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Farming Today: EU aid, Raptors v pigeons, Harvest on social media

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17/09/2015

EU aid, Raptors v pigeons, Harvest on social media

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, EU aid, Raptors v pigeons, Harvest on social media

EU aid - how much will farmers get? And should we protect raptors, or racing pigeons?

UK farmers are to get £26 million in emergency EU aid to help with the crisis in dairy and meat prices. It follows a protest by thousands of farmers from across Europe last week.

UK farmers are to get £26 million in EU emergency aid to help with the crisis in dairy and meat prices. It's part of a 420 million Euro bail out by the European Commission on the back of a mass protest by European farmers last week. Farm Minister George Eustice says he'll try to target the money to those most in need. 

Pigeon fanciers have become so worried about attacks by birds of prey that they are demanding a change in the law that protects kestrels, sparrowhawks and peregrine falcons. The Law Commission is looking into wildlife legislation, and a group called the Raptor Alliance is on the side of pigeon racers who want their birds re-designated as livestock. That would allow problem birds of prey to be relocated, or taken into captivity. The RSPB says that would be wrong, as raptors are wild birds and should be left as such. 

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Sally Challoner.

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