Know How / Environment Must reads Practical adviceSee all BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow to start improving on-farm water qualityPutting resilience measures into a farming business is one of the best ways to protect water, prevent pollution and retain more water in the landscape. With many of the major… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONHow trees can enhance and support your farm businessWoodland and forestry experts urged growers at a recent Transition webinar, to look again at the potential benefits of strategic tree planting. Transition Project editor and webinar host Johann Tasker… 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… Case studiesSee all FEED AND NUTRITIONHow one farm is trialling a regen approach to forage maizeFaced with a reliance on maize but driven by a commitment to regenerative farming principles, Lucy and Rob Noad set out to prove that maize can be grown more sustainably.… HOUSING AND HANDLINGHow a forest grazing project doubled a suckler herdThe ability to graze thousands of hectares on the Abernethy Forest Nature Reserve, in the Cairngorms, has provided beef farmer Bobby Mackenzie with low-cost outwintering and allowed him to double… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow sustainable farming is central to Raby Estate's businessAttention to detail has been critical as Raby Estate has changed direction and set about creating a more robust and commercially viable business, with an environmentally sustainable farming enterprise at… ENVIRONMENTAward-winner shows ploughing can go alongside sustainabilityCambridgeshire farmer David Felce has been named this year’s winner of the BASF Rawcliffe Bridge Sustainability Award, for his focus on promoting biodiversity. David, who farms with his wife Hayley… 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… InsightsSee all ENVIRONMENT8 ways to prepare for tighter rules on water qualityPrimarily focused on water companies and signalling a major overhaul of England’s water system, the government’s Water White Paper also targets farmers, pledging to hold them strictly accountable for the… BUSINESSWhat the biomethane revolution could mean for UK farmsThe UK produces about 7TWh (terawatt-hours) of energy from slurry, food waste, manure and crops, each year meeting just 1% of gas demand. However, the potential biomethane demand and output… PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATIONFarmer-led trial reveals effect of cultivations on bird lifeA trial assessing different cultivation practices on the presence of farmland bird species has revealed striking evidence how regenerative agriculture can influence bird communities. Acoustic monitoring technology at Oli Harris’… ENVIRONMENTAre farmers really to blame for water pollution?Farming has become the default villain in Britain’s water pollution story. The narrative is familiar – nutrients in rivers rise, ecology declines and agriculture takes the blame. But speak to… ARABLEHow IPM strategies can cut costs and protect watercoursesIntegrating habitats into a farm can contribute to resilient, cost-efficient farming. For many farms, the benefits of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) include fewer chemical inputs, natural pest control, and habitats… ARABLEHow farmers can deliver for nature and their businessBalancing food production with delivering for nature is something many farmers are seeking to achieve. And there are ways to make environmental improvements, while also benefiting the bottom line. Practices… ENVIRONMENTLandscape Recovery: In conversation with Tony JuniperLandscape Recovery – the third leg of Defra’s Environmental Land Management strategy – has been heralded as having a “critical” role to play in supporting environmentally sustainable food production in… ENVIRONMENTHow Focus Farms are helping royal estate on regen journeyThe Duchy of Cornwall has a long history of trying to do right by nature, with both the current Duke (Prince William) and his predecessor (King Charles) renowned for their… Latest environment newsSee all ENVIRONMENTFarm emissions fall but progress uneven across EnglandEngland’s farms have reduced their environmental footprint over the past decade, although progress remains uneven between regions, new research suggests. A study by Rothamsted Research, examining intensive farming systems across… 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… ENVIRONMENTDefra urged to implement a new soil resilience schemeThe Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) is urging the government to introduce a one-off “soil improvement and resilience scheme” following disruption to fertiliser markets due to the Iran war.… BIODIVERSITYTraders anticipate 'massive increase' in BNG demandTraders and brokers are anticipating a “massive increase” in demand for biodiversity net gain (BNG) units, following confirmation by Defra that the requirement to deliver environmental improvements is being extended… NEWSMiliband targets brownfield land for energyEnergy secretary Ed Miliband has announced plans to expand renewable energy using brownfield sites and public land, as part of wider reforms to protect households from volatile gas-driven electricity prices,… ENVIRONMENTWelsh farms join environmental baselining pilotEight beef and sheep farms in Wales have joined a national project to measure their environmental performance, helping to build a clearer picture of farming’s role in climate and nature… ENVIRONMENTPork sector sets out environmental roadmap as emissions fallThe British pork sector has reported significant reductions in emissions over the past two decades, as it launches a new industry roadmap to drive further environmental progress. Figures from the… ENVIRONMENTDairy permitting could drive up farm costs, NFU warnsDairy farms in England could face new environmental permitting requirements under forthcoming government plans, prompting warnings from the NFU over cost and regulatory burden. Defra is expected to consult this… ENVIRONMENTPig and poultry sectors reject new claims about ammoniaPig and poultry organisations have hit back at attempts by green lobby groups to denigrate their sectors based on ammonia emissions, calling the latest efforts “another concocted outrage”. A campaign… NEWSSolar farm approved despite farmland concernsA major solar farm approved by the government on Wednesday, 8 April, is set to power thousands of homes, but concerns remain over its impact on agricultural land in Lincolnshire.… ENVIRONMENTFarmers in Wales encouraged to seek advice before river workFarmers and landowners in Wales are being urged to seek expert advice before working in rivers, as poorly planned activity can cause environmental damage, legal issues and significant financial costs.… ENVIRONMENTFlawed peat map risks land use and funding mistakesConcerns are mounting after farmers highlighted significant inaccuracies in a national peat map produced by Natural England, with potential implications for land use, environmental policy and farm incomes. The map,… 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…
