I recently read a fascinating paper exploring how farmers gain personal benefits to their wellbeing, from taking part in projects which help wildlife on farms – in this case a project to help conserve rare cornfield wildflowers in North Yorkshire. I contacted the author Heidi Saxby, and this is a blog she has written on […]
Archive | Agriculture
Health and Harmony: last chance to respond.
I’m posting this here as well as on my own blog, for maximum reach. It’s the People Need Nature response to Michael Gove’s consultation on the future of agriculture in the England. If you haven’t submitted a response yet, please find an hour over the long weekend to write something. Feel free to make use […]
Health and Harmony? Government lays out stall on future of UK agriculture after Brexit
Last week was a momentous one in the life of farmers and anyone who take an interest in our food. The National Farmers Union (NFU) took the historic step of appointing a woman to be its President – it’s symptomatic of these strange days, that the NFU, the most conservative of bodies, should appoint a […]
Where now for UK agriculture?
The UK’s decision to leave the European Union has created a huge set of risks and threats, but also some opportunities. One opportunity is to change the course of farming policy and practice. For 40 years the UK was subject to rules on how farmers were paid – rules decided in Brussels (though greatly influenced […]
Guest Blog: Why Taxpayers need a “housemate agreement with Farmers. By Vicki Hird.
The dreaded ‘red tape’ and interference in farm decisions under the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is why many UK farmers voted ‘leave’. But I aim to justify the uncomfortable but necessary complexity we will need to cope with after Brexit when we have a new contract or agreement between farmers and the taxpayer. […]