51AVÊÓƵ

In early March, after watching the news, we casually suggested that if we ever had to go into isolation it could take us a while to notice any difference, such is the reality of many farmers’ lives at this time of year.

Farmers are the most trusted actors in the food supply chain, according to research by Reading University, with trust being fundamental to how consumers will behave during the pandemic.

The roads are so quiet and the air is only broken by birdsong and young lambs and their mothers calling to each other.

The last three weeks have seen a marked shift in how and where we buy our food. It is a pattern that will remain while we are in lockdown and I suspect there will be a few habits or behaviours that persist for the longer term.Ìý

When the Government announced its unprecedented lockdown measures, restricting people’s movement and closing businesses, many farm diversifications were forced to shut their doors.

For several decades now the UK dairy sector has often been the dysfunctional arm of the UK farming family.

51AVÊÓƵgroups across the board have appealed for countryside visitors to walk responsibly over the Easter weekend to avoid endangering rural communities.

In light of the heightened level of safety measures during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the Livestock Auctioneers’ Association (LAA) has announced additional security standards and restrictions to ensure continued

The spring of 2020 was expected to be a busy time for the pig sector, with so many anticipated changes coming in the form of new legislation, and welfare and environmental issues going up the wider agenda, says Edward Barker, senior policy advisor at the National Pig Association (NPA).

The support Government gives to farmers during the pandemic will be an indication of how far Ministers intend to back us on Brexit, says Cheshire dairy farmer Phil Latham.