Scotsman.com - Food, Drink and Agriculture Feed

Waterlogic agrees acquisition of Cool Clear Water

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:53:01 GMT

WATERLOGIC, the Aim-quoted maker of water dispensers, is poised to break into the Australian market after agreeing the A$60 million (£38.4m) acquisition of Cool Clear Water (CCW).

Farm wage plans welcomed

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:37:41 GMT

NFU Scotland yesterday described the proposed increases in minimum agricultural wages as “proportionate and reflective of the hugely challenging year faced by the sector”.

For dairy producers, size does matter

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:37:25 GMT

With a public sympathy for small family dairy farms, a suggestion was made yesterday that some method of keeping them in business – possibly with financial inducements – should be considered.

£80m to spend on that ‘special occasion’ meal

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:09:10 GMT

PUBS group Mitchells & Butlers yesterday unveiled an £80 million investment cocktail targeting special occasion eating, family dining and “upmarket” metropolitan socialising.

£6m weather aid package unveiled

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:09:38 GMT

Details emerged from the Scottish Government on who would be eligible for the £6 million of weather aid cash with sheep, cattle and arable farmers all being eligible to apply for funding.

London blocks calls for livestock levy repatriation

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:08:57 GMT

The prospect of Scotland getting its hands on £1.4 million of livestock levies annually going into the English meat promotion board slipped away this week with Whitehall rejecting the Scottish Government’s latest claim to the cash.

AG Barr ‘positive’ despite Britvic jobs axe

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:19:03 GMT

Irn-Bru maker AG Barr has insisted that it “remains positive” over its planned £1.4 billion merger with Britvic, which today unveiled plans to cut hundreds of jobs after reporting a 50 per cent jump in profits.

Land reform report opens up several old wounds

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:26:09 GMT

Any views emerging from the Land Reform Review Group (LRRG) set up last year by the Scottish Government to take a radical look at land ownership issues were always likely to be controversial, with a history of division and dispute littering the territory.

Beef prices ‘may cause backlash’

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:25:51 GMT

A WARNING has come over a potential backlash to soaring beef prices as judges selected entries for the McIntosh Donald/Tesco Scotch steak competition at next month’s Royal Highland Show.

Marine Harvest close the net on Cermaq acquisition

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:24:46 GMT

Norwegian fish producer Cermaq has failed to win enough shareholder support to buy Peruvian fish feed maker Copeinca, opening the door to a $1.7 billion (£1.1bn) takeover of Cermaq by rival Marine Harvest, the world’s largest fish farmer.

Hope for battle against Scmallenberg virus

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:01:24 GMT

Pharmaceutical giant, MSD Animal Health yesterday announced that the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) of the United Kingdom had granted the company a provisional marketing authorisation for Bovilis® SBV, the first vaccine specifically targeting the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in cattle and sheep.

Europe’s CAP debate set to run and run

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:00:08 GMT

It LOOKS as if extra time will need to be played to conclude the talks on the next common agricultural policy (CAP) where the original timetable was to have them done and dusted by the end of June.

Farming: Owners of sheep-worrying dogs need bitten

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:12:42 GMT

Ben was about the poorest sheepdog around, and I can say that from pretty close observation as he was the shepherd’s dog on my father’s farm.

Trust targets next generation

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:01:17 GMT

Six projects aimed at educating and informing Scottish children about farming and food have been awarded a total of £30,000 in the first distributions from NFU Scotland’s Centenary Trust.

Tesco goes for all Scottish sourced chickens

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:01:12 GMT

Another five million chickens of those produced annually in Scotland will appear on the supermarket shelves of retailing giant Tesco following its decision to only source fresh chicken from this country for its 194 Scottish stores.

Uncharted territory

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:01:10 GMT

In NORMAL times, this is the changeover period in the sheep trade, with the supply of hoggs from the previous year drying up and new lambs coming on to the market.

Farming: Honesty is key to winning over consumers

Fri, 17 May 2013 01:37:56 GMT

Pig and poultry producers need to be more straightforward, honest and open about animal welfare if they are to encourage shoppers to choose British food over cheaper imports.

Scottish dairy herd free of Schmallenberg virus

Fri, 17 May 2013 01:36:37 GMT

So FAR so good but watch out in the future was the message from the NFUS yesterday after it reported no positive samples in a survey as to whether the Schmallenberg virus had entered Scottish dairy farms.

EU rules end hope of aid

Thu, 16 May 2013 01:03:01 GMT

Although sympathetic to a plea from NFU Scotland for a relaxation in grazing rules for agri-environment schemes, rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead yesterday warned any such move might infringe strict European rules.

£2m plans for new entrants and deer farmers

Thu, 16 May 2013 01:00:11 GMT

Details emerged yesterday on how the £2 million promised in February by rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead would be distributed to new entrants and deer farmers, both of whom are currently excluded from single farm payment support (SFP).