I was extremely impressed when listening recently to Max Cotton’s Radio 4 series Growing Solo, who spent 12 months living off his 1.5-hectares in Somerset, buying in nothing to eat but salt.

Max Cotton, a retired political journalist, leaves behind the weekly shop, supermarkets and the modern world to find out if he can grow and produce 100% of his food on a smallholding near Glastonbury.

BASF, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, is expanding its industry-leading FiberMax and Stoneville cotton seed portfolio with the addition of six new varieties for the 2025 growing season.