Farmers seem to be taking back control in this new era of agriculture - Emma Ryan
Talk about farming in 2026, undoubtedly, has a different tone.
In 2025, there was anger, protests and dismay at what was a seemingly never ending onslaught of government actions set out to target farmers and make what is already a difficult and sometimes thankless job, even harder.
And there were months of drought, massively affecting crops and the ability to feed livestock.
In 2024, there were months of flooding with actually the same effect.
And while it is not all roses and sunshine in these beautiful rolling green fields around us, it feels like talk is a little more positive, dare we say.
For the last few years in which I have written this article – a look at the farming year past – it has made for worrying reading.
Young, knowledgeable farmers who should have been bouncing into the game full of enthusiasm, already at the end of their tether. Wondering whether this was the right career choice, feeling the pressure to carry on a family legacy, feeling trapped in an environment which seems impossible.
Long-standing farmers who have worked all the hours going to leave a healthy and viable business to pass on to their future generations and wondering was it even worth it.
And regardless, the government was giving precedence to importing cheaper produce rather than backing British farmers.
It is a strange thing to say, when within the last month the country’s eighth farming minister in 11 years has been appointed and ten days later, the Prime Minister resigned – but I don’t imagine too many farmers will have been too upset by that news.
Who steps into the hot seat we don’t know, but front runner Andy Burnham has said he will look again at inheritance tax for smaller farming businesses and has previously collaborated with the NFU to bridge the gap between rural and urban.
Then there have been these recent announcements from Defra to have a strategy for farming and to open up SFIs again.
That said, the Labour Party is in the midst of a huge damage limitation exercise, and not only in rural circles, following the recent local elections which saw the party lose control of 38 councils and nearly 1,500 council seats.
So, it could be another talking shop of unfounded promises, but time will tell.
In the meantime, there is a sense of farmers taking control themselves.
Places like Ruswarp Market and its customers taking care of their own sales and prices, younger farming generations like James Hill taking hold of struggling long-term farms and changing direction to make them viable and thriving, hobby farmers like Louis Stainthorpe becoming so passionate, farming becomes a new way of life.
When their own drive, vision and ideas are being echoed at the top of the tree by the likes of Minette Batters and Adam Bedford you do wonder, is this the new era of farming?