This has been a year like never before, but thankfully many of the farming community are still here to see it. Auctioneers and farmers aroundthe country are resilient to everything that gets thrown at them (andoften does).

The full effect of Covid-19 hit us hard when Jim’s mum had a nasty fall and we were not allowed to travel in the ambulance or visit her in hospital over the next week or so.

William Lea, 24, is a poultry farmer based at Church Stretton, Shropshire, and works for Lloyds Animal Feeds.

Building financial resilience has been at the core of decision-making for one Pembrokeshire dairy farmer who began selling pasteurised milk direct to the consumer last year, among other diversifications. Anna Bowen reports.

Robotic milking might be more frequently associated with indoor, high production Holstein herds, but one family in Somerset has installed robots on an organic grazing system.

Beef from the dairy herd can be a profitable enterprise, provided the animals are managed to the highest possible standards from birth to finishing

If the Conservatives are not prepared to stand up for farmers now and protect them from low-standard imports, they should not expect rural votes when they come knocking for support at the next election, says Labour Shadow Defra Secretary Luke Pollard.

For too long, the CAP rewarded farmers for inefficiency, but new post-Brexit schemes should help farmers to improve profitability and embrace innovation, says John Henning, County Armagh beef farmer.

Though politicians are still talking about no deal as a serious prospect, behind the scenes, negotiators may be closer than ever to clinching a deal, says Jonathan Roberts, director of external affairs at the CLA.

Farmers look set to benefit from a change in shopper habits brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, with new research showing 63 per cent of Brits are buying more home-grown produce. By Hannah Binns and Abi Kay