27.12.12
The review understandably centered on the impacts of the weather, which started with the drought in January but then developed into consistently wet weather which washed out shows, caused havoc to crop yields and raised feed bills.
A key point raised from these factors was the importance of land drainage and the key role soil plays on the farm. 2012 also saw the use of social media in farming gain popularity, exploding onto the scene with the SOS dairy hashtag which snowballed into a multi-platform campaign to raise awareness of milk prices and to change public perceptions.
The AgriChatUK discussions also gave valuable insight and views from stakeholders on issues such as climate change, young farmers, levy boards, and mental health issues, with DEFRA and the NFU taking note.
The Farm Apprentice series run by Farmers Weekly also gave a much needed focus on ways of attracting and maintaining young people across the farming spectrum. The overall message though was that even faced with a range of problems, those within agriculture retain a deep rooted love and passion for their roles and the industry is inherently one built on resilience.
