StockbridgeOnline

The Agricultural Advisory Services Analysis Report assesses the different ways that farmers are given advice and how effective these methods are at achieving behaviour change. It recommends using existing advisory channels, following a tiered approach. This approach starts by capitalising on public services, such as the English Catchment Sensitive Farming Deliver Initiative, then mobilising private and third sector services, for example by working with industry bodies and membership organisations; and finally by supporting independent advisers to deliver this advice.

http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/2010/08/13/agricultural-advisory-services/

Also in July the French Govt passed the The Agricultural Modernisation Law (Loi de la Modernisation de l’Agriculture et de la Pêche)

This lays out other thoughts on  reform emphasizing the market but giving strong protection to farmers against large buyers and also wanting to work away from historic payments  ( Single Farm Payments) in CAP reform

http://www.agriculteursdefrance.com/Upload/Travaux/Fic-1_725.pdf

http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/2010/08/02/ragwort/

http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/environment/wildlife/download/pdf/100729farmland-birds-release.pdf

Special : Can science feed the world?

Forty years from now there will be 2 billion more of us to feed. Today, a billion go hungry. In the hunt for sustainable solutions, science plays a central role. This week’s Nature News special explores how agricultural research is rising to the challenge of balancing productivity with shrinking resources. How to feed a hungry world looks at ways of boosting yields while keeping land use in check, while The global farm investigates Brazil as walking the line between biodiversity hotspot and agricultural giant. In Monitoring the world’s agriculture, Jeffrey Sachs and 24 food-system experts call for the collection of data on the impacts of farming worldwide. In the free Nature Podcast we showcase the role of GM — and there’s much more on the future of food.