was submitted to the European Commission who forwarded the request, the evaluation report and the supporting dossier to EFSA. According to EFSA the use on potatoes is sufficiently supported by residue data to derive an MRL proposal of 0.01 mg/kg.
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In accordance with Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, France has granted an authorisation for spinetoram on cherries, raspberries and blueberries. In order to accommodate for the emergency use of spinetoram, France proposed to raise the existing MRLs for these crops from the limit of quantification (0.05 mg/kg) to 0.2 mg/kg for cherries and blueberries and 0.8 mg/kg for raspberries.
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Internal Heat Necrosis, or IHN, has many aliases. They include internal brown spot, physiological internal necrosis, internal browning, internal brown fleck, and chocolate spot.
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The price of potatoes is expected to soar because the wet weather is delaying planting and slowing down harvests in Britain.
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The International Potato Center (CIP) announced today that it is a Grand Challenges Explorations winner, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Spain, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the company Dow AgroSciences to modify the existing MRLs for the active substance methoxyfenozide in leafy vegetables and fresh herbs (except vine leaves, water cress and witloof). In order to accommodate for the intended use of methoxyfenozide in the SEU, the EMS proposed to raise the existing MRLs in these crops (except in scarole) from the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.02 mg/kg to 4 mg/kg. Spain drafted an evaluation report according to Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, which was submitted to the European Commission and forwarded to EFSA.
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The Royal Barenbrug Group has announced the acquisition of Seedmark in Australia.
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Copa-Cogeca held a major debate this week on European Biofuel Policies and the impact of land use changes on greenhouse gas emissions, warning that the EU model for calculating the impact of biodiesel on emissions is fundamentally flawed and differs greatly from models and classifications used in the US. In the US, the benefits of canola biodiesel in terms of reducing emissions are highly renown, Gerard Tubery, Chairman of Copa-Cogeca Working Party on Oilseeds and Protein Crops stressed.
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Copa-Cogeca released new EU-27 cereals estimates for the 2012/13 marketing year today, claiming EU production is expected to remain quite stable this year, but in view of drought and frost kill, this could easily change. In view of the situation, Copa-Cogeca calls on the EU Commission to introduce urgent measures to help farmers get through this difficult period and to maintain EU production capacity.
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ccording to Article 6 of the Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the Netherlands, herewith referred to as the Evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the company Exponent International Ltd. to modify the existing MRLs for the active substance teflubenzuron in tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, okra, cucumbers, gherkins and courgettes. In order to accommodate for the intended indoor use of teflubenzuron on these crops in the Netherlands, the EMS proposes to raise the existing MRLs in these crops and to delete the MRL in pome fruit, taking into account the restrictions on the use of teflubenzuron according to Commission Directive 2009/37/EC (only uses in glasshouses on artificial substrate or closed hydroponic systems can be authorized).
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European scientists have achieved a 50% reduction in the amount of energy used in the production of plants grown in a greenhouse. The EU funded project, known as EUPHOROS, has also reduced the use of water and fertilisers by 30% and pesticides by 10% while keeping the production standards and financial return for the growers high.
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Institut du végéal, with the support of all the sector, POTATOEUROPE will take place the 12th and 13th September at Villers Saint Christophe in the department of Aisne. The dynamics materials demonstrations, the trade village and the technicals workshops about potato production will be the highlights of this event.
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There are many cases where animals and plants have been introduced to an environment that is not naturally theirs, and are now spreading so fast that they become a threat to biological diversity. Some originally "non native" species such as the tomato or potato have historically been introduced without any problem. However, numerous other species including Canada geese, American bullfrogs, Japanese knotweed and Caulerpa seaweed are now spreading in our environment and threatening local fauna and flora and causing considerable damage to ecosystems and biodiversity.
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To the relief of cows and pigs everywhere, a new generation of grown-in-the-lab meat substitutes are on their way to production and could begin arriving in the next year, agricultural experts said at the AAAS Annual Meeting.
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The European Union and the United States announced today that beginning June 1, 2012, organic products certified in Europe or in the United States may be sold as organic in either region.
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Food prices went up in January9 February 2012, Rome - The FAO Food Price Index rose by nearly two percent or four points from December to January – its first increase since July 2011.
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Bayer CropScience is highlighting its food chain partnerships this year at Fruit Logistica 2012 in Berlin, the world’s leading trade fair for the fresh fruit and vegetable business. The company has forged food chain partnerships in more than 30 countries and 40 crops around the world, helping growers produce high-quality food according to the principles of sustainable agriculture. Bayer CropScience is present at Hall 20, stand C-15, during the Fruit Logistica from February 8-10.
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The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as authors. In accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, this task has been carried out exclusively by the authors in the context of a grant agreement between the European Food Safety Authority and the authors. The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the European Food Safety Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by EFSA. EFSA reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors.
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European scientists have achieved a 50% reduction in the amount of energy used in the production of plants grown in a greenhouse. The EU funded project, known as EUPHOROS, has also reduced the use of water and fertilisers by 30% and pesticides by 10% while keeping the production standards and financial return for the growers high.
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EU27 real agricultural income per worker1 has increased by 6.7% in 2011, after an increase of 12.6% in 2010, according to first estimates2 issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. This increase results from a rise in real agricultural income (+3.9%), together with a fall in agricultural labour input (-2.7%). These estimates for the EU27 are based on data supplied by the national authorities in the Member States.
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Having cutting the edge technology and state of the art agricultural machinery makes possible to move forward to get greater efficiency rates.
It also allows the increase of the energetic performance of resources such as biomass or biofuels.
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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) requested the Panel on Plant Health to develop a methodology for assessing the environmental risks posed by harmful organisms that may enter, establish and spread in the European Union. To do so, the Panel first reviewed the methods for assessing the environmental risks of plant pests that have previously been used in pest risk assessment. The limitations identified by the review led the Panel to define the new methodology for environmental risk assessment which is described in this guidance document.
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Despite the bad weather conditions, Copa-Cogeca released new EU-27 oilseeds estimates for the 2010/11 and 2012/13 marketing year today, confirming a good EU harvest this year and a stable outlook for next year. This is a result of new improved productive varieties and demonstrates the need for research and innovation.
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Europe's natural heritage is showing an alarming decline, according to new research published today. The European Red List, a part of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, assessed a considerable portion of Europe’s native fauna and flora, finding that a large proportion of molluscs, freshwater fish and vascular plants now fall into the threatened category.
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Allow me to bid you a very warm welcome to the “World’s No. One”, to Agritechnica 2011 in Hanover, the world’s largest exhibition for agricultural machinery and equipment that is traditionally opened with a ceremony at the Max Eyth Evening, as here and now today.
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Technical progress in agricultural machinery has reached a very high level today and is thus comparable with other sectors of industrial production in Europe. In recent years it was chiefly high labour costs that led to larger, wider and faster machines being built to allow more cost-efficient production. This trend is admittedly still evident, but it is being flanked by developments aiming to increase efficiency per machine unit.
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New Holland will preview the T5.115 at Agritechnica, part of the completed reinvented T5 range which is set to redefine the standard in the livestock and mixed farming segments. The T5.95, T5.105 and the T5.115 offer significantly increased engine powers of between 99 - 114hp. Pierre Lahutte, Head of Tractor Product Management said, “The new T5 is set to become the default choice for mid-sized livestock and mixed farmers with an eye on the future. Today’s T5 is the distillation of an extensive customer consultation, and offers outstanding visibility, ergonomic controls, an ultra-comfortable cab and segment leading performance.”
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Scientific Opinion on application (EFSA-GMO-CZ-2008-54) for placing on the market of genetically modified insect resistant and herbicide tolerant maize MON 88017 for cultivation under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 from Monsanto
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The importance of biomass within the agricultural sector is of growing importance, and it is a fundamental pillar of New Holland’s Clean Energy Leader Strategy. In order to meet the growing demand for direct cut whole crop and grass operations, FR9000, forage harvester customers will now be able to choose the ‘Marangon for New Holland’ direct cut header. Hedley Cooper, Head of Harvester Product Management stated, “The ‘Marangon for New Holland’ header will become the default choice for intensive biomass operations that are looking for superlative performance from direct cut headers that offer outstanding crop to crop flexibility”.
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- New VisionView™ cab: segment-leading operator comfort and ergonomics in a stylish package
- Robust and efficient mechanical engines: up to 113hp for ultimate productivity and efficiency
- Segment-first hydraulic PowerShuttle: ideal for loader applications
- ROPS option with full FOPS compliance: outstanding operator safety
- R38 tyre compatibility for enhanced productivity and reduced soil compaction
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Bayer CropScience subsidiary HILD samen GmbH has opened enlarged seed technology facilities at its site in Marbach am Neckar, Germany. The company plans to process and store various types of vegetable and herb seeds on an area of 4,000 m2 centrally at the site in the future.
HILD has invested some € 4 million in the facilities.
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The care of special crops and cultivations often requires special and specialised solutions. Solutions you will find at Agrifac. Agrifac has many years of experience as THE preferred specialist for diverse spray echnologies.
For crops with which air injection is essential to induce growth, Agrifac introduces the new AirFlowPlus air injection system.
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Which Member States are the main producers of cereals? Which Member State produces the most drinking milk and the most cheese and where is the most beef, pork and poultry meat produced?
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At a major Conference organised by 10 agri-food chain associations, participants called for concrete solutions and proper investment schemes to support minor uses and specialty crops and to improve the availability of tailor made solutions for their protection.
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Consumers’ interest in agriculture and personal respect for farmers is high, even in countries where less than two percent of the population works in agriculture, according to the BASF Farm Perspectives Study, which surveyed 1,800 farmers and 6,000 consumers. Yet farmers and consumers also agree that farmers’ reputations remain low. The study, which outlines the way farmers and consumers view the farming profession, its challenges and its support network, revealed surprisingly strong agreement on major issues, including the role of farmers and the major challenges farmers are facing in the 21st century.
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Janez Potočnik European Commissioner for Environment
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European Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority to review the safety of Alternaria toxins in food and feed. In addition to causing plant diseases on many crops such as cereals, oilseeds, tomatoes, apples and olives, some of these toxins are genotoxic in vitro and/or fetotoxic in rats. This opinion deals with alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, tenuazonic acid, iso-tenuazonic acid, altertoxins, tentoxin, altenuene and AAL-toxins (Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici toxins).
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The world’s largest farm machinery event has spread out even more this year. Six more halls have been added, meaning that the best of agricultural machinery, technology and new ideas from around the world will now be presented in 24 large-capacity buildings on the Exhibition Grounds at Hanover.
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Following the great success of the 2009 conference, this year, on November 7, the agri-food chain representatives will bring together an even broader range of stakeholders to discuss minor uses and speciality crops, looking at ways to improve the availability of active substances for these products.
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The concept of smart farming encompasses many different technologies that can be used individually, or together, to increase the efficiency of agricultural operations. We speak to a farmer who has fully embraced the systems that are currently available and to two academics involved in developing the smart farming systems of the future.
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Modern farming methods are increasingly characterized by high-tech innovations, with navigation, sensor technology, data management paving the way for ever higher levels of farming efficiency.
There is no doubt that smart farming represents the future of the agricultural industry and is a trend that farmers will increasingly embrace. In response to the huge level of interest in this subject, Agritechnica 2011 will feature a special show section titled “Smart Farming – Intelligent and sustainable plant production”.
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Two independent reports evaluating the European Union's legislation on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) conclude that there is broad support for the legislation's objectives and show that recent legislative Commission initiatives are heading in the right direction.
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DuPont's Pioneer Hi-Bred will work with Plant Sensory Systems to develop traits for more efficient use of nitrogen in hybrids.
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There's a lot to consider when you buy a new machine. Will it do the task it's intended for? What will its residual value be at the point when it is ready to be replaced? Most of all – can you afford it?
Determining what is and what isn't affordable is never easy, however for all farming businesses there is a level of investment that is appropriate to their size, enterprise spread and profitability.
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Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, is uniquely positioned to address global food challenges by boosting crop yield and quality and delivering healthier food products.
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Biomass plays an important role in everyday life, mainly for nutrition but also as raw material for energy or in construction. In the future, biomass will play an even more prominent role as a major substitute for crude oil as feedstock for energy and in the production of bulk and fine chemicals.
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Agritechnica 2011 is where the entire agricultural sector - from farmers to equipment distributors and the scientific community - can come together to meet, network and invest in the sector. While volatility in prices and market forces may be beyond our control, the knowledge on how to ride the crests and troughs of cyclical trends could give agriculturalists a sense of confidence and better management of their business risks.
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The burden of red tape on farmers associated with rural development is below 5% of the total public expenditure for the measures, according to a new report. The report also presents a number of good practices and shows that e-government solutions, the streamlining of procedures and the use of less burdensome reimbursement approaches can reduce the level of red tape on farmers even further.
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According to Article 6 of the Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Finland, herewith referred to as the Evaluating Member State (EMS), compiled an application to modify the existing MRLs for clopyralid in brassica vegetables, linseed, swedes and turnips.
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Following the announcement of Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Cioloş at the G-20 agricultural ministers meeting in June 2011, the Commission has now published for the first time a short term outlook for main agricultural commodity markets
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John DALLI Commissioner for Health and Consumer Politics
Hearing at the European Parliament on the socio-economic dimensions of GMO cultivation Brussels, 18 October 2011
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“Farmers can’t imagine going back to 2,4-D or other auxin herbicides,” Riechers said. “But herbicide resistance is bad enough that companies are willing to bring it back. That illustrates how severe this problem is.”
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The Commission has today published proposals for Four basic Council regulations for the Common Agriculture Policy – i) on Direct Payments, ii) the Single Common Market Organisation (CMO), iii) Rural Development and, iv) a Horizontal Regulation for financing, managing and monitoring the CAP. In addition, there are 3 smaller regulations to address transition arrangements to the new rules. The package also contains: An Explanatory Memorandum; Citizens Summary; and Annexes linked with different aspects of the Impact Assessment.
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In 2010 there were just over 12 million agricultural holdings1 and an utilised agricultural area (UAA)2 of 170 million hectares in the EU27. Compared with 2003, the number of holdings decreased by 20% and the utilised agricultural area by 2%, showing a tendency towards larger holdings. The average size of a holding was 14 hectares in the EU27 in 2010, compared with 12 ha per holding in 2003.
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Reports of growers achieving 5t/ha oilseed rape crops were much more common this summer, but was there a common thread in how they were achieved?
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Corn producers in Minnesota have historically had few widespread and significant problems with leaf diseases, in contrast to most major Midwestern corn-producing states. A leaf and stalk disease on corn called Goss’s leaf blight and wilt (or just Goss’s wilt) has been increasing in Minnesota since 2009. 


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This year's Agritechnica will be bigger than ever and this is also reflected in the number of innovations presented. With over 2600 exhibitors from 48 countries in 24 halls, Agritechnica 2011 promises a huge display of innovations.
From among the over 300 innovations presented, an impartial commission of experts appointed by the DLG and judging on the basis of stringent criteria has selected altogether two innovations for Gold Medals and 39 innovations for Silver Medals. The winning exhibitors are:
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We have received 8" of rain in the last 2 1/2 weeks in NW Ohio. Since we were dry here all summer this was a perfect rain for us. Now the crops that were planted in June are finally growing well. We have relatives living in central Pennsylvania who were inundated with rain.
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Bayer CropScience today revealed a new four pillar strategy for future growth at the company’s annual press conference in Monheim, Germany. Sandra E. Peterson, CEO of Bayer CropScience, outlined the company’s commitment to drive business growth by focusing on four key objectives, including:
1.) Rejuvenate its core Crop Protection business
2.) Reinvent customer-centricity along the entire value chain (seed-to-shelf),
3.) Refocus its innovation through increased R&D investment
4.) Extend the company’s BioScience business
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Metam is one of the 84 substances of the third stage Part B of the review programme covered by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1490/2002,[1] as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1095/2007.[2] This Regulation requires the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to organise upon request of the European Commission a peer review of the initial evaluation, i.e. the draft assessment report (DAR), provided by the designated rapporteur Member State and to provide within six months a conclusion on the risk assessment to the European Commission.
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According to Article 6 of the Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the United Kingdom herewith referred to as the Evaluating Member State United Kingdom (EMS UK), received an application from the Horticultural Development Company to modify the existing MRLs for spinosad in blackberries and raspberries. In order to accommodate for the intended outdoor use of spinosad on these crops in the United Kingdom it is proposed to raise the existing MRL from 0.3 mg/kg to 0.5 mg/kg.
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From September 27th to September 30th, vegetable professionals can get acquainted with the latest range of open field vegetable varieties offered by vegetable seed companies Nickerson-Zwaan, Clause and Vilmorin. The International Open Days are one of the biggest promotional events of the year, and are a real “living catalogue” of many crops and varieties for an audience that is becoming more and more international. The event will be organised on a field located near Dirkshorn (province of North Holland in The Netherlands).
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Getting big, heavy straw swaths to dry properly, especially when they've been rained on, can be a pain, but a Co Durham machinery dealer reckons he has the answer. It's an Italian-made Roc merger that turns the swaths over and fluffs them up so the air can get to the underlying straw.
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The success of direct drilling oilseed rape at Clayton and Frickley Farms near Doncaster has encouraged manager Phil Barlow to look at similar methods for establishing cereals and beans.
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Producing high-yielding soybeans is more attainable today if growers pay attention the the basics of soybean production. The basics include planting date, row width, seeding rate and weed control, according to Harold Watters, Ohio State University Extension expert.
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Only 20 years ago, robots still conjured up an image of uncomplaining humanoid machines performing repetitive tasks while their owners sipped Pimms beside a sun-soaked swimming pool.
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Polyploidy complicates genomics-based breeding of many crops, including wheat, potato, cotton, oat and sugarcane. To address this challenge, we sequenced leaf transcriptomes across a mapping population of the polyploid crop oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and representative ancestors of the parents of the population. Analysis of sequence variation1 and transcript abundance enabled us to construct twin single nucleotide polymorphism linkage maps of B. napus, comprising 23,037 markers.
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Hopefully the hottest of the hot weather is behind us. Ohio had temperatures above 100 degrees in late July. Although we received around an inch of rain on our farm, the soil is still dry.
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The high price of row crop commodities has slowed the pace of consumption. As the 2010-11 marketing year enters the final month, there are indications that both soybean and corn consumption will fall short of the most recent USDA projections according to University of Illinois Ag Economist Darrel Good.
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Kinze Manufacturing demonstrated the autonomous row crop technology it is working on to allow robotic operation of tractors and other vehicles in a field.
