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Mr Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, writes about Defra’s sudden SFI closure, how farm support payments are 'failing' farmers, the urgent action needed and why farmers cannot wait 18 months

New marketing pool says the crop can increase profits and help environment

Mr Williams is public and governmental affairs manager at BASF. He writes about the state of British agriculture, food security, land management and questions Defra Secretary Steve Reed needs to answer at NFU Conference

This week from Íæż½ã½ã editor Olivia Midgley

"Rural communities and businesses have often felt that the issues we encounter play second fiddle to those in urban areas"

James farms Dairy Shorthorns east of Kendal, Cumbria, with his parents Kathleen and Henry, wife Michelle and sons Robert and Chris. The fifth generation to farm at Strickley, he is also vice-chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network

If there was a situation where carbon emissions were being reduced from UK meat, but higher carbon products were continuing to be imported, businessman Henry Dimbleby said a carbon border tax would be ‘theoretically' right, but questioned how it could be done legislatively

In a letter to Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Mairi Gougeon, NFUS president Martin Kennedy highlighted that NatureScot's established position in favour of a Galloway National Park calls into question its ability to conduct a public consultation in an ‘impartial manner'

This is a joint role between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Defra

This week's opinion from throughout the world of agriculture: Orkney area manager at the RSPB - Sarah Sankey