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CROP MANAGEMENT

Farmer tackles arable slump with push for more hectares

Norfolk farmer Robert Scott is on a mission to take on more land for his contract farming business to maximise machinery and make resources go further. Over the past three…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Yellow rust resistance blamed on dominant market varieties

The large area of wheat varieties carrying the Yr15 resistance gene created the selection pressure that resulted in last year’s major varietal breakdown to yellow rust. Sampling carried out by…

PEST MANAGEMENT

How beneficial rhizobacteria can reduce insect pests

Inoculating crops with beneficial rhizobacteria has been shown to reduce insect pest damage by priming natural plant defence pathways. Certain bacterial strains can activate internal defence mechanisms of plants, altering…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Spring barley is now risky and unpredictable

January is the month when new year resolutions begin and some end, we see night-time temperatures dip below 0C and we begin to look ahead at the upcoming workload. Before…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

New tech claims to raise crop yields with less fertiliser

A new approach to crop nutrition could deliver higher yields with less fertiliser, by using bespoke compound products formulated using soil or tissue test results. Most fertiliser is applied as…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Foliar urea fails to deliver in AHDB trials

A foliar-applied urea nitrogen application failed to provide either a wheat yield response or grain protein increase across two different years in trials at AHDB Strategic Farm East at Morley…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Chinese agchem firm enters UK pesticide market

UK and Irish growers looking to trim their pesticide spend are set to benefit from the arrival of a new agchem company, as China’s biggest exporter of pesticides enters the…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Chinese agchem firm enters UK pesticide market

UK and Irish growers looking to trim their pesticide spend are set to benefit from the arrival of a new agchem company, as China’s biggest exporter of pesticides enters the…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Premium Crops unveils record contract values for spring 2026

A specialist niche crop company unveiled its spring cropping offers at the CropTec event, including a record spring linseed contract of up to £600/t as well as premium market opportunities…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Crops benefit from cold weather snap

With the nice cold snap behind us, crops seem to look a little perkier and much better for it. The cold weather has hardened them and knocked disease back. I…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Low-carbon fertiliser: What products are in the pipeline?

There is a bewildering array of low-carbon fertilisers in the pipeline, ranging from blue and green ammonia-based inorganic products to new organic products utilising waste products. All have their pros…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: I’ve reached farmer survey saturation point

Surveys seem to be filling my in-tray this winter. Despite barely having enough time to write my Christmas thank you cards, we are continually asked to feed back to our…

VARIETY SELECTION

What to consider when selecting spring malting barley varieties

UK farmers are being advised to focus on proven barley varieties with strong market flexibility when selecting seed for the coming season, as uncertainty over area, premiums and end-market demand…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Advice on fungicide choice to slow wheat disease resistance

Winter wheat growers are advised to utilise all four main groups of systemic fungicides and adjust doses to help fight any build-up of disease resistance. In addition, they are urged…

Arable news

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Farmers advised to respond to crops fairness review

With just over a fortnight left before the deadline, arable farmers are being urged to respond to Defra’s consultation on fairness in the UK combinable crops supply chain, amid concerns…

OTHER CROPS

First English olive harvest marks new milestone

A Lincolnshire business has completed what is believed to be the world’s most northerly commercial olive harvest, with The English Olive Co, based near Spalding, pressing its first olives this…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Crumpets made from 100% British regen wheat launched

Crumpets made from 100% British regeneratively farmed wheat are the latest product launch from regen food and farming business Wildfarmed. The launch marks the brand’s first expansion from bread into…

CROP SELECTION

Gene editing clears final hurdle in Parliament

A new regulatory framework, which allows the commercial cultivation of gene-edited crops in England, has cleared its final hurdle in Parliament and comes into force from today (13 November). The…

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CROP MANAGEMENT

Farmer tackles arable slump with push for more hectares

Norfolk farmer Robert Scott is on a mission to take on more land for his contract farming business to maximise machinery and make resources go further. Over the past three…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Yellow rust resistance blamed on dominant market varieties

The large area of wheat varieties carrying the Yr15 resistance gene created the selection pressure that resulted in last year’s major varietal breakdown to yellow rust. Sampling carried out by…

PEST MANAGEMENT

How beneficial rhizobacteria can reduce insect pests

Inoculating crops with beneficial rhizobacteria has been shown to reduce insect pest damage by priming natural plant defence pathways. Certain bacterial strains can activate internal defence mechanisms of plants, altering…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Foliar urea fails to deliver in AHDB trials

A foliar-applied urea nitrogen application failed to provide either a wheat yield response or grain protein increase across two different years in trials at AHDB Strategic Farm East at Morley…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Low-carbon fertiliser: What products are in the pipeline?

There is a bewildering array of low-carbon fertilisers in the pipeline, ranging from blue and green ammonia-based inorganic products to new organic products utilising waste products. All have their pros…

VARIETY SELECTION

What to consider when selecting spring malting barley varieties

UK farmers are being advised to focus on proven barley varieties with strong market flexibility when selecting seed for the coming season, as uncertainty over area, premiums and end-market demand…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Advice on fungicide choice to slow wheat disease resistance

Winter wheat growers are advised to utilise all four main groups of systemic fungicides and adjust doses to help fight any build-up of disease resistance. In addition, they are urged…

CROP SELECTION

Intercropping trials show boosted protein levels with low N

Intercropping wheat with a pulse can improve grain protein levels in a low nitrogen input system, but only in certain seasons, according to new trial findings. For milling wheat growers,…

