Both the Oxford farming conferences hosted Defra minister Michael Gove in January. At each he made much of a future domestic agricultural policy that has really been nascent for the last 20 years, that farmers should use their land to provide wildlife habitat and other environmental goods as well as farm productively and sustainably. His well made comments were reinforced with the launch of The 25 year Environmental plan by our Prime Minister, who also chose the time to voice concerns over plastics pollution. Perhaps “The Blue Planet”, so brilliantly presented by Sir David Attenborough, has been the most powerful voice in all of these announcements in showing the reality of “the erosion of natural capital” to millions of viewers. The sickening images shown require global action and long term commitments which will affect all parts of industry, not just farming. My response to Michael Gove’s and Mrs May’s announcement, though, is one of relief. I hope the political fire and public attention will last long enough and be funded well enough to create new cycles of environmental improvement.