9% average for inflation. so what s driving that? a whole range of things from machinery hire, transport costs, shortage of labour and seasonal workers, but also the cost of things like food, fuel, energy, fertiliser as well. this is all meaning it s becoming increasingly difficult to stay in the business. those that are toughing it out, arable farmers, so they re producing crops wheat and the like, but also things like fruit and veg, they re saying, one in three, are saying they re actually cutting back on the amount of land that they re cultivating as a direct result of the cost of living crisis and inflation they are facing. dairy farmers, the situation isn t much better, if i m honest. one in 20, according to the nfu, are not going to be in dairy at all in the next two years. so, times are increasingly difficult. let s talk to steve hook who is the manager and farm owner here at hook and sons in longley farm in sussex. where are you feeling the pinch when it comes to costs?
actually putting my prices up by 10% to 15% this week, which my customers have been very understanding about. and also we are diversifying. we are looking at having a campsite on the farm. but on the farming side, i think i ve got to invest in my grassland so i m actually producing more milk from my own grass instead of imported feeds. it s tough, isn t it? steve is doing all of this, but with a herd of 70 and 20 people he s got here on the farm, most people have got perhaps two workers and they are looking at a herd of twice that, 150 cows would be the average here in the uk. so times are tough for the agricultural industry and many are wondering whether or not we will go back to local produce for local people. now, time to take a look at some of the stories making the headlines this afternoon from our news teams across the uk .
u.s. government s assessment, russian forces are deliberately attempting to prevent ships from leaving the port of ports of ukraine with agriculture goods for export. he has warned repeatedly that this could have serious repercussions for millions of people across the globe who are dependent on ukrainian agriculture exports. and he was urging u.n. member states to amp up the pressure on russia on this matter. and that has been the repeated call from the u.n. itself. we heard from the world food program chief david beasley warning that if the situation isn t sorted out soon, this could lead to famine-like situations across large parts of the world. take a listen. it is absolutely essential that we allow these ports to open, because this is not just about ukraine. this is about the poorest of the poor around the world who are on the brink of starvation as we speak. so i ask president putin, if you
million pounds worse off. ben godfrey reports. at the whitfield valley centre, families are enjoying craft activities, but they are also here for more formal support. that is because the cost of living in stoke on trent is pushing them to the breadline. this woman has two young children and her husband works full time in a factory, but their bills are soaring and she is regularly borrowing money from relatives. i regularly borrowing money from relatives. .., regularly borrowing money from relatives. ., , ., ., regularly borrowing money from relatives. ., relatives. i can t afford to take the kids on relatives. i can t afford to take the kids on day relatives. i can t afford to take the kids on day trips, - relatives. i can t afford to take the kids on day trips, gas - relatives. i can t afford to take the kids on day trips, gas and | the kids on day trips, gas and electric, i am constantly topping it up electric, i am constantly topping it up every two days. i am spending £3
on january 6th. he says, he may be arrested for urging people to do this. but the case is murky in the eyes of law enforcement because it doesn t appear from video that he himself ever goes into the capitol or commits any violence. est those are the two main reasons they have been charging hundreds of rioters. i think you could make a charge against ray epps at some part of the investigation. that s for the justice department to decide. right now, it is just someone urging others to march on the capitol and go in, his situation isn t that different from people who spoke at the ellipse, told people that rudy giuliani telling people to have trial by combat or mow brooks telling people to kick ass and take names or whatever he told, donald trump telling people to fight like hell. so he s using language to encourage and incite the mob.