25th April 2025
Smith’s Soapbox: United we stand
As I write, there’s chat on social media about arable farmers refusing to load out milling wheat in April as some sort of protest. I’m not sure if it’s an April Fool, but nonetheless it…
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Opinion
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23rd April 2025
Last Word: Blissful ignorance, 95% of the time
I don’t usually profess to have an opinion regarding political issues, but the government’s recent announcement – well, blog – regarding SFI has caused even me to shift in my seat.
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22nd April 2025
Talking Taties with Andrew Wilson: Glorious spring
Isn’t it grand to have a decent spring? In the past month I’ve sown spring malting barley after sugar beet, and also in place of second wheat on heavier land.
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21st April 2025
Nature Natters: A future of haves and have-nots
Defra’s sudden closure of the SFI scheme has divided farmers into two main camps: those who’d entered the schemes and are being rewarded for delivering public goods, and those who hadn’t yet hit ‘apply’.
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26th March 2025
Smith’s Soapbox: Survival of the fittest
One of the main winter distractions that punctuated my farm day was patrolling oilseed rape crops for pigeons. The daily routine of checking gas bangers while persecuting the blue menace with aerial bombardments from rockets…
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26th March 2025
Talking Taties with Andrew Wilson: Biting the bullet
It’s funny how a few dry days in winter makes everything look better on farm. As I write, we’ve tray tested our brand-new-second-hand spreader and spun some urea onto backward crops and the strip-tilled wheat…
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25th March 2025
Last Word: Imaginations running wild
Given I’m a self-proclaimed socially inept individual, yet have often worked in positions where schmoozing is a pre-requisite, I’ve fast learnt to keep a few talking-point topics up my sleeve, ready to fire at the…
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25th March 2025
Nature Natters: Share with nature, share the responsibility
Many of you will have noticed the increased focus both in policy and in the media on how we use our land and what it can deliver for society. Whether it’s the Land Use Framework…
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13th March 2025
CPM POV: “We don’t need another tax thrust upon us…”
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14th February 2025
Lastword with Janine Adamson: Change is as good as the rest
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14th February 2025
Talking Taties with Andrew Wilson: Do what you do best, and do it better