Meet the finalists of the Zurich/Farming Independent Farmer of the Year competition

Farmer George Finlay pictured with finacee Hannah Sheerin (far left) and sister and chef Amanda Finlay with some of the East Friesland sheep on the family farm near the Glen of Imaal in Co Wicklow. Photo: Frank McGrath

Storm Powell profiles the shortlisted candidates in the Dairy, Tillage, Beef and Sheep categories for the Zurich Farm Insurance/ Farming Independent Farmer of the Year Awards 2018

Four More Cows Culled in Scotland to Test for BSE

Mad cow disease

Testing is underway to determine if four more cows might be infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) on a Scottish farm. ( Multimedia Graphic Network, Inc. )

How 19 drystock farmers are contract rearing over 2,000 dairy heifers and making up to €1,400/ha

The contract rearer needs to be technically efficient, an excellent grassland manager and aware if the benefits of reaching target weights.

In November 2015, some 19 drystock farmers in Sligo and Leitrim came together to investigate the potential of contract rearing dairy heifers as a means of increasing stocking rate and increasing the profitability of their farms.

World hunger continues to rise due to climate extremes, UN warns

The reports calls for the promotion of sustainable, healthy diets 

The number of undernourished people in the world has increased to an estimated 821 million in 2017, or one in every nine people, warns a report released on Tuesday by five UN agencies. Climate variability and extremes, in addition to conflict and economic slowdowns in some parts of the world, are the key drivers. According to the report, world hunger is on the rise for the third year in a row, returning to levels from a decade ago.

Agroecology could feed Europe without pesticides by 2050, study

The study calls for more hedges, trees and stony habitats

European agriculture could shift entirely to agroecological farming, abandoning pesticides and synthetic fertilisers while sustainably feeding 530 million Europeans by 2050 with healthy diets.

Global hunger for soybeans 'destroying Brazil's Cerrado savanna'

Global hunger for soybeans 'destroying Brazil's Cerrado savanna'

The Cerrado savanna is an area in Brazil the same size as Western Europe.It's one of the most biodiverse places in world - 40% of animal and plant species there can be found nowhere else on the planet.

UN Human Rights Council adopts peasant rights declaration

Peasant farmers are the backbone of our food systems

The UN Human Rights Council (OHCHR) has passed a resolution adopting a declaration on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas.

Images speak at the farmers' Dialogue on Quality seeds advocacy held at the Man Power Development Institute, Dutse, Jigawa state. Sponsor by PERL-DFID.

Pictures speak at the farmers' Dialogue on Quality seeds advocacy held at the Man Power Development Institute, Dutse, Jigawa state. Sponsor by PERL-DFID.

Pictures speak at the farmers' Dialogue on Quality seeds advocacy held at the Man Power Development Institute, Dutse, Jigawa state. Sponsor by PERL-DFID.

Empowering Africa’s rural women will help fight hunger, study

Women are the backbone of rural production (Photo: CC0)

If women have the same access to skills, resources and opportunities as men, they can be powerful drivers in the fight against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

We can feed 10 billion people by 2050 within planetary limits, study

 global shift towards healthy and more plant-based diets is needed (Photo: CC0)

Feeding a world population of 10 billion people by 2050 within planetary limits is possible if we change the way we eat and produce food, new research shows.