COVER CROPS

How to tackle large cover crops before spring drilling

Some of the biggest overwinter cover crops seen in the past 15-20 years will need careful management ahead of spring drilling to maximise yields of the following crop. Oxfordshire-based Agrii…

ARABLE

How to raise yields and trim costs for higher wheat margins

Arable farmers looking to make a higher margin in 2026 have two options to get the most from well-established autumn drilled crops showing good potential, according to a leading consultancy.…

SOILS

Expert advice on creating biologically dynamic soils

There is currently an influx of biological products coming to the market promising improvements to soil health and yield, but can these claims be sustained in practice? Creating a biologically…

COVER CROPS

Trial shows how to establish a cover crop before harvest

Establishing multispecies cover crops into a standing crop of wheat has shown promise in a replicated large-scale trial in Northamptonshire. While it’s well-known that earlier establishment of cover crops is…

BARLEY

Glimmer of hope for UK spring malting barley growers

A forecast sharp drop in the spring barley area this year, together with industry capacity cut backs could inject some optimism into a depressed malting barley market and push up…

MAIZE

Triple-use maize variety on offer to support rising interest

The demand for UK maize rise is rising, and so too is the demand for multi-use varieties which offer flexible market opportunities. Maize continues to be the first-choice feedstock for…

ARABLE

Student of the Year takes third-gen family farm to new level

After being named Student of the Year at Harper Adams University in 2025, James Allanson has returned to his third-generation family farm with a new level of precision which is…

CROP SELECTION

Prospects for spring barley after poor year for Scots growers

Following a challenging harvest season marked by quality issues and depressed markets, Scottish Agronomy is urging growers to carefully weigh up their options before abandoning spring barley in favour of…

Farmer Focus

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FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Spring barley is now risky and unpredictable

January is the month when new year resolutions begin and some end, we see night-time temperatures dip below 0C and we begin to look ahead at the upcoming workload. Before…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Crops benefit from cold weather snap

With the nice cold snap behind us, crops seem to look a little perkier and much better for it. The cold weather has hardened them and knocked disease back. I…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: I’ve reached farmer survey saturation point

Surveys seem to be filling my in-tray this winter. Despite barely having enough time to write my Christmas thank you cards, we are continually asked to feed back to our…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Times are hard times but fortunes will change

As much as I want to forget about the sprayer in the middle of winter, the blessed agronomist keeps finding things for it to do. To be fair, he’s not…

Markets

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MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Farmers advised to respond to crops fairness review

With just over a fortnight left before the deadline, arable farmers are being urged to respond to Defra’s consultation on fairness in the UK combinable crops supply chain, amid concerns…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

'Challenging' year sees profits fall at Frontier Agriculture

Profit before tax at grain merchant Frontier Agriculture dropped to £9.4m for the financial year ending 26 June 2025, down from £40m the previous year. Revenue dipped from £1.76bn to…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Global wheat surplus keeps prices in check into new year

A large global wheat surplus continues to dominate market sentiment despite other geopolitical drivers, keeping wheat prices at persistently low levels. May 2026 UK feed wheat futures started the new…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Outlook 2026: Sugar beet faces lower prices, increased costs

It was written last year that despite the 17.5% price reduction to a headline £33/t, the 2025-26 sugar beet campaign would produce returns for growers that compared favourably to alternative…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Outlook 2026: Potato price pressure mounts

The optimism of the sector experienced over the past two years has been dampened by the finish to the marketing of the 2024 harvest, due to oversupply as old crop…

BUSINESS

Outlook 2026: Small returns for best combinable crop growers

The past two seasons have been incredibly challenging for all combinable crop growers – physically for all and financially for most. Fundamentally, yield, or rather lack of it, has been…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Wheat margin achievable in 2026 after tough year for growers

UK cereals growers have endured a challenging 12 months, with low farmgate prices, weather constraints and a smaller domestic crop. While pressure remains on wheat prices due to a well-supplied…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Defra review targets fairer returns for growers

Arable farmers have been given a “real opportunity to reset the balance of power” in the crops supply chain after Defra launched a consultation on contract fairness across the combinable…

Spot and forward prices (£/t ex-farm)
Each set of prices comes from a single merchant, co-op or broker, and are the latest prices being paid to farmers. Ranges of prices, within one category relate to the distance of the farm from the buyer. Oilseed rape prices are latest spot and forward prices, not contract prices. Ex farm prices vary with the distance from Hull, Liverpool and Erith, crushing factories.

Arable machinery

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TELEHANDLERS

Lamma 2026: Kubota brings big SVL 75-3 skid-steer to the UK

National plans to increase solar capacity was a major motivator behind Kubota’s decision to bring its SVL 75-3 skid-steer handler to the UK. Its 1.7m width allows contractors to slink…

TELEHANDLERS

Lamma 2026: Compact JCB 526-60 gets swankier cab

JCB has lavished its compact Loadall telehandlers with some attention, fitting higher-spec cabs, improved brakes and twin-line trailer braking. The 526.60 is the smaller of the two models, benefiting from…

ROLLS

Lamma 2026: NRH adds Stocks seeder to RollX GSD

By fitting a Stocks seeder to its RollX roller, Yorkshire-based NRH Engineering has created a one-pass establishment or rejuvenation tool. Buyers can spec either 610mm diameter Cambridge rings or a…

TELEHANDLERS

Lamma 2026: Stronger boom for Stoll TracLift loader

Farmers torn between Stoll’s budget Solid front loader and top-spec ProfiLine FZ need agonise no more, following the introduction of three mid-range TracLift models. Smallest of the trio is the…

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