Latest stories TAXRelief for farmers as IHT threshold rises to £2.5mFamily farming businesses across the UK have been given a major reprieve after the government raised the zero-rate inheritance tax threshold for agricultural and business property reliefs (APR and BPR)… INPUT MARKETS AND PRICESRed diesel prices fall back below 70p/litreFarm businesses may be able to capitalise on lower red diesel prices at present, as prices fell back during December following a dip in global crude oil markets. Prices collected… BUSINESSFarmer anger as Ukrainian cage eggs undercut UK marketUK egg industry representatives and farmers have raised concerns about food safety standards, equivalence, and imports undercutting producers, after a recent shipment from Ukraine showed eggs not meeting UK standards.… NEWSDefra’s badger TB vaccination ‘too limited to work’Defra has allocated £200,000 to purchase about 6,000 doses of BadgerBCG vaccine for England’s bovine TB vaccination programme, prompting warnings that the post-cull strategy risks being too limited in scale… TRACTORSDriver's view: Tom Dirom's Valtra Q285Valtra’s long-awaited Q-series finally broke cover in 2022, filling a void between its existing T and S ranges. Second biggest in the five-strong line-up is the Q285, which matches the… ARABLENew entrant's journey from photographer to regen farmerStarring in a film, returning home to help run the family farm, and continuing the transition to a regenerative system her father had started three years earlier have all been… OPINIONOpinion: LENs foster invaluable co-operation in food chainFarmers often don’t get listened to, so it makes a welcome change to be involved with Yorkshire Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs). This initiative encourages demand-side companies, such as Nestlé Purina,… HEALTH AND WELFARELivestock tick disease vaccine project gets Defra fundingA new vaccine, developed at the Moredun Research Institute to protect sheep against tick-borne disease, has received a £450,000 cash boost from Defra. Louping ill (LI) is a serious, tick-borne… NEWSFW Podcast Ep 285: Farming Profitability Review - will it work?In this episode, we get to grips with the long-awaited Farming Profitability Review and its 57 recommendations for government. Will it really make a difference? We've a special interview with review… More articles OpinionSee all OPINIONOpinion: LENs foster invaluable co-operation in food chainFarmers often don’t get listened to, so it makes a welcome change to be involved with Yorkshire Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs). This initiative encourages demand-side companies, such as Nestlé Purina,… OPINIONOpinion: Small signs of positivity welcome, but work to be doneThere is no doubt that the past 12 months have been tough for farmers, so it is reassuring to see the latest Farmers Weekly Sentiment Survey, published this week, showing… OPINIONOpinion: High energy costs are killing our veg-growing sectorWe have the most expensive commercial electricity in the world, with unit costs on the near Continent typically half or less of what businesses on this side of the Channel… OPINIONEditor's View: The Merry Ballad of the Batters ReportThis week I wrapped tinsel around my keyboard, ate four mince pies and summoned my most festive spirit to deliver an editorial of seasonal verse. In tribute to this month's… Subscribe to Farmers Weekly Save money and never miss an issue. Subscribe ArableSee all ARABLENew entrant's journey from photographer to regen farmerStarring in a film, returning home to help run the family farm, and continuing the transition to a regenerative system her father had started three years earlier have all been… PEST MANAGEMENTNew slug pellet with novel active ingredient availableA new slug pellet with a novel active ingredient will be available to UK farmers in autumn 2026, offering greater choice and efficacy for slug control. Ferrabait developed by Adama… ARABLEFarmers advised 'be ready to act fast' on SFI 2026 supportWith details of the eagerly-awaited 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) still to be announced, farmers have been urged to be “ready to move swiftly” to avoid missing out once the… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Year-end reflections on boom or bust rainfallAs I draft my last article for the year, I thought I would digest the past few years. The main influence in that time has been the weather. Our five-year… 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,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: First Christmas tractor run won't be my lastI recently went on my first tractor run. The Ringmer Christmas tractor charity run has been going for a few years, but I'd simply never joined in. However, having been… 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… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Lobbying brings positive NZ legislation changeThere has been a hectic five months of lobbying to help achieve positive legislative change in New Zealand. The environment is managed in this country by the Resource Management Act,… LivestockSee all HEALTH AND WELFARELivestock tick disease vaccine project gets Defra fundingA new vaccine, developed at the Moredun Research Institute to protect sheep against tick-borne disease, has received a £450,000 cash boost from Defra. Louping ill (LI) is a serious, tick-borne… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Tax change could help smart young farmersThe Christmas period is fast approaching, and with that comes the