We're on a mission this year at FW to improve our market prices and trends information because farmers keep telling us it's critical stuff. There's work going on behind the scenes to find out exactly the best way of doing this online and in print. This includes spending quite a lot of money on reader/user research... you can never do enough talking and listening to the customer... even if it does cost a fortune.
One of the key things to emerge from research is farmers wanting more interpretation of what's happening in the markets and what it all means for the farm business. So we've taken a leaf out of the BBC's book and tried to emulate the Beeb's popular business editor Robert Peston and his blog with regular updates from the FW equivalent our Global Markets and Economics Editor Philip Clarke.
Phil has started his own blog and he aims to provide analysis, interpretation and commentaries so the business information that's available is made more relevant and understandable to UK farmers. ,
You can chip in with your own thoughts on what's happening by responding to Phil's blog and it would be great to give him some feedback as to the usefulness of what he's doing. This is unchartered water for us at fwi and it would be good to get some encouragement and constructive feedback to spur us on. What areas of business would you like Phil to cover? What's got you baffled or confused? Let's see if we can cut through the minefield of bureaucrat and banking speak and make some sense of it for you.
It's beautiful down here in sussex with snow laden South Downs and a picture opportunity around every corner. But it's havoc on the roads and schools are closed. The south east is gridlock so most of the FW team has not been able to make it in to the office in Sutton, Surrey today,
We're managing to get the news to you and pictures by working remotely. There's a good selection of snow pictures already at http://www.fwi.co.uk/community/photos/februarysnow/default.aspx Share your stories about the weather and pictures at fwi.space.co.uk. The best pix may make it into the magazine too.
It looks as if London could be worse than other parts of the south east. My daughter tells me it's at least seven inches deep outside her door and the wheels of some parked cars can hardly be seen under the snow drifts.
The weather service on our site is not right at the moment but there are people working behind the scenes right now to try to fix it so bear with us. The big challenge comes tomorrow, particularly if the weather is still this bad and we struggle to make up pages for the magazine going to press on Wednesday. Fingers crossed the snows ease off tomorrow.