These are certainly strange times we live in. A former Labour prime minister was awarded the high accolade of the Order of the Garter for taking us into an unnecessary war at great human cost.

Meanwhile, the current prime minister is fighting a pork pie plot (at least it puts Melton Mowbray on the map).

While I am appalled at Number 10’s lockdown garden parties, I am nervous about who is in the wings waiting to take the big job, given half a chance.

See also: New sulphur fungicide ups yields and offers good septoria control

About the author

Keith Challen

Arable Farmer Focus writer

Keith Challen manages 1,200ha of heavy clay soils in the Vale of Belvoir, Leicestershire, for Belvoir Farming Company. Cropping includes wheat, oilseed rape and elderflowers. The farm is also home to the Belvoir Fruit Farms drinks business.

Read more articles by Keith Challen

One thing’s for sure, agriculture still isn’t on the agenda.

I had hoped that as chief whip Mark Spencer was a farmer, he might have the prime minister’s ear. However, it’s probably Carrie Johnson who has the last vegan word of the day.

Like a lot of farmers, I’m sure, I’ve been trying to get my head round the new Sustainable Farming Incentive. I sometimes think people of high office are having a laugh at our expense.

Incentive? What incentive?

Michael Gove had promised a package equal in value to the old scheme, but it’s certainly falling short so far. I guess we live in hope.

On the subject of schemes and regulations, I am at a loss with the Environment Agency’s rules banning us from applying farmyard manure in the autumn for autumn-sown crops, with the exception of OSR.

I can understand their argument, but I’m not sure the science supports it. Some argue that if we don’t increase soil organic matter we may have only 100 harvests left.

As a non-OSR grower it looks like in-crop spring applications will be the only way forward.

Greed is a funny thing – the more you’ve got, the more you want. I’m blaming greed for not selling all my wheat when it was above £240/t last November. I was waiting for £250/t. Now I’m praying for £230/t.

Typical. As inflation goes up, wheat comes down.

Finally, if you’ve got a spare five minutes, have a look online at the Farming Community Network and their great work. Perhaps you can help – it’s good to talk.