yearly rush of trying to get as many jobs tied up in the weeks leading up to 25 December… SHEEPSheep system change sees agreement between father and sonIntroducing some smart technology, buying a quad bike and replacing a sheep breed on the family livestock farm seem easy decisions for one young farmer, compared with managing his dad’s… LIVESTOCK DISEASESBluetongue movement rules relaxed in Northern IrelandAnimal movement restrictions linked to bluetongue virus (BTV) will be relaxed within the Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) in Northerrn Ireland following the completion of surveillance testing from today (Friday, 19… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Easy-calving heifers biggest success of yearIt is hard to believe that we are fast approaching the end of yet another year. Last year was quite a challenging one for us as a family. However, 2025,… HEALTH AND WELFAREDefra to increase payments for vet visitsPayment rates for government-funded annual vet visits to farms in England will increase by 16% from 22 January 2026. Funding will continue to be available as part of Defra’s Animal… 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.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Cows dry and culls gone for a good priceAnnual shut down is here. The herd was all dried off this week – though we had already dried off 150 over the previous month. They all get a teat… MachinerySee all TRACTORSDriver's view: Tom Dirom's Valtra Q285Valtra’s long-awaited Q-series finally broke cover in 2022, filling a void between its existing T and S ranges. Second biggest in the five-strong line-up is the Q285, which matches the… TECHNOLOGYFarmer-designed Yokit app streamlines farm team adminA new mobile device and desktop app designed to streamline farm and contractor team administration is making record-keeping for the farming cousins who created it a whole lot easier. Yokit… MAIZE DRILLSSeed and weed robot now geared for maize, beans and peasA new sowing unit, designed to handle precision planting of large-seeded crops such as maize, beans and peas, should bring the FarmDroid autonomous seeding and weeding machine into the scope… SPRAYING AND SPREADINGTechneat launches applicator hire option to cut grower costsTechneat Engineering’s specialist applicators are now available through a new hire scheme, which offers the chance to avoid capital expenditure or to try out a machine before committing to a… CommunitySee all COMMUNITYFestive tractor runs raise thousands in Pembs, Wilts and BerksChristmas cheer rolled through the countryside as illuminated tractors lit up roads across Pembrokeshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire, bringing festive fun to local communities while raising thousands of pounds for charity.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Tax change could help smart young farmersThe Christmas period is fast approaching, and with that comes the yearly rush of trying to get as many jobs tied up in the weeks leading up to 25 December… FARMLIFE FRAMEDPhoto of the Week: Christmas jumpers for allWith Christmas only days away, we celebrate the festive mood with a Christmas jumper Photo of the Week. The photo was sent in by Amy Wonnacott of New Park Farm,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Year-end reflections on boom or bust rainfallAs I draft my last article for the year, I thought I would digest the past few years. The main influence in that time has been the weather. Our five-year… BusinessSee all TAXRelief for farmers as IHT threshold rises to £2.5mFamily farming businesses across the UK have been given a major reprieve after the government raised the zero-rate inheritance tax threshold for agricultural and business property reliefs (APR and BPR)… INPUT MARKETS AND PRICESRed diesel prices fall back below 70p/litreFarm businesses may be able to capitalise on lower red diesel prices at present, as prices fell back during December following a dip in global crude oil markets. Prices collected… BUSINESSFarmer anger as Ukrainian cage eggs undercut UK marketUK egg industry representatives and farmers have raised concerns about food safety standards, equivalence, and imports undercutting producers, after a recent shipment from Ukraine showed eggs not meeting UK standards.… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESUK beef and sheep numbers contract while prices hold upStrong finished beef and lamb prices during the past year have been underpinned by tight supplies, with recent figures published by Defra showing further declines in the number of cattle… Careers COMMUNITYEx-military personnel sought for John Deere technical rolesAgricultural equipment manufacturer John Deere is holding a fresh drive to recruit ex-military personnel for its dealership network. It has identified men and women with military experience as the “ideal… POULTRYTips for new entrants from a 16-year-old entrepreneurStarting a new farming enterprise can be challenging at any age. Lewis Thomas was just 13 when he launched his own business, producing free-range eggs from a flock of layers… NEWSRural careers week starts across UKA national campaign launch on Tuesday 21 October will showcase the wide range of professional careers available in the countryside, as Route to Rural Week begins across the UK. Led… LIVESTOCKHow to manage your farm boss to influence decision-makingIf you can learn to manage your boss at work, you acquire influencing skills, stakeholder strategy and how to set in motion low-risk change that benefits the business – and…