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Biofuels can represent an environmentally-friendly replacement of fossil fuels. However, we need to make sure that tropical forests and carbon rich peatlands are not turned into oil palm or sugarcane plantations. We also have to guarantee that compared to fossil fuels biofuels used in the EU deliver tangible greenhouse gas savings. To this end, the sustainability of biofuels needs to be checked by Member States or through voluntary schemes which have been approved by the European Commission. Today the Commission recognised seven such voluntary schemes: ISCC, Bonsucro EU, RTRS EU RED, RSB EU RED, 2BSvs, RSBA, and Greenergy. This recognition applies directly in 27 EU Member States.
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Today the Joint Programming Initiative “Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change” (FACCE-JPI), jointly led by France, through its National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and the UK, through the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), announced the opening of a call for proposals for a pilot action on “A detailed climate change risk assessment for European agriculture and food security”.
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Syngenta announced today that it has entered into an exclusive global technology partnership with Pasteuria Bioscience Inc., a U.S. based biotechnology company. Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will develop innovative bio-nematicide products based on the naturally occurring soil bacteria Pasteuria spp. This group of bacteria controls nematodes across a broad variety of crops.
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Corn standing in water or in saturated soils causes concern that yields will be affected once the field dries out and the plants start growing. But according to University of Illinois Extension agronomist Emerson Nafziger, reduced yields may not occur. He says corn is a tropical plant and does well at withstanding many stresses common during a growing season.
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The European Commission asked Hungary today to notify national implementing measures as required by Directive 2010/46/EU on the marketing of certain varieties of agricultural and vegetable seeds.
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In 2010, forest and other wooded land1 covered 178 million hectares in the EU27, or around 40% of its land area. The EU27 accounted for about 4% of the world's total forest area. In the EU27, three quarters of forest area was available for wood supply in 2010. In forests available for wood supply, the volume of increment (new growth) exceeded the volume of fellings by more than one third in 2010.
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Top event for the plant production sector at the DLG International Crop Production Center in Bernburg-Strenzfeld (Saxony Anhalt) from 19 to 21 June 2012 - Registration deadline for exhibitors in the trial field is 8 July 2011
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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published updated guidance for the risk assessment of food and feed derived from genetically modified (GM) plants. The document expands on previous EFSA guidance and reflects the latest scientific developments in areas such as assessment of allergenicity and selection of the comparator plant against which the GM plant is compared. It also establishes a new statistical methodology to further strengthen the risk assessment of GM plants.
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Syngenta is launching a new seed treatment fungicide called Vibrance that aids root health in plants. While the first registration is in Argentina, Syngenta expects registration across all major crops worldwide in the next couple of years.
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White mold has surfaced as a potential problem in soybeans with the wet, cool spring. If these weather conditions continue, soybean growers will face heavy white mold pressure. Two crop protection companies with products to handle the mold have released information about their products that growers can purchase.
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The EU leads research in the field innovation in plant breeding, but still lags behind in patenting the resulting technologies, a study reveals. The report, published today by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) notes that 45% of peer-reviewed scientific research publications in the field worldwide are produced in the EU, followed by North America with 32%. On the other hand, 65% of the total patenting of resulting technologies is carried out by US-based institutions.
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The University of Illinois has developed a new spreadsheet entitled “Planting Decision Model” to provide some guidelines to help farmers make planting decisions.
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Pre-Opening Wheat Market Report July wheat was up 1 cent late in the overnight session after first trading as much as 14 cents lower. Outside market forces were negative. Deliveries for May wheat were just 7 today from 238 contracts yesterday.
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Strong storm cells swept through parts of East and North Central Texas on April 27, bringing tornadoes along with some much needed rain, reported Texas AgriLife Extension Service personnel.
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The Commission today presented a new strategy to protect and improve the state of Europe's biodiversity over the next decade. The strategy includes six targets which address the main drivers of biodiversity loss, and which will reduce the main pressures on nature and ecosystem services in the EU by anchoring biodiversity objectives in key sectoral policies. The global aspects of biodiversity loss are also addressed, ensuring that the EU contributes to combating biodiversity loss around the world. The strategy is in line with the commitments made by the EU in Nagoya, Japan, last year.
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California agricultural groups are calling on U.S. farmers and farm organizations to send aid to farmers affected by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan.
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A European Commission report presented today demonstrates the current limitations in assessing the socio-economic implications of cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops in the European Union. Specifically, the report to the European Parliament and the Council, which is based on information principally provided by Member States, reveals that the existing information is often statistically limited and that it is frequently based on already preconceived ideas about GMO cultivation.
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EU leaders from the European Farmers’ Organisation Copa today elected Gerd Sonnleitner as the new President for the period 2011-2013. He will succeed Padraig Walshe whose term-in-office has expired.
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Spreaders in the Bunning range - including this 14.6cu m/15t capacity Lowlander 120 HBD horizontal beater machine - can be equipped with a choice of weighing and recording systems.
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The European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) today recognised the United Nations’ annual World Water Day, a date designated to highlight the importance of freshwater and the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
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As the increasing number food scares causes consumers to question the safety of everyday food items, researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have completed the first ever analysis of all the food recalls announced in the USA, UK and Ireland over the last decade.
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Monsanto and Sapphire Energy are collaborating on research to discover genes in algae that could impact row crop yield and stress tolerance in the future.
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The European Commission has been informed by the European Tea Committee (ETC) and by the European Herbal Infusions Association (EHIA) that tea and herbal infusions raw material produced in Europe and in Third Countries may contain levels of nicotine higher than the legal limit established in Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. The reasons for the unexpected presence of nicotine in these products were investigated by food business operators.
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Copa-Cogeca called today for long-term solutions to urgently address the lack of plant protection products available on the EU rice market, warning harvests can be reduced by 50% when no fungicide exists.
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Fifteen people are confirmed dead and about 51 are missing, while one-third of the Australian state of Queensland has been declared a disaster zone following floods which have caused destruction across the area.
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The Scientific Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPR Panel) of EFSA was asked in November 2007 by EFSA to prepare a revision of the Guidance Document on persistence in soil (SANCO/9188VI/1997 of 12 July 2000). This revision will consist of a tiered exposure assessment for organisms in soil (for annual crops under conventional and reduced tillage) based on scenarios for analytical and numerical models (EFSA, 2010b).
