All the latest farming news CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESHistoric wheat prices struggle to keep up with rising costsAnalysis carried out by farm business analytics company Yagro show how, after accounting for inflation, ex-farm prices for wheat have fallen in recent decades. Industry figures show a tonne of… BUSINESSUK ag machinery firms work to mitigate US tariff impactAn already stretched agricultural machinery sector was dealt another blow last week with the announcement of a 10% tariff on exports to the US. Agricultural machinery firms avoided the higher… ENVIRONMENTWildfire warning as Labour plans to ban controlled burningUK government plans to further restrict controlled burning on peatland has been met with criticism by campaigners, who say the move will risk increasing out-of-control wildfires across the country. The… DAIRY MARKETS AND PRICESArla Foods plans huge merger with German DMK groupTwo major European dairy co-operatives, Arla Foods and DMK group have announced merger plans, creating a milk pool of more than 12,000 farmers. The joint co-operative would be the largest… COMPLIANCEAHDB prioritises fair environmental standards post-reviewThe Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has pledged to place environmental standards at the forefront of its reforms in its response to the recent Farm Assurance Review. The levy board… NEWSSNP urged to embrace gene editing amid reports of U-turnScottish Conservative shadow rural affairs secretary Tim Eagle has called on SNP ministers to show “common sense” and follow through on reports suggesting they will reconsider their opposition to gene… TOOLSStihl lightweight and powerful MS 400.1 chainsaw set for saleThe latest addition to Stihl’s popular petrol chainsaw range is set to go on sale next month. The pro-spec MS 400.1 C-M is 300g lighter and, at 5.2hp, almost as… CROP WATCHCrop Watch: Too dry for some crops and OSR starts floweringThe continuing dry conditions after one of the driest Marches is seeing good progress on spring crop drilling, but newly establishing crops are needing some rain in some areas of… LIVESTOCK DISEASESApha launches vet recruitment drive to maintain servicesThe Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) is recruiting field vets across various locations in England to stay at the forefront of tackling animal diseases. The 30 positions available cover… FARM POLICYFarmers drive tractors over Humber Bridge in IHT protestFrustrated farmers drove their tractors over the Humber Bridge on Sunday (6 April) in a fresh protest against the Labour government’s controversial plans to impose a farm inheritance tax starting… NEWSMinette Batters to lead Defra farm profitability reviewMinette Batters, former president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), has been appointed by Defra to lead a comprehensive review of farm profitability. The review, announced on Monday (7 April)… NEWSWet weather set to relieve farmers’ drought fearsUK farmers can expect relief from ongoing drought concerns as wetter weather is forecast from mid-April, providing a timely boost to the agricultural sector. Following several weeks of dry conditions… POULTRYPoultry housing order extended in the north of EnglandA housing order for poultry and kept birds has been extended for the North of England from Monday (7 April) to help prevent further outbreaks of bird flu. The latest… ARABLEAHDB opens 2025 planting survey to assess UK crop areasThe AHDB has launched its 2025 Planting Survey, aiming to estimate the area of cereals and oilseed rape intended for harvest in the UK. The survey, which is open until… CULTIVATORS6.3m Kuhn Starliner hoe flicks weeds from growing cropsThe Starliner rotary hoe is the latest addition to Kuhn’s mechanical weeding range, designed to hoick undesirable species from young crops while simultaneously aerating the soil surface. There’s just one… PEST MANAGEMENTCameras reveal unexpected predators of two major OSR pestsIn-field cameras have uncovered unexpected predators of two major oilseed rape pests, which could help aiding control strategies. The camera study was conducted by Rothamsted Research over two years in… NEWSThis Week in Farming: Tariffs, taxes and Clarkson's FarmWelcome back to This Week in Farming, your one-stop shop for the best Farmers Weekly content from the past seven days. First, here’s your markets (opens as PDF) with another… TECHNOLOGYCarbon Robotics ramps up output of weed-zapping LaserWeederPrecision-weeding specialist Carbon Robotics has revamped its ultra-accurate LaserWeeder to make it lighter, faster and more affordable. Like the original model, the G2 combines computer vision, artificial intelligence and laser… DISEASE MANAGEMENTWheat growers alerted to yellow rust risk in backward cropsWheat growers are urged to be alert to yellow rust risks in backward and later-drilled winter wheat crops this spring, to avoid yield losses of up to 50%. According to… NEWSDefra ministers delay appointment of new AHDB chairmanA new chairman of the AHDB has still not been appointed by Defra ministers, despite the application window closing back in December. Current AHDB chairman Nicholas Saphir has already served… ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMESFrustrated farmer plants spring wheat after SFI delayBuckinghamshire mixed farmer Richard Heady has decided to plant spring wheat on fields originally earmarked for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), citing delays in the application process as a key… NEWSFarmers block Defra minister’s exit in Tavistock protestAngry farmers staged a dramatic protest in Tavistock, Devon, blocking the exit of Defra farming minister Daniel Zeichner with a line of tractors and farm vehicles. The protest, organised by… BUSINESSTractor registrations slump to 24-year lowNew tractor registrations have slumped to their lowest level for 24 years, providing further evidence that farmers are cutting back on investment as financial and political pressures take their toll.… NEWSLandowner fined over £78,000 for felling ancient treesA landowner from South Wales has been fined almost £80,000 under a confiscation order by Swansea Crown Court for illegally felling more than 8ha of native woodland. The trees, which… PLANNING PERMISSIONNorfolk planners spurn Cranswick's pig and poultry mega farmPlans for a so-called “mega farm”, housing about 14,000 pigs and 714,000 broilers on two adjacent sites near Thetford, have been turned down by planners on West Norfolk Council. The… LAND MARKETSSpring brings contrasting farms to market in EnglandThe land market is livening up with a contrasting choice of new launches across a range of acreages, locations and farm types. Bramble Hall Farm, near Maldon, Essex, is a… DISEASE MANAGEMENTYellow rust alert as unusual observations seen in AHDB trialsWheat growers are being advised to monitor their crops more closely for yellow rust and not rely on Recommended List disease ratings this spring. The warning from the AHDB was… LIVESTOCKFarmers reminded to vaccinate against clostridial diseasesFarmers are being reminded to vaccinate their lambs against clostridial disease, as data from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) show it consistently ranks among the most frequent diagnoses… PLOUGHSKuhn semi-mounted ploughs get traction bolt leg protectionA lower cost and lighter weight solution to protecting the legs and mouldboard assemblies of Kuhn Vari-Leader semi-mounted ploughs has been introduced in the form of a proven traction bolt… More articles
