Phil Stocker

@HawfordFarm Recommendation is as sound today as it was then. Good environments are important everywhere and farmers need to know where they stand. Market mechanisms need sorting and the environment has become a marketplace.

#Food and #Farming report 2002 led by Don Curry. What’s changed? Essential reading for those thinking of redesigning #SFI

Pleased to have held the first DLUMG meeting today and felt good to bring such a wide range of good people together into what will be a safe space for discussion. Early days and a lot to do! This blog post includes the group members eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%…:

Here’s Annie receiving her award - congratulations from NSA!

Congratulations to Annie Carr from Herefordshire -Farmers Weekly Sheep Farmer of the Year 2024! Well done Annie!

@suepritch Cont. and in a free market what would reducing waste do to market prices and supply and demand. And where is our strategic storage of food for the tough times. And if one fifth of food is wasted then what about the waste involved in eating more than we need to..

@suepritch We have far too many conflicting policies/mechanisms. James is right re a lack of a vision with targets and goal. And getting everyone to agree is still very hard. Can we align food production in a free market competing with environmental goods Govt funded?

I’ve not been using X much recently but want to say that Abi Kay’s coverage in this weeks FW about respect is something that needs to be said. Well done Abi, more people needs to speak up about what is right and wrong!

@FGBen You’ve done a great job while at FG and I’ll bet in time you’ll look back and think change was the best thing that could have happened.

So, after 13 years at Farmers Guardian, tomorrow will be my last day. For 5 years as news editor, 7 as editor and the last year as publisher it has been a joy. I've always believed in the power of good journalism but now is the right time to step away, recharge & see what is next

@FarmersWeekly Can you share the clip of them climbing back on to go home?

🐄 Amazing footage of cattle swimming to one of Ireland’s offshore islands for grazing! 🎥 Midge6820

@suetthatsme We need more people like your daughter. Too often EOD, or dementia generally, puts people into reverse gear.

A short, boring but important story. My daughter (20) works in a coffee shop. There is a lady who comes in. She has early onset dementia. She told my daughter she has no family and gets really lonely. They spend ages chatting.

@No1FarmerJake @JohnDeere I like people who repair things not just replace them. Just had my diesel particulate filter cleaned - main dealer replace for well over £1000, proper mechanic repair for £490.

Where’s the money in farming going? @JohnDeere £1,237 for a headlight on a tractor……words fail me. That’s 6t’s of grain for a headlight.

If you can’t find tasty British lamb at the place you buy your dishwasher tablets and toilet rolls then go to a place you can - your local butcher or farm shop. They aren’t as scary as you think!

I’ve never seen the advert for the ‘sorry to announce officer’ at British rail . Maybe they call it something else?

@JanetHughes @crisis_uk Can imagine you doing that - and that you’d be very good at it!!

@EdenSwimmer @ellachloeswims @TheBigSwim @jevans7 Cromhall quarry for me today - very deep so acts as thermal store and still a blissful 10 degrees. 30 mins enough and swimming through the mist was eerie.

A quick peek at the ice baubles at the River Eden in anticipation of a 🏊‍♂️ this afternoon #WildSwimming #Cumbria

A lesson in trying to to squeeze too much in.. don’t try to link in with a Teams call on your phone while changing for the next meeting - without double checking camera is on mute…..

Hold on there’s more.. Amy Bateman, author and photographer of Forty Farms has won the FG Diversification farmer of the year. Couldn’t be anyone more deserving !!

And to wrap it up, all the sheep farmer FG nominations should be considered winners. Well done to Arwyn Phillips from West Wales and Andrew Smith from Somerset.

Silver award for FG sheep farmer of the year - David and Matthew Roberts from north Wales. This family have shown that increasing productivity and improving the environment t can go hand in hand. A big well done from NSA.

Winners of the FG sheep farmer of the year- Robert and Becca Rennie from Scotland - exceptional business progress by this couple. Achieved a huge amount.