This Week in Farming: Protests, cow numbers and revamps

Welcome back to This Week in Farming. Congratulations on finding this email amid all the Black Friday nonsense.

Here are your markets as usual – including yet another set of figures to please beef and lamb producers, while commodities (except OSR) hold relatively steady.

Now, on with the show.

Budget: The latest

There’s been no let-up in farming’s focus on inheritance tax this week as protests were staged in Anglesey and Dover this week, amid some farmers warning of ‘no limits’ in their fight to see the changes reversed.

Further pressure was heaped on the Treasury this week by separate but similar pieces of analysis from the NFU and the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, who both concluded that the government has dramatically underestimated how many farmers will be affected.

Meanwhile, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has issued fresh guidance to those wanting to calculate their potential liability – as the sequence in which reliefs would be applied has caused some confusion.

In my editorial this week I note there are hints that Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are listening to critics, though certainly no concrete sign yet that a U-turn is coming.

Scottish warnings and Welsh cheer

Scottish farmers also staged a rally this week ahead of the Holyrood budget on 4 December to again press the case that the SNP should return to a ring-fenced budget for Scottish agriculture.

However, there was a relatively warm reception for Welsh deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davies at the Winter Fair in Builth Wells after he revealed a U-turn on the much-criticised proposal for farms to have 10% tree cover to be eligible for support payments.

More details on the Sustainable Farming Scheme, including payment rates, will not be revealed until next year.

HCC in spotlight

The other topic-provoking conversation at the Winter Fair was the ongoing troubles at Welsh red meat levy board, Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC).

The organisation was the subject of an embarrassing TV documentary which aired on S4C on Monday evening (25 November), detailing again the swirling allegations of bullying that have plagued it for some months.

HCC insists it has done nothing wrong but some Welsh politicians have called for a complete leadership overhaul.

Remarkable revamps

Keeping old kit tidy has always been a passion for many farmers, but some are now taking it to the next level as the price of new machines becomes more unobtainable.

Our most popular story on the web this week was a walk-through of Devon-based engineer Marcus Tucker’s remarkable £20,000 refurbishment of a 20-year-old John Deere telehandler.

And fans of workshop tinkering will also enjoy our lengthy chat with renowned Dorset tractor fixer Martin Percy – as well as the return of the legendary Farmers Weekly Inventions Competition.

Who’s up and who’s down?

On the up this week is Oxfordshire farmer and consultant Jonty Brunyee, after he scooped the prestigious Bullock Award at this year’s Nuffield Conference.

Feeling down are analysts looking at the future trajectory for UK beef and sheep numbers, with fresh analysis this week pointing to a further contraction in numbers despite the current high prices.

Listen to the podcast

Don’t forget to tune into this week’s FW podcast, with Johann Tasker and Louise Impey.

You’ll find it anywhere you listen to podcasts, or free to listen to on our website.