²ÝÁñÉçÇø

The impact of coronavirus on the farming and agriculture industry has been significant, prompting Defra and the Department for International Trade to launch a ‘bounce back plan’ but for some farming businesses, it is too little too late.

Defra Secretary George Eustice has reinforced food production will be central to future agricultural policy, in a virtual address at the Great Yorkshire Show (GYS).

²ÝÁñÉçÇø and landowners are being advised to protect their land from unwanted public rights of way (PROW) claims, following a spike in trespassing reports due to Covid-19.

Building greater resilience and sustainability into food and farming supply chains will be ‘sped up’ as the industry recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.

Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground (GYS) may have been eerily quiet this week, but messaging about British food was loud and clear.

Anyone who doubts how hard life is for agricultural shows at the moment should read the annual report of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS).

Public heath officials are still working to uncover the source of a Covid-19 outbreak at a vegetable farm in Herefordshire, where 73 seasonal workers tested positive for the virus and a further 200 were told to isolate.

Celebrity farmer and food campaigner Jimmy Doherty has told ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian’s Over the Farm Gate podcast that Covid-19 has helped bring a new appreciation of farmers.

Be careful what you wish for. After weeks of dry weather and wishing we could have just a bit of rain after first cut, the weather broke with a vengeance and we seemed to be instantly transported into autumn.