Why is it the first cup of tea of the day always tastes so good? As we savour it, we turn on our TV for our daily dose of bad news. It doesn’t stay on long; who wants to fill their head with all that is wrong with the world? After refuelling with porridge, the dogs persuade us to get cracking. It’s refreshing starting work; whatever farming challenges we face, they pale in comparison to global turmoil.

It’s a good thing farmers are resilient; we certainly need to be, especially considering the good kicking that our present government is dishing out. Three days in a row, now, they’ve made announcements that will impact our industry.

Monday’s news was infuriating, I watched astounded as Professor Susan Jebb, chairman of the Food Standards Agency, extolled the virtues of lab-grown meat. The FSA is trying to speed up the approval process for lab-grown foods, as our government is eager for these firms to thrive, hoping they will create new jobs and economic growth. They also commented that this will be better for the environment and potentially healthier.

Lab-grown foods are produced from cells kept in fermentation tanks and then processed to resemble food, essentially creating ultra-processed food, the very thing we’ve been advised to avoid because of health implications. The rhetoric is conflicting and confusing. Lab meat doesn’t sound very appetising to me.

The efforts of the FSA to fast-track approval have been described as deregulation, but science minister Lord Vallance called it ‘pro-innovation regulation’. It’s a pity that the FSA isn’t equally proactive in supporting small abattoirs. We continue to lose these much-needed facilities, mostly due to excessive costs incurred by over regulation. This negatively affects many associated businesses; there’s a strong demand for locally produced meat, but supplying it isn’t easy.

Tuesday’s news talked of planning reforms, with new powers being given to Natural England and local authorities allowing them to seize land more cheaply where it is required for new development. When issuing compulsory purchase orders they only have to pay agricultural land value, ignoring ‘hope value’.

Wednesday’s news brought another blow. The Sustainable Farming Incentive is now closed to new applications. We had been invited to submit an application but had dithered about choosing which options to go for. It’s far more satisfying to be out farming than stuck at a computer, checking maps, ticking boxes and deciphering codes. I find it all incredibly stressful.

I know the money could have been put to good use, but I struggle with the attitude of DEFRA officials; the tone of their letters is so demeaning towards farmers. A part of me is almost relieved that I won’t have them wielding power over me. Our land will be ours to farm as we see fit.

In the meantime, the DEFRA blog tells us that we’ll learn more this summer about a reformed SFI scheme with a budget to be confirmed in the spending review. In parallel they say they’ll reform markets, supply chains and regulations to ensure farmers receive fair payment for food production. Brave words; I look forward to seeing them curb the power of the supermarkets. Farmers have long called for a fairer food chain.

The equipment we purchased using the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) is useful, but when it came to verifying our claim, the level of nit picking was unbelievable. As requested, we’d supplied photos of equipment in use, invoices, bank statements etc. To be fair, when it came to ratifying our claim, they were diligent in phoning me for additional information and sent follow-up emails.

But… they insisted on several amendments. The paperwork didn’t specify where the items were delivered. The make and model weren’t clearly stated on the invoice. £100 discount wasn’t broken down per item. 

The final straw for me was when they claimed the Galebreaker didn’t cover a large enough area. I pointed out it covered the gap in the livestock building to protect against the weather. To their credit, they later rescinded that query and even apologised for making a mistake. Eventually we received our grant money, but I found the process nerve wracking. I suppose I need to toughen up.

I wonder if our government is putting as much effort into protecting the UK borders from illegal meat imports as it is into other policies. Tight biosecurity on imports is crucial. In January, Germany detected three cases of foot-and-mouth disease in a herd of water buffalo, and in March Hungary reported an outbreak in cattle near the Slovakian border. I hope no corners are being cut when it comes to keeping this disease out of the UK.

On the farm, we’ve been appreciating the drier spell of weather and welcoming the occasional sunny episode, even if the nights have been frosty. Grass growth has slowed, taking on a brownish tinge; fingers crossed that by the time you read this it will have greened up.

My ewes have been safely transported back from the marsh. We’re continuing to sell hoggets at market and plan to clear them all before lambing begins. I wasn’t pleased to see Australian and New Zealand lamb joints appearing on supermarket shelves.

There’s never a dull day in farming. Early one morning my phone rang, announcing a ‘no ID caller’. I cautiously answered it. Sussex police – “There are sheep loose on the A259, near to middle bridge. Do you have sheep in this area?”  I couldn’t deny the possibility, although I doubted they were ours. I told them we’d take a look. Police aren’t practised in dealing with livestock, so I did feel sorry for them, especially given how busy that road is.

The police looked relieved when we arrived. Seven escapees (not ours) were the problem. The officers had managed to contain them on a track alongside the road. I phoned local shepherds and managed to establish a potential owner. For safety’s sake we moved the sheep into an empty field and informed the landowner.

The police suggested that farmers put their phone numbers on gates adjoining roads. I see their point, but I doubt that will happen.

This was their second call of the day, the first having been related to a knife incident in Worthing. We chatted about rural crime before heading home. On the way, my other half mentioned that the officers were amused by my mismatched wellies. One had sprung a leak, and I don’t like wet feet; comfort comes before looks.

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