Know How / Environment Must reads Practical adviceSee all ARABLETips on achieving healthy hedgerows on farmHedges are a defining feature of our countryside and one of the best habitats for wildlife on any farm. Far more than being a boundary, they also support farm business… LIVESTOCKHow feeding methane inhibitors can help cut emissionsMethane inhibitors supplied in feed rations could play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in ruminants. However, no one size fits all, advises Annie Williams, ruminant nutritionist and… BUSINESSAlternative land uses: Woodland creation - key pointsFinancial support for woodland creation and management in England is at record levels, so it could be the right time to consider this as an option. Talk of reducing sheep… CARBONCarbon markets: A beginner's guideThe UK’s carbon markets are growing, but there is confusion around the principles. Farmers Weekly asks CLA adviser Matthew Doran how they work. See also: Mineral rights - what farmers… BUSINESSRural housing: Options to decarbonise and improve efficiencyFrom period farmhouses to farmworkers’ cottages, rural housing comes in many shapes and sizes, but they all share similar challenges when it comes to energy. Rural properties off the mains… ARABLEHow 'mega-cluster' project benefits farming and natureA project linking farmers and private investors across a 12,500ha area of Sussex is aiming to support nature recovery and food production on a landscape scale. The Weald to Waves… Case studiesSee all LIVESTOCKHow rotational hedge management is helping store more carbonHedgerows managed on a 12- to 15-year laying rotation store six times more carbon than those flailed annually, studies on a Cornish beef farm have shown. Overall carbon emissions at… LIVESTOCKHow a Portuguese green oasis inspired a move to agroforestryMike Adams had never seen the point in growing trees in fields. But visits to farms in southern Europe and Turkey proved transformational; he is now sold on their benefits… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTBenefits of sward lifting for profit and environmentA decade of sward lifting on a Cornish farm has prevented run-off after heavy rainfall, shortened the winter housing period and is helping soils to sequester carbon. A typical field… CARBONPioneering arable farm sells carbon credits to top F1 teamA pioneering arable farm in Leicestershire has become the first farm in the UK to sell measured carbon credits to a range of buyers on the open market, including the… CROP MANAGEMENTHow farmer uses biodynamic approach to establish cropsFor the past two decades, Wiltshire mixed farmer Richard Gantlett has been using the power of biodynamic farming to grow crops completely free of chemicals and without the plough. With… BIODIVERSITYWild grey partridge project promotes biodiversity and profitA decade-long wild grey partridge project establishing cover crop field margins at a Scottish farming estate has proved an effective way to promote biodiversity and reap an economic return. Balgonie… InsightsSee all FARM POLICYHow the Ffermio Bro agri-environment scheme is bedding inThe Welsh government’s agri-environmental scheme for its designated landscapes and national parks – called Ffermio Bro – has started in earnest since its launch in April. Aiming to encourage nature-friendly… ARABLEWhat's in the latest capital grants offer for arable farmers?A new round of capital grants worth £150m has opened in England, with arable farmers welcoming the latest opportunity to apply for funding to make environmental improvements. Against a tight… WEED MANAGEMENTWhy propyzamide use in OSR and beans remains in the balanceDelivering best practice for successful weed control with propyzamide while preventing it from entering water courses and reservoirs remains a difficult balance. What’s good for weed control frequently increases the… BUSINESSWhat smarter, fairer farm data means for UK agricultureThere’s no getting around it — farming across Britain is under intense pressure. Whether you’re in livestock, arable, dairy or horticulture, the challenges are piling up: rising input costs, labour… FARM POLICYNI farm policy shift creates challenges for livestock sectorSupport for farm businesses in Northern Ireland is going through a transition period, away from the old Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) system of support and towards a Farm Sustainability Payment… ARABLEHow cultivated margins help rare plants and biodiversityCultivated margins, or areas of fields that are cultivated annually, but not drilled, are one of the best ways of encouraging rare arable plants and the wildlife that depends on… FARM POLICYNVZ review: Welsh farmer frustration continues with rulesSince 2021, farmers in Wales have had to contend with the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations. These designated the whole of the country as a nitrate vulnerable… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONWhy scrapping net zero could help tackle climate changeFarmers want to play their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions – but net zero is disengaging them, says a report. The finding is just one conclusion reached by a… Latest environment newsSee all NEWSMPs call for urgent ban on solar farms on top farmlandA cross-party group of 29 MPs and peers has written to the prime minister demanding immediate action to protect high-quality farmland from large-scale solar farm development across England. The letter,… NEWSCall to protect farmland from mega solar expansionA new report from countryside charity CPRE warns that nearly a third of England’s mega solar farms are being built on the country's highest-quality farmland, raising urgent concerns over food… ENVIRONMENTFarmland bird count shows success of farmer-led conservationThe results of the 2025 Big Farmland Bird Count show some red- and amber-listed species on the rise, emphasising the success of farmer-led agri-environmental schemes. The encouraging figures make a… ENVIRONMENTRiver Action plans further assault on autumn muckspreadingEnvironmental group River Action is kick-starting fresh legal action against Defra to try and secure a general ban on autumn muckspreading. The group has issued Defra with a “pre-action protocol… NEWSComplete water abstraction ban hits grower with no warningA Norfolk grower has voiced deep frustration after being informed suddenly of a summer water abstraction ban imposed by the Environment Agency (EA), with no prior warning. The ban, effective… ENVIRONMENTTFA demands justice for solar-displaced farmersTenant farmers who have been displaced by solar developments and left out of pocket need justice, the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) has told the UK government. More than 1.5m homes… LIVESTOCKRevamped Dairy Roadmap aims to unite supply chainA new chapter for the Dairy Roadmap has been revealed, which aims to make the dairy sector more sustainable as it shares responsibility across the whole supply chain. The changes,… ENVIRONMENTSuffolk farmer educates Labour MPs on sustainable practicesThree backbench Labour MPs have been shown around a Suffolk arable farm as part of a pan-industry scheme to improve their understanding of the contribution farming makes to the environment… BIODIVERSITYDefra’s nature and food targets swayed by Land Use FrameworkDefra is considering introducing varied support schemes for nature and food production in England, linked to location and land type, as a result of recommendations in the Land Use Framework.… BIODIVERSITY27 acoustic sensors to monitor pollinators in beet cropsA network of 27 acoustic sensors is being installed at a large farming estate in North Norfolk, as part of a joint project between British Sugar and York-based agri-tech company… NEWSDefra imposes tougher requirements for autumn muckspreadingFarm organisations have expressed relief that autumn muck and slurry spreading will be allowed to continue, but farmers will in future have to provide a much clearer justification for doing… ENVIRONMENTGougeon vows to protect livestock numbers in ScotlandScottish rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon has delivered a firm rebuke of the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) recommendations to cut livestock numbers as part of the nation’s net-zero strategy. Speaking… VideoSee all AIR AND WATERVideo: FW Investigates - would dredging reduce flooding?The past few months of relentless wet weather have again highlighted the pressing issue of how best to manage rivers and watercourses near farmland. Heavy rainfall events are becoming more… NEWSVideo: Farmer defends his actions on River LuggA Herefordshire farmer who was jailed for causing damage to a protected river has defended his actions, insisting they helped prevent flooding to local properties and land. Several homes along… SHEEPVideo: How a lowland farm is preparing for low-methane sheepResults from the first UK farm to test methane emissions in sheep using portable accumulation chambers have shown they were producing on average about 20g/day of methane and 1.2kg/day of… CARBONClimate adaptation and resilience within the farm businessOn Thursday 27 April 2023, Farmers Weekly hosted its webinar on climate adaptation and resilience within the farm business with the Woodland Trust. Integrating trees into farming systems provides opportunities…
