Displaying items by tag: Farming

After an expensive 2023 harvest, this autumn's weather has not been kind to farmers. Very dry conditions quickly turned to very wet. Crops thought to be safely growing have been overwhelmed by waterlogging and even flooding, with slugs and flea beetles adding to the damage. The political backdrop to this is a fundamental change in the way farming is funded. The Basic Payment Scheme, which has supported farmers to produce food, is being phased out in favour of incentives which exclusively support environmental benefits. However, while adjusting to the new situation, we give thanks to the Lord for 'Natural England' and 'Catchment Sensitive Farming', which are doing a great job of educating farmers and signposting available support, and for 'Farming Community Network', which provides practical help to those in difficulties. Pray for all in farming who are feeling weighed down by the burdens of weather, finance and regulation, for Christian farmers seeking to farm to God's glory, and for those who open their farms to schoolchildren and others.

From Hope for the Countryside: ‘The Lord is the source of our provision, and His kindness and faithfulness are honoured by all those who look to him. Many Christians are involved in running foodbanks and pantries, offering some hope, helping to meet the very real material needs of people and showing the love of Christ in action. However, as important as this is, there is a deeper and more urgent need, to address the spiritual poverty in this land. God is not lacking nor unwilling to extend an invitation to his table and share his bounty. Pray for many to recognise their spiritual poverty and to hunger after the Lord.  Pray that we can work together to bring spiritual food to those in need, to tell them of the hope that lasts for ever and of the food and drink freely offered that will satisfy for a lifetime and into eternity. Give thanks for the many outreach and discipleship materials already available.’ For the full article, see

In recent years the Government has formulated and implemented new policies and initiatives to change the way farming is conducted. Many focus on helping and encouraging farmers to restore overworked land and improve care of the environment. 'Catchment sensitive farming' aims to work with farmers to produce food in a way that protects water, air and soil, reducing flood risk on agricultural land. Meanwhile, a National Farmers Union campaign, with the slogan ‘Our shops should never be empty of any food that can be produced by farmers and growers in Britain’, seeks to promote British food production and security. Pray for wisdom, especially for Christians in agriculture and horticulture, to seek the Lord for direction and inspiration and to be able to witness His wisdom, grace and hope to those with whom they work. 

Farmers in England will be paid more public money for protecting the environment and producing food more sustainably, the Government has said. It is hoped the increase in payment rates will encourage more farmers to sign up to new environmental land management schemes that are designed to replace the EU's common agricultural policy. The Farmers' Union welcomed the rise but warned it could be ‘too little, too late’ in the current economic climate. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the new system would put money into farmers' pockets while enhancing nature and driving innovation in agriculture. The announcement comes amid rises in the cost of food production, with farmers hit particularly hard by increases in the cost of animal feed, fertilisers, and fuel. The increased rates under ELMS will come from existing money, reallocated from the previous direct payment subsidies given to farmers under the EU scheme.

Drought is threatening the Iraqi tradition of growing amber rice, a key element in a struggling economy. This variety of rice, which takes its name from its distinctive scent, is widely used, but after three years of drought amber rice production will be only symbolic in 2022, forcing consumers to seek out imported varieties and leaving farmers pondering their future. Rice fields normally stay submerged all summer, but that’s a luxury Iraq can no longer afford. The country’s available water reserves are well below the critical level. Officials have limited total rice crop areas to 1,000 hectares; the normal quota is 35,000. The water shortages have also led to reduced quotas for wheat farmers. Last year, the agricultural sector contracted by 17.5%, according to the World Bank.

A recent report concluded that 36% of farming people in England and Wales were 'probably or possibly depressed', 52% 'experienced pain and discomfort', 25% had 'mobility problems', and 58% of women in the sector said they 'experienced mild, moderate or severe anxiety'. The most common sources of stress were regulations, compliance and inspection, Covid, unpredictable weather, and loss of subsidies. In response the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution has launched two new mental-health support and counselling services. Pray for all agencies and individuals who are providing farming people with practical and moral support. Also, rural CofE churches report that ‘clergy and congregations are increasingly pessimistic about the long-term future of their churches’. Leadership was seen as a critical issue. However, through Covid, it seems the Lord has ‘sifted’ His church: some have fallen away, but others have drawn closer to Him.

Txai Suruí is a climate activist who is part of an indigenous community in the Amazon rainforest. She spoke to world leaders at COP26 about the direct impacts of climate change that her tribe is already experiencing. But after the speech she was publicly criticised by President Bolsanaro for ‘attacking Brazil’. This prompted many people to send her abuse on social media. When she spoke to a BBC reporter, she said, ‘I think I said the right words because they attacked me.’ Brazil hosts the two most important and diverse tropical forests globally. Almost 20% of the Amazon forest has been cut down in recent decades. This deforestation must stop before it becomes a savanna. Between 2004 and 2012, Brazil successfully controlled deforestation by 80%, by reducing illegal foresting, creating protected areas and restricting soya and cattle expansion. This resulted in increased food production by large farming complexes and strengthened smallholder farming. See

UK farmers have sounded the alarm over reports the Government plans a trade deal with Australia which might make its food and farming imports cheaper. The move would be part of a free trade pact with Australia that the Government hopes will be a springboard for similar deals with other countries. But UK farming unions have warned of ‘irreversible damage’ from a bad deal. There is speculation the Cabinet is split over the move. As with many countries, farming imports from Australia face tariffs - making lamb and beef more expensive. UK care of livestock has far higher standards, and avoids hormonal additions. In a post-Brexit world, the Government has now indicated that farmers may have to prepare for the lowering of tariffs on agricultural imports. The NFU warned that its members will struggle to compete if zero-tariff trade on lamb and beef goes ahead.

Locusts move like thick, dark clouds, tearing through parts of East Africa and devouring crop after crop, putting food supplies and farmers’ livelihoods at risk. These invasions aren’t new but they are happening more often than ever. ‘It is because of the change in climate’, said a satellite Information analyst in Nairobi. ‘Locusts that otherwise would have scattered for lack of vegetation to consume can now get lots of it’ Locusts invaded northern Kenya in January, devouring field crops, vegetables, cattle fodder and grazing land. Pray for organisations like Barnabas Fund who are assisting 1,000 vulnerable Christian families in the area. They aim to help subsistence farmers speedily restore their crop and livestock production, distributing seeds, fertiliser and appropriate pesticides to deal with locust eggs left in the soil and the surge in other pests that usually follow a locust swarm.

Indian farmers have been protesting against farm acts passed by the parliament last September. Their unions have demanded the laws be repealed, and will accept nothing less. The new acts, which exclude guarantees giving farmers a fair price for their produce, are described as ‘anti-farmer laws’ by the unions and opposition politicians. Since September the protests have become more violent. On 26 November a nationwide general strike by 250 million people took place in support of the farmer unions,and on 30 November 300,000 farmers converged in various places from the Punjab to Delhi. On 26 January tens of thousands violently fought the police, overturned vehicles, and hoisted religious flags from the ramparts of Delhi’s Red Fort. See