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Rural RapRESTUARANT TO OPEN AT BALFOUR WINERY IN STAPLEHURST
An award-winning winery is opening an on-site restaurant next week.
To be known as The Winemakers’ Kitchen, the restaurant at the Balfour Winery in Five Oak Lane, Staplehurst, will take its first orders on Friday, December 1.
NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN FOR NEW KENT AND MEDWAY FOOD AND DRINK AWARDS
Nominate rising stars, industry trendsetters and unsung food heroes in the first Kent & Medway Food & Drink Awards.
The brand new awards, presented by the KM Media Group, will celebrate the very best of Kent and Medway’s thriving food and drink industry – and the public can nominate their favourites online.
Autumn Statement: How will it affect farmers?
Farm workers, partners, agricultural contractors and sole traders were all given a National Insurance cut following the Autumn Statement – but impact will be limited by frozen thresholds.
CLA responds to Autumn Statement: “It fails to recognise the potential of the rural economy”
The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement fails to recognise the potential of the rural economy, CLA President Victoria Vyvyan has said.
Jeremy Hunt has unveiled the Government’s tax and spending plans in the House of Commons, and while he announced a number of tax cuts or breaks there was little to cheer for the rural economy.
UK’s agri-food and drink attaches backing British food and drink
The UK’s agri-food and drink attachés were welcomed to 10 Downing Street this week, marking the start of a week meeting ministers and the nation’s food producers.
The eleven attachés based in British embassies and consulates around the world – in Canada, Mexico, USA, Brazil, Kenya, The Gulf, India, Japan, China, Thailand and Vietnam – work to remove trade barriers, identify emerging international markets and tap into growing demand worldwide for quality goods from UK farmers and producers.
£1.2m new funding for Kent horticulture sector
Sustainable innovation and new tech projects can apply for share of £1.2m funding from Growing Kent & Medway.
Two new funding streams are being made available by Growing Kent & Medway to back sustainable innovation and new technologies in the horticultural and plant-based food and drink sector.
Food industry ‘key to economic growth’
The UK food industry can play a key role in the country’s economic growth, a new IGD report has claimed.
IGD’s Economics Viewpoint report, entitled ‘Powering the Everyday Economy – the role of the food system’, explores the value of the UK food industry to support growth and resilience at a local and national level. The report emphasises that ”recognising the value of the whole food system is essential to a thriving UK.”
Bluetongue hotline set up for farmers in control zone in Canterbury
Farmers in a control zone set up after an outbreak of bluetongue virus near Canterbury can now call a dedicated hotline to get advice or ask questions.
Farmers in and around the temporary control zone (TCZ) can call the bluetongue hotline on 024 7771 0386, available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Large bailing contractors could be hit by plastic packaging tax
Large-scale baling contractors could be at risk of fines from HMRC due to non-payment of the plastic packaging tax (PPT), with many unaware they are liable for it.
The tax applies to manufacturers or importers to the UK of more than 10 tonnes a year of baler twine or netwrap – deemed by HMRC to be ‘packaging’.
An update on the re-issuing of GL40-42 for 2024/25
The Countryside Alliance has welcomed the announcement that new general licences for the control of wild birds in England (known as GL40-42) will replicate the conditions of the current GL40-42. The new licences will come into effect on 1 January 2024 and will be valid for two years.
Kent Police solves unacceptably low number of crimes, inspectors find
The number of crimes solved by Kent Police is “unacceptably low”, according to a report by inspectors.
The force was told by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) that it must improve at investigating crime and responding to the public.
Wilder Blean wins BIG Biodiversity Challenge Innovation Award
Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust wins the Innovation award for the BIG Biodiversity Challenge.
With Guest Speaker NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw
Come and find out how the NFU is working for you at county, regional and national level
Astor Pavilion, Kent Showground, ME14 3JF
Thursday 30 November, 3pm to 5pm
Light refreshments will be served
To book, call 02476 939403 or email nfu_east@nfu.org.uk
Speaker William Alexander, Castle Farm
Please arrive at 18:30 prompt, so we can be seated and ready to eat in the café area at 18:45. The meeting shall commence in the events room upstairs at 19:45 sharp and coffee will be served there. Please be mindful that the move between rooms will need to be swiftly executed to allow members he opportunity to have time to ask the Speaker questions afterwards.
As always, if you’re unable to attend, please email info@canterburyfarmersclub.co.ukwith your apologies and the Secretary will pass them on at the meeting.
Theme – Addressing Food Security – ideas for change
Kent County Showground, Detling
kcas.org.uk/the-kent-farming-conference/