Latest stories 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 above £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.… 401+HPFirst impressions: Valtra's revamped 420hp S416 gets new cabValtra’s big S-series has finally been given some Finnish affection, having been left as little more than a masquerading Massey for nigh on two decades. As well as acquiring a… PIGSHow a Yorkshire pig and arable setup is cutting carbonHome-grown beans have replaced 50% of the soya bought in for finisher rations, and slurry additives have cut ammonia emissions by more than 10% in ongoing trials at an East… NUTRITION AND FERTILISEREndophytes raise wheat yields by 0.6t/ha in trialsApplying an endophyte that takes nitrogen from the air and converts it to nitrate within the plant’s leaves increased wheat yields by 0.6t/ha, according to trials. The trial also suggested… 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… More articles OpinionSee all NEWSOpinion: Straw prices are giving me heart palpitationsOne way or another, we are in the process of waving goodbye to winter 2023-24. As I’m sure is the case with every farmer, the waving is predominantly being done… NEWSOpinion: More inclusivity helps raise farming's productivityWhen I was at school and sat in front of the careers advisor, the answer that came from the tick box survey was “veterinary”, which I guess did have some… NEWSOpinion: Build fairness in farming from the bottom upThe oddest whinge I received about my last column was that it was easy for me to be opinionated because I don’t rely solely on farming for my income. This… NEWSEditor’s View: In praise of average farmersHow do you build a farm business that has the highest possible chance of long-term success? Is it by being a great farmer, or by building a great system where… Subscribe to Farmers Weekly Save money and never miss an issue. Subscribe ArableSee all NUTRITION AND FERTILISERGrowers warned tough year to meet milling wheat protein specWith milling premiums currently above £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… NUTRITION AND FERTILISEREndophytes raise wheat yields by 0.6t/ha in trialsApplying an endophyte that takes nitrogen from the air and converts it to nitrate within the plant’s leaves increased wheat yields by 0.6t/ha, according to trials. The trial also suggested… CROP WATCHCrop Watch: Brown rust alert in wheat and bean fungicidesIn a season that continues to bring surprises, brown rust is being seen much earlier than usual in some wheats, with the most severe cases being in early drilled crops.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: A rubbish crop review and a lost phoneWell, the weather doesn’t seem to get any better. Spring drilling started on 11 April and finished on the 15, with a little over 80ha of the planned 220ha drilled.… DISEASE MANAGEMENTHow farmers will benefit from new SDHI wheat fungicide at T2Winter wheat growers will see a step up in the control of septoria, the crop’s number one disease, at the T2 timing this spring, with a new broad-spectrum fungicide offering… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Grain maize and sunflowers help in tough yearPlanning ahead for spring work is always a challenge. I usually hope things get going before the end of March, and by April, spring cereals are established. Then the focus… 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.… LivestockSee all PIGSHow a Yorkshire pig and arable setup is cutting carbonHome-grown beans have replaced 50% of the soya bought in for finisher rations, and slurry additives have cut ammonia emissions by more than 10% in ongoing trials at an East… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Gilts to trial condition-scoring camera techI hope everyone is well and has seen at least some improvement to weather conditions. It’s better here now, albeit still not as warm as we would like it to… 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… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTHow to get the most from red clover in silageRed clover silage leys respond well in a multicut system, with best results from mowing every five weeks. Cutting at the red bud stage just before flowering in mid-May will… LAYERSAdvice on free-range layer rations, stage by stageFrom early chick development to transition into laying, feeding birds the correct nutrition at every stage will help achieve the best possible performance and egg quality. Attention to detail is… 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… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONTransition farmer achieves closed sheep flock goalAchieving his goal of running a closed sheep flock to improve ewe health has been a slower process than James MacCartney anticipated, involving three years of breeding replacements and screening… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Behind with spreading work and short of strawI’m struggling for inspiration this month, and I’m not allowed to use expletives here, so all I’ll say is it’s rained – a lot. Here was me thinking when I… MachinerySee all 401+HPFirst impressions: Valtra's revamped 420hp S416 gets new cabValtra’s big S-series has finally been given some Finnish affection, having been left as little more than a masquerading Massey for nigh on two decades. As well as acquiring a… 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… MACHINERYTough trading conditions cause turmoil for machinery dealersUnrelenting economic headwinds have seen to the demise of several well-known machinery dealerships. Oliver Mark rounds them up, and shares some cheerier expansion and acquisition news from the past few… 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… CommunitySee all FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Gilts to trial condition-scoring camera techI hope everyone is well and has seen at least some improvement to weather conditions. It’s better here now, albeit still not as warm as we would like it to… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: A rubbish crop review and a lost phoneWell, the weather doesn’t seem to get any better. Spring drilling started on 11 April and finished on the 15, with a little over 80ha of the planned 220ha drilled.… COMMUNITYFarms are popular places to tie the knotA couple of statistics in the latest National Wedding Survey caught my eye. In 2023, 26% of wedding receptions took place in barn and farm wedding venues – and this… FARMLIFE FRAMEDPhoto of the Week: 'Princesses can farm too'This week’s Photo of the Week comes from Betsy in Derbyshire, who is pictured here helping to feed the calves while wearing a princess dress. As we prepare the second… BusinessSee all 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… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITION5 reasons to come to Transition LiveHundreds of farmers and growers have already booked their places for Farmers Weekly's Transition Live event at Cambridge University’s Park Farm on 9 May. The event is part of Farmers… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: How do we structure our business/succession?Whether it’s a legal, tax, insurance, management or land issue, Farmers Weekly’s Business Clinic experts can help. Conor Melvin, associate at Thrings, Carly Drummond, senior tax manager at MHA and Joe… 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… 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… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: What should my grazing agreement include?Whether it’s a legal, tax, insurance, management or land issue, Farmers Weekly’s Business Clinic experts can help. Caroline Raspison, associate, Carter Jonas, Truro, advises on a grazing agreement. See also: Business… 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… Futures prices Updated end of day Copyright © 2019. All market data is provided by Barchart Solutions. Futures: at least 10 minute delayed. Information is provided 'as is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice. To see all exchange delays and terms of use, please see disclaimer. Careers LIVESTOCKValuable business skills courses for dairy farmersMany dairy farmers tend not to be driven by profit: satisfaction comes from a herd of fine cows, full clamps or milk in the tank. But being good at milking… POULTRYAdvice on developing a well-trained poultry teamA team can make or break any business, and a poor poultry team can affect production as well as efficiency. NFU Poultry Board member Will Lea helps deliver staff training… COMMUNITYApprenticeship guide set to help farmers bridge labour gapTo coincide with National Apprenticeship Week, Lantra has launched a new guide to help farmers and small businesses take on their first apprentice. It is hoped that the guide, called… ASSESSING PERFORMANCEHow a new entrant got backing to set up in dairyA simple, once-a-day system, relying on grazed grass and spring-block calving, was the step into dairy farming for new entrant Nick Cavill. The first cups went on in 2018 and…
