Know How latest BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Will boiler scheme work for our farm estate?Whether it’s a legal, tax, finance or management question, Farmers Weekly’s expert panel can help. Here, Oxford-based Lucinda Brooks, a partner in Carter Jonas, advises on energy efficiency installation questions… PULSESChickpeas: An alternative break crop for hotter summers?The viability of growing combinable chickpeas for the UK human consumption market is being investigated as the search for alternative break crops suited to the changing climate continues. With the… NUTRITION AND FERTILISERBenefits of using an inhibitor when applying digestateFarmers applying ammonium-rich fertilisers such as digestate should consider using a denitrification inhibitor to make the most of the nitrogen applied. Digestate is increasingly seen as a valuable nitrogen fertiliser… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Can a discretionary trust aid succession?Whether it’s a legal, tax, finance or management question, Farmers Weekly’s expert panel can help. Here, Harriet Neusinger a partner in Thrings’ succession and tax team, advises on how a… DAIRYWhat makes a good employee on a dairy unit?Punctuality is top of the list when it comes to the attributes dairy farmers seek in an employee, closely followed by someone who has a “happy personality” and is “willing… ENVIRONMENTHow cluster farmers are delivering for food and natureIt almost goes without saying that “farmer clusters” are a good thing. Groups of farmers working together across swathes of countryside with the common aim of improving habitats and supporting… LIVESTOCKFW Awards: 2026 Poultry Farmer of the Year finalistsUnlike last year when all three finalists were egg producers, this year sees three poultrymeat producers vying for the coveted title. See also: FW Awards 2026: Meet the finalists The… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONTransition Farmer: 'reMooable Energy' gives price stabilityFarmers Weekly Transition Farmer Eddie Andrew has been focusing on a community-funded renewable energy scheme to power his new dairy operation and reduce energy costs and carbon emissions. We catch… DAIRYAdvice on protecting dairy staff from workplace dangersDairy farmers may have a legal responsibility to protect their workers – family and staff – but everyone on farm has a collective responsibility for health and safety. Rather than… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTCash planning and management advice as dairy profits yo-yoDairy farms costed by accountant Old Mill and the Farm Consultancy Group made a profit of 12.43p/litre in the year ended 31 March 2026 on last year’s high milk prices.… CROP SELECTIONHow high-protein spring barley can unlock bigger premiumPremiums for spring barley remain weak on the back of low demand from maltsters as consumers, especially younger generations, reduce alcohol consumption. But there could be an emerging market, if… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONTransition Farmer: OSR reset after 2025 crop lossesFarmers Weekly Transition Farmer Andy Bason has been improving OSR performance through major agronomy changes, and testing lower nitrogen inputs to cut costs and environmental impact. We catch up with… FEED AND NUTRITIONTips on choosing brassicas for home-grown winter forageBrassicas dovetail neatly with grass production, producing forage in the months of lower grass growth, from August to February, depending on the variety. Given good growing conditions, they can provide… CONTRACTOR COMMENTContractor Comment: Summer scorcher sets off baling frenzySearing summer heat saw Dan Fabb’s baling fleet thrust into action earlier than ever, forcing a rush on baler prep and hasty arrangement of his six harvest hire tractors. Crops… HARVEST AND CROP STORAGEA day in the life: Managing 100,000t of grain at PX FarmsNot many farms have a 100,000t grain storage facility on site, but for managing director James Peck of PX Farms, grain storage and processing is a key part of the… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTActions four farmers have taken to mitigate extreme weatherExtended dry periods, storms, flooding and higher temperatures all occur more frequently, disrupting business. As the risks become clear an increasing number of farmers and growers are taking action to… HEALTH AND WELFAREHow wide hedges tightened farm's biosecurityNew 5m-wide, double-fenced hedges are helping protect stock from infectious disease as well as enhancing biodiversity on a Northumberland beef and sheep farm. “It’s good biosecurity before the trees have… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow contracting partnerships can cut fixed costs on farmDiminishing government support and geopolitical upheaval have hit margins, putting pressure on farm businesses to find new ways of transitioning to financial sustainability. Variable costs are usually