Latest farming opinions NEWSOpinion: Autumn mornings quiet after road racers curbedThe clocks may have changed, but my body clock takes some time to catch up. For a few lovely days, there’s a drowsy bonus hour before the alarm goes off,… NEWSOpinion: How teenagers can get their kicks from agricultureIt is often said that young people, and society at large, feel disconnected from where their food comes from, place little value on food producers, and perceive the agri-food industry… NEWSOpinion: Farmers should resist Red Tractor's latest moveI wasn't surprised Red Tractor's recent plan for a Greener Farms Commitment (GFC) went down like a lead balloon with farmers. The proposal was that, from April 2024, it would… NEWSEditor's view: Culture change needed to secure food supplyOf all the supply chains to be found in British agriculture, it is the ones in the egg and poultry sectors that are so often held up as examples of… NEWSOpinion: My days of buying cheap heifers are overOnce a year, courtesy of an invite from the editor, I don black tie and head to the Grosvenor House Hotel in London for the Farmers Weekly awards dinner. Among all the… NEWSOpinion: Concertinaed autumn workload brings big risksBack in the days when stubble burning was as much a part of blackgrass control as IPU, many of my father’s generation in this area would drill much of their… NEWSEditor’s View: Defra’s disciples have spread far and wideTo have the right to criticise an institution, and be listened to, you also have to give praise where it is due. So in that spirit I want to say… NEWSOpinion: Future farmers must be able to wear many hatsLike a witch on a broomstick, Halloween has whooshed in for its eighth year at The Pop Up Farm. The Pop Up Farm was our response to the Brexit vote… NEWSOpinion: 'Do it yourself' gives best biodiversity net gain retur...As a way of replacing Basic Payment Scheme monies, selling “natural capital” in the form of biodiversity net gain (BNG) could be the most effective. While still an emerging market,… NEWSOpinion: Fox control policy should be evidence-ledThe morning after the King’s coronation, radio commentators shared opinions about what he might do for the country. One contributor zeroed in on foxes. The Royal Family is a country… NEWSEditor's view: Fight is on for credit on Red Tractor reformThere is only one way to eat an elephant: A bite at a time. This week, two factions in the Red Tractor debate have settled in for the long haul… NEWSOpinion: Retire? But farming becomes fun at 60A problem with being a “rent-a-gob” columnist like me is that it requires you to give a simplified and singular version of your true point of view. It’s a huge… NEWSOpinion: The recruiting rules are changing for farmersWork has been in the news a lot lately. There have been stories about disenchanted employees “quiet quitting” — disengaging from their job while still ostensibly going through the motions.… OPINIONEditor's view: Red Tractor anger puts NFU in tricky spotThat Red Tractor is a puppet for the retailers to offer them reputational protection if a farmer supplier does something out of line is old news. The reason why many… NEWSOpinion: SFI is appealing, but will it help nature?I am sure many of us have seen at least the headlines about the latest State of Nature report, and the inevitable farmer bashing that forms a big part of… NEWSOpinion: How to make new funding count for small abattoirsIt is crucial for the sustainable future we are collectively pursuing that the £4m Small Abattoir Fund, recently announced by government, marks a real turning point in the devastating decline… NEWSOpinion: Farmers can't pay for society’s environmental illsBiodiversity continues to decline across the UK. Agriculture and climate change are the main drivers according to the report recently released by the State of Nature, compiled by more than… OPINIONEditor's view: It’s no bad thing to reveal farming realityAt some point, we’ve all heard “Mutton dressed as lamb” muttered by someone spiteful as they gaze at another person minding their own business. Make-up and marketing both serve the… NEWSOpinion: Take cattle off grass and lose moral high groundI wouldn’t be a proper beef farmer if I didn’t have a rant about TB every so often, so I feel this is long overdue. First thing’s first: I’m a… More articles
