Rural News

Speakers at the 2023 Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) opening plenary reflected on the political and economic turmoil of the last few years and spoke of the changes that need to happen to secure the future of food and farming.

As snow and ice once again threaten to wreak havoc on British roads, leading rural insurer and rural road safety campaigner NFU Mutual is sharing safe driving advice for motorists.

NFU Mutual is urging farmers to fortify their farmyards to stop thieves from draining their diesel tanks and disrupting food production.

As part of A-Plan Insurance’s rural community blog, they spoke to Millie (@thesheepmidwife) about her experience as a Kent-based shepherdess and what the role entails.

NFU Mutual is reminding farmers to prioritise safety in the event of a flood and have a plan in place as high rainfall continues to endanger rural homes and livelihoods across the UK.

Markets for carbon, biodiversity and other environmental services are widely expected to grow in the coming years. But given the infancy of such markets, there is still tremendous uncertainty about how they will operate. To help address such concerns, Ecosystems Knowledge Network (EKN), a UK-wide independent knowledge hub, is undertaking a review to understand the opportunities and challenges associated with nature finance.

Taking place from January to March, the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) roadshows will address the ongoing crisis in the sector, discussing priority topics such as contract reform, production cost data, and avian influenza.

Three finalists have been named for this year’s Royal Dairy Innovation Award and will be presenting their products to a panel of independent judges at the Dairy-Tech event on 1st February.

Just under 200 tractors took part in the annual Boxing Day charity event in Larling, Norfolk, raising thousands of pounds for the rural mental health organisation YANA (You Are Not Alone).

Livestock farmers producing slurry are being encouraged to consider future plans when applying for the slurry infrastructure grant scheme that closes to applicants on 31 January.

Clarkson is said to have dropped his bid to keep his farm restaurant open despite protests from locals and an enforcement order from council officials.

Lactalign, a device that counters the often costly impact of uneven weight and vacuum distribution of a milking cluster, has won a Gold Award in the Livestock Innovation category.