the main target… DAIRYTips on improving people skills from a NZ dairy managerManaging a herd of cows may be far easier than managing a team of staff, but dairy farmers can develop their people skills. All it takes is a willingness to… CROP MANAGEMENTRegen premium helps West Midlands family battle blackgrassRegen premiums have given father and son James and Sam Daw the confidence to dedicate one-third of their cropping area to spring crops and tackle a growing grassweed problem. “It… HEALTH AND WELFAREHow multi-pronged health focus raised flock performanceLower-than-average scanning and rearing percentages on a Denbighshire sheep farm persuaded a father and daughter team to seek help for a solution. As they discovered, it is rare to get… PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTSTiered farm support in Scotland: How the system worksEU-era subsidies in Scotland have been replaced with a four-tier system intended to deliver food security, support rural livelihoods, and tackle the climate and nature crises. Under the umbrella of… WORKSHOP SKILLSHow workshop keeps 76 vehicles and 30 tractors runningIf you think you’ve got a lot of machinery to maintain, try stepping into Aaron Scott’s shoes. As workshop manager on the 12,140ha Lilburn Estate in Northumberland, he is charged… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONTransition Farmer: Fodder beet test lifts liveweight gainFarmers Weekly Transition Farmer Andrew McFadzean has been focusing on expanding fodder beet grazing, improving cattle performance, upgrading grazing infrastructure, and harvesting earlier, higher-quality silage. We catch up with him in Ayrshire… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow new energy bill puts more pressure on rural landAn Energy Independence Bill is being drafted which will raise the pressure to deliver infrastructure to meet the government’s target of decarbonising the UK’s electricity system by 2030. Publication of… MAIZEWhy UK faces growing mycotoxin risk in silageExtreme weather patterns are increasing the risk that mycotoxins will cause problems for the UK’s high-yielding dairy herds. A global shift in crop production fuelled by climate change is expected… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONTransition Farmer: Tree planting brings SFS frustrationFarmers Weekly Transition Farmer Irwel Jones has been preparing for additional tree planting while managing existing woodland habitats. We catch up with him in Carmarthenshire to find out how the… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONHow a soil focus returned Northumberland farm to profitTom Fairfax and wife Miki farm the 473ha Mindrum Estate in the foothills of the Cheviot Hills, close to the Scottish border. The farm runs a 100-head suckler herd of… PULSESWinter beans beat wheat gross margin for northern growerWinter beans are producing a greater gross margin than most 10t/ha wheat crops at Will Dakin’s arable farm in Northumberland. Deeper, earlier sowing with a modified one-pass drill saw beans… LAND MARKETSFarm values: Buyers and sellers cautious in tricky marketThere is plenty of money looking for decent-sized commercial farms, but buyers are choosy and easily put off by any problems such as difficult access, buildings needing investment and public… FEED AND NUTRITIONHow US dairies are using drones to measure clamp tonnageUsing drones to measure silage stocks in maize clamps is replacing estimates on US dairy farms. Farmers can now plan their storage requirements before harvest and better organise feeding –… FARM POLICYConfidence returns, but delivery is key – Welsh farm leadersA more positive mood emerged across the Royal Welsh Show this week (20-24 July), with long-term funding commitments helping restore farmer confidence after years of uncertainty. Speaking to Farmers Weekly… PAYMENTS, SCHEMES AND GRANTSAdvice on preparing for September's SFI26 application windowThe Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 has now been opened to applications from smaller farms and those without a current ELM agreement for almost a month, following last year’s abrupt closure… VARIETY SELECTIONCould highest yielding soft wheat be the next market leader?After the recent success of Bamford, which became the UK’s market-leading winter wheat for 2026, could another soft wheat from the same breeder repeat this feat? Will Compson, managing director… ATVS AND UTVSOn test: Much to like about Can-Am's Outlander Electric ATVThe steady thump of a single-cylinder petrol engine has long provided the soundtrack to a livestock farmer’s day. Now, Can-Am is offering to turn down the volume. By ditching internal… BUSINESSFrom soil to shelf: How supply chain partnerships add valueScale, co-operation, efficiency and resilience across the supply chain can yield dividends for everyone involved, a Transition Project supply chain visit has heard. The whole supply chain was represented on…
