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Agriculture
From 1951: A Hereford diary challenges assumptions of farm prosperity
Original report:
A Guardian country diary dated 15 November 1951 disputed the idea that farmers enjoyed effortless abundance. Its Hereford writer described produce leaving farms to cover labour costs, with little time or spare help to grow and prepare food for household use.
Agriculture
Cumbria hill farm starts two-year organic conversion
Original report:
A hill farm in Tebay is moving towards organic certification through the Soil Association, with government funding supporting the conversion. Farmer Andrea Meanwell says the change builds on existing practices while bringing new requirements for livestock care, planting and record-keeping.
Agriculture
Wildlife Trusts reach £30m goal for Northumberland estate restoration
Original report:
Public donations helped the Wildlife Trusts meet their £30m fundraising target to buy Northumberland’s Rothbury estate. The planned habitat restoration has drawn strong volunteer support, alongside concerns from farmers about food production, land management and business viability.
Agriculture
Tony Sharps, community farm manager and environmental educator, dies aged 72
Original report:
Tony Sharps, who worked with young people through community farming and outdoor learning, has died of cancer aged 72. A Guardian obituary traces his work from Bristol’s Windmill Hill City Farm to Lambourne End Centre in Essex.
Agriculture
Kenyan farm workers seek to join lawsuit over hazardous pesticides
Original report:
Eighty-seven people alleging pesticide-related illness are seeking to join a Kenyan court challenge against the government and agrochemical companies. The Guardian reports severe health problems among workers around Timau, while Bayer and Syngenta defend their products’ safety when used as directed.
Agriculture
Kashmir’s fading potato pits put local crop knowledge at risk
Original report:
Underground storage pits have helped families in Kashmir’s Gurez valley preserve food and seed potatoes through harsh winters. As fewer households maintain them, farmers and researchers warn that local varieties and the skills needed to sustain them are disappearing.
Agriculture
Utah mink farm bird flu response criticised in Guardian column
Original report:
Guardian columnist George Monbiot has questioned Utah officials’ handling of a reported bird flu outbreak at a mink farm. Citing ProPublica, he alleges gaps in worker monitoring and argues that commercial concerns have outweighed public health precautions.
Agriculture
Record bluetongue outbreak strains British farms and animal welfare
Original report:
Veterinary and farming leaders have told MPs that Great Britain’s record bluetongue outbreak has caused serious animal suffering and financial strain. Reported cases cover affected premises, not individual animals, with south-west England bearing the heaviest burden.