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EU27 real agricultural income per worker1 has increased by 12.3% in 2010, following a decrease of 10.7% in 2009, according to first estimates2 issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. This increase results from a rise in real agricultural income (+9.9%), together with a fall in agricultural labour input (-2.2%).
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This year's harvest emphasised the value of having good grain-handling and drying equipment.
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This morning, John Dalli, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, met representatives from two NGOs – Greenpeace and Avaaz – who handed him a petition signed by over 1 million European citizens calling upon the European Commission to "put a moratorium on the introduction of GM crops into Europe and set up an independent, ethical, scientific body to research the impact of GM crops and determine regulation".
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In order to help inform debate on genetically modified organisms, the European Commission is publishing today a compendium entitled "A decade of EU-funded GMO research". The book summarizes the results of 50 research projects addressing primarily the safety of GMOs for the environment and for animal and human health. Launched between 2001 and 2010, these projects received funding of €200 million from the EU and form part of a 25-year long research effort on GMOs.
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The EESC's stance on the regulation and supervision of credit rating agencies, the EU regulation on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the EU's energy strategy will all be discussed at the upcoming EESC plenary session, to be attended by two prominent guest speakers.
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A new survey of U.S. growers showed that 71 percent of respondents were very interested or interested in growing dedicated energy crops; and 77 percent said they had under-utilized land on which to establish energy grasses.
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According to Article 6 of the Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Denmark, herewith referred to as the rapporteur Member State (RMS), received an application from Syngenta Crop Protection to set an import tolerance for fludioxonil in sweet potatoes and yams.
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In accordance with Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Germany, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the plant protection service (Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Forsten und Gartenbau des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt) to modify the existing MRL for spinosad in herbal infusions (flowers, leaves and roots).
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The European Commission today adopted a Communication on the future of the CAP entitled "The CAP towards 2020: Meeting the food, natural resources and territorial challenges of the future". This document marks the beginning of a consultation process which will continue until next spring and which will enable the Commission to prepare legislative proposals by summer 2011. The reformed CAP should enter into force on 1 January 2014.
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In accordance with Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Greece, hereafter referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from the company Nisso Chemical Europe GmbH to amend the existing MRLs for acetamiprid in a wide range of crops.
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Sugar beet farmers from across the country are bemoaning the court ruling from last October that barred any further plantings of genetically-modified (GM) sugar beets until proper safety studies have been completed.
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CEJA organised farm visits today for MEPs from the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development in Belgium and France. The purpose of the visit was to show MEPs a real, from the ground perspective of Europe’s young agri-entrepeneurs.
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Copa-Cogeca highlighted the benefits today of boosting the EU’s own supply of protein crops, to reduce dependence on imported soybean, maintain food security and benefit the environment. Support must consequently be enhanced.
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It's a great privilege to be asked to write for the Farmer Focus column and I'm looking forward to sharing with you what we do.
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ITCAN, a speciality based on maleic hydrazide, which was recently approved in several European countries (Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands) is an effective tool to control regrowth.
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September-drilled winter wheat and oats have had a tremendous start. Crops emerged evenly and are now ready for a herbicide application.
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In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Germany, herewith referred as the evaluating Member State (EMS), compiled an application to replace the default MRL of 0.01 mg/kg for biphenyl in certain crops with specific MRLs.
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Following a request from EFSA, the Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPR) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the development of specific protection goal options for environmental risk assessment of pesticides, in particular in relation to the revision of the Guidance Documents on Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecotoxicology (SANCO/3268/2001 and SANCO/10329/2002).
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It has been a busy month since I last wrote. Drilling has almost been completed, although the final 40ha has been delayed pending a seed delivery.
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The Leicestershire-based Allerton Project seeks to enhance biodiversity in commercial farming.
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This September crop of lucerne near Dorchester is being rowed-up by a new belt merger machine from Kuhn, operating in the UK for the first time.
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With the potential to generate 15GWh of electricity each year, the UK's first large scale anaerobic digester to run purely on energy crops is nearing full production.
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The early crop harvest kept farmers in the fields instead of at last week’s Farm Science Review, as attendance at this year’s Farm Science Review was 124,122, compared to last year’s crowd of 138,014.
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Speech by Gerda Verburg, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, on the occasion of the opening of the World Dairy Forum, 24 September 2010.
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Over the past few years, globalisation and climate change have increased the challenges the EU faces in preventing the entry and spread of non-native plant pests in its territory.
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A report presented today by Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli to the Agriculture Council concludes that specific measures relating to storing and the application of isolation distances can help limit or avoid the co-mingling of genetically modified (GM) maize with conventional and organic maize. In particular, the Best Practice Document, prepared by the European Coexistence Bureau (ECoB) and published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), notes that storing seeds adequately and applying spatial isolation are the best ways to limit or avoid co-mingling. Alternative practices based on temporal isolation (shifting flowering times of GM and non-GM fields) are possible in several EU countries with specific climatic conditions.
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The Agriculture & Fisheries Council will meet in Brussels on Monday 27 September (starting at 10 a.m.). It will be chaired by of Mrs Sabine Laruelle, Belgian minister for SMEs, the Self-Employment, Agriculture and Science Policy, for the Agriculture and Health issues and Mr Kris Peeters, Minister-President for the Flemish Region and responsible for Fisheries, for the points on Fisheries. Commissioners Maria Damanaki, John Dalli and Dacian Cioloş will represent the Commission at the meeting.
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ROTHAMSTED Research is hoping to produce its first light leaf spot and phoma leaf spot risk forecasts by the end of September.
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Root crop machinery manufacturer Grimme is to offer irrigation equipment for the first time.
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Any oilseed rape growers who have experienced a high number of rainfall days on their farm since the start of August could be in a situation where their crops are at imminent risk from phoma infection.
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Optimum growing conditions mean growers will have to be on the ball with pre-emergence herbicide applications, say our Crop Watch agronomists.
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According to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Germany received an application from the company BASF SE to set the import tolerance MRLs for boscalid in a wide range of crops. In order to accommodate the authorized GAPs in the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) countries the existing MRLs for boscalid have to be amended.
