Water water everywhere…but is climate change to blame?
It is perhaps not surprising that the latest statistics from the Met Office in the UK show that this winter has been one of the most exceptional periods of rainfall in England and Wales in at least 248 years, thanks to a sequence of low pressure weather systems making their way across the Atlantic. As…
Could Climate Change threaten the future of the Winter Olympics?
As Russia prepares to host the 22nd Olympic Winter Games, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has begun to release the findings of its Fifth Assessment Report. If the climate projections of the IPCC report prove accurate, only six of the previous 19 host cities will be cold enough to host a…
Outbreak of peace in the sweetener world
You might expect that producers of sugar and producers of other sweeteners would see each other as rivals, and there is indeed evidence of this. For example the ‘Truth About Splenda’ website, provided by the Sugar Association which represents sugar beet and cane farmers in the USA, emphasises the presence of chlorine atoms in the…
Reconciling Modern Animal Production Systems and Sustainability
By M Djuric, DVM A consortium of 22 research partners from 11 countries has received a £10.6m grant from the European Union (EU) to improve pig and poultry production. This is the largest EU grant awarded in this field. The project aims at investigating ways to increase animal production quality, whilst limiting environmental impact and…
Limitations of Voluntary Plan for Phasing Out Non-Medical Antibiotic Use in Farm Animals in USA
By M Djuric, DVM The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently issued a guidance document on the use of antibiotics in farm animals. The document notes that excessive use leads to the spread of antibiotic-resistant diseases in both animals and humans. In the document, the FDA proposes that pharmaceutical companies voluntarily change some…
New £45m Veterinary School at University of Surrey, UK – Construction to Begin
M Djuric, DVM The proposal to construct a new Veterinary School of Medicine at the Manor Park campus of the University of Surrey in Guildford, England, UK has been given planning permission by the Guildford Borough Council. This will be one of eight of veterinary schools in the UK. The new Veterinary school will consist…
Farm Animal Welfare Moves Up Business Agenda
By Miroslav Djuric, DVM, CAB International The second report of the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare has been published with the expertise and support of animal welfare organisations, Compassion in World Farming (CWF) and World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). 70 companies from across Europe and the USA were assessed, representing…
Guilt free chocolate anyone?
According to the BMJ this week, the average half life of a chocolate in a busy hospital ward is 51 minutes with some brands lasting longer than others. They last rather longer in my quieter office but still we have eaten a few in the run up to Christmas. What if the food industry could…
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, how big is your Carbon Footprint?
As part of the festive season this year, many of us will either buy a fresh Christmas tree, or we will bring an artificial one down from the attic. Either way, a Christmas Tree often forms an important part of the festivities. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, in 2012, US consumers purchased 24.5 million “real”…
New research claims microplastic pollution is harming marine life
Latest figures show that global production of plastic has risen to 280 million tons per year, with much of this entering the seas and oceans via ships, offshore platforms and fishing, coastal littering and sewage-related debris from rivers and storm drains. UNEP estimates that between 6.4 – 8 million tons of litter ends up in…