Continuing conflict in the Middle East is expected to have lasting effects on global supply chains, according to the Agricultural Economics Society at its one hundredth anniversary conference in Oxford. Experts warn that disruptions could persist even after hostilities end, raising concerns about potential increases in supermarket food prices.

Seafood processors have expressed concern about new regulations recognising crustaceans such as lobsters as sentient beings capable of feeling pain. Under the Animal Welfare Strategy, they must be dispatched as painlessly as possible before cooking, prompting fears that imported shellfish may not meet the updated standards.

The programme also explores the history of farming in Britain, focusing on the country’s last remaining example of the medieval three field crop rotation system. Located in the village of Laxton in Nottinghamshire, the system offers a rare glimpse into centuries old agricultural practices still in use today.