As 2025 comes to a close, we look back on a year of contrasts in farming. Good weather and strong prices brought some much-needed optimism, helping many farms perform well.

But it wasn’t without its worries. Ongoing concerns around the Mercosur trade deal and the future of the nitrates derogation created uncertainty, while farmers once again found themselves caught in political fallout both at home and abroad.

Add to that the never-ending pressure of environmental expectations, regulations, and changing policy, and 2025 proved that farming remains about balancing opportunity with challenge.