IN BRIEF
IN BRIEF
uTHE ARC-Addington Fund, which helps farmers and others dependent on agriculture for their living, is changing its phone number. From Aug 20, anyone making donations or applying for help to the Stoneleigh-based fund should ring 024-7669 0587. The fax number remains unchanged as 024-7669 6274. In the past few months the organisation has made grants totalling more than £8m to over 16,000 individuals.
uBIG BROTHER may have disappeared from our screens, but Pig Brother will can be found on the internet from Sept 1. Somerset Organics is training web cameras on a group of pigs and giving viewers the opportunity to vote one out each week. Profits will go to the Supporting Farmers in Crisis fund (www.somersetorganics.co.uk).
uLONDON mayor Ken Livingstone has been told to include farming in the Greater London Authoritys future planning strategy. The NFU has pointed out that the plan contains almost no reference to agriculture, despite there being 400 farmers on 4850ha (12,000 acres) within the M25. The union says the plan should reflect the close relationship between farming and the landscape and the value attached to it by Londoners.
uFOOD From Britain has been given £3m to promote British food and drink in the aftermath of foot-and-mouth. About £1.7m will be spent on supporting regional speciality foods. The rest will help rebuild food export markets. Food from Britain will also conduct research to establish public and trade perception of UK food and drink. *