Business top stories BUSINESSTenant to owner-occupier – advice on what's involvedTenants’ rights usually only hit the headlines when a high-profile landlord decides it’s time to dispose of or develop part of their tenanted agricultural investments. They don’t come much higher… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESTighter lamb numbers help lift prices of finished sheepA tightening supply of finished lambs has helped lift prices for better-quality sheep, although a shortage of lighter animals is creating an uneven trade. Some abattoirs increased prices by 10-15p/kg… BUSINESSBuoyant livestock trade boosts auctioneer’s profitsHarrison & Hetherington (H&H) Group has reported record pre-tax profits of £1.963m for the year ended 30 June 2026, up 14.1% on the previous year, with strong livestock values providing… BUSINESSThe chainsaw safety trousers that can save lives on farmIf you are running machinery, clearing hedgerows, or managing estate grounds, a chainsaw is likely one of the most powerful tools in your kit. But it’s also one of the… MARKETS AND TRENDSRed diesel prices ease as crude oil falls from recent highsRed diesel prices have started to fall following a sharp decline in crude oil markets, offering some relief to farmers after several weeks of rising fuel costs. According to the… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESUSDA report gives mixed signals for grain marketsA mixed outlook from the latest US Department of Agriculture (USDA) supply and demand report has provided support to grain and oilseed markets, despite a more comfortable global wheat supply… BUSINESSMajor solar farm plans blocked over farmland concernsPlans for a major Oxfordshire solar farm have been rejected by the government over concerns about the loss of productive farmland, landscape damage and heritage impacts. The £800m Botley West… ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMESNFU demands £1bn SFI27 budget after SFI26 chaosThe NFU is urging Defra to recycle £960m from expiring agri-environment schemes into a Sustainable Farming Incentive 2027 (SFI27) budget of more than £1bn, warning farmer demand will once again… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTNew rental register: What farm landlords need to doCompliance with the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) steps up a gear on 15 December when private rented sector landlords must begin registering themselves and their properties on a government database.… COMPLIANCERed Tractor proposes 27% cut in combinable crops audit pointsRed Tractor is inviting combinable crops and sugar beet growers to help rewrite its standards, with around a quarter of audit points proposed for removal and the door open to… HEALTH AND SAFETYFamily calls for compulsory tractor tests after fatal collisionThe family of a motorcyclist killed in a collision with an agricultural tractor is calling for mandatory annual roadworthiness tests for tractors and trailers used on public roads. A petition… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTABP lamb takeover raises competition and job fearsThe proposed takeover of Pilgrim’s Europe Llanidloes lamb abattoir by ABP Food Group has raised concerns among Welsh sheep farmers over reduced competition and the site’s long-term future. ABP expects… ELMTwo new CS Higher Tier options open for farmers in EnglandFarmers and land managers in England can now register interest in two new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) single-focus agreements, covering traditional orchards and wet grassland for wintering waders and… LAND MARKETSSouth-west England offers choice of four farmsFour farms in the south-west of England, including a fully equipped arable and dairy holding with 424 acres, provide a good range of opportunities this week. In the latest set… Business newsSee all MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESTighter lamb numbers help lift prices of finished sheepA tightening supply of finished lambs has helped lift prices for better-quality sheep, although a shortage of lighter animals is creating an uneven trade. Some abattoirs increased prices by 10-15p/kg… BUSINESSBuoyant livestock trade boosts auctioneer’s profitsHarrison & Hetherington (H&H) Group has reported record pre-tax profits of £1.963m for the year ended 30 June 2026, up 14.1% on the previous year, with strong livestock values providing… MARKETS AND TRENDSRed diesel prices ease as crude oil falls from recent highsRed diesel prices have started to fall following a sharp decline in crude oil markets, offering some relief to farmers after several weeks of rising fuel costs. According to the… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESUSDA report gives mixed signals for grain marketsA mixed outlook from the latest US Department of Agriculture (USDA) supply and demand report has provided support to grain and oilseed markets, despite a more comfortable global wheat supply… More articles Explore farm management Know How Business advice Essential guides Practical tips Case studies Business management Compliance Payments, schemes and grants Diversification Health and safety Succession planning Road legal Careers and personal development Explore all topics Latest from farm management Know HowSee all BUSINESSTenant to owner-occupier – advice on what's involvedTenants’ rights usually only hit the headlines when a high-profile landlord decides it’s time to dispose of or develop part of their tenanted agricultural investments. They don’t come much higher… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Can accommodation value contribute to NMW rate?Whether it’s a legal, tax, finance or management question, Farmers Weekly’s expert panel can help. Here, Kate Bell, a partner in Albert Goodman’s farms and estates team, advises on accommodation… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTWater capture and storage: What farmers need to considerThe UK climate has already changed. Weather patterns are now characterised by heatwaves and extended dry periods, interspersed with downpours and followed by weeks of rain. This summer was the… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Advice on approach by mineral companyWhether it’s a legal, tax, finance or management question, Farmers Weekly’s expert panel can help. Here, Carter Jonas partner Paul Clarke advises on what to consider if approached for mineral… DIVERSIFICATIONHow glamping and camping markets are changingOver the past 15 years, Barney Smith has gradually diversified part of his family’s farm at Baxby Manor, near York, into camping, glamping and, most recently, wellness experiences. It has… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow to measure farm business resilienceTransition experts are urging farmers and growers to think again about the data they use to gauge the health of their businesses. In addition to the conventional performance measures they… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONHow Transition Farm businesses are adapting to changeWhether it’s a different direction, a new business arrangement or a shift in focus, farms across the country are making changes to the way that they are structured and run.… BUSINESSHow to put nature on the balance sheetNature is an asset, not an add-on, and its value must be recognised in making farm businesses cost less to run, while also helping them access new income streams. Far… FINANCEAdvice on options to manage farm cashflow pressureManaging cash to keep things going is a challenge for many farm businesses, but there are things that can be reviewed to improve matters without borrowing more, says Mark Chatterton,… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Should an overage clause be included?Whether it’s a legal, tax, finance or management question, Farmers Weekly’s expert panel can help. Here, Harvey Davies, head of natural capital at law firm Thrings, gives advice on the potential… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow hot dry harvest will help shape plansThe early start to harvest caught many by surprise. The weeks of hot dry weather that followed without a rain break for the vast majority was just as much a… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTWhy mediation can be a good way to resolve farming disputesSuccession, partnership issues, boundary arguments, how to treat inherited land – these and many other matters are familiar and fertile ground for dispute. When it’s personal and involves the business… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow outside help can smooth the path for farm business adminThe increasing burden of compliance in general and the pressure to fulfil regulatory requirements such as tax and other official business online means more farm businesses are likely to need… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTInheritance disputes: How to avoid broken promise claimsThe value of farms and changes to inheritance tax (IHT) relief have prompted much discussion and advice about succession and inheritance. When expectations are not met it can lead to… LAND MARKETSBarn conversions: Still worth the effort in a tricky market?Mike Taylor, senior partner at Shropshire-based Barbers Rural, doesn’t pull his punches when asked for his opinion on farmyard barn conversions. “Quite frequently we have clients who are thinking of… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow farmers can qualify for free septic tank upgradeFarmers in certain parts of England may not know they qualify for a free septic tank replacement. Since a ruling in 2019 by the European Court of Justice, about 15%… Business Clinic BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Can accommodation value contribute to NMW rate?Whether it’s a legal, tax, finance or management question, Farmers Weekly’s expert panel can help. Here, Kate Bell, a partner in Albert Goodman’s farms and estates team, advises on accommodation… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Advice on approach by mineral companyWhether it’s a legal, tax, finance or management question, Farmers Weekly’s expert panel can help. Here, Carter Jonas partner Paul Clarke advises on what to consider if approached for mineral… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Should an overage clause be included?Whether it’s a legal, tax, finance or management question, Farmers Weekly’s expert panel can help. Here, Harvey Davies, head of natural capital at law firm Thrings, gives advice on the potential… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Can we bring in partners but retain control?Whether it’s a legal, tax, finance or management question, Farmers Weekly’s expert panel can help. Here, Andrew Morris, a partner in Thrings agriculture team, gives advice on how to bring in… View all Business Clinic articles Markets and trendsSee all MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESTighter lamb numbers help lift prices of finished sheepA tightening supply of finished lambs has helped lift prices for better-quality sheep, although a shortage of lighter animals is creating an uneven trade. Some abattoirs increased prices by 10-15p/kg… MARKETS AND TRENDSRed diesel prices ease as crude oil falls from recent highsRed diesel prices have started to fall following a sharp decline in crude oil markets, offering some relief to farmers after several weeks of rising fuel costs. According to the… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESUSDA report gives mixed signals for grain marketsA mixed outlook from the latest US Department of Agriculture (USDA) supply and demand report has provided support to grain and oilseed markets, despite a more comfortable global wheat supply… NEWSSFI 'risks shifting oilseed rape production overseas'The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) risks taking productive land out of rotations and shifting food production overseas, increasing reliance on imports, United Oilseeds managing director James Warner has warned. Speaking… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESWelsh farmers call for ban on Brazilian beef importsWelsh livestock farmers are urging the UK government to ban Brazilian meat imports amid concerns over production standards and potential disruption to domestic markets. NFU Cymru has written to all… INPUT MARKETS AND PRICESFertiliser prices firm as nitrogen supply concerns mountUK fertiliser prices are largely unchanged, according to the AHDB’s latest market assessment, but rising gas costs, geopolitical uncertainty and concerns over future nitrogen availability are keeping the market firm.… DAIRY MARKETS AND PRICESMilk buyers hold December prices despite weaker dairy marketsMost major milk buyers are holding December prices, despite a shock 7p/litre cut by liquid processor Freshways from December, although falling butter and cream values are raising concerns over farmgate… DAIRY MARKETS AND PRICESFreshways cuts milk price by 7p/litre in ‘brutal’ moveFreshways is cutting its base milk price by 7p/litre from 1 December, taking it to 29.4p/litre as weaker dairy markets and poor returns from liquid milk squeeze processor margins. The… Advertisements Land in your areaSee all LAND MARKETSFarmland in your area 2025: East MidlandsA slowdown in new instructions and completed sales in the East Midlands was evident in the spring and summer. The combination of downward pressures of extreme weather, economic challenges, crop… LAND MARKETSFarmland in your area 2025: West MidlandsSupplies of farmland in the West Midlands have bucked the national trend with the number of acres marketed in 2025 among the highest for five years. According to rural agents,… LAND MARKETSFarmland in your area 2025: South-east EnglandWhile the market for farmland in the south-east of England is undeniably cautious, land that is well presented and sensibly priced continues to find a buyer. The acreage launched in… LAND MARKETSFarmland in your area 2025: North-west EnglandSales of smaller blocks of bare land have been the most common feature in market activity in the north-west of England in 2025. 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