All from last 24 hours ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMESSFI26: Make the most of some ‘easy wins’, says Ceres RuralWith the new Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI26) set to open at the end of June, farmers in England are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with certain key changes and look… NEWSFW Podcast Ep 308: Relaunched SFI - what it means for youThis week, Defra confirms England’s Sustainable Farming Incentive will reopen for applications on 30 June – but only for some farmers, and with questions over budget. Farm business adviser Katie… COMMUNITYOpen Farm Sunday marks 20-year milestoneOpen Farm Sunday celebrated its 20th anniversary on 7 June, with more than 280 farms across the UK welcoming visitors to learn about food production, farming and countryside stewardship. Since… LIVESTOCKDefra delays cattle traceability overhaul to 2027Defra has pushed back England’s long-awaited cattle traceability overhaul to mid-2027, citing the need to align with emerging UK-EU livestock traceability requirements. The delay means the new digital traceability system… BUSINESSPig sector unnerved as processors end contracts and cut jobsPig producers across Europe continue to face significant challenges, driven by low farmgate prices, contract uncertainty, and structural reforms by processors. While the scale of backlogs of pigs on farm… NEWSNFU Scotland raises concerns over Fife AI data centreNFU Scotland has warned against taking productive farmland out of food production after plans were lodged for a 600MW artificial intelligence (AI) data centre near Auchtertool in Fife. The £5bn… TRACTORSRevamped John Deere 6R gets new cab and sharper handlingJohn Deere has overhauled the top end of its popular 6R tractor range, fitting a bigger cab and uprating the running gear for better handling. For now, only models on… YOUNG FARMERSJon Watt: Don't shut away the next gen in the farm officeThe role of a young person on a farm years ago typically started with rolling and harrowing, gradually progressing up the jobs as they were trusted more. Nowadays, said young… MARKET OPPORTUNITIESThe farming practices helping create a better food systemInterest in farm practices that improve the nutrient content of food is at an all-time high as consumer focus switches to quality and resilient farming systems. Farmers Weekly spoke to… LIVESTOCKHow bulk milk sampling tech helped slash mastitis casesA block-calving dairy unit has cut its herd mastitis rate by 75%, helped by a technique that analyses cow DNA using a single milk sample taken from the bulk tank.… ARABLENew oilseed rape choice shows early promise in NorthumberlandChanging from a trusted variety to a new one can sometimes require a leap of faith, but for Northumberland farmer Andrew Reed, of East Ancroft Farm, it is a move… ARABLESugar beet: Get £369 return on investment from one decisionAs sugar beet crops vary regionally and rainfall remains patchy, maximising the potential of every plant will be key to driving yield and securing crop returns. 5 reasons to choose…
