All from last 24 hours BEEFHow grass growth benefits from early beef cattle turnoutBeef farmers running low on silage or bedding straw can turn out a small group of yearlings, or other lightweight cattle, in February to graze overwintered grass. Not only will… WEED MANAGEMENTGrowers advised to tackle grassweeds on dry February daysWith residual herbicides running out of steam, growers are being advised to check their wheat crops for any emerging weeds and consider applying a February contact herbicide spray where needed.… OPINIONOpinion: Veggigeddon – not quite the game it used to beOn the family WhatsApp group, we’re keen players of “Whamaggedon”. This is, of course, the lighthearted game of trying to avoid hearing “Last Christmas” by Wham as December goes by.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Defra delivers another stewardship conundrumIn typical Defra style, literally weeks after it left me in a conundrum over our Countryside Stewardship (CS) extension – and I chose not to extend – it announces that… ENVIRONMENTNatural resources in Wales remain in state of crisis report saysUrgent action is needed in Wales to prevent the worsening of the climate and nature crises, according to the latest State of Natural Resources Report (SoNaRR). Published under the Environment… TRACTORSNokian tyre monitor calculates tractor axle weightsNokian’s second-generation digital tractor tyre monitoring system has the added feature of measuring tractor axle weights and providing recommended inflation pressures for different scenarios, such as when spraying or spreading.… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONTransition Farmer: 51ha council holding offers route into agAfter a hard-fought route into agriculture and now farming a 51ha council-owned holding on the Welsh border, new entrant Lucy Eyre, who joins our roster of Transition Farmers this month,… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESUK cereals demand hit by bioethanol losses and maltster cutsDemand for UK cereals has plummeted as a result of the closure of the UK’s major bioethanol plants and decreased usage by brewers, maltsters and distillers. The UK cereals supply… FARM POLICYInheritance tax changes still threaten farming, Clarkson saysJeremy Clarkson has renewed his attack on the government’s inheritance tax reforms, warning in his latest Sunday Times column that treating family farms like ordinary assets risks undermining British food… MILK PRICESFarmgate milk prices face further cuts in February and MarchFarmers supplying major dairy co-operative Arla will face an additional 1.75p/litre price cut for February, taking its standard manufacturing litre to 33.98p/litre. Arla producers will receive 14.29p/litre less in February… POTATOESPotato industry confidence survey: Have your sayGB Potatoes has launched a new Potato Industry Confidence Survey aimed at capturing a comprehensive picture of grower sentiment, production trends and the challenges shaping the future of the potato… FARM POLICYIndustry concerns grow over alignment with EU crop regulationConcerns are steadily building within UK farming over the impact of “dynamic alignment” with EU rules, amid warnings that changes to crop protection regulation could arrive sooner – and with… ARABLEFree national soil map to be opened to farmers in 2026Farmers and land managers in England and Wales will gain free access to the UK’s most comprehensive soil data under a landmark agreement between Cranfield University and Defra. The partnership…
