Would-be MPs are being urged to recognise the role of food and farming as candidates pitch for the rural vote ahead of next month’s general election. Confidence among farmers is the lowest since the NFU began its annual state of the industry survey in 2010. Farm businesses are being... Read more

More than 100 options to generate additional revenue are now available to producers who sign up to the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). The government’s latest offer – which increases the number of SFI options from 23 to 102 from July – was published on 21 May as the government... Read more

Strong milling wheat and protein premiums make it an easy decision to push crops for grain quality this season – but growers should be aware of low nitrogen levels. Washout winter and spring weather means some crops face a double challenge to achieve protein specifications. Soil nitrogen is depleted... Read more

Winter cereal trial plots will be under scrutiny when more than 1,500 visitors attend the Arable Event on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border next month. Organised by Wynnstay and Graintrial plots of wheat, barley, oats, hybrid rye and triticale. It takes place on 19 June at Woodlands Farm, which is part... Read more

Britain’s supermarket bosses are being urged to help UK farmers bounce back from the disastrously wet winter and spring. In a joint letter to major retailers, leaders of Britain’s four main farm unions say the challenging weather has brought food security into sharp focus. And they call on supermarket... Read more

A Lincolnshire couple who started with modest beginnings have built a sizeable sheep flock and created an award-winning retail food brand. Chris and Louise Elkington bought their first 30 sheep a decade ago. Today, they have a flock of breeding ewes and market every lamb reared through their Gelston... Read more

More growers are switching land into agri-environment schemes – as they try to cut their losses following a challenging year and wet winter. Provisional farm income figures from Defra suggests a slump in income across a range of enterprises in the year to February 2024 – including cereals (-77%),... Read more

A young farmer is undertaking a challenging feat of endurance to highlight mental health issues in agriculture. Tom York, a volunteer with the Farming Community Network (FCN) and a student at Harper Adams University, will compete in a gruelling Ultimate Triathlon – comprising a 2.4-mile swim, 122-mile bike ride,... Read more

A new net zero glasshouse research and development facility is set for the University of Lincoln’s Riseholme campus. The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership is providing a grant of £1,333,000 for the project, and the University of Lincoln is providing a further £888,666 – bringing the total project cost... Read more

Grants worth £427m will be opened to farmers this year – following an announcement by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at last month’s NFU conference. The package will include £220m for technology and productivity schemes, said Mr Sunak – ensuring the government delivered on its commitment to maintain the farming... Read more