All from last 7 days NEWSFarmers Weekly Podcast Ep 9: Drought fears and gene editingIn this episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast, drought fears grow as lack of rain hits crops and grass growth across much of the UK – farm leaders call for… BARLEYVirus-tolerant barleys could offer insecticide-free futureVirus-tolerant winter barley varieties could be the way forward to avoid spraying insecticides in the autumn, but there are some doubts about whether these varieties give good enough yields and… HEALTH AND WELLBEINGFarm Fit: Episode 8 – 15-minute body blastFarmers Weekly has teamed up with farmer’s son Tom Kemp, from Farm Fitness, to share a series of exercises that you can do using items commonly found on a farm. Over 10… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESPig prices up again but margins are held backPig prices in the UK have risen again this week but increases in labour and feed costs through the first quarter of 2020 have restricted margins. During the week ending… ARABLECereals LIVE direct to your screens 10-11 JuneCereals LIVE is almost here, with brand new exhibitor content, high profile speakers, a broad seminar programme and the opportunity to socialise and earn CPD points. Whether farmers are looking… HEADERSBuyer's guide to direct-cut wholecrop headersIncreased use of direct-cut harvesting techniques for wholecrop silage and energy forage crops has not only brought added work for large farms and contractors, but also for manufacturers of forage… WILDLIFECan beavers and farms work together on flood control?Hunted almost to extinction more than 400 years ago, beavers have gradually made their return to the UK. They hold protected status in Scotland and roam free in parts of… FLINDT ON FRIDAYFlindt on Friday: Farewell to a faithful fungicide friendIt’s a damn good thing that the RPA are being generous and flexible about SFP submissions (possibly taking their cue from other agencies such as HMRC for tax, and DVLA… LAND MARKETSMixed bag for land market across UK as lockdown is easedUpdated government advice following the slight relaxation of social restrictions in England has eased the way for the land and property market to reopen. People are now allowed to travel… CEREALS6 key things to see online at Cereals LIVENext month sees the first ever virtual Cereals event, offering farmers the latest business and technical advice, machinery launches and new tech demos. Rather than heading to a field in… MARKETS AND TRENDSCoronavirus: Sharp uptick in sales of organic produceThe premium organic sector should shrug off the impact of coronavirus as growing numbers of consumers look for greater reassurance on food sources in the wake of the pandemic, the… BARLEYWinter malting barley variety gains full brewing approvalThe top yielding winter malting barley variety Electrum has gained full approval for brewing use. From breeder Syngenta, the two-row barley has been granted full approval by the Maltsters' Association… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Lockdown allows trial of outdoor creep feederWe resumed our quarterly vet and field person visits on 19 May, with strict social distancing observed and contamination risks minimised. A quick call between us all at the end… NEWSFW Opinion: Time to give the green light to gene editingThe Agriculture Bill, now awaiting consideration in the House of Lords, has attracted widespread media attention of late – mostly in relation to the demands of some MPs to set… HEALTH AND SAFETYTikTok farm machinery pranks spark safety probeAn investigation is under way after a number of videos appeared on TikTok showing farm machinery being misused for dangerous stunts on farms in Ireland. The short videos posted on… BPSFarmers urged to submit BPS applications without delayFarmers and landowners are being encouraged to submit their BPS applications as soon as possible to reduce the chances of receiving late payments. On 27 April, Defra announced a one-month… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESBig crops, brewing slump and weather affect barley outlookWhile the UK’s winter barley area has fallen, the massive rise in spring drilling means that the UK is in line for a record crop of 8.4m tonnes. Every successive… FEED AND NUTRITIONHow silage rationing can cut suckler cow costs by £50 a headRationing the silage intakes of dry suckler cows according to body condition is resulting in forage savings of more than £40 a head on one Welsh livestock farm. Gwion Owen,… IRRIGATIONWinter wheat irrigated in Lincolnshire to tackle droughtAfter receiving no rain in the whole of May, Lincolnshire grower Nicholas Watts and his son-in-law Robert Golland have taken drastic measures, irrigating their winter wheat crop in order to… DAIRY MARKETS AND PRICES5% of dairy farmers quit sector in 15 months – AHDB surveyDairy farmer numbers have fallen by more than 5% across England and Wales over the past 15 months, according to AHDB survey data. The latest statistics suggest there are just… WEATHERDrought fears grow as dry spell continuesGovernment representatives and farm leaders are to discuss drought measures as a lack of rain further damages harvest prospects across the country. Low rainfall over recent weeks is expected to… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: How much to spend on a poor wheat crop?We have had just 24mm of rain in the past seven weeks, but I am not complaining, as this is when our soil comes into its own. The persistent wet… OILSEED RAPEOilseed rape variety choice is key to beat beetle threatVariety choice is the most vital factor for oilseed rape growers to help cope with cabbage stem flea beetle damage, with a preference for varieties with fast growth in the… TAKING STOCKBeef price rise stokes store cattle pricesStrong gains in deadweight beef prices have buoyed store cattle averages around UK saleyards, dampening finisher margins. Scottish deadweight quotes started the week at a base of around 360p/kg. South… FARMLIFEDirect farm sales take off during lockdown to #FeedTheNationDirect sales of farm produce