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Bayer CropScience intends to maintain its growth strategy with innovative crop protection agents, high-quality seed and enhanced plant traits. To this end, the company plans to further strengthen its portfolio in conventional crop protection and increase the proportion of new, high-margin products. In the area of seeds and traits, the regional business will be expanded and long-term growth will be generated with new crops.
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To plough or not to plough? Direct-drill or sub-soil and seed in one pass? These are questions that are at the forefront of many oilseed rape growers' minds at this time of year.
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From September 28th to October 1st, vegetable professionals can get acquainted with the new range of open field vegetable varieties offered by vegetable seed companies Nickerson-Zwaan, Clause and Vilmorin. The Open Days are one of the biggest promotional events of the year, and are a real “living catalogue”of many crops and varieties for an audience that is becoming more and more international. This year the event will be organized on a brand new field located in Dirkshorn (province of North Holland in The Netherlands). Benelux Cauliflower growers will again compete on Tuesday to win the Cauliflower Harvesting Trophy 2010.
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Combine operators come in for attention with the latest Lexion series to help them make the most of a machine that packs even more technical aids than ever.
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Bayer CropScience intends to maintain its growth strategy with innovative crop protection agents, high-quality seed and enhanced plant traits. To this end, the company plans to further strengthen its portfolio in conventional crop protection and increase the proportion of new, high-margin products. In the area of seeds and traits, the regional business will be expanded and long-term growth will be generated with new crops.
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The ethical case against eating animal produce once seemed clear. But a new book is an abattoir for dodgy arguments
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The city of Sint-Truiden is situated in the eastern part of the Belgian Loess plateau. It has a gently rolling landscape, dissected by streams draining water to the North. Annual mean precipitation ranges from 700–900 mm (Hufty, 2001). Loess is very susceptible to soil erosion, but due to its high soil fertility, there is a long agricultural tradition in this region. Arable land covers 65% of the total surface (Statistics Belgium, 2006).
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The Scientific Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPR) has been requested by the EFSA Executive Director to compile an inventory of protected crop systems and to estimate emissions of plant protection products (PPP) from these systems to relevant environmental receptors, for the support of the EU guidance document on the importance of emission routes including the circumstances under which they are relevant.
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Cold Harbour Farm, at Bishop Burton, East Yorkshire, was one of the first LEAF (Linking Farming and the Environment) demonstration farms, opening its gates to the public in 1993 soon after the organisation was founded.
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Scientists from VIB and Ghent University have developed a technology that may contribute to the increase of crop yields in agriculture.
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The European Commission has launched a call for tenders in order to conclude framework contracts for the purchase of data and information on agricultural markets, freight and trade.
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Researchers in the US have found new evidence that genetically modified crop plants can survive and thrive in the wild, possibly for decades.
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EFSA’s Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Panel has adopted a scientific opinion on strategies for assessing the risk of allergenicity of GM plants and microorganisms and derived food and feed. This opinion is part of EFSA’s ongoing effort to ensure that its risk assessment always reflects the latest scientific developments and addresses the widest range of potential concerns.
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This Memorandum provides additional information, maps and graphs related to the IP/10/1027 on the forecast of crops production. During the agricultural season, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) regularly issues forecasts for the main crop yields and produces analyses of the impact of weather conditions on crop production. These are based on methodologies using satellite remote sensing and mathematical models which simulate crop growth.
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Total cereal production in 2010 should be close to the average from the last five years. While the yield per hectare will be 5% above average, overall cultivated areas have decreased. This agricultural year has been marked by unusual scattered weather events ranging from severe rain shortage to floods.
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For the 2011 season Amazone will supplement its compact disc harrow programme with three new trailed versions in 4, 5 and 6 m working width.
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An unseasonal spell of settled weather has opened a window of opportunity to push on with some land work. Spring barley and wheat are going into good seed-beds, following lily bulbs and green feed crops.
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We are going to have a major review of our tractor replacement policy here due to AGCO seemingly losing the plot.
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Putting fertiliser down the spout or through separate coulters gives grain and oilseed crops an early feed.
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Growers who doubt whether grain prices will see much improvement are looking to more radical crop establishment techniques to drive down costs - including direct seeding and controlled traffic operations.
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TAKE-ALL levels in second wheats have built-up to surprising levels despite the driest first six months of the year since 1929, this season’s NIAB root assessments at HGCA Recommended List trial sites across the country have revealed.
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Copa-Cogeca welcomed today EU approval of new national beekeeping programmes for 2010-2013, claiming they give EU beekeepers much needed support, helping to secure the production and quality of EU honey.
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The European Commission has approved funding for 210 new projects under the third call for the LIFE+ programme (2007-2013), the European fund for the environment. The projects are from across the EU and cover actions in the fields of nature conservation, environmental policy, and information and communication. Overall, they represent a total investment of €515 million, of which the EU will provide €249.8 million.
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Cogeca and Coceral welcomed today the adoption by the EU Commission and Member States of The European Good Hygiene Practices Guide for the collection, storage, trading and transport of cereals, oilseeds and protein crops destined for human as well as animal consumption.
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Firm-skinned early table potatoes from Germany will feature as the top quality goal again in 2010. This was agreed by the German Potato Industry Association (Union der Deutschen Kartoffelwirtschaft e.V. - UNIKA), the Association of Early and Table Potato Producer Communities in Germany (Vereinigung der Erzeugergemeinschaften für Früh- und Speisekartoffeln im Bundesgebiet) and the German Cooperative Association (Deutsche Raiffeisenverband e.V. - DRV).
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The Sahel is a belt of mainly arid and semi-arid land that stretches across Africa from Cape Verde in the west to Sudan in the east, covering parts of Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea. Many of these countries are threatened by food insecurity, particularly Niger and Chad, whose governments have declared an emergency and asked for international assistance.
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There is not an across-the-board answer to whether or not using fungicides on soybeans will pay. How well fungicides will pay off on soybeans depends on a lot of factors that can only be answered by an individual farmer and usually on a field to field basis.
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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its Annual Report on Pesticide Residues, which provides an overview of pesticide residues in food[1] in the European Union during 2008[2] and assesses the exposure of European consumers to those residues through their diets. The report shows that 96.5% of the samples analysed comply with the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides permitted for food products in the EU.
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Copa-Cogeca voiced concerns today about the new EU Commission proposal which allows member states to ban the cultivation of an authorised genetically modified crop on their territory.
