A sugar beet seed calculator aims to help growers optimise crop yields and profitability by comparing seed treatments. It’s the latest move in an increasingly competitive UK sugar beet market following a decision allowing growers to purchase seed direct from plant breeders rather than having to purchase through British... Read more
Challenging market conditions mean growers face lower sugar beet prices following last month’s contract agreement. NFU Sugar and British Sugar have agreed a headline one-year fixed price contract at £30/t, for up to 65% of the contract for 2026/27 sugar beet crop. It compares to a price of £33/t... Read more
Farms bringing land back into production after the Sustainable Farming Incentive could see an unintended increase in blackgrass. Cover crops could be a good option to manage any increase in blackgrass populations that occur within SFI options when land returns to cropping, says Alice Cannon, technical manager for the... Read more
Lincolnshire grower Tim Lamyman has defied the exceptionally dry season to bring in a record-breaking oilseed rape crop. Known for growing big crops, Mr Lamyman achieved an impressive 7.52t/ha in an 8ha field of September-sown LG Avenger at Worlaby Farm, near Louth – breaking the previous unofficial world record... Read more
Huge yield variation in UK wheat harvest
News 29/08/2025
Final estimates for this year’s wheat harvest remain unknown because of huge yield differences between farms, say analysts. “The wheat harvest has had arguably the greatest level of variation so far,” says the latest official harvest progress report – published on 22 August by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development... Read more
Industry pays tribute to David Richardson
News 29/08/2025
Tributes are being paid to Norfolk farmer and veteran journalist David Richardson, who died age 87 last month after a short illness. Initially recruited by farmer and Anglia TV presenter Dick Joice for a series on rural affairs in 1960, Mr Richardson became one of the most influential voices... Read more
Lessons must be learned from the summer drought – including changes to agri-environment schemes, say farm leaders. The NFU wants Defra to ensure that the next round of the Sustainable Farming Incentive supports farmers’ resilience in the face of a changing climate. It comes as farmers grapple with ongoing... Read more
What next for British farmers?
Opinion 07/08/2025
Farming has a future – let’s not waste it, says Clodhopper Much of my time over recent months has been spent thinking or writing about farming families and their struggle to keep their chins and bank balance above water. With an ageing and declining farming population, we overlook the... Read more
• Big implications for UK growers • Challenge for seasonal workers • Cost of recruitment could soar Requiring growers to cover all costs associated with seasonal workers under the Seasonal Worker Scheme would pose a huge challenge, says the NFU. The warning follows a review into the Employer Pays... Read more
An innovative camera and AI system is helping dairy farmers improve productivity and cow health. The system uses a camera fitted to the parlour or race, allowing a bird’s-eye view of the cows as they pass underneath. It assesses mobility and body condition score (BCS), which the farmer can... Read more