At heart I've always been a city girl, but one consequence of doing an early commute is that I hear Farming Today on Radio 4 each day. As a result I know more about cheese production and badgers than many of my more rural friends.
But urban or rural, late or early riser, it's been hard to miss the farmers in the news recently. Droughts, flooding, grain prices, TB and most recently cuts in the prices for milk - it's not an easy time to be a farmer. Farming is always risky, but this year is proving exceptional, and for many farmers the pressure may prove to be too much.
The Farm Crisis Network is holding a Day of Prayer for Farmers on Sunday 29 July. The prayer below was written by the Right Reverend Donald Allister, Bishop of Peterborough.
Heavenly Father,
the earth is yours and the harvests are your bounty.
We pray for our arable farmers
in this year of extreme weather.
We pray for our dairy farmers
with supermarkets forcing the price of milk down
and with bovine TB in some parts of the country.
We ask your blessing on the harvest
and on all who work in farming.
We ask that farmers facing difficult times
may know your love
and our support.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
