All the latest farming news CRIMENFU calls for action on rural crime ahead of PCC electionsThe NFU is calling for farmers to support its campaign by signing an open letter to every newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), urging them to prioritise rural crime… NUTRITION AND FERTILISERGrowers warned tough year to meet milling wheat protein specWith milling premiums currently over £60/t, wheat growers are being advised to beef up their crop nutrition plans in the coming weeks to ensure they meet milling specifications. Experts warn… NEWSRSPB trials 'no fence' grazing to benefit ground-nesting birdsA new project is being trialled at RSPB Geltsdale, in Cumbria, using a flock of Herdwick sheep and “Nofence” collars to restore ground-nesting bird populations. The flock of 22 sheep… COMMUNITYRSABI and Farmers' Choir release new cover of 'Stand by Me'As many farming families continue to battle the difficult spring weather, Scottish farming charity RSABI has released a newly recorded song with the Farmers’ Choir to raise the community’s spirits.… NEWSRetailers tell Efra MPs seasonal labour is ‘biggest issue’Supermarket senior executives and suppliers are seeking clarity from the UK government over its future plans for farm labour, with the Seasonal Worker Scheme for horticulture due to end this… DAIRY MARKETS AND PRICESMilk prices keep climbing with spring peak likely to be lowFarmgate milk prices have continued to rise in May and June, with total production volumes running well below last year’s levels as the sector approaches its annual peak. Dairy processors… BOVINE TBDefra extends bovine TB consultation on targeted cullingCattle farmers and industry representatives have been given more time to respond to a bovine TB consultation on proposals for a “targeted badger intervention policy” in England. Defra has announced… BREXITNI farmers face severe lack of vet products, inquiry findsAn inquiry by the House of Lords has found that about a third of veterinary medicines used in Northern Ireland could be discontinued, creating critical challenges for farm businesses and… CRIMEFarm shop owners warned to stay vigilant amidst crime riseFarm shop owners are being warned to remain vigilant after a survey of rural retailers revealed that more than one-third have suffered from crimes in the past 12 months. The… NEWSFarmers to march in Cardiff over food security concernsFrustrated farmers are planning a march in Cardiff to highlight the threat to the UK’s domestic food security posed by government anti-farming policies. Welsh Farmers Unite, a newly formed grassroots… TRACTORSNew Holland set to build two-millionth tractor at BasildonNew Holland has unveiled a psychedelic, 1960s-inspired T7.300 wrap to mark 60 years of tractor production at its Basildon factory. The 40ha south Essex site, which has been the birthplace… NEWSFarmer fears worst for spring barley after delugeA Lincolnshire arable farmer and contractor faces an anxious wait to see if his newly drilled crop of spring barley has survived an April deluge. Malcolm Parr, director of CJ… BREXITMPs fear border weaknesses as physical food checks loomWith physical checks on food and agricultural goods coming into the UK from the EU due to start on Tuesday (30 April), MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESLidl commits to British pork and cost of production contractsDiscount retailer Lidl has introduced new contracts for pork producers that guarantee a margin for farmers above the cost of production. It will invest £500m through this new initiative and… PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTSNew 'safety net' farm support for NI to start in 2025Farmers in Northern Ireland will receive a new Farm Sustainability Transition Payment in 2025 to replace the Basic Payment Scheme, with the full Farm Sustainability Payment coming into operation in… CRIMEEight arrests made at illegal farm rave in SuffolkEight people have been arrested after police closed down an illegal rave on farmland in East Anglia. Suffolk Police were called just after 2.15am on Sunday 28 April to reports… AIR AND WATERWelsh government unveils £20m funding for slurry managementThe Welsh government has unveiled a multimillion-pound funding package to help farmers improve slurry storage infrastructure on farms to comply with air and water regulations. In total, £20m has been… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESHeavy showers crush farmers hopes of late spring plantingsFurther rainfall and flood warnings across the UK have scuppered plans for farm businesses hoping to get spring crops in the ground. An exceptionally wet winter has meant cereals and… LIVESTOCKNew bluetongue vaccine gives hope for UK farmersThe Dutch authorities have approved the use of a new vaccine against bluetongue serotype 3, developed by Spanish company Syva, giving fresh hope to farmers in the UK that it… COMPLIANCERed Tractor chief blames poor communication for GFC collapseRed Tractor chief executive Jim Moseley has insisted that the principles behind the now defunct Greener Farms Commitment (GFC) were sound, but the project was scuppered by a combination of… CEREAL DRILLSCataya EcoLine to replace Amazone’s popular AD combi drillAmazone has introduced a bottom-of-the-range replacement for its venerable AD piggyback drill, which was retired at the end of 2023 after a 30-year production run. Its successor, the 3m-wide Cataya… NEWSThis Week in Farming: Contractor charges and beef upheavalWelcome to another edition of This Week in Farming, your regular round-up of the best FW content from the past seven days. But first, how about coming to a brand… TECHNOLOGYClaas rolls out new look Connect digital platformFarmers who are signed up to a new “digital ecosystem” being rolled out this year by Claas will be able to add tractors and other machines to their account simply… 4X4SIsuzu unveils souped-up special edition D-Max pickupsIsuzu has pimped up its D-Max pickup with two special edition models. The first is the Steel, which adds more bling to the top-of-the-range V-Cross but is otherwise identical underneath.… PEST MANAGEMENTHow insect sensors enhance pest detectionHigh-tech insect surveillance sensors are shaping up to be an effective means of monitoring pest populations in crops, with detection up to four days earlier than traditional methods. Data on… OILSEED RAPEBeekeeper bemoans collapse of OSR acreage in the UKHoneybee colonies are suffering from an early-spring pollen shortage in the farming landscape due to shortages of flowering plants such as oilseed rape, with some colonies facing starvation, say beekeepers.… HEALTH AND SAFETYProbe launched after farmworker dies in machinery accidentAn investigation is under way after a farmworker aged in his 30s died following an accident involving farm machinery in Cornwall. In an initial notification released this week, the Health… PLOUGHSCNH sells off Overum plough businessDuring a period of seemingly never-ending acquisitions, CNH Industrial has gone against the trend by selling off the Overum factory in Sweden, which makes mouldboard ploughs. This business was acquired… COMPLIANCERed Tractor 'a victim of its own success' says chief execRed Tractor farm assurance is a “victim of its own success”, which is why some primary producers have little option but to be members, according to the organisation’s chief executive… More articles
