Local charities across the Midlands have received more than £178,000 in donations raised by the region’s NFU Mutual office. Some 40 local charities will received a share of the money – part of a £1.92 million Agency Giving Fund launched by the rural insurer’s head office in Stratford upon... Read more
Farmers and self-employed people working in agriculture are being urged to update their pension contributions following two years of high inflation. Many farmers use pensions as an alternative income stream in later life to reduce the impact of multiple generations taking income from the farm – and the number... Read more
Farm support payments should be refocused so smaller producers can turn a profit while enhancing the environment, says a think tank. The Green Alliance argues that the current structure of the government’s Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs) is unfair and inefficient because it rewards large arable farms that are... Read more
A top accolade for services to agriculture has been awarded to Sarah Cowlrick, chief executive of the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC). Ms Cowlrick received the 2023 British Crop Protection Council (BCPC) award for outstanding services to the UK crop production industry. She accepted the honour at last... Read more
The next few years will be crucial for British agriculture – and there will be winners and losers. To put it bluntly, those who win will be the ones that adapt quickly and read the changing market. With the Basic Payment Scheme now worth 50% of what it was... Read more
Average farmland values in the East Midlands have continued to increase year on year across all land types despite a surge in supply. Some 14,276 acres of farmland were marketed during the first three quarters of 2023, according to a quarterly analysis by Savills. It analysed sales across Derbyshire,... Read more
Non-farm income is an increasingly important source of revenue for farmers as they seek to offset reductions in government support. UK farm income from diversification enterprises has risen to 13% of turnover in 2023, suggests research from rural insurer NFU Mutual. Some 34% of farmers now run a diversified... Read more
Farmland values have plateaued following eight successive quarters of sustained growth, suggest the latest estimates. Arable land prices have averaged £10,900/acre so far during 2023, according to Strutt & Parker’s farmland database, which records sales of farms, estates and blocks of publicly marketed land larger than 100 acres. This... Read more
Shropshire-based land agent Halls has strengthened two of its divisions by recruiting graduate surveyors. Kate Oakes, 22, from Penkridge, joins the rural professional team led by Halls’ associate director Louise Preece at the firm’s Shrewsbury headquarters. At the same time, Ellie Studley, 21, from Malpas, joins the commercial team... Read more
The Royal Agricultural Society of England has named farm conservationist Alastair Leake as the recipient of its 2023 National Agricultural Award. The award recognises Dr Leake’s outstanding contribution to British agriculture through his work leading the Allerton Project – the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust demonstration farm which showcases... Read more