A recent survey has shown that paperwork linked to farm assurance schemes, regulatory bodies and supply contracts is keeping farmers in the office for more than 15 hours a week, and the time and cost burden of administration are increasing.
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The greater compliance demands in different sectors – for example, the extensive crop production record-keeping from arable growers and livestock enterprises – is pushing up the workload immeasurably.
 
The most time-consuming tasks seem to be associated with assurance scheme compliance such as Red Tractor, the Red Tape associated to these is increasingly tying farmers to their desks.
 
The survey also noted a shortage of agricultural secretaries, the average age now being in their fifties and over. Many had attended courses whilst at college but today these courses no longer exist, so it is a challenge to get ‘fresh blood’ into the industry. I would have thought there is an opportunity for agricultural colleges to recognise this vacuum and offer appropriate options to supply teams of crack Farm Secretaries to support over stretched farmers struggling to cover their whole operation. Gone are the days when spouses could take on this role as many are working off the farm to bring in additional income or running farm diversification enterprises.
 
The hay is now made and safely stored under cover. We now wait patiently for the dry summer to return so we can get on with harvesting the winter barley, winter wheat and eventually field beans. I have been told that once this period of unsettled weather is over in early August, we could possibly face similar temperatures as they are experiencing across Europe and beyond. Also, that it will then not rain again until November!
 
Let us hope the bearers of that distinctly alarming forecast are wrong.
 
The recent hot weather is having a marked effect on the consumption of beef. It seems when it is hot the demand for beef reduces, which is now reflected in the price we are realising for our cattle. Could I please encourage readers to increase their consumption of local grass-fed beef and lamb which is best bought at local butchers and farm shops. This would support your local farmers and businesses and ensure you are buying the very best quality home grown products to feed your families.
 
Waitrose’s executive director James Bailey has described as a “huge disappointment” that the Government had abandoned a planned formal consultation over bringing in new animal welfare labels for food products.
He has lashed out at ministers for shelving plans to make animal welfare labels mandatory, warning Britain risks a “race to the bottom” on standards as the scheme won’t make it onto the statute book anytime soon, leaving Britain’s farmers unprotected and at risk of being undercut by battery-caged chickens imported from the Asia Pacific region. He added: “customers deserve to know where the meat on their table comes from and how it has lived.”

We should be grateful we are not sweltering in 40C plus as many in Europe and North America are having to cope with. The gale force winds have been annoying but certainly tolerable.
 
As UK combines start to roll it is good to hear that some decent yields of winter barley are coming off. Bushel weights are reported to be low, and we certainly have short straw. Although the crop got off to a good start, the unseasonal winter, spring, and early summer weather conditions did not encourage strong growth.
 
Our combine had an airing but once the grain reached the tank the moisture shot up above 18%. So back into the barn it went; we shall try again in a few days’ time.
 
We should spare a thought for farmers in Ukraine. Not only is the country under constant attack by Russian missiles, but they are also facing a shortage of labour as many of their most experienced farm workers have signed up to join the army.
 
Ukraine has long been known as the breadbasket of Europe. Its fertile black soil, large expanse of flat plains and deep Black Sea ports enabled the country to become a major exporter of grain across the world.
 
Agricultural exports are vital to the economy, making up about 12% of gross domestic product. Before Russia’s invasion about 60% of all exports came from the land, but the invasion has reduced this significantly.
 
Dutchman Kees Huizanga who farms 15,000 hectares, has faced many challenges but the one he never expected was to lose 40 of his 350 workers, who have signed up to fight in the war.

He has 2,000 milking cows plus young stock and grows a variety of vegetables and grain crops. He willingly gave machinery and money to the Ukrainian armed forces and says it makes sense for the military to take drivers used to working with heavy machinery such as combine harvesters or tractors. But he says he misses his main guy who used to repair all his machinery in the fields.
 
Boris is right, Nato must recognise the immensity of Ukraine’s sacrifice and the obligations this imposes on us in the West. They battle for freedom and democracy for all people around the world.
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Nato leaders should have demonstrated beyond doubt their belief in the fundamental principle of the North America Treaty Organisation. They should make clear as Boris said that it is for a sovereign people to decide which organisation they want to join, and no non-member should veto them or hold them back.
 
He said “No country is in greater need of Nato membership. All the Alliance needed to do was to set out a timetable for membership a soon as victory is won”.
 
Putin continues his rampage of violence, destruction, murder and rape. He clearly believes he can get away with it as he sees weak leadership in Nato, the USA, Europe, and the UK. God help Ukraine. 

Shoppers are apparently becoming increasingly confused by the range of ‘meat-free’ products sold alongside the real thing. They are asking for them to be displayed separately to meat products.
 
A recent report found that plant based, and lab grown ‘meat’ products are considerably worse for the planet than the real thing. It is perhaps not surprising that ‘meat-free’ manufacturers wish us to believe their products are in fact the ‘real deal’.
 
Since the 1950s, global soybean production has increased 15 times as massive areas of South American forests have been burnt to make way for soya plantations. This is having a terrible impact on the people and animals that call these forests home and cause catastrophic global climate change.
 
Clearly traditional livestock farming where cattle and sheep graze extensively, is the most sustainable form of livestock farming. Factory farming may produce cheaper food but at what cost? The debate continues to find a solution which ensures populations get enough healthy food, and we can live alongside nature without destroying it.
 
A leaked report says the World Health Authority’s cancer research arm will soon declare aspartame, the artificial sugar replacement found in Coca-Cola diet products including Diet Coke, some Snapple drinks, chewing gum and even toothpaste, to be ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans.’
 
Artificial food and drink, processed foods and substances inhaled are clearly unhealthy at best, a risk to life at worst. E-cigarettes, produce a number of dangerous chemicals including acetaldehyde, acrolein a herbicide used to kill weeds, and formaldehyde. These can cause lung disease, and cardiovascular disease - Do people including kids, understand what they are inhaling?
 
There is much to be said for returning to the diets and habits of our forefathers. Old photos of our ancestors’ do not show people who are fat or obese, and our parents and grandparents’ generations rarely developed dementia or Alzheimer’s. They mostly died of ‘natural causes’, their bodies worn out rather than abused by overindulgence, not the modern diseases we face today through living what is increasingly clearly stressful and unhealthy lifestyles, in a polluted atmosphere which bombard us with microwaves from mobile phones, radio masts and electricity pylons.
 
Micro dust in the air and water supplies contain pollutants and particles from roads, dry riverbeds, construction sites and mines, which travel high into the atmosphere. These particles are particularly dangerous as they can get deep into parts of our lungs and blood.
 
It used to be rare to hear of someone who had died of cancer. Today we all know friends, family, young people in their thirties and forties, or their children who are battling cancer, or have already lost the battle.
 
Something is going horribly wrong. Cancer, dementia and Alzheimer’s diseases are now the leading causes of death; an increasing toll which rises steadily year on year. It seems no family is immune; these diseases do not discriminate. Prevention is better than cure – but are we what we eat, inhale or where we live?