All the latest farming news MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESDefra pledges £3m fund for small abattoirs in EnglandDefra has promised £3m in additional support for new and mobile abattoirs in England through its Farming Investment Fund. The commitment, made by prime minister Rishi Sunak at this week’s… OILSEED RAPERecord levels of light leaf spot found in oilseed rapeOilseed rape growers are advised to check crops for light leaf spot (LLS), as severe outbreaks are being found throughout the country, threatening yields. LLS thrives in the moist, cool… ELMDefra offers flexibility on 'green scheme' requirementsFarmers in England who are signed up to various agri-environment schemes are being offered temporary derogations from the normal compliance rules where wet weather and flooding has stopped them from… NEWSKey takeaways from Farm to Fork 2024Prime minister Rishi Sunak is being challenged by farm leaders to match his warm words on food security with meaningful actions. Mr Sunak hosted almost 100 representatives from the food… POTATOESWhat the mancozeb withdrawal date means for potato growersUK potato growers are facing yet another hit to production as the withdrawal of mainstay potato blight fungicide mancozeb comes into effect later this year and resistance to alternative actives… BALERS AND WRAPPERSCNH automates tractor speed and steering when big balingInexperienced operators or those who like to chill and drink a coffee while in the driving seat will welcome a new baling automation feature that takes charge of steering and… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESSummer nerves see beef price fall to 480p/kg deadweightProcessor beef prices fell by 2-4p/kg deadweight this week for many, sparking debate about abattoir kill days, autumn supply and consumer behaviour. Trade sources believe farmers will resist the temptation… TRAILERSRedrock buys assets of financially stricken trailer maker KtwoFarm equipment maker Redrock Machinery has bought the assets of one of its competitors, just four weeks after Ktwo directors appointed an administrator. Redrock says it has acquired the Ktwo… FARM POLICYBaroness Kate Rock appointed to Defra boardDefra has announced the appointment of Baroness Kate Rock, who chaired the Rock Review into the tenanted sector, as a non-executive board member. Non-executive board members are senior figures from… LIVESTOCKIT problems prevent farmers registering cattle movementsComputer problems have been preventing British livestock farmers from registering cattle movements online, Defra has said. Farmers have been reporting issues over the past few days attempting to log on… NEWSFarmers march in Cardiff to highlight threat to food securityFrustrated Welsh farmers have marched in Cardiff to highlight the growing threat to food security by Welsh government “anti-farming” policies. The march on Tuesday (14 May) was organised by grassroots… FARM POLICYWelsh government delays new support scheme for another yearThe roll out of Wales’ controversial new farm support scheme is being put on hold for another year. The Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) was due to be phased in from… FARM POLICYSunak to unveil raft of new measures to back British farmersPrime minister Rishi Sunak is set to unveil a raft of new measures to back British farming, including a new UK Annual Food Security Index and plans to “turbocharge” the… MACHINERYImproved routing for driverless Agrointelli tool-carrierSoftware upgrades have brought a number of new and enhanced features to the Robotti self-driving tool carrier, including new route patterns, a dynamic route plan preview, and the ability to… BOVINE TBDaera study reveals bovine TB in a fifth of roadkill badgersThe latest roadkill survey figures from Northern Ireland show that about one in five badgers tested positive for bovine TB last year. In 2023, a total of 459 badgers were… FARM POLICYProf Chris Elliott hits out at government food security recordA leading food scientist at Queen’s University in Belfast has criticised the government’s record on food security. Prof Chris Elliott OBE, founder of the university’s Institute for Global Food Security… VARIETY SELECTIONOSR growers to benefit from sclerotinia-tolerant varietiesOSR growers now have a choice of varieties with tolerance against the yield-sapping sclerotinia, including the top yielder on the AHDB Recommended List. Corteva was the first to launch a… TECHNOLOGYMoving solar panels capture energy over growing cropsA novel approach to capturing solar power saves farmers having to choose between dedicating a field to energy or crop production. Developed in the Netherlands by industrial designer Marcel Vroom… NEWSYeo Valley to remove 'incorrect' UK topsoil losses statYeo Valley has decided to remove an “incorrect” statistic about UK topsoil erosion from its vanilla ice-cream after a farmer questioned its validity. Northamptonshire farmer Joe Adams, from Thrupp Farms… NEWSThis Week in Farming: Strikes, SFI on the cheap and dairy tipsWelcome back to another edition of This Week in Farming, your regular round-up of the best content from Farmers Weekly. But first, have you found the sun cream? It was… CULTIVATION AND DRILLINGFour-wheel FarmDroid allows for crop bed seeding and weedingThe ability to seed and weed crops grown in beds is a key driver for the development of a four-wheel version of the usually three-wheel FarmDroid autonomous tool carrier. It… ARABLEGrowers invited to alternative break crop trial in FifeGrowers and agronomists are invited to an alternative break crop open day at two Scottish trial sites, on 23 May, to discover the latest findings on oilseed rape and linseed.… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESRussia's wheat harvest prospects dented by dry, cold spellAnalysts have lowered their prospects for Russia’s 2024 wheat harvest following extreme weather events this spring. Southern Russia, which grows up to 40% of the country’s wheat crop, has been… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESGlobal sow herd stabilises as pig producers return to profitThe tide finally seems to be turning for the global pork sector and after a period of herd contraction, pig numbers are now beginning to stabilise. Better returns for pig… EVENTSWinners named in inaugural Women in Agriculture AwardsTwelve women have been honoured as winners in a new awards scheme which aims to recognise and reward women in agriculture. The first ever National Women In Agriculture Awards was… LIVESTOCK DISEASESBSE case confirmed on farm in ScotlandA case of classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed by the Scottish government on a farm in Ayrshire, Scotland. It was identified as part of routine testing and… WEATHERDefra secretary promises more help for flood-hit farmersFurther help for farmers hit by incessant wet weather and flooding this winter and spring is on the way, with derogations planned for environmental schemes, and an extension of the… NEWSUK farmers 'on the brink' amid financial and mental pressuresBritish farmers are “on the brink” of quitting the industry following months of wet weather and low profits, farming groups have warned. Prolonged wet weather, squeezed margins and falling farm… FARM POLICYFarm to Fork summit 2023: Have pledges been met?Last May, prime minister Rishi Sunak agreed to hold a Farm to Fork food security summit at Number 10. Multiple promises were made by the government after the meeting, but… More articles
