Climate Change

In these uncertain times, it might be tempting for farmers to put the brakes on investment in sustainability but now is the time to ensure the British agriculture sector is at the centre of a green economic recovery, and the support for farmers is out there, says Lee Reeves, head of agriculture at Lloyds Bank. 

As lockdown enters its final stages, in England at least, it is remarkable to consider the changes wrought by this unprecedented time. None more so than the impact the pandemic has had on the travel and transport industries.

Nine in ten farmers (87 per cent) do not know what their farm’s carbon footprint is, according to research by Lloyds Bank. 

Only a quarter of Scotland’s farmers are optimistic about their businesses in a post-Brexit landscape.

Covid-19 has hit the education sector hard but agricultural colleges across the country have innovated new methods in the face of adversity to attract prospective students and conduct business as usual. Mollie Leach reports.

Farmers are being urged to explore the opportunity of making money on private natural capital markets as Government spending on the coronavirus pandemic continues to spiral.

The Scotch Whisky industry has taken up the production of green energy with such enthusiasm it is clearly causing some unease in Government circles.

An agricultural think tank has warned commercial farming is being ‘written out’ of emerging post-Brexit policy, despite the fact that fewer than 10 per cent of farm businesses produce over half the UK’s agricultural output.

An organic farm which has focused on sustainable farming methods over the past 12 years has delivered a range of environmental benefits while operating at a profit.

Farmers will have to adapt their businesses to meet climate change targets, but what does that mean for food production? Ewan Pate speaks to former NFU Scotland president and co-chairman of the Farming for 1.5 degrees project, Nigel Miller, to find out.