All from last 24 hours 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… 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: 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,… WILL'S WORLDWill's World: Christmas ghosts perform a minor miracleI’m not certain why it happens, but it’s hard not to be curmudgeonly as a man when you hit your mid-40s. One minute you’re a ray of youthful sunshine, hopelessly… NEWS12 key takeaways from Batters’ Farm Profitability ReviewThe Farm Profitability Review, led by former NFU president Baroness Minette Batters and commissioned by the UK government, paints a stark picture of a sector under sustained pressure. Rising costs,… CRIMEDog attacks on livestock now carry unlimited finesFarmers will benefit from stronger legal protections against dog attacks on livestock from today (December 18). The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025, raises the maximum penalty for livestock… WILDLIFESea eagle funding uncertainty threatens lambing, NFUS warnsNFU Scotland has warned hill farmers and crofters cannot plan for the coming lambing season unless the Scottish government urgently commits to future funding for the Sea Eagle Management Scheme.… NEWSBatters’ Farm Profitability Review finally publishedDefra has published Baroness Minette Batters’ long-awaited Farm Profitability Review, ending months of uncertainty over when the document would see the light of day and reigniting debate over the future… 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… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONLeading green groups quit Scottish farm policy boardsScottish Environment Link and RSPB Scotland have resigned from two key government farming policy groups, citing “failures in both the policy development process and the decisions being made”. The organisations… INPUT MARKETS AND PRICESEU delays regulations on beef and soya imports until late 2026The European Parliament has delayed tougher rules on beef and feed imports linked to deforestation, such as soya, by another year. Regulations are now set to be introduced from 30… COMMUNITYFarmers’ ball raises £30,000 for rural charitiesMore than £30,000 was raised for four rural charities when farmers, sponsors and supporters gathered at Ludlow Racecourse in South Shropshire for a charity ball. The Farmers’ Charity Ball was…
