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Martin Lines

@linesmartin.bsky.social

Arable farmer and farming contractor near St Neots Cambridgeshire. CEO of the Nature Friendly Farming Network. https://www.nffn.org.uk/

984 Followers  |  298 Following  |  74 Posts  |  Joined: 11.11.2024  |  1.862

Latest posts by linesmartin.bsky.social on Bluesky

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This is a small clip of some of what I said.

23.01.2026 14:53 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Parliamentlive.tv Environmental Audit Committee

Wednesday I gave evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee in Parliament on the Environmental Improvement Plan.

If you’d like to watch the session, you can find it here and jump straight to 15:55:48, where our evidence begins:
πŸ‘‰ parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...

23.01.2026 14:53 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Opinion: Why farm assurance claims need to be squeaky clean - Farmers Weekly The banning of a TV advert for the Red Tractor scheme in the autumn of 2025, over claims aimed at consumers, caused quite a stir in the farming industry.

My latest opinion piece in @farmersweeklyuk.bsky.social.
www.fwi.co.uk/news/opinion...

06.01.2026 17:46 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Only 420mm of rain in 2025 compared to 650mm in 24 but similar to 410mm in 22. We are still relatively dry and not all cracks in the ground have closed yet so what will 2026 bring?

01.01.2026 18:07 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Happy New Year! As we enter 2026, enjoy this powerful poem by Liv Torc of The Hot Poets, celebrating nature-friendly farming and the vision of our CEO, Martin Lines. πŸ’š Find more inspiring poems of hope in the new children’s anthology Wonder, Thunder, Blunder: https://hotpoets.org/

01.01.2026 06:01 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The Christmas decorations are not down yet. But the Easter egg promotion has already started. Much like our weather and seasons everything is slowly getting mixed up and out of place. πŸ€―πŸ˜”

31.12.2025 17:31 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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This week, our CEO @linesmartin.bsky.socialΒ met @daera-ni.gov.ukΒ Minister @andrewmuirni.bsky.socialΒ to discuss Farming with Nature. NI farmers were also celebrated at the Farming Awards, showing how nature-friendly practices benefit farms & the environment.

Read more: πŸ”— https://tinyurl.com/2wvcxs5a

06.11.2025 09:30 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Nature Natters: The future is diversity Nature Natters column written by Martin Lines taken from the October 2025 issue of Crop Production Magazine

My latest Nature Natters opinion piece in Crop Production Magazine.
Our farm systems and food production are based on and underpinned by the diversity of nature, whether you farm in Cornwall, Cambridgeshire or Cumbria. πŸ‘‡
www.cpm-magazine.co.uk/opinion/natu...

22.10.2025 20:16 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A win for nature-friendly farmers! πŸŽ‰Β The Govt has confirmed 1-year extensions to Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreements - providing certainty for those delivering for food, nature & climate.Β πŸ‘‰ β€œThis was a key ask from NFFN, and it’s a strong signal,” says our CEO @linesmartin.bsky.social. #nffn

15.10.2025 05:01 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Nature Natters: What next for nature? Nature Natters column from the September 2025 issue of Crop Production Magazine

My latest opinion piece in the Crop Production Magazine.
www.cpm-magazine.co.uk/opinion/natu...

02.10.2025 12:23 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Podcast: Household budgets squeezed as food prices surge

Spoke to Evening Standard about what’s driving food price rises. Farmers face soaring costs & climate extremes, yet much of the value is lost higher up the chain. If we want fair prices & secure food, we need to support farming that builds resilient soils & nature
www.standard.co.uk/comment/podc...

18.09.2025 13:14 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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View from my bedroom in London this week. 😍 lots of productive meetings.

03.09.2025 19:33 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸŽ™οΈ New series! Our CEO @linesmartin.bsky.socialΒ joins ffinlo Costain monthly on the Nature Friendly Farm Gate podcast to unpack UK food & farming policy. First up: English farm policy, Defra’s role & an update on Martin’s farm.Β πŸ‘‰ Listen here: https://tinyurl.com/2ku9fbkj

#nffn

02.09.2025 05:01 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Nature Natters: To plough or not to plough? Nature Natters column from the August 2025 issue of Crop Production Magazine

My latest opinion piece in the Crop Production Magazine. Taking care of our soil has to be our number one priority. I see soil as the bank account for our business: invest into it and it will provide positive returns.

www.cpm-magazine.co.uk/opinion/natu...

30.08.2025 07:31 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸ¦‹ Nature Friendly Farm Gate - A new monthly series on the Farm Gate podcast channel.
🎀 🎧 With ffinlo Costain & @linesmartin.bsky.social (Chief Exec, @nffn.bsky.social).
πŸ‘‰ Listen to the audio podcast here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
πŸ‘‰ Watch the rough cut here: 8point9.com/nature-frien...

