The British Sheep Dairying Association (BSDA) has voiced its concerns about the future viability of member businesses with processors cancelling sheep milk orders as a result of the spreading virus.

As the horticultural sector faces the prospect of thousands of empty vacancies during April and May due to Covid-19, a new digital initiative has been launched to make domestic workers and farms accessible to each other.

Recent milk market turmoil due to Covid-19 impact on supply chains has led to a series of dairy crisis meetings taking place across industry to seek ‘meaningful action’ and avoid a national catastrophe.

Farm groups have joined forces to help farmers navigate the cashflow crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with banks being urged to be ’flexible’. 

Freshways is the latest processor to further cut and delay milk payments with its boss citing ‘choked up’ markets as a result of Covid-19 making it more difficult to handle surplus milk.

Farming unions have urged retailers and processors to reconsider their responsibility towards British beef and lamb suppliers in the newly constrained marketplace as a result of Covid-19.

Recent milk market turmoil has led the dairy industry to call for a Government support package to give farmers a much-needed lifeline to negate falling milk prices and delayed payments.

Despite Government’s recent introduction of tougher measures to enforce the Covid-19 lockdown, farmers across the country have continued to report an influx of visitors flouting the rules.

Two sheep have died, with 20 left seriously injured, in a dog attack on a sheep flock in Essex, prompting an NFU appeal to dog owners.

Red meat has been one of the most exposed to the change in eating habits brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Hannah Binns assesses the impact on producers.