All the latest farming news FARM POLICYScots farm leaders welcome new first minister John SwinneyScottish farm leaders have congratulated John Swinney on becoming the seventh first minister for Scotland, and vowed to work together to strengthen the agricultural industry. Mr Swinney, 60, was elected… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESUK plantings improve but still poor as wheat hits £190/tWinter wheat crop conditions in April made some improvements on the previous month but remain very poor by historic standards with yields expected to be low this harvest. Almost half… NEWSNPA rejects Defra's 'method of production' labelling plansPig producers have rejected government plans to introduce new food labels that specify the method of production, saying it will add cost and complexity while failing to deliver on its… FARM POLICYIrranca-Davies: ‘My appointment is opportunity for a reset’Wales’s new cabinet secretary for rural affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, has admitted "something went awry" in the relationship between the Welsh government and the farming community in recent months, but told… MEDICINESDefra launches plan to combat antimicrobial resistanceDefra has today announced a new five-year plan to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – a global issue that makes infections difficult or impossible to treat, and affects humans and animals… INPUT MARKETS AND PRICESFertiliser appears reasonably priced with demand increasingReduced demand for fertiliser so far this season has kept prices in check and at their lowest levels for three years despite issues at manufacturers across Europe. Demand for product… WEED MANAGEMENTGrowers advised to act now to control wild oats in cerealsWheat and barley growers are being advised to act now to control winter and spring wild oats, or face yield losses of up to 1t/ha. The wet weather has led… TELEHANDLERSWeidemann extends telehandler range with 9m-reach T9535Having focused for many years on articulated loaders – plus a couple of ultra-compact four-wheel-steer models along the way – Weidemann is now growing its full-size telehandler portfolio. The latest… COMMUNITYClarkson's Farm 3 wins plaudits from farmersFarmers and viewers of Amazon Prime have given a broadly upbeat response to the first batch of episodes of Clarkson’s Farm 3, praising the show’s realistic portrayal of the ups… ELMGrowing SFI uptake with almost 14,000 agreements in placeMore farmers in England have signed up to environmental schemes, with 13,900 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2023 agreements now in place. This figure represents a significant increase on the number… LIVESTOCK DISEASESBluetongue vaccine for UK farmers 'unlikely' this summerThe government is liaising with vaccine manufacturers on the development of an authorised bluetongue vaccine, but one is unlikely to be available for UK farmers this season. A vaccine for… NEWSSon's fundraiser for farmer in murder probe tops £50,000A fundraiser set up to support the family of a farmer accused of shooting dead a suspected burglar has raised more than £50,000 in just a few days. Rob Lomas,… NEWSFW Podcast Ep 204: Industry leaders voice HSE concerns In this episode, industry leaders voice concern after the Health and Safety Executive says it will no longer take a pro-active approach to farm safety. It's been a sticky few… TELEHANDLERSDieci adds big, 153hp T80 to pivot-steer telehandler rangeDieci’s bend-in-the-middle Agri Pivot range has been bolstered with the introduction of a new flagship model, the T80. Power is the headline improvement, with the switch to a 4.5-litre FPT… NEWSKing’s Awards for ADF Milking and Teagle MachineryTwo British agri-tech companies have won the prestigious King’s Awards for Enterprise. ADF Milking and Teagle Machinery were both honoured in the second year of King Charles’s annual awards for… BUSINESS'Halt BPS cuts' says NFU as farmer confidence plummetsThe NFU is urging Defra to call a halt to the phase-out of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in England for 2024 in the wake of an ongoing crisis of… GRASSLAND AND MAIZE EQUIPMENTDevon firm develops simple tine-and-harrow grass rejuvenatorTractek Engineering has launched a new 2m-wide grassland rejuvenation tool that combines spring-loaded scarifying tines with a traditional chain harrow mat. The nattily named Scarrow is the first implement produced… MAIZE DRILLSAmazone slims down Precea precision seeder with 6m modelAmazone has further expanded its Precea trailed precision seeder range with a 6m, eight-row version to suit contractors and growers who do not need the big capacity of the current… NEWSThis Week in Farming: Transition Live, Valtra and policy newsWelcome to another edition of This Week in Farming, your regular round-up of the best content from Farmers Weekly. But first, fancy a farming day out next week? If you’ve… NEWSGosling Report calls for legislation on NI farmgate pricesA hard-hitting new report reflects a dire situation for family farmers across Northern Ireland (NI) and claims that legislation on farmgate prices is the only way forward. Farmers For Action… CEREAL DRILLSPottinger Vitasem seed drills gain bigger hoppersLarger hoppers and easier calibration are among updates to Pottinger’s piggy-back Vitasem seed drills. Designed to mount on a tine or disc cultivator, or a power harrow such as the… INPUT MARKETS AND PRICESMole Valley Farmers sells off fertiliser site to Thomas BellMole Valley Farmers has agreed to sell its fertiliser storage and blending facility at Newport in Wales to Lincolnshire-based fertiliser importer Thomas Bell and Sons. Following the sale, it is… BUSINESSGEA Farm Technologies acquires South West Dairy ServicesDairy equipment specialists GEA Farm Technologies has acquired South West Dairy Services, expanding its presence further in the region. Devon-based South West Dairy Services has already been operating as one… FARM POLICYWelsh policy roundtable to review 10% tree cover plansControversial plans to make every farm in Wales plant at least 10% of their productive land with trees are likely to be revised, with the government announcing a new SFS… HEALTH AND SAFETYKent beef farm fined £12k for safety breachesA farming business in Kent has been fined £12,000 for multiple, serious health and safety breaches. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said Seymour Stevens Ltd, which operates a beef… BOVINE TBPembrokeshire dairy farmer loses 53 more cows to bovine TBA Pembrokeshire dairy farmer has lost 53 more cows to bovine TB and slammed the Welsh government for its ongoing failure to tackle the disease in all areas. Steve Evans… LAND MARKETSArable and mixed farms with development potential hit marketAfter poor weather delayed photographs and marketing plans for farm sales in the first four months of the year, the pace is picking up on new launches. Carter Jonas and… NEWSFarm to Fork summit returns to Downing Street in MayPrime minister Rishi Sunak will welcome farmers and industry representatives to 10 Downing Street on Tuesday 14 May for the second UK Farm to Fork Summit. Last year's event was… NEWSUlster Farmers Union elects new president and top teamWilliam Irvine has been elected as the new president of the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU), taking over from David Brown. Mr Irvine, a dairy farmer from County Armagh, will take… More articles
