This Week in Farming: Milk, muck and money
© James Andrews Welcome back to another edition of This Week in Farming, your one-stop shop for the best Farmers Weekly content from the past seven days.
First, here’s your markets (opens as PDF) – the biggest sign of the Trump turmoil is that exceptionally low oil price, which has made a bit of a recovery since those prices were gathered following the US president’s part-pause on tariffs.
However, not all the gains have been made back, and red diesel will still likely be lower on the week – unlike beef prices, with deadweight steers now crossing the £7/kg mark.
Now, on with the show.
About the author
Defra hires Baroness Batters
Former NFU president Minette Batters has added a new job to her post-NFU portfolio career – a six-month contract studying farm profitability in England for Defra.
This will come in addition to her responsibilities in the House of Lords, a role as honorary president of rural charity the Farming Community Network, delivering on a book deal to write her memoir, and overseeing her home farm in Wiltshire.
In my editorial this week, I offer a hint of what her recommendations may include – a renewed focus on food production targets.
Milk markets wobble
Some big news in the dairy sector this week as two major European dairy co-operatives, Arla Foods and DMK group, announced a plan to merge, creating a milk pool of more than 12,000 farmers.
Here in the UK, the spring flush looks set to be substantial, with some processors already struggling to handle supplies as good prices incentivise greater output from some producers.
In the livestock section this week, we meet Cumbrian farmer Andrew Barraclough, who shares how he’s fought through a number of challenging production years – in part through a focus on keeping rations consistent.
Slurry special
Of course, what goes in mostly comes out of the other end, and in the machinery section this week we’ve got three different machines and approaches to tackling slurry:
- Lockerbie-based Andy Rae shares how his modified separator can process in excess of 1,000cu m in a sensible work day, leaving a solid that can be spread in slurry’s closed season
- In County Down, one enterprising business is offering free slurry separation to farmers – providing they give up the solids to feed the contractor’s anaerobic digestor
- Cornish contractor Kevin Heywood shares why a business specialising in separating sand from slurry started with slinging a bucket of pig slurry into a washing machine.
Diversification with a difference
A Berkshire farming family have brought a slice of luxury London living to the middle of an arable farm with the opening of a private members club.
The unusual farm diversification opened six months ago, and Jo Butler spoke to business editor Suzie Horne about how it’s going.
We’ve also got general diversification advice aplenty with pieces on what farmers need to know about legal expenses insurance, tax-efficient business structures and other general tax and legal considerations.
Who’s up and who’s down?
Feeling glum this week are Scottish sheep farmers after a spate of thefts put weary lambers on edge, with the latest attempt to steal young lambs taking place in Dumfries and Galloway.
On the up this week is Frontier’s new managing director Diana Overton, who sat down with me to explain why she’s targeting further growth through acquisition.
Listen to the podcast
Don’t forget to tune in to the FW Podcast, with Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom.
You’ll find it anywhere you listen to podcasts, or free to listen to on our website.