Know How latest NEWSFW Survey 2025: A year of improvement - for some farmsGiven the lack of confidence pervading agriculture right now, it is perhaps surprising to see that more businesses have enjoyed a relatively prosperous 2025 than in the preceding 12 months.… TRACTORSDriver's view: Tom Mixture's John Deere 6R 250Sitting at the apex of John Deere’s “mid-size” tractor line-up, the 6R 250 offers a healthy slug of power in a modestly proportioned chassis. Its versatility in tackling jobs both… ARABLEYoung farmers bold move to take on council tenancy pays offJoshua Dennis, a 26-year-old arable farmer from Cambridgeshire, made the bold move to take on a county council tenancy at just 22 years old. Three successful yet challenging harvests later,… TRACTORSDriver's view: Robin Ward's Massey Ferguson 8S.305For the Massey Ferguson buyer seeking 300 horses, both the 8S and 9S can deliver the goods. But the former’s blend of power and manoeuvrability made it the sensible choice… BUSINESSFarming partnership prompts move from Hampshire to SomersetBen and Molly Foote made the move from Hampshire to Somerset in October, to start milking on a former dairy farm where they are renovating and adding to the buildings.… LIVESTOCKHow off-farm pursuits are benefiting two livestock farmsA change is as good as a rest, the saying goes, and getting away from the farm to do something completely different is a great way to recharge the batteries.… TRACTORSDriver's view: Dan Chanin's Claas Axion 870Armed with a 6.7-litre FPT engine and a choice of transmissions, Claas’s five-model Axion 800 range has the 200-300hp sector covered. And it’s the range-topping 870 with Cmatic CVT that’s… ARABLEYoung farmer completes marathon 2,000-mile US harvestWhen Eleanor Gilbert graduated from university, she knew she wanted to travel overseas – not looking out the window of a tour bus, but by completing a marathon 2,000-mile harvest… TRACTORSDriver's View: Ben Sharp’s Case IH Optum 300Case IH’s Puma 260 might be the obvious match for the 300hp tractors featured in this series, but, with the near-identical T7.300 already covered, we’re instead focusing on a model… POULTRYBenefits of premium turkey contract for beef and sheep farmGrowing turkeys is allowing a Powys farm to earn an additional income stream from its beef and sheep sheds at a time of the year when they would otherwise have… OTHER CROPSHow agronomist is helping growers earn more from niche cropsArmed with new research findings, analysis of farm yield data and many hours of crop walking, a team of agronomists are helping farmers maximise returns from their niche crops. For… COMMUNITYHow two livestock farmers give back to their communitiesIf you want something done, ask a busy person, so the saying goes. Few people are busier than farmers, yet thousands still find time to take on charitable and community… SUCCESSION PLANNINGFarm succession: how to plan for future control and ownershipThere are many ways of achieving the successful transfer of a business. A planned change over time is the ideal, but the last two Budgets have ramped everything up several… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTOFC report: Tough choices today protect your farm tomorrowUK agriculture is standing at a crossroads, and the roadmap to a new future, according to a fresh report from the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), isn’t going to be set… ATVS AND UTVSOn test: Kawasaki's keenly priced Brute Force 450 ATVYou’d be forgiven for thinking Kawasaki had forgotten about agricultural ATVs. Ever since the Mule rose to prominence, the Japanese firm’s attentions seem to have been focused on steering wheels… 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,… BEEFHow cost focus unlocked beef and sheep farm’s potentialThere is nothing like a debt to focus the mind – and a farming partnership restructuring that allowed Richard McCornick and his brother Craig to farm independently certainly did that.… LAND MARKETSPlanning consent and lotting - when do they help a farm sale?Maximising the value of your assets is clearly a sensible strategy when preparing to sell your farm, but sometimes the rewards don’t outweigh the time, effort and costs involved. Securing… ROTATIONSPoor grain outlook sees farms rethink rotations and machineryFor many arable farmers, the reality of low grain prices and minimal government support has triggered some of the toughest decisions of their careers. As margins tighten and markets fail… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Tax advice on sheds let for commercial useWhether it’s a legal, tax, insurance, management or land issue, Farmers Weekly’s Business Clinic experts can help. Here, Kate Bell, a partner with accountant Albert Goodman, explains the many tax… HEALTH AND WELFARECalf toys: What’s on offer and are they worth it?Introducing toys into the calf pen can enhance the development and wellbeing of youngstock, helping them thrive and become resilient animals in adulthood. However, these should not be at the… SUGAR BEETSuffolk beet grower counts huge cost of beet mothBeet moth was responsible for a sugar beet yield reduction of 25%, a drop in sugar content and a forced switch to earlier lifting at Troston Farms in Suffolk, where… PARASITIC DISEASESAdvice on an integrated approach to endoparasite managementManaging endoparasites, including worms, fluke, and coccidia, remains a persistent challenge for UK farms that directly affects animal welfare and profitability. As resistance to anthelmintics – and understanding of their… HEALTH AND WELFAREAdvice on using natural predators to control nuisance fliesEarly birds may get worms, but livestock farmers planning fly control in winter benefit by preventing a population explosion of common and stable flies next summer. Starting a tailored fly… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTFarm data revolution relies on greater collaborationThe data revolution could transform UK agriculture, but fundamental issues remain. That was the key takeaway from speakers and delegates at the recent Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ Telecoms conference.… NEWSSilicon Valley cash shapes UK animal welfare agendaTens of millions of pounds are flowing to UK organisations from the San Francisco-based Coefficient Giving foundation (formerly Open Philanthropy), giving them influence in Westminster and raising questions about transparency,… DISEASE MANAGEMENTWhy genetics must be central to late blight managementLate blight resistant varieties must be an active component of potato crop management regimes, rather than a “just-in-case” safety net. That is the view of Dan Milbourne, who is leading… 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… TAXBudget analysis: IHT concession but added taxes elsewhereChancellor Rachel Reeves’s 26 November Budget made the £1m inheritance tax (IHT) allowance on qualifying assets transferable between spouses and civil partners. This brings the rules for this allowance in… PIGSHow organic pig breeder setup benefits business performanceProducer Guy King has doubled sow numbers from 500 to 1,000, and the 2023 Farmers Weekly Pig Farmer of the Year is now selling 350-400 finished pigs a week from… COVER CROPSTrials reveal best ways to maximise cover crop benefitsOpting for a chemical method cover crop destruction and at a later timing are key to getting the most out of cover crops, according to a series of three trials.… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Are we liable for business rates assessment?Whether it’s a legal, tax, insurance, management or land issue, Farmers Weekly’s Business Clinic experts can help. Here, Richie Rees, legal director in Thrings’ agricultural litigation team, advises on what… CONTRACTOR COMMENTContractor Comment: Horsch Pronto tests 724 to the maxWho’da thought it? Some of the hardest hours at JO Straughan this year have come not on the combine or forager, nor in tractors racing to get ground tilled and… BEEFHow switch to organic has improved forage across two farmsFor Liz and Rob Priest, switching to organic has sharpened their focus on forage – improving quality, productivity and utilisation. The result is lower costs, strengthened business resilience and peace… TRACTORSOn test: Four-cyl Claas Arion 570 proves punchy and nimbleThe high-horsepower four-cylinder tractor fraternity gained a new member this year as Claas gingered up its compact Arion to deliver a mighty 180hp and 730Nm of torque. Better still, it… LIVESTOCKFrench new entrants find price rewards in bison productionA keen eye for a commercial opportunity and a willingness to take a risk have paid off for a French couple looking for a way into farming. Establishing a herd…