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Copa-Cogeca voiced concerns today about the new EU Commission proposal which allows member states to ban the cultivation of an authorised genetically modified crop on their territory.
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The world’s largest plant biotechnology collaboration just got larger. Today, BASF and Monsanto announced an expansion of their joint efforts to develop higher-yielding and stress-tolerant crops to include a fifth crop, wheat.
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Air induction nozzles can reduce drift 75% to 90%, but drift can still occur when farmers are spraying herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. Farmers who were early adopters bought air induction nozzles and used them for everything, both contact and systemic herbicides. Problems started to emerge in reduced performance of some contact herbicides that had been sprayed using air induction nozzles. Causes for this reduced product efficacy were not readily apparent.
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John Deere fans are a loyal lot, so we were expecting a hatful of entries when we launched a competition asking you to tell us about your very first John Deere. Especially when we threw in a prize in the form of Don Macmillan's 288-page book, The Bigger Book of John Deere Tractors.
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BROTHERS Kit and Tim Papworth of Norfolk based contractor LF Papworth Ltd explain why new technology and farming co-operatives such as Anglia Farmers are helping to improve their management system.
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According to Article 6 of the Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Spain, herewith referred as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Syngenta Agro S.A to modify the existing MRLs for the active substance thiamethoxam in strawberries and beans (with pods).
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Copa-Cogeca highlighted today the vital role biofuels play in terms of reducing EU oil dependency and greenhouse gas emissions as well as boosting employment in the rural areas of the EU.
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Agriculture is largely but not fully regionalized in Belgium, allowing Flanders to provide for policies that are targeted at the specific needs of the Flemish agricultural sector.
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Scandinavian tractor manufacturer Valtra and sister company Sisu have been trialling and testing a prototype biogas-fuelled tractor in Sweden.
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The application of fertiliser and seed as a single operation when spring crops are sown has long been a preferred option for growers in Scotland.
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Yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that lifts the ban on the sale and planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa seed is good news for proponents of the transgenic crop. But it won’t by itself hasten the seed’s return to the marketplace, says Mark McCaslin, president of Forage Genetics In-ternational, which developed the first Roundup Ready alfalfa varieties under a licensing agreement with Monsanto.
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Copa-Cogecas’ published today new forecasts for EU-27 cereals production for the 2010/11 marketing year, which show stable production, with a slight drop of 1.3% seen, compared to the good harvest in 2009/10. A bigger fall of 7.4% in barley production can be seen and a slight increase of 3.3% in soft wheat production is estimated for 2010/11.
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Spectrum Technologies says its new SPAD 502 Plus Chlorophyll Meter helps reduce the risk of yield-limiting nitrogen deficiencies or costly over-fertilization of your crops.
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Cereals may be over, but the Highland Show (24-27 June) is the next date on the machinery circuit. One of the key new launches there is Vaderstad's new Spirit System Disc Combi, a drill that can place seed in rows while at the same time applying fertiliser.
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In 2004, a survey was held amongst Flemish ornamental plant growers. The results of this survey revealed that ornamental plant growers, especially in greenhouses, predominantly use knapsack sprayers and lances for their crop protection purposes. When these techniques are compared with spray boom equipment, they are often found to be less effective, even though they mostly result in a higher application rate (450 to 6650 L ha-1).
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Nitrogen fertilisation of arable land is strictly regulated in Belgium and other European countries by the nitrate directive. Farmers are challenged to adjust fertilisation rates in order to obtain good crop yields with a minimal release of nitrogen to the environment.
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The application of compost can contribute to agricultural sustainability as continuous and adequate use of compost with proper management has been shown to have many advantages, which include providing a whole array of nutrients to soils, increasing soil organic matter (SOM), improving water holding capacity and other physical properties of soil like bulk density, penetration resistance and soil aggregation (Wells et al., 2000), increasing beneficial soil organisms, reducing plant pathogens and showing a beneficial effect on the growth of a variety of plants (Montemurro et al., 2006). Farm compost (FC) is made of ingredients which are available on the farm like wood chips and bark, manure, slurry, straw, crop residues, a surplus of grass and soil (Leroy, 2008).
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The increasing global demand for meat and milk, environmental concerns about the sustainability of intensive production systems and, the European concerns about food quality and safety favor the increasing role of grassland-based ruminant systems in the future.
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Cropping strategies from eight European countries will once again be assessed in the renowned DLG Field Days comparisons – this year held in Lower Saxony from 15-17 June 2010. The international crop comparison dates back to the first DLG Field Days held in 1988, starting with oilseed rape with the addition of wheat in 2002. The comparison allows visitors to the DLG Field Days exhibition the opportunity to learn more about arable farming strategies from other countries. The wheat and oilseed rape comparison takes place in the trial plots A 41 (winter wheat) and B 41 (winter oilseed rape) and is supported by the German company Vereinigten Hagelversicherung VVAG (united hail insurance) and the Union for the Promotion of Oil And Protein Plants.
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Firm-skinned early table potatoes from Germany will feature as the top quality goal again in 2010. This was agreed by the German Potato Industry Association (Union der Deutschen Kartoffelwirtschaft e.V. - UNIKA), the Association of Early and Table Potato Producer Communities in Germany (Vereinigung der Erzeugergemeinschaften für Früh- und Speisekartoffeln im Bundesgebiet) and the German Cooperative Association (Deutsche Raiffeisenverband e.V. - DRV). The
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The € 1 billion EU Food Facility provides for funding to improve access to agricultural inputs; sustain safety-net programmes to the most vulnerable population and support microcredit, investment, equipment, infrastructure and training.
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Deere & Company has officially opened its new manufacturing and parts distribution facility south of Moscow in Domodedovo.
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East Yorkshire farmers Andrew Manfield and Peter Southwell are to bring in complete ultra-precise RTK tractor and implement steering packages that include the GPS signal and all the equipment.
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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) asked the Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues to issue a scientific opinion on the relevance of the litter layer on soil for the ecological risk assessment of plant protection products in the context of the ecoregions concept being currently developed by the PPR Panel.
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Precision fertilising with mineral fertiliser spreaders, boom stability and balance in crop protection sprayers, automated steering and headland management and stubble cultivation
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Forget your 8m or even your 12m drills - compared to some of the equipment working in North America, Australia and other big corn-growing areas, they wouldn't even touch the sides of the gate leading into the fields.
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Our article on the decline in sales of two-wheel-drive tractors prompted a sympathetic response from a number of readers, including Diss, Norfolk arable farmers Charles Clarke and his son Charles jnr.
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WITH a cost saving of about $250,000 on the price of a new machine, a 2006-build New Holland CX 970 Twin Rotor combine on offer at AW Vater & Co, Saddleworth, is a bargain.
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Today the European Commission, together with the UN Environmental Programme, launched a major new report highlighting the need for a radical change in the way major economies are using scarce resources.
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South African farmers have a ridiculous choice of models and brands considering the overall size of the current market
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Cereals 2010 often gives growers their first opportunity to see new machines in the flesh.
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The Joskin Telecover trailer cover system, with remote control opening, is aimed at farmers having to haul crops over longer distances.
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THE Tuer family has been farming at Hutton Bonville, near Northallerton, for over 50 years, building up to about 405 hectares (1,000 acres) over three holdings.
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Today, the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) called upon representatives from the food chain and policy community to form a European partnership to map ways to ensure the future of European specialty crops. The key mission of the initiative is to ensure that these food crops get the protection they deserve and are not left as “orphans” by the regulatory process: the reality of market return versus the high cost of investment does not hold a bright future for them.
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From 15 to 17 June 2010, the Bockerode Estate in Springe-Mittelrode near Hanover will be hosting the DLG Field Days, bringing them back to Lower Saxony in Germany again for the second time since 1992. This unique forward-looking forum for modern plant production, held every two years since 1988, is organised by the DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft – German Agricultural Society).
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Blommer Chocolate Co. has announced a new $3 million cocoa sustainability partnership supporting farmers in Ivory Coast, West Africa. The joint venture, called the Processors Alliance for Cocoa Traceability and Sustainability (PACTS), is being developed in conjunction with Cemoi Chocolatier of France and Petra Foods of Southeast Asia.
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According to Article 6 of the Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, France received three applications from ISK Biosciences Europe S.A. to modify the existing MRLs for flonicamid in citrus fruits, aubergines, peppers, peas (without pods) and cherries.
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According to Article 6 of the Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the Netherlands received an application from Agro Kanesho Co. Ltd. to modify the existing MRLs for acequinocyl in oranges, mandarins, peaches, grapes, tomatoes and aubergines.
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According to Article 6 of the Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the United Kingdom received an application from SCC GmbH to modify the existing MRLs for dimethoate in carrots, parsnip, parsley roots, tomatoes, asparagus and globe artichokes.
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According to Article 6 of the Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Belgium received an application from BASF SE to set import tolerances for metconzole in bananas, cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, cotton seed, sugar beet and wheat.
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Grapes are one of the world’s most economically important fruit crops, but the woody perennial takes three years to go from seed to fruit, and that makes traditional breeding expensive and time-consuming.
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Essex,” a new lentil variety developed by USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists, has a lot to offer: high seed yields for growers, nitrogen-fixing bacteria for wheat crops, and a tasty source of protein for consumers to add to soups, salads, and other fare.
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The European Commission announced today its intention to come up with a proposal by the summer to allow more choice to Member States in deciding whether to cultivate GMO's. Under the current legal framework, as decided by the Council and the European Parliament, the Commission adopted today two decisions concerning the Genetically Modified Amflora potato: the first authorises the cultivation of Amflora in the EU for industrial use, and the second relates to the use of Amflora's starch by-products as feed.
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Organic farming 1 in the EU27 covered 7.8 million hectares in 2008, up by 7% compared with 2007. Over a longer time period, the data available for the EU25 show an increase of 21% in the total organic area between 2005 and 2008.
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A cocktail of compounds emitted by the beneficial fungus Muscodor albus may offer a biologically based way to fumigate certain crops and rid them of destructive pests. That’s the indication from USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) studies in which scientists pitted Muscodor against potato tuber moths, apple codling moths and Tilletia fungi that cause bunt diseases in wheat.
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A European Commission report published today reveals that nitrate levels in waters across the EU are falling. The report shows that the implementation of legislation to prevent nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters is proving effective.
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USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have developed an efficient and cost-effective method to speed up the breeding of scab-resistant barley cultivars, thus improving crop quality for small-grain breeders in the Northern Plains.
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Copa and Cogeca participated at the European Forum on mycotoxins in cereals on 1st and 2nd February 2010, in order to emphasise farmers’ commitment to reducing the presence of mycotoxins in feed through the use of best available techniques.
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Bayer CropScience is adding the biofungicide Shemer to its portfolio of classic crop protection products. The company has now completed the acquisition of certain assets and technologies relating to biological development products of AgroGreen in Ashdod, Israel. This move follows the acquisition by Bayer CropScience in March last year of AgroGreen products which will be marketed under the brand names BioNem and Votivo® (containing the active ingredient Bacillus firmus).
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The European Commission will on Thursday submit to the Management Committee a draft Regulation allowing the export of an additional 500,000 tonnes of out-of-quota sugar in the 2009/2010 marketing year (to July 31st 2010). This temporary measure, which fully respects the EU's international obligations, has been made possible by the exceptional market conditions at both the EU and world level. The present market situation for sugar is very unlikely to occur again in the future.
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The Commission today decided to launch a formal investigation procedure regarding compensation payments made by the Greek Agricultural Insurance Organisation (ELGA) to producers in 2008 and 2009. The Commission doubts whether the aid is compatible with the common market. The launch of the formal procedure will enable the Commission to gather all the information it needs to evaluate the aid and allow interested parties to submit comments.
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The Common Agricultural Policy plays a critical role in helping farmers to deliver environmental goods and services, provided that policies are targeted in the right way. This is the key message of a report published today for DG Agriculture and Rural Development by the Institute for European Environmental Policy. The report is a first ever attempt to identify the full range of environmental public goods provided by farmers across Europe and sets out the arguments for paying for their delivery via the public purse.
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According to the Chicago Tribune, sugar prices are hovering at 29-year highs. Low U.S. sugar stocks and soaring global sugar prices appear to be the culprit, and consumers are feeling the effect as candy makers pass along their rising ingredient costs.
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The genome of a model plant related to peach, cherry, and cultivated strawberry has been sequenced by a consortium of international researchers that includes scientists with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The project was funded by Roche Diagnostics.
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