26.08.2025 13:19 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Farmers are stepping up to tackle pollution, but it’s a shared challenge. Martin Lines reminds us that consumers, supply chains & policymakers must play their part too.πŸ’§
Read more: https://www.nffn.org.uk/resources/from-our-ceo-we-need-to-stop-blaming-farmers-and-work-together-on-water-pollution

25.08.2025 08:38 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Receive an email today from the RPA to say they have finally fixed the issues on their computer system that was preventing us from doing a capital grant application. Unfortunately it’s taken so long the scheme has closed so that means work to improve our environment we won’t be able to deliver.πŸ˜”

13.08.2025 22:02 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 0
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Steve Holden on LBC News - Catch Up | Global Player Catch up on the last 7 days of shows from Steve Holden on LBC News

Listen to @linesmartin.bsky.social on LBC radio talking (at 1:43) with @steveholden.bsky.social about the impacts of drought and the importance of nature-friendly farming πŸ‘‡

www.globalplayer.com/catchup/lbcn...

12.08.2025 12:55 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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That’s our #Harvest25 completed. Better than feared, but the dry weather this year has reduced yields. Now time to focus on getting sorted for #Harvest26

05.08.2025 20:37 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Great to welcome Steve Reed Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to our CEO @linesmartin.bsky.socialΒ farm 🌱 A valuable visit discussing how nature friendly farming can tackle climate, food, water and nature challenges while building resilient, profitable farms. πŸ€πŸ’š

31.07.2025 10:06 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Not productive in what? Food, nature, climate mitigation, water quality etc? Farmers now and in the future need to look at all their productivity from their landscape and be rewarded for it.

30.07.2025 11:56 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Very willing to discuss a range of different issues and keen to listen. Defra have a lot of areas of work going on and having the opportunity to discuss them and put across our NFFN farmers views is very important.

30.07.2025 08:34 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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This afternoon I hosted Defra SoS Steve Reed on our farm. A great opportunity to show him around our farm and discuss nature friendly farming & lots of other topics. Farming is facing many challenges now & in the future. Having the opportunity to discuss things with the Steve Reed is very important.

29.07.2025 21:08 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Time to reduce, recycle and reuse nitrogen, says Lords Committee - Committees - UK Parliament The Environment and Climate Change Committee has published its report, ‘Nitrogen: time to reduce, recycle, reuse’, which calls for the UK to be more ambitious and strategic in its plans to...

Good to see the Lords spotlighting nitrogen pollution. Farmers want to do the right thing - but they need joined-up support to do it. More support for soil, nature, and resilient food systems.
This report gets that. Let’s make sure it turns into action. committees.parliament.uk/committee/51...

24.07.2025 11:55 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸ”ˆWe’re looking for an ambitious Country Manager to lead our growth and operations in Scotland!

Closing date: 6 August

Apply today: www.nffn.org.uk/news/hiring-...

#NFFNScotland

21.07.2025 15:20 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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We had some great discussions today at the Royal Welsh Show, including conversations between our CEO @linesmartin.bsky.social , Hywel Morgan NFFN Cymru Steering Group Chair, the First Minister, Deputy First Minister, and Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick, all focused on nature-friendly farming πŸ‘

21.07.2025 16:57 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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🚨 Groundswell 2025 Ticket Giveaway! 🚨 Win a FREE ticket! Become an NFFN member (it's free!) for a chance to win. Winner announced 4pm 23 June!

Already going? See our sessions at: https://www.nffn.org.uk/events/nffn-at-groundswell-2025

16.06.2025 05:01 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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What to expect from an EA inspection on farm - Farmers Weekly The number of farm inspections carried out by the Environment Agency (EA) has ramped up in recent years, as the government seeks to tackle water

A very good article in this week’s @farmersweeklyuk.bsky.social on β€œWhat to expect from an EA inspection on farm”. Very timely article with the farming rules for water statutory guidance being updated soon.
www.fwi.co.uk/business/com...

13.06.2025 16:28 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Great day on the @nffn.bsky.social stand @rspbengland.bsky.social Hope Farm #OpenFarmSunday event. Really good numbers of public attending. Great to see my local MP @iansollom.bsky.social attending and seeing how nature recovery and food production works together.

08.06.2025 17:21 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Emergency podcast: Is nature-friendly farming under attack?
YouTube video by 8.9ha Emergency podcast: Is nature-friendly farming under attack?

I joined Ffinlo Costain and others on @8point9.bsky.social’s Farm Gate podcast to talk about nature-friendly farming - what’s under threat, why it matters, and where next.
🎧 Also on Apple & Spotify - search β€œFarm Gate”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjYh...

03.06.2025 13:07 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

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