Transition news

Grants for biomass fuel
On 6th june the Environment Minister Phil Woolas announced a new round of grants for up to £200,000, under the Bio-energy Infrastructure Scheme, to help the biomass industry in England, for use in heat and electricity generation.The scheme is open to producer groups (all members must be growers), and small/medium businesses (SMEs).
http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/crops/industrial/energy/infrastructure.htm

Government gives green light to microgeneration
New planning rules to allow homeowners to install solar panels, ground source heat pumps and other microgeneration technologies to help cut carbon emissions have been given the green light by the government. From April 6, all homeowners will be able to install microgeneration equipment, like solar panels, without needing to get planning permission, as long as there is clearly no impact on others. Click here to read the Town and Country Planning document to see exactly what is and what isn’t permitted: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080675_en_1

Free carbon calculator
The CLA have launched their new online Carbon Accounting for Land Managers
CALM) calculator, which is available free to anybody from today (7 March),
http://calm.circlesquared.com/ Log on to CALM via the CLA's website to calculate your carbon
balance.CALM works out a farm's carbon balance by estimating how much carbon is released into the atmosphere and how much is locked away or sequestered each year by farming or forestry operations.

Farmers show increased on farm action to combat climate change
The latest survey results released by Farming Futures find that more farmers are taking on-farm action to mitigate climate change.
Farming Futures - a communications collaboration between the NFU, CLA, ARF, AIC, Forum for the Future and Defra, has been monitoring farmer's attitudes towards climate change since December 2006, as well as working to raise awareness of climate change, and stimulate on-farm action.
The most recent survey had some interesting findings, including some good news for climate change awareness:

• 81 per cent of farmers believe the world's climate is changing
• 74 per cent are taking on farm action to mitigate climate change
• 22 per cent want to measure their on farm emissions.

However, the survey also notes some worrying trends:

• Fewer than 2 per cent of farmers surveyed anticipate pests and diseases being a threat in the future
• Farmers believe climate change presents more threats than opportunities.

Although climate change presents opportunities for farmers and land managers - and 20 per cent of those surveyed cite new crop opportunities as a climate change benefit; climate change also presents risks.

In 2007 farmers have faced serious challenges ranging from a dry spring, new diseases and summer floods, highlighting the need to be aware of and manage these risks. By recognising their responsibilities and taking action now, farmers and land managers can reduce risk and take advantage of new business opportunities presented by climate change

What Will We Eat as the Oil Runs Out?

Our global food system faces a crisis of unprecedented scope. This crisis, which threatens to imperil the lives of hundreds of millions and possibly billions of human beings, consists of four simultaneously colliding dilemmas, all arising from our relatively recent pattern of dependence on depleting fossil fuels. The first dilemma consists of the direct impacts on agriculture of higher oil prices: increased costs for tractor fuel, agricultural chemicals, and the transport of farm inputs and outputs.The Lady Eve Balfour Lecture, November 22, 2007 More...

Museletter 186

Peak everything

During the past few years the phrase Peak Oil has entered the global lexicon. It refers to the moment in time when the world will achieve its maximum possible rate of oil extraction; from then on, for reasons having mostly to do with geology, the amount of petroleum available to society on a daily or yearly basis will begin to dwindle. Most informed analysts agree that this will happen during the next two or three decades; an increasing number believe that it is happening now - that conventional oil production peaked in 2005–2006 and that the flow to market of all hydrocarbon liquids taken together will start to diminish around 2010. More...

Oil watch

Oilwatch is a resistance network that opposes the activities of oil companies in tropical countries. There are some inspiring short films available to watch on their website such as Consumption, Energy and the Future. Is there any hope?

The Environment Agency has updated its position statement on composting and bioaerosols
The Environment Agency published a position statement on composting and the potential health effects from bioaerosols produced as a result of the composting process in 2001. In which, their requirement for site specific bioaerosol risk assessments (for proposed composting facilities within 250 metres of dwellings or workplaces) was set out. According to the Agency, they needed this position because their (and other government) research showed a potential risk to people's health from bioaerosols. As a result, they committed to do further research which is now complete. This research shows there is not enough information available to determine the risk to human health from bioaerosols coming from composting sites.

Solar powered Electric tractor developed!
Even with low fuel prices there are still applications for a non-polluting electric tractor powered from renewable sources. These applications include greenhouses and organic farms where air quality is a concern; golf courses surrounded by expensive homes where noise is a concern; planting and harvesting where very slow speeds are necessary; and remote control operation where safety is a concern; as well as multiple applications in developing countries that lack a fossil fuel infrastructure and have high fuel prices. The electric tractor can also replace petroleum powered generators as a mobile power source in remote areas and in emergency applications. More...

To find out more about Transition Farming call 0117 9142400 or e-mail ff@soilassociation.org