Rural News

Chefs and celebrities are urging the public to write to their MP calling for a block on low-quality food imports, as politicians gear up to vote on the Agriculture Bill.

Amid ongoing uncertainty due to Covid-19, LAMMA organisers have confirmed the show will not go ahead in January as planned, but will take place in May instead.

Farmer Tom Warner and founder of Warner’s Gin, diversified his family’s livestock farm back in 2012, with no idea that he was about to trigger the trend for flavoured artisan gins. We spoke to Tom about his inspiration, and how the business has adapted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The cost of rural crime is at an eight-year high, soaring to £54 million according to the latest figures from rural insurer NFU Mutual. With concerns that rural crime is set to escalate as the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic bites, high value tractors, quad bikes and livestock are at even greater risk.

A debate on the Agriculture Bill in the House of Lords has seen peers slam the breaks on potential imports of chlorinated chicken and hormone-treated beef, by voting in favour of a clause that would require food imports to meet domestic standards.

NFU leaders have called for greater awareness of new technology available to help farms maximise margins, uphold the UK’s reputation for quality and safe produce, and reduce carbon emissions.

New research led by the University of Exeter and national rural charity The Farming Community Network (FCN) aims to explore how social isolation, loneliness and mental health issues within the farming community are experienced and managed – and how to improve support available.

The CropTec Show 2020 is the latest show to switch to a digital format due to Covid-19 restrictions.

When Agri-tech start-up Cropsafe wanted to gather feedback from farmers on their new app, they approached Field Mouse Research, a market research and recruitment agency based in Mid Wales.

VPlough is a fully virtual event that will allow visitors to see all the competitors work and interact with them and each other. Judging will take place on 31st October 2020 and Cash Prizes awarded to the winners.

A Land Rover that spent the past 30 years in a farmers’ barn, having been owned by the same family since it was new, received bids from as far away as New Zealand in a recent auction sale.

A team of marathon runners will use the deep mine at Boulby on the North Yorks Moors as they attempt to set a record for the deepest marathon on record and raise funds for three charities devoted to mental health issues.