BECAUSE of the continuing wet weather, the European Commission has agreed to extend its deadline to allow harvesting of any crops that are still on set-aside land up to April 30.

Farmers who have yet to harvest crops are asked by MAFF to notify their Regional Service Centre if they wish to take advantage of this change.

TWO new initiatives have been launched in North Yorkshire under the Vocational Training Scheme, part of the England Rural Development Programme. Gateway to Rural Training, and Landbased and Rural Training are offering up to 75pc funding for courses ranging from diversification to computers and animal nutrition.

They are being delivered through local training groups, including Malton (01944 758379).

THERE is evidence that supplementing ewes during pregnancy with high levels of vitamin E increases the vigour and growth rate of lambs.

BOCM Pauls reports on trials undertaken by ADAS as part of a MAFF-funded project.

It found that lambs born to ewes which had a daily intake of 100mg of vitamin E during late pregnancy were, on average, sucking milk 25 minutes earlier than those born to sheep receiving a standard level of vitamin E.

Updated: 09:23 Thursday, April 05, 2001