Albie Matthews

London

Reporter at Farmers Weekly

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Articles

Video: Farmer praises film for honest portrayal of farming life

2 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Albie Matthews

Ayrshire dairy farmer Bryce Cunningham has praised Holy Cow, a new French film, for its honest depiction of life on the land, saying it resonates strongly with the challenges faced by British farmers. Directed by Louise Courvoisier, Holy Cow tells the story of 18-year-old Totone (Clément Faveau), a teenager in France’s Jura region who must step up to take care of his family’s dairy farm and his young sister following a family tragedy.
Minette Batters to lead Defra farm profitability review

2 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Albie Matthews

Minette Batters © Telling Photography Minette Batters, former president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), has been appointed by Defra to lead a comprehensive review of farm profitability. The review, announced on Monday (7 April) by Defra secretary Steve Reed, will address the financial challenges facing farmers and offer solutions for long-term sustainability and competitiveness in the industry.
AHDB opens 2025 planting survey to assess UK crop areas

2 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Albie Matthews

The AHDB has launched its 2025 Planting Survey, aiming to estimate the area of cereals and oilseed rape intended for harvest in the UK. The survey, which is open until 16 May, will provide crucial data on the variety and area of wheat, barley, oats, and oilseed rape crops. The survey’s findings are vital for estimating domestic crop production, particularly at a time when food security is a key concern.
Clarkson's Farm returns for Season 4 with new challenges

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Albie Matthews

Kaleb Cooper (left) and Jeremy Clarkson © Freuds The hit reality TV series Clarkson’s Farm will return for its fourth season on Prime Video on 23 May 2025, bringing back Jeremy Clarkson and his team for more farm life challenges. In this new season, Jeremy and his trusty crew – Kaleb Cooper, Lisa Hogan and Charlie Ireland – will face a fresh set of obstacles at Diddly Squat Farm. After Season 3’s conclusion, where the team reflected on a turbulent year, life on the farm has changed.
Free-range broilers to retain status during extended housing orders

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Albie Matthews

Free-range broiler growers and processors will soon no longer need to alter labelling when mandatory housing measures are introduced during bird flu outbreaks. Currently, when housing measures are imposed to prevent the spread of disease, free-range poultry can only be labelled as such for the first 12 weeks, after which it has to be marked as indoor-reared.
Austria faces export ban as foot-and-mouth disease spreads

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Albie Matthews

The UK government has enforced a new ban on the import of livestock and related products from Austria, including dairy, due to concerns over the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The decision was made following a confirmed case in Hungary, in the region of Dunajská Streda, close to the Austrian border. So far this year seven cases of FMD have been detected – in Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary – with movement restrictions and other control measures put in place.
Norfolk schools host ewes for hands-on farming experience

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Albie Matthews

A lesson at Bure Valley School in Aylsham © Learn About Livestock In an educational initiative, 20 schools across Norfolk hosted ewes and their lambs on their playing fields, offering students a unique opportunity to care for livestock for a week. The Learn About Livestock project, organised by the Food & Farming Discovery Trust as part of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, invited Norfolk schoolchildren to experience farming first-hand.
Scottish government spends £200m on IT for farming payments

4 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Albie Matthews

More than £200m has been spent by the Scottish government since 2016 on external consultants to run the farming subsidy system, it has been revealed. Over the past nine years, an average of £20m a year has been paid to companies to advise and administer agricultural support payments. The total expenditure stands at just over £203m, with the majority going to three external firms.
Funding boost to tackle rural and wildlife crime

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Albie Matthews

The Home Office has announced an £800,000 funding boost for the National Rural Crime Unit and the National Wildlife Crime Unit to continue their work tackling rural and wildlife crime. The funds will enhance cross-force collaboration, bolster the use of technology and data, and improve the ability to target organised crime groups involved in these illegal activities.
Alpacas and sheep shot dead in Cambridgeshire attack

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Albie Matthews

Police vehicles at the property in East Hatley © Cambridgeshire Police Police are urging the public to come forward with information after four alpacas and a sheep were shot dead by thugs in East Hatley, near Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire. A fifth alpaca was also shot in the face, but survived the attack. It is believed a dog may have also been involved in the attack, as paw prints were found near the sheep.