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All articles about Farm policy

Find out about UK and EU government agricultural policy and what it means for farmers. Be the first to hear the news on Defra’s plans for farm payments and subsidies post Brexit, and environmental schemes and funding. Hear how the NFU, AHDB and farm industry leaders’ lobby the government to help shape farm policy.

Advice and tips

FARM POLICY

Tips to survive and thrive amid falling BPS payments

The UK agricultural sector is undergoing the biggest policy shake-up in 60 years, and government support for farmers is facing a radical overhaul. Defra has started its new Environmental Land…

MACHINERY

Q&A: Using CCTV - what farmers need to know

Farmers are increasingly turning to CCTV to protect their farm from thefts. New technology has made it easier than ever to set up camera surveillance, but the rules around data…

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Case studies

ARABLE

What the Budget means for new Arable Insights farmer panel

As farmers head to Westminster to protest at Budget measures affecting their businesses, including the unwelcome changes to inheritance tax, we look at the practical implications of the new regime…

DIVERSIFICATION

Field to plate - diversification on Japanese farms

Japan’s food culture is built on strong regional associations and loyalties, alongside superb quality and freshness.  However, accelerating rural depopulation, falling farm incomes, concerns over food security and a crippling…

BUSINESS

Farming without subsidy - New Zealand's experience

UK farmers must seize the opportunity of Brexit to ramp up productivity and become more competitive, industry leaders have been told. Former New Zealand agriculture minister Sir Lockwood Smith suggested…

ENVIRONMENT

Wild bird project – a blueprint for future farm support?

Farmers in the South West have helped to save a rare farmland bird in a 25-year collaboration with the RSPB.  Farmers and the RSPB don’t always see eye to eye,…

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Insights

FARM POLICY

Analysis: Why the Treasury has it so wrong on impact of IHT

Fresh analysis from the NFU has set out exactly why the union believes Treasury claims that only about a quarter of farm businesses will ever be caught by its inheritance…

FARM POLICY

Analysis: Where does the Budget leave farming?

Rural charities have been urging struggling farmers to make use of their services, following a difficult Budget for the industry.  Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a series of measures last week…

NEWS

 Uncertain future for upland farms as Budget looms

A perilous future awaits hill farmers in some of England’s most isolated communities if public spending on agriculture is cut in this month’s Budget, says a leading charity. Friends of…

FARM POLICY

Analysis: 100 days of Labour government

Many would have you believe that the Labour victory on 4 July was more a result of disenchantment with the previous Conservative administration than any particular enthusiasm for Sir Kier…

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News

FARM POLICY

Scottish farmers rally in force against ‘family farm tax’

More than 200 tractors rolled through north-east Scotland in a powerful protest against the UK government’s proposed “family farm tax”, which farmers warn could devastate rural communities. The North East…

FARM POLICY

Sir Keir Starmer accused of 'undermining' case for IHT

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of undermining the Treasury and Defra’s arguments over inheritance changes (IHT), admitting the policy is primarily about raising money rather than targeting…

FARM POLICY

Farmers plan to ramp up protests against farm tax raid

British farmers are preparing for a wave of intensified protests in 2025, targeting the government’s inheritance tax (IHT) reforms and other policies they claim pose a serious threat to rural…

FARM POLICY

NFU launches ‘Big Banner’ day to campaign against IHT

Roadside and gate banners will be placed across the UK today (Thursday, 19 December) in a national display of solidarity against the proposed inheritance tax changes threatening family farms. The…

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Opinion

OPINION

Editor's View: What NFU coronation says about our sector

Why has only one person put themselves forward to be president of the NFU? Nominations for the race closed a few weeks ago with the current deputy president, Tom Bradshaw,…

NEWS

Charlie Flindt: We need to talk about deer numbers

It has been obvious for some time that we need to talk about deer – or, more specifically, the explosion in their numbers. There can’t be a farmer or landowner…

FARM POLICY

Eustice: I’ll ensure money coming out of BPS goes to farmers

George Eustice is the secretary of state at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Here he sets out his arguments why the new Environmental Land Management scheme is…

NEWS

Eustice: Creative solutions needed to cut dependence on AN

George Eustice is the secretary of state at Defra. Here he sets out his arguments for why more imaginative thinking is needed to reduce farming's dependence on inorganic fertiliser. My…

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Podcast

NEWS

Trade deals and tree planting debated at FW Question Time

Issues surrounding trade deals, imports, and farming policy were debated in front of a full auditorium at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) in Cirencester for the final Farmers Weekly Question…

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Video

FARM POLICY

Video: 600 tractors make a statement against farm tax policy

More than 600 tractors sent a message to MPs on Wednesday 11 December as farmers continued in their efforts to change the government's inheritance tax and business property relief policies.…

FARM POLICY

Video: Farmers have their say on Budget plans in mass rally

Farmers Weekly reporters were on the ground at the farming rally in Westminster on Tuesday 19 November 2024 and spoke to protesting farmers, and their supporters, about their concerns over…

FARM POLICY

Video: Farmers wake up Westminster with lively tractor rally

Dozens of fed-up farmers drove their tractors to Westminster to send a stark message to MPs and civil servants – stop killing our livelihoods and start backing British farming. A…

FARM POLICY

Farmers put boot into Welsh government farm policy plans

NFU Cymru members have given the Welsh government’s future farming policy plans the boot – by placing thousands of pairs of wellies on the steps of the Senedd. On Wednesday…

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Webinar

BREXIT

What is the future of farming post Covid and post Brexit?

The long-term success of British farming depends on the sector becoming more internationally competitive, says renowned economist Sean Rickard. Post Brexit, the government will be doing trade deals with countries…

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