Category Archives: guest blogs

Guest blog by Vicki Hird: Horticulture Strategy Ditched: a Massive Backward Step for the Fruit and Veg We need

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Miles King

The Farm Minister Mark Spencer MP recently announced that the Government will not produce the Horticulture Strategy, promised in the Government’s food strategy. Sustain’s Head of Farming Vicki Hird vents her huge frustration at this backwards step and sets out … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, food security, fruit and veg, guest blogs, Vicki Hird | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Guest Blog: Is Rebugging the Planet possible? by Vicki Hird

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Miles King

A guest blog today from Vicki Hird, whose new book Rebugging the Planet: The Remarkable Things that Insects (and Other Invertebrates) Do – And Why We Need to Love Them More has just been published. My new book, Rebugging the … Continue reading →

Posted in bugs, guest blogs, Uncategorized, Vicki Hird | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Guest Blog – Stop Graveney Marsh Solar Farm

Posted on May 19, 2020 by Miles King

As regular readers will know I take an interest in solar farms and their impact on wildlife. With this in mind, I’m happy to host a guest blog today from Matthew Hatchwell of the Faversham Society. Matthew was Director of … Continue reading →

Posted in guest blogs, Solar Farms | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Farm based inspiration out of the Westminster Bubble: guest blog by Vicki Hird

Posted on July 4, 2018 by Miles King

Policy work these days can be stifling; keeping you stuck to a desk, locked in meetings and shuffling around Westminster. It is only a matter of time before we hear news of Brexit fatigue or even burn out. The sheer … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture policy, Brexit, guest blogs, Vicki Hird | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Guest Blog: Soil Association response to 25 Year Environment Plan

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Miles King

A guest blog today from Laura MacKenzie, Head of Policy (farming and land-use) at the Soil Association.     Soil at heart of 25 year environment plan Last week, the Prime Minister gave her first major speech on the environment, … Continue reading →

Posted in 25 year environment plan, guest blogs, Soil Association | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Will farm subsidies be slashed after Brexit? Guest Blog by Guy Shrubsole, campaigner at Friends of the Earth,

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Miles King

  “After we Vote Leave”, said the official Leave campaign’s farming leaflet, “we can protect farmers’ subsidies – and even increase them”.   Eighteen months on from the Brexit referendum, that promise is looking decidedly shaky. The Government has pledged … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, Brexit, guest blogs | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

LEGOs, Landscapes and Catchments – guest blog by @UKSustain farm campaigner @VickiHird

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Miles King

  I am delighted to post another guest blog from Sustain’s Campaign Co-ordinator for Food and Farming Policy, Vicki Hird.   The rich debate about how we deliver new farming and land management support after we leave the CAP is … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, Brexit, farm subsidies, guest blogs, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

New Natural Areas: time to really make space for nature and people? Guest Blog by Steve Jones

Posted on September 19, 2017 by Miles King

  Over at Mark Avery’s blog, Steve Jones outlined the idea of creating a series of pilot New Natural Areas, a new class of natural landscape to sit alongside National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Steve stressed that … Continue reading →

Posted in guest blogs, rewilding | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

Guest Blog: Agri-environment – a need for detailed scrutiny, by Steve Peel

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Miles King

            As the process of changing from an European agriculture policy into a UK one starts, I’m delighted to publish a guest blog by former Natural England grassland specialist Steve Peel. Steve looks at how … Continue reading →

Posted in Agri-Environment Schemes, agriculture, Brexit, Common Agricultural Policy, guest blogs, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 62 Comments

Why Taxpayers need a “housemate agreement with Farmers: Guest Blog by Vicki Hird.

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Miles King

                  The dreaded ‘red tape’ and interference in farm decisions under the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is why many UK farmers voted ‘leave’. But I aim to justify the uncomfortable but … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, Brexit, guest blogs, Vicki Hird | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments