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The National Food Strategy will have a renewed focus on food security because of the issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic, its lead Henry Dimbleby has said.

The Government must offer support for dairy farmers to stop them going bust because of the coronavirus pandemic, says Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron.

Scottish Government’s handling of support for rural businesses has been branded ’shambolic’ by Shadow Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary Rachael Hamilton.

NFU Cymru has called on the Welsh Government to redeploy rural development cash to support farming businesses through the coronavirus pandemic.

NFU president Minette Batters says a dairy hardship payment expected to be announced by Government this week has not come quick enough for farmers battling ‘market collapse’.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has confirmed it will offer bridging loans to farmers still waiting for 2019 stewardship payments.

The Tenant Farmers’ Association (TFA) has called on Government to ensure farm payments are made on time as the deadline to claim was extended due to disruption caused by the coronavirus.

Farmers will need a serious cash injection from the Government if they are to survive this pandemic, then Brexit, says Deirdre Brock, SNP rural affairs spokesman in Westminster.

The Government is being urged to protect agriculture and environment budgets over the coming years, with spiralling spending on the coronavirus pandemic prompting fears of a new round of austerity.

The NFU has called on the Government to provide a BPS 2020 ‘payment guarantee’ to help farmers struggling with cashflow issues due to the coronavirus pandemic.