All from last 24 hours BUSINESSFarmers hit by red diesel price surge as PM offers no reliefFarmers facing a sharp rise in red diesel costs were told during a Commons debate on the Middle East crisis that the government was “looking at contingencies” but had offered… FLY-TIPPINGCow granted waste disposal licence in three secondsA cow in Wiltshire has been legally approved to carry waste, exposing flaws in government licensing as fly-tipping rises and criminals exploit weak checks to operate unchecked. A Charolais-cross cow… DAIRY MARKETS AND PRICESSupply chain adjudicator seeks dairy farmer feedbackDairy producers are being encouraged to share their views on milk pricing and supply chain relationships with Defra’s agricultural supply chain adjudicator. A sharp fall in farmgate milk prices in… BOVINE TBDefra awards £15m badger vaccination contractA major new drive to control bovine tuberculosis (TB) has been launched after Defra awarded a £15.2m contract to Farmcare Solutions to expand badger vaccination across England. The joint venture… NEWSFW Podcast Ep 300: Legal challenge over Traveller siteIn this episode, Travellers set up an unauthorised encampment in Hertfordshire, and new planning rules face their biggest test yet. The situation has big implications for growers and livestock producers… NUTRITION AND FERTILISERHow funding is helping farmers with foliar nutrition efficacyProlonged conflict in the Middle East is having serious repercussions on fertiliser prices around the world, making Cambridgeshire farmer Tom Pearson’s foliar fertiliser project even more timely. Using home-produced foliar nitrogen,… MACHINERYFranchises swap hands as machinery market squeeze drags onOur latest roundup of dealer movements includes significant changes by CNH, Manitou and Merlo continue to reshape dealer networks throughout the UK. See also: Bushel Plus offers quick-change concaves for JD… BREEDING AND FERTILITYPros and cons of sweeper bulls v all artificial inseminationRunning bulls in dairy herds carries safety and biosecurity risks, but they are an effective and often low-cost means of sweeping up cows and heifers not in-calf after the artificial… HEALTH AND WELFAREDeadline looms for Defra’s mandatory vet visit consultationFarmers have just over a month left to respond to a major Defra consultation that could make vet visits mandatory on farms in England. Launched at the NFU Conference in… NEWSCereals 2026 event to feature new Livestock ZoneA renewed focus on mixed farming will be in the spotlight this summer as Cereals 2026 introduces a dedicated Livestock Zone for the first time, reflecting growing demand from UK… OPINIONOpinion: Big ag uses its power to exploit farmersMost of us are familiar with Del Boy’s “no money back, no guarantee” mantra, but don’t you feel like that’s where we’re at? The march of capitalism in farming over… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: What I've learned about potato productionPotato planting has begun, and I’ve been reflecting on what has worked well over past years. It’s tricky, as we have about 25 weeks from planting to harvest. It’s always…
