Nafferton Ecological Farming Group

NEFG News Archive

Launch Of European Organic Market Data Network posted : 10/04/2012
“The organic trade in Europe is suffering from a lack of reliable data on the features and the evolution of the markets, and this is affecting especially the small companies that often have to make decisions without enough information. The EU project OrganicDataNetwork is a brilliant initiative to fill this gap; its structure, bringing together universities, agencies and companies, assures its alignment with the real needs of the organic sector.” Comment from Joan Picazos of the Spanish manufacturer Biocop.
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Organic Market Wales Bulletin posted : 30/03/2012
The March edition of the e-bulletin, with market reports for most organic farm produce is out - sign up for it for free via the link on the NEFG Producer's Marketplace page.
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Organic Stalwarts Determined to Stay in Sector - SAC Organic posted : 27/03/2012
Results from SAC‘s most recent Organic Market Link survey show that organic production figures remain relatively stable and farm gate prices have never been higher.
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National Organic Cereals 5th July 2012, Dorset posted : 16/03/2012
Organic Farmers & Growers Ltd, in partnership with Abacus Organic Associates, has great pleasure in announcing that National Organic Cereals 2012 will be held at Launceston Farm, Blandford, Dorset on 5 July 2012.
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Grow your Fruit and Vines with Biodynamics - 21st April 2012 posted : 09/03/2012
Grow your Fruit and Vines with Biodynamics - 21st April. With Monty Waldin Venue: Laverstoke Park, Hampshire RG25 3DR Cost £55 or £45 for Biodynamic Assoc Members A comprehensive day covering the biodynamic tools and techniques that will enhance the health & vitality of your orchard, vineyard or fruit trees.
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Tackling Fungal Problems Using Biodynamic preparations posted : 09/03/2012
Enhancing Quality - Tackling Fungal Problems Using the Horn Silica and Equisetum Preparations One day workshop with Bernard Jarman 9th June 2012 Hawkwood, Glos Cost £55 / £45 for BDA Members Working with sun and moon on a biodynamic farm.
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Min -till or No-till and green manures - are you using them? posted : 27/01/2012
NEFG is a partner in an EU project called TILMAN-ORG, to help organic farmers make best use of min-till and no-till techniques with green manures. We would like to speak to organic farmers and growers who are/ have been using them to find out what works and what doesn't work for them. We need to do this in February and March 2012 in order to shape the rest of the research project. Please download the attached short questionnaire if you are an organic farmer or grower, complete and return it to us by email or post. Thank you.
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Outwintering Report on February meeting posted : 22/11/2011
Outwintering – An option for your farm? Local farmers and specialists spoke about their experience on the 8th February 2012. See the full report on the PDF here:
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Reducing N losses from agriculture - New web tool launched posted : 01/11/2011
The N-TOOLBOX project, which is run by the Nafferton Ecological Farming Group, has launched a web-based tool to help farmers identify the best strategies they can use on their farm to reduce losses of N to water. The tool is based on the newly published: Innovative and cost-effective technologies to reduce N losses to water from agriculture in the EU: a catalogue of farm level strategies. The web-tool takes users through a list of simple questions so that they can identify the best subset of strategies to use on their own farm. The catalogue is designed to be used across the EU, but still aims to provide practical, farm-level solutions to the challenge of reducing N pollution of water. To try out the tool clicking on 'Details' link below.
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Research on Vitamins in Organic and Non-organic Foods posted : 23/05/2011
A study by researchers at the University of Newcastle School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development reports that fruit and vegetables grown without artificial fertilisers are richer in most of the beneficial substances called secondary metabolites and vitamin C.
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Organic Cumbria posted : 12/04/2011
Cumbria Organics and Anna Gray have produced an updated leaflet for consumers interested in finding organic food in Cumbria. The leaflet lists Cumbria Organics members selling their organic produce direct to the customer and and provides useful information about what organic farming means. To order a printed copy, email:info@cumbriaorganics.org
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Biodiversity on organic farms posted : 28/03/2011
Organic Centre Wales and the Organic Research Centre Elm Farm has published a review of the literature assessing the effects of organic farming practices on biodiversity.
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Choosing organic milk could offset effects of climate change posted : 17/01/2011
Wetter, cooler summers can have a detrimental effect on the milk we drink, according to new research published by Newcastle University. Researchers found milk collected during a particularly poor UK summer and the following winter had significantly higher saturated fat content and far less beneficial fatty acids than in a more ‘normal’ year. But they also discovered that switching to organic milk could help overcome these problems. Organic supermarket milk showed higher levels of nutritionally beneficial fatty acids compared with ‘ordinary’ milk regardless of the time of year or weather conditions The web address for the abstract is: http://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(10)00670-3/abstract
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Symposium on Ethical Consideration in Livestock Breeding posted : 23/11/2010
The first symposium of the LowInputBreeds project focusing on Ethical Consideration in Livestock Breeding, takes place March 15 and 16, 2011 in Wageningen, The Netherlands. Further information can be found at this link below
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Research on Soil Microbe Ecosystems and Farming Practices posted : 21/10/2010
Farming practices have a significant impact on the diversity of beneficial microbial fungi known to play important roles in crop productivity, soil recovery and maintenance of healthy ecosystems, according to new research published in the journal Environmental Microbiology. The conclusions could have important implications for the way humans manage the agricultural landscape and tackle food security issues.
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Are you milking cross-bred cows on a high level of grazing d posted : 20/10/2010
Would you be interested in taking part in an important trial that would help you with your cross-breeding decisions? Gillian Butler from the Nafferton Ecological Farming Group will be starting trials to try to assess the performance of different crosses under a range of management styles and systems in different parts of the UK soon and would like to work with you.
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Organic farming and pesticide use posted : 09/07/2010
Organic farming is reliant on natural methods for invertebrate pest control, given the inability to use pesticides. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v466/n7302/full/nature09183.html
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Volunteers needed posted : 01/06/2010
Do you have an Agricultural or Biological Science background and have time to volunteer to do something interesting?
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