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In the December milk leagues published in the edition dated 29 January 2022, an incorrect figure was included for Glanbia Cheese in the 650,000 litre league. The correct price for milk collected on daily and alternate days is 35.78p/l. The change does not affect positions in the table.
HMRC has confirmed silage wrap will be exempt from the new plastic packaging tax following successful lobbying from various farming groups. The tax becomes law on 1 April and will place a £200/t levy on the manufacturing of single-use plastic that does not contain at least 30% recycled material.
The annual sale of pedigree Charolais and Aberdeen Angus bulls from Victor and David Chestnutt, Bushmills, will take place on Friday 11 February in Ballymena Mart. Nine Charolais bulls will be offered for sale along with six Aberdeen Angus animals, all born during the spring and summer of 2020 and commercially reared. Charolais bulls are bred from the herd’s stock sire, Ellerton Independent with Angus bulls sired by the Lisduff Dano. Angus bulls have served heifers on the farm this winter.
Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has appointed Sarah Millar as its new chief executive.
Currently director of market intelligence and external affairs at QMS, Miller will take over with immediate effect, although there will be a handover period involving outgoing chief executive Alan Clarke. He is leaving in April 2022 after five years in the post.
Miller, who is aged 30, will be the levy body’s youngest chief executive. She joined QMS in 2018.
Amateur photographer, Steven Evans from Kirkistown in Co Down has raised a staggering £28,000 for Air Ambulance NI after selling 1,750 copies of his agriculture calendar featuring imagery of farming contractors working on the Ards Peninsula. The calendar was dedicated to the memory of eight-year old Harry Steele of Rowreagh Farm, who died as a result of a road traffic accident in August 2021.
Tuesday’s GDT event saw the index price jumping 4.1% to its highest level since February 2014. It is the third auction in a row to record a positive outcome, and since the 17 August 2021, 10 out of 12 GDT auctions finished with a price increase. Butter rose by 3.3% with cheddar up 2.4%. Whole milk powder price took a healthy lift at 5.8%, while skim milk powder increased by 2.1%. Commodity markets have responded in a positive manner after New Zealand dairy giant, Fonterra, forecast a drop in milk collections for January. Similar forecasts have been made in US and European dairy markets.
Base quotes for factory fit hoggets have moved up 20p/kg, leaving quotes on 560p/kg. However, with supplies getting tight and renewed competition in the live ring, there are deals of 570p/kg on offer for farmers handling larger numbers. Prices in marts have strengthened by £3 to £5 per head with £125 becoming more common for meal finished hoggets mid-week.
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