PAC-Solution Ltd. has launched an environmentally-friendly disinfectant treatment system that enables wastewater to be reused for agricultural irrigation. The system offers effective purification without any harmful by-products often associated with traditional cleaning methods.

The development of this chemical-based treatment technology comes at a time when many countries are faced with challenges in their water supply. The ability to use purified wastewater in irrigation and other agricultural applications reduces the demand on exploitable raw water resources and supports the farming industry. Sustainable wastewater purification system is energy-efficient and does not create harmful by-products at any stage of the process.

The budget "represented a missed opportunity for the Treasury to introduce measures that might have helped farmers capitalise on the growing confidence that is currently evident in the industry," the NFU said today.

NFU President Peter Kendall said: ’Chancellor George Osborne was right to focus on growth and I was pleased to see measures that could create a more competitive business environment in the UK.

In particular, the Chancellor’s ambition to increase UK exports over the next decade to ’1 trillion should benefit farmers who are the backbone of a food and drink industry which constitutes our biggest manufacturing sector.

I was also interested to hear that Michael Heseltine will be conducting a review into how spending departments interact with the private sector to deliver pro-growth policies, and I look forward to more details.

’The Treasury has also mentioned a couple of imminent announcements which I await with interest ’ the review of the Habitats Directive to be published this week, and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) due out next week. I was pleased that the Chancellor confirmed the latter will contain a commitment to permitting sustainable development, something we welcomed when the draft policy statement was published. Both announcements could contribute to reducing the regulatory burden on farmers, freeing them up to invest and making their businesses, and the industry as a whole, more competitive.

Badger cull pilots aimed at reducing cattle tuberculosis can take place in west Gloucestershire and west Somerset this year, the government has said.

The exact areas are not being revealed for security reasons.

But the majority of the Gloucestershire area lies near Tewkesbury and the Forest of Dean, while the Somerset area includes part of Taunton Deane.

Whether it’s for the government, the client, or for the consumer, you will be required to report on the environmental impacts of your organization and its products sooner or later. In France, there was a mandate in place for all consumer goods. Then there wasn’t. And then Europe decided not to wait for France so they started their own work. There are pilots underway in France and at the European level at this very moment. And then there’s Canada, the EPA in the USA, the CRC in the UK, the upcoming carbon tax in Australia, as well as Walmart’s supplier requirements, and Tesco’s and Casino’s work with labelling. You get the picture.

A new £20 million fund to help rural businesses increase profits and reduce their impact on the environment has been launched today by Agriculture Minister Jim Paice.

Farmers, foresters and horticulturalists can apply for grants of up to £25,000 to invest in green projects and new machinery so their businesses can grow in an environmentally friendly way.

· Philip Lymbery, CEO of Compassion in World Farming launches www.factory-farming-facts.tv

· Five short films written and presented by the CEO himself

· Films highlight not only the horrors of factory farming but highlight evidence of human health threat and environmental damage

· “Average consumer is intelligent but uninformed” says CEO

Farmers and landowners with land close to major road infrastructures could soon benefit from recently announced changes in policy for the development of truck stops.

A Government consultation identified strong support for the development of secure truck stops from a number of organizations including the Transport Police, the Highways Agency, insurers and the haulage industry as current demand for lorry parking far outstrips supply. This could provide farmers with a diversification opportunity to earn additional income.

Five years ago Jim and Anna Harbridge switched to organic fruit and veg.

They were won over and now run a franchise delivering the natural stuff to hundreds of people’s front doors.

‘I think five years ago it was just starting to be absorbed into the mainstream,’ says Jim. ‘Now it’s no longer a fad or a buzzword. I think we’ve moved past that and people are making it an important part of their lifestyle.’

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) today warns that proposals to reform farming regulations need to be carefully considered by the Government before any changes are made to ensure they don’t end up damaging our countryside.

The Farming Regulation Task Force report launched today makes 215 recommendations for changing or abolishing regulations that affect the farming and food industries.