All from last 24 hours HEALTH AND SAFETYFarm deaths rise as April toll reaches fourTwo more farming fatalities have taken April’s death toll to four, highlighting ongoing concerns about the poor safety record across the agricultural sector. On 17 April 2026 in Charnwood, Leicestershire,… BOVINE TBStormont backs urgent action on NI bovine TB crisisStormont has backed calls for immediate action to eradicate bovine TB, including wildlife intervention, as farmer concern grows over the long-running failure to control the disease. Members of the Legislative… ENVIRONMENTHope grows for dairy and beef permitting alternativeA farmer-led alternative to environmental permitting for dairy and beef is gaining traction, with industry leaders increasingly confident a more workable system can be developed. NFU deputy president Paul Tompkins… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESBarley crops faring well but demand from maltsters mutedCrop prospects for winter barley remain positive, with UK plantings progressing well and showing a considerable improvement on last year. Rising input costs as a result of the conflict in… TRACTORSChallenger gets reverse drive conversion for tree pruningAfter decades of hauling heavy cultivation kit, a 1990s twin-track crawler has found an unlikely second career in the cider orchards of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The Caterpillar Challenger 55 is… CROP WATCHCrop Watch: Protecting OSR yields and weevil damage in pulsesThis week's key discussions include protecting yields in flowering OSR crops, fertiliser strategies for milling wheat and the severe pea and bean weevil attacks in the north. See also: How… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONWhy collaboration is key to a resilient future for dairyOxfordshire-based dairy farmer David Christensen says fair pricing and farmer-led collaboration are central to delivering sustainable milk production. UK dairy farmers are operating in an increasingly complex environment, with volatile… TENANCIES AND RENTSHow greener, longer-term FBTs are gaining momentumHot on the heels of a new guidance note from the Farm Tenancy Forum on how to set up a long-term farm business tenancy (FBT), the Duchy of Cornwall has… LIVESTOCKAdvice on breaking the scour cycle in youngstock housingScour remains one of the most important early-life challenges in calves and lambs, and two of the key threats are Cryptosporidium and coccidia. Cryptosporidium is a major concern in calves’… COMMUNITYFarmers deliver more pick-ups to war-torn UkraineBritish farmers and other industry stakeholders have just completed the delivery of another 38 pick-up trucks and vans to Ukraine – the 26th successful mission by UK charity Pick-ups for… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: 10 years on, we’re a proper family farmIt has been busy here, but definitely a good busy, rather than a bad busy. We are eight days post due date for our spring-calving suckler cows. So far 40%…
