Arable growers can improve resilience and manage risk more effectively by making greater use of crop and variety choice, says plant breeder KWS. Advances in plant breeding are giving farmers access to stronger genetics and a broader range of cropping options at a time when tight margins and volatile... Read more
Growers prepare to leave crops undrilled
Arable 02/07/2026
Tight margins and high input costs are set to see some growers leaving winter crops undrilled this autumn. Fertiliser prices remain stubbornly high – making growing some crops unprofitable. It comes amid NFU calls for the government to implement a Fertiliser Resilience Plan to help protect domestic food production... Read more
Supplementary feeding boosts bird numbers
News 02/07/2026
Farms providing supplementary feeding are supporting higher numbers of many important farmland bird species. Run by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and sponsored by the NFU, the annual Big Farmland Bird Count encourages farmers and land managers to record the bird species and numbers on their farms... Read more
Check records before applying for SFI 2026
News 02/07/2026
Vital checks should be undertaken in good time before before applying to join the relaunched Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), say advisers. Launched last month, SFI 2026 is now open to farmers without an existing Environmental Land Management agreement and those with less than 50ha. Other eligible farmers will be... Read more
Police have pledged a tougher crackdown on hare coursing gangs after mounting pressure from farmers facing repeated attacks and intimidation. A package of measures announced by the force includes faster emergency responses, specialist officer training, drone deployment and plans to seize all dogs used in hare coursing incidents. It... Read more
Farm contracting charges for individual operations have risen by up to 15 per cent following cost increases caused by the Iran war. Results from the latest survey by the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) show that prices have generally risen a few per cent higher than 2025 –... Read more
Watch the sheep, not the calendar
Livestock 04/06/2026
Weaning should not be driven by the calendar – but by what the flock is telling us through lamb performance, ewe body condition and grazing availability, writes Nerys Wright. Many flocks may wean at a similar point each year, but the right timing can shift depending on the season,... Read more
A Northamptonshire beef and arable farmer has halved his feed costs by switching to home-grown cereals. Harry Brown, who farms 1,700 acres at Potcote Farm, near Towcester, said rising production costs and weak grain markets pushed him to rethink his feeding strategy. Instead of selling more oats and barley... Read more
Growers are being urged to consider under-sowing maize with grass – and reap the benefits of better soil health. Retention of important nutrients, reduced topsoil loss and improved harvestability are just some of the benefits – but timing and species selection are crucial, says David Linton, commercial manager for... Read more
British Sugar and its grower base are facing mounting pressure after Associated British Foods warned there is “no evidence yet of a recovery” in the European sugar market next year. The group said its sugar division fell to a £27m adjusted operating loss in the first half of 2026... Read more