Know How latest GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTAre longer rest periods feasible in grazing dairy herds?Changing grazing management to allow taller entry covers and residuals can be successfully used to improve degraded pastures on dairy farms, a three-year trial has shown. Soil health improved and,… NUTRITION AND FERTILISER5 top tips on getting the most from slurry on stubbleThe post-harvest period is a crucial time for arable farmers putting nutrients back into soil before incorporating and drilling the next crop. However, applying slurry in hot conditions can reduce… PLANNING PERMISSIONWhat planning system overhaul means for farmersThe way many decisions are made in England’s planning system will change on 31 October 2026, with planning officers deciding more applications and fewer going to elected planning committees. The… 4X4STrusty Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial looks a safe betWhen Toyota introduced a Commercial version of the Land Cruiser last year, the legendary off-roader suddenly became more affordable. This wasn’t just down to the tax savings, either. By pairing… BEEFFW Awards: Meet the 2026 Beef Farmer of the Year finalistsThis year’s finalists are maximising self-sufficiency and lowering costs by growing as much home-grown feed as possible. See also: FW Awards 2026: Meet the finalists Finalists Hawes Farms, Meads Farms, Aylesbury,… HEALTH AND WELLBEINGPoor physical health: The hidden farm safety riskFarm safety messaging has long focused on the obvious dangers of agriculture – moving machinery, handling livestock and working at height. Those risks remain very real, but for many farmers,… ARABLEChanges Arable Insights farmers are making for next seasonDefra’s recently published Farming Roadmap hasn’t created any immediate impetus for change on our Arable Insights farmer panel’s farms, indeed most of the panel in the week following publication hadn’t… BREEDING AND FERTILITYHow NZ genetics added hybrid vigour to wool-shedding flockAs direct subsidies are phased out and significant changes made to agricultural support, sheep farmers are thinking outside the box by adjusting their systems to become more resilient. For John… 4X4SReinstating rear seats in commercial-spec 4x4s - the rulesWhen HMRC reclassified double-cab pickups as cars for some taxes, it made it more expensive to run a work vehicle that could also carry passengers in the back. Those needing… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow to manage commercial construction contracts on farmsConstruction on farms is covered by a raft of legislation, not only on health and safety and work quality standards, but in the case of substantial contracts, payment obligations of… VARIETY SELECTIONGrower reveals top wheat and OSR contenders for autumn 2026Bedfordshire-based farms director Andrew Robinson of Heathcote Farms is a dedicated milling wheat grower so finds himself in a good position on variety choice, given the recent Group1 additions. He… LIVESTOCK8 tips to optimise brooding of free-range turkey poultsThe arrival of free-range turkey poults and goslings on rearing farms marks a critical stage in the production cycle for the Christmas market. This is when the foundations for the… 4X4SLand Rover Discovery Commercial is slick but complicatedFew manufacturers have embraced the commercial SUV concept as consistently as Land Rover. And the Discovery is one of its best-known examples, with thousands of models making the transition to… BREEDING AND FERTILITYHow an annual ram MOT can help optimise flock performanceSuccessive heatwaves this summer could have a lasting effect on tup fertility well into September. While a tup can recover its semen quality six weeks after experiencing high temperatures, the… TENANCIES AND RENTSGreener and long-term FBTs: How new tenancies are workingOrganisations like the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) have long called for lengthier tenancies to become the industry standard. Progress has been slow, but the influence of one person is helping… MARKET OPPORTUNITIESRelay cropping: What it is and how it might work in the UKRelay cropping, where a grower plants a second crop into a field before the first crop is harvested, has gained niche popularity in the US as an alternative to double-cropping… PLANNING PERMISSIONHow to maximise permitted development rights on farmClass Q permitted development rights, which were introduced in April 2014, were designed to increase the supply of rural housing by allowing redundant agricultural buildings to be converted into homes… MARKET OPPORTUNITIESOxfordshire farm expands to be self-sufficient for wheatA fully integrated mixed farm business is the aim for Blanchard Farms in Oxfordshire, where planned growth in the arable enterprise will ensure self-sufficiency, keep costs down and support its… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTGrassland focus on upland farm lays foundation for expansionThe return of the fourth generation to Cwmbrynich Farm has given the Havard family renewed confidence in the future of livestock farming in the uplands. See also: Top tips on tailoring… VARIETY SELECTIONWhy new bread wheat is becoming millers’ favourite Bedfordshire wheat grower Peter Sinnott is impressed with the yield and quality of new milling variety Vibe, and is looking to increase his area if results from the combine match… BUSINESSHow old military installations can yield value for farmsDavid Kinloch has been searching for buried treasure for more than 55 years, but it’s not gold and silver that excites him. The owner of Gilmerton Land Services is more… CROP MANAGEMENTNarrow row spacing and livestock key to farm's high yieldsNarrow row spacing and evenly planted crops are key to achieving consistently high yields on David Passmore’s Oxfordshire farm, with winter wheat frequently achieving 12-14t/ha. All cereal crops are drilled… FARM POLICYFarmers seek delivery as optimism returns to Welsh farmingA more optimistic mood is emerging across Welsh agriculture following May’s Senedd election, but farmers heading to this year’s Royal Welsh Show want delivery, not more promises. After years dominated… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTAdvice on when – and if – to ted grass cut for silageTedding a swath of grass needs to reduce metabolisable energy losses by 0.3MJ/kg of dry matter, otherwise it may not justify a contractor’s charge for the job. A single pass… YOUNG FARMERSFW Awards: Meet the 2026 Ag Student of the Year finalistsThree female finalists from dairy and livestock backgrounds blew the judging panel away with their grit, determination and passion. See also: FW Awards 2026: Meet the finalists Finalists Betty Battarbee, Goosnargh,… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTFarm management challenges demand radical business reviewsSome farming businesses are going to have to radically review what they do, says farm business consultant Andersons in its latest assessment of the outlook. The firm runs several farm… SOILSGrowers share insights on using Johnson-Su compost extractsTwo farmers shared their experience of feeding soils with Johnson-Su compost extracts at the recent Groundswell event, as interest in the technique for giving soil biology a helping hand continues… HEALTH AND WELFARE10-step checklist to prevent and control heifer mastitisHeifers with an elevated somatic cell count in early lactation might remain in trouble for their whole lactation. Data suggests they may average about 1kg/day less milk over the lactation,… COMBINES'Dad's Army' of farmers share combine for cheaper harvestingFor decades, Park Farm, Peels Farm and Church Farm handled their own harvesting operations. Machinery was more affordable, the workforce larger and time pressure less intense. But with the balance… VARIETY SELECTIONPrecision breeding: Targeted traits or patented problems?Do farmers have the necessary information to make informed decisions about growing precision-bred gene-edited crops in the future? That was the question - albeit one that was only partially answered… CROP MANAGEMENTDrought conditions drive farming change in central EuropeGrowing crops in drought conditions in central Europe is increasingly relying on techniques that preserve soil moisture and improve soil organic matter levels, according to experience from Hungary and Poland.… FEED AND NUTRITIONAdvice on supplementing dry cows with magnesiumMagnesium is an essential mineral in preventing milk fever in fresh calvers. When dry cow nutrition is based on a total mixed ration, magnesium can be integrated in the mix.… SOILSUS research reveals benefits of regenerative agricultureRegenerative agriculture is a proven route for arable farmers to break out of the high-input systems many of them are trapped in, claims a leading US researcher. Speaking at Groundswell… CONTRACTOR COMMENTContractor Comment: Harvest headaches for R&L AnthonyLate June’s searing heatwave pushed David and Emma Anthony’s big square balers into overdrive as customers started cutting grass on an industrial scale. With the mercury comfortably in the mid-30s,… MEDICINESHow pain relief and fluid therapy can benefit ruminantsFor prey species like cattle, expressing pain is risky, as it signals weakness to predators. Knowing this helps us understand why they appear so stoic, even when they are in… HEALTH AND WELFARE3 milking settings to check that help lower mastitis riskHerds with excellent control of environmental hygiene can nevertheless struggle with environmental bacteria infecting cows during lactation. In such cases, a milking time assessment may provide some answers. While parlour…
