Editorial
New government, new priorities? – Comment
This month sees Dame Angela Eagle appointed as the 11th Defra secretary in the decade since the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. This column has railed before at this churn and the lack of policy continuity in its wake. But Dame Angela has had 10 months as a...
Is precision breeding progress threatened by SPS talks?- Coent
The first UK approval for a precision bred crop trait using gene-editing technology should be a milestone for British agriculture. But the EU trade reset process could hold back progress in this field. A barley strain gene-edited by Rothamsted researchers to have a...
Oil price rise underlines UK dependence on imported fertiliser: Comment
Resilience is a much-overused word in recent agricultural policy debate, but the concept is rather undermined by the UK’s dependence on imported energy, fuel and fertiliser. Since the 2021/22 global energy shock, manufacture of...
New Defra team – but same old problems?
The clean sweep of Defra ministers in last week’s Labour government reshuffle sees the tenth Defra minister in as many years – a disturbing lack of continuity for a such a primary industry. Many had hoped the new Labour...
Bioethanol decision slows UK’s road to sustainability: Comment
The government’s decision last week not to support domestic bioethanol manufacture against imported product would seem to conflict with its desire to encourage more sustainable green industries. It is also yet another post-Brexit blow to UK agriculture as governments...
Comment: Will Groundswell’s enthusiasm move markets?
The Groundswell regenerative agriculture event, held earlier this month, is now firmly on the farming calendar. This year’s show, the ninth since it was inaugurated for likeminded farmers by Hertfordshire growers John and Paul...