The Know Daily - Monday 3 March 2025

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European bison numbers have doubled in the UK’s only free-roaming herd in Kent. They’re part of a 50-year project to improve woodland biodiversity, and are already having a beneficial impact on the ecosystem, with increases in dormice, lizards, slow worms and a beetle thought to have been extinct.

🚜 Farmer focus

Last week the government announced a number of new policies to help boost farmers’ profits and keep Britain’s food industry sustainable.

What was announced?
A 5-year extension to seasonal worker visas to stabilise the workforce, a new commissioner for the tenant farming sector to efficiently resolve disputes, and plans for achieving 50% of public sector catering – which includes schools and hospitals – coming from British produce. A £110m investment in agricultural technology was also revealed, including offering grants of up to £25k to farmers to buy new equipment. Plus, there’s new legislation for “precision breeding” involving modifying crops to improve resilience, as well as payments towards farmers who are “pioneers of nature-friendly farming”.

What’s the bigger story?
It’s part of the government’s commitment to “unlock rural growth” and builds upon previous proposals to expand farmers’ income sources through selling surplus energy from solar panels and wind farms, as well as supporting them through difficult harvests. The aim is to make farmers’ businesses more profitable into the future and secure Britain’s food supply, according to Environment, Food and Rural Affairs minister Steve Reed. He added that it’s about time farmers “make enough money to compensate for the hard work and commitment they put in”.

What’s the reaction been?
Some have criticised that the plans don’t go far enough to push retailers to pay more for farmers’ produce, with previous reports highlighting profits of less than 1% after deductions from the supply chain.

However, the proposals have been welcomed as a step in the right direction at a time when farmers have been protesting over inheritance tax relief changes that could see them pay 20% tax on assets above £1m. It also highlights a commitment to supporting the growing popularity of consumers seeking high-quality British produce.

💰 Money Monday: Rail ticket prices have risen by 4.6% in England and Wales, with most railcards increasing by £5. Here’s a more extensive guide to all the fares affected.

🏆 Awards season: It was a big weekend for the creative industries, with the BRITs and the Oscars taking place.

🐢 Animal awareness: Today is World Wildlife Day – to celebrate the occasion, read some incredible conservation success stories.

🗣️ Peace talks: UK PM Keir Starmer held a summit on Sunday with European leaders to outline a plan to end the war in Ukraine – here are the key takeaways.

🌕 Moon mission: Lunar lander Blue Ghost successfully touched down on the moon, making it only the second private spacecraft to do so.

📱 Speaking smartphone: Tech leaders are gathering in Barcelona this week for the Mobile World Congress to explore the trends and technologies shaping the industry – here’s what to expect.

🔗 Last week’s most clicked: A puppy-shaped mountain, the best coffee shops in the world and a newly discovered flower species.

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Trivia answer: A) A book of biographies on the lives of Roman emperors has become extremely popular, 2,000 years after they were written. 

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