All the latest farming news TAXFarmer dismay as most Labour MPs back 'family farm tax'Farm leaders and opposition MPs have expressed their dismay at Labour MPs who voted en masse in Westminster last night (2 December) in favour of the “family farm tax”, though… NEWSFarmer ‘humbled’ by public support after tractor seizureDevon arable farmer Steve Webber says he has been “humbled” by the public’s response after his tractor was seized during last week’s Budget Day protest, with more than £16,000 raised… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESFlying beef trade at Winslow Christmas Primestock ShowChristmas primestock shows have been in full swing at auction markets across the country in the past week, with an already buoyant beef trade receiving a festive uplift. Winslow Christmas… ENVIRONMENTNew Scottish organic producer board to guide sectorA new Scottish organic producer board is set to guide the work of the Soil Association as the sector grows in Scotland. The new board, chaired by Sarah Morbey, owner… VARIETY SELECTION3 winter barleys join slimmed-down AHDB Recommended ListThree new winter barley varieties have been added to a shorter AHDB Recommended List for 2026-27, with nine varieties removed. More than a quarter of the recommended varieties now come… BREEDING AND FERTILITYNew entrant Coyote tops latest Holstein genomic rankings Exceptional weight and percentage of fat (62.2kg and +0.3%) have earned a UK-born and bred bull top place in AHDB’s genetic evaluations for genomic Holstein sires (published 2 December).… VARIETY SELECTION'Compromised' winter wheat varieties join latest RLSome highly controversial decisions have seen eight new winter wheats added to the AHDB Recommended List 2026-27, several of which are being referred to as “Marmite choices”. After yellow rust… TAXFarmer hit by council tax hike on holiday letsA mid-Wales farming couple have told how they were hit with an £11,000 council tax bill because their holiday let wasn’t occupied for long enough under Welsh government rules. John… NEWSFW Podcast Ep 282: Tractor protest ban questionedIn this episode, Metropolitan Police chiefs face questions after banning protesting farmers from bringing tractors to London. As the government makes a small concession on plans to impose inheritance tax… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESGrain outlook points to larger UK wheat crop next yearAn increased planted area and favourable growing conditions for this year’s wheat crop point towards a potentially larger domestic crop in 2026. At AHDB’s Grain Market Outlook, analysts indicated potential… LAND MARKETSAdlington New Town plan sparks farmer and local oppositionPlans to build a new town of 14,000-20,000 homes on greenfield land in Adlington, Cheshire, have sparked strong opposition from farmers, residents, and rural campaigners. Developer Belport Adlington has submitted… WILDLIFENFU pushes for food production to match green ambitionThe NFU has welcomed the UK government’s revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), but warned food production must be given the same priority as environmental goals. The plan, covering England’s natural… HEALTH AND WELFAREUK border security warning as African swine fever hits SpainAn outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar in Spain has raised concerns about border security in the UK, given previous poor performance, according to the National Pig… HEALTH AND WELFAREWales strengthens animal disease testing capabilityThe Welsh government is strengthening the country's animal disease testing capacity and has provided £265,000 to Aberystwyth University to establish a specialist diagnostic centre. This will enable regional disease testing… VARIETY SELECTION6 new winter OSR varieties added to 2026-27 Recommended ListSix new winter oilseed rape varieties have been added to the 2026-27 Recommended List (RL), with some significant steps forward in yield and disease resistance. The new recommendations bring a… LIQUID FERTILISERBednar Neveon targets N efficiency gains with fert injectionBuyers of Bednar’s new Neveon fertiliser injection toolbar could be rewarded with some serious nitrogen efficiency gains, the company says. Like other implements of this type, it uses spoked stainless-steel… MILK PRICESMilk processors inflict further price cuts on producersAn oversupplied milk market continues to put pressure on farmgate prices, with processors making further cuts into the new year. GB milk volumes are still tracking at roughly 5% above… BUSINESSFarm IHT reforms face fresh scrutiny after deficit shrinksPlans to reform farm inheritance tax (IHT) are facing renewed criticism after reports suggest chancellor Rachel Reeves exaggerated a £22bn ‘black hole’ in public finances to justify tax changes in… HEALTH AND WELFARETurkey shortage fears played down as bird flu acceleratesCases of highly pathogenic avian influenza are continuing to spread across the country, though consumers have been reassured that Christmas turkey and egg supplies are secure. Defra confirmed further cases… LIVESTOCK DISEASESFirst bluetongue cases confirmed in Northern IrelandA 20km temporary control zone (TCZ) has been introduced in Northern Ireland following the confirmation of bluetongue virus (BTV 3) in cattle on Saturday (29 November). The Department of Agriculture,… MARKET OPPORTUNITIESHuge linseed demand fuels high spring contract offersA £600/t spring linseed contract for the 2026 harvest has been launched in response to rising demand across food, feed and industrial markets. The updated contract from Premium Crops provides… FERTILISER SPREADERSLatest Amazone fert spreader monitors throw to self-adjustManual fertiliser spreader adjustment could well become a chore of the past if Amazone’s latest technological development takes hold. Dubbed AutoSpread, it works by continually monitoring the spread pattern and… COMMUNITYEx-military personnel sought for John Deere technical rolesAgricultural equipment manufacturer John Deere is holding a fresh drive to recruit ex-military personnel for its dealership network. It has identified men and women with military experience as the “ideal… VARIETY SELECTION11 new pulse varieties join PGRO Descriptive ListA total of 11 new pea and bean varieties have been added to the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) Descriptive List for next year. The latest additions include seven… NEWSThis Week in Farming: Budget, protests and Deere on testWelcome back to another edition of This Week in Farming, your regular round-up of the best Farmers Weekly content from the past seven days. First, here are your markets (opens… PEST MANAGEMENTFarmers reminded to prepare for rat poison rule changesFarmers will need to show proof of training and certification in order to purchase and administer professional rodenticides from 1 January 2026. The campaign for responsible rodenticide use (CRRU) has… CEREAL DRILLSNovag bolsters direct drill range with 7.5m T-ForcePlusThe movers and shakers at Novag have wasted little time in adding another direct drill to the T-ForcePlus portfolio, just six months after being rescued from a financial precipice by… NEWSTractor protest seizure fundraiser hits £16,000 in hoursAn outpouring of public support has raised more than £16,000 in under 24 hours for two farmers whose tractors were seized during Wednesday’s Budget day protest in London – but… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESSugar beet growers face increased import competitionSugar beet growers will face increased competition from imports with the existing tariff-free quota set to be expanded from the start of next year. The government confirmed its plans to… More articles
