All the latest farming news PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTSDefra provides clarity on farming budget spendDefra has offered clarity on how the agricultural budget for England is being allocated amid concerns from food and farming organisations over a lack of transparency about where the money… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTApply lime now to grassland if conditions good, says expertWhere ground conditions are good, now is the ideal time for lime applications to grassland. However, calcium lime is recommended by independent consultant Dr George Fisher. Magnesium lime makes the… TRACTORSNovel hybrid tractor drivetrain developed by CNH brand SteyrAny Formula 1 fan will be used to seeing its high-performance cars harvesting unused energy and deploying it as a tactical power boost further down the track. Farmers could be… BOVINE TBBovine TB cattle slaughterings below 20,000 in EnglandThe number of cattle slaughtered in England over the course of a year due to bovine TB has dropped below 20,000 for the first time in 15 years. The latest… NEWS'Tighten the borders' say farmers, as swine fever reaches SwedenThe UK government is under pressure to raise the threat level of African swine fever (ASF) from medium to high, after Sweden reported its first case, with humans thought to… BOVINE TBNew TB rules mean less red tape to move restricted cattleLivestock movements during a bovine TB breakdown can be made using a single general licence from 2 October 2023, replacing the need for individual movement licences. The rule change, described… SHEEPNew sheep dipping guidelines now in place - what to expectSheep farmers should collaborate closely with dipping contractors to keep abreast of updated dipping guidelines as part of an industry-wide focus on best practice. Fresh directives on prescribing sheep dip… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONDefra’s 2023 SFI scheme opens for applications in EnglandDefra’s Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme for England is starting to accept applications after its launch was delayed by technical issues. Farmers in England who are claiming basic payments will… TRACTORSCase IH and New Holland unveil 75hp electric tractorsBattery-powered electric tractors look set to enter mainstream agriculture following the commercial launch of 55kW (75hp) models at the Farm Progress Show in the US. Unlike the electric compact tractors… AWARDSFarmers Weekly Awards 2023: Environmental Champion finalistsThe winner of this award, chosen from the finalists in the other Awards categories, is the farmer judged to have made the most positive impact on the wider environment and… NEWSThis Week in Farming: RPA woes, Labour reshuffle and BFFHello and welcome to This Week in Farming. The Farmers Weekly team have been working on some cracking stories for you over the past seven days – here are some… NEWSAmazon 'in talks' for fourth series of Clarkson's FarmAmazon bosses are in “positive talks” with Jeremy Clarkson over running a fourth series of Clarkson’s Farm, according to reports. A number of national media news outlets, including the Independent… CULTIVATION AND DRILLINGTillage 2023: Kverneland, Kuhn and KRM launch new kitPersistent rain at this year’s Tillage-Live event in Warwickshire gave the hardy souls who braved it a good chance to see how the latest cultivators and drills perform in sticky… PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTSRPA suffers IT issues on CS 2024 deadline dayThe Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has been battling IT computer glitches on deadline day for the 2024 Countryside Stewardship scheme, sparking huge frustration and anxiety for farmers trying to submit… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESBeef and lamb markets well supported into the autumnA warmer start to September and tighter supplies of stock has helped to strengthen prices for both beef and lamb in recent weeks across the UK. Analysts say the improved… LAND MARKETSMore land and farms wanted on Scottish marketAs in all UK land markets, more supply is needed in Scotland. Anything of quality is generally readily snapped up, with private sales accounting for a good proportion of what… NEWSOn-farm visits for schoolchildren piloted by AHDB and LeafFarmers are being offered fully funded training to host school visits on their farms as part of a new initiative by AHDB and farming charity Leaf. Initially, 20 farmers in… ARABLEGlyphosate ‘critical’ for regenerative farming, says CoffeyDefra remains committed to keeping glyphosate available for farmers and growers to use, environment secretary Therese Coffey has said. Ms Coffey was roundly applauded at the NFU’s Back British Farming… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONMore support for upland farmers demanded in petitionA Cumbrian dairy farmer has launched a petition demanding better support from Defra for farmers in the uplands and nature-friendly agriculture. James Robinson, an organic dairy farmer based at Strickley… BIODIVERSITYFarming in Protected Landscapes gets £10m boostThe Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme has been extended by Defra until March 2025 with an additional £10m in funding due to be provided each year. The move is… NEWSDefra rapped for lack of action on seed potato exports to EUDefra has been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” on the issue of seed potato exports to the EU. English, Scottish and Welsh seed potato growers have been unable… NEWS‘I’m on a learning curve’: Labour shadow Defra secretaryRecently appointed Labour shadow Defra secretary Steve Reed, who represents the London constituency of North Croydon, has admitted he is “on a learning curve” in his new job. Speaking exclusively… COMMUNITYTerms & Conditions Farmers Weekly’s Britain’s Fittest Farmer...The following are the terms and conditions for the Farmers Weekly‘s Britain’s Fittest Farmer 2024 competition launched on 15 September 2023. The prize is £1,000 each for one male and one… NEWSNew border control regime poses biosecurity riskIndustry figures have warned the government’s new food border control regime poses a biosecurity risk. While the UK was a member of the EU, it relied upon a team of… PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTS£4m Defra funding package to help small abattoirs surviveDefra is to create a £4m fund “by the end of 2023” to help the small abattoir sector invest for the future, and will ease the burden of regulation to… COMMUNITYKent farmer donates entire orchard to London charityA farmer from Kent has donated an entire orchard’s worth of produce to London-based charity The Felix Project, which will be distributing the fruit across the capital’s schools and communities… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESFinished pig values dwindle despite tighter UK supplyUK pig prices have started to ease back in recent weeks after reaching record highs in August. The EU-spec standard pig price (SPP) averaged 224.76p/kg deadweight for the week ending… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESWheat prices strengthened by lower global productionTighter global supplies of grain have added some short-term support to wheat prices this week. Production estimates have been lowered for 2023-24 in Australia, Canada, Argentina and the EU in… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTAutumn-calving herds advised to graze now to cut diet costsAutumn block-calving herds should target pre-grazing covers no greater than 3,000kgDM/ha, or they will compromise intakes and utilisation. Cows in early lactation won’t be able to graze swards that are… More articles
