All from last 24 hours DAIRYHow milk source heat pumps have slashed dairy’s energy billsInstalling three milk source heat pumps is saving a Somerset cheesemaker more than £70,000 a year on electricity bills. Investment by Barber’s, Maryland Farm, Ditcheat, in this new technology is… FINANCEHow the Universal Credit system is failing farming familiesFalling farm incomes mean that many more people are eligible to receive Universal Credit. For some, it is the stigma associated with claiming that puts them off; for others, it… PEST MANAGEMENTPotato and sugar beet aphid insecticide gets new formulationsA popular insecticide for aphid control in potatoes and sugar beet crops has two new formulations available this season. The liquid and granule formulations will replace the previous powder formulation… LIVESTOCK DISEASESFarmers advised to vaccinate against bluetongue as cases riseLivestock farmers are being advised to vaccinate their animals against bluetongue, as vet and industry leaders warn the coming “season” could be the worst yet since the disease appeared in… MOWERSClaas Disco 1100 plain disc mower gets crop swathing augersBuyers of Claas’s big Disco 1100 plain butterfly disc mowers can now spec a Direct Swather system on the back. It comprises a pair of augers that grab crop straight… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Fertiliser reshuffle and yellow rust alertWith the rain finally stopping at the end of February, we were able to get our fertiliser on. My original plan was to apply 35kg N/ha and 15kg S/ha at… FARM POLICYFood production pledge in Defra land plan questionedDefra’s long-awaited Land Use Framework pledges to maintain food production while also supporting housing, infrastructure, energy, and nature – but industry leaders say farmers will need clarity on what is… ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMESThousands of commoners face SFI and CS exclusionThousands of upland farmers in England face exclusion from future agri-environment schemes after Defra confirmed there is no mechanism to include common land in 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) or… INPUT MARKETS AND PRICESRed diesel prices spike by 60% as supplies remain tightRed diesel prices in the UK have skyrocketed following conflict in the Middle East, with prices lifting by more than 60% in the past month. Prices collected by Farmers Weekly… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESUK finished pig prices fall to three-year lowFinished pig prices have fallen by 13p/kg since the start of the year, reaching their lowest levels since the industry backlogs of 2022. The Standard Pig Price stood at 184.6p/kg… LIVESTOCK MARKETINGDiverse cattle tracing systems could undermine disease controlMeat industry representatives have warned that the development of separate livestock movement recording systems in England, Scotland and Wales could undermine the effectiveness of a previously unified traceability system. But… FARM POLICYNFU and green NGOs seeks greater protection from importsThe NFU has joined forces with the RSPCA and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to demand that the government draws up a set of “core standards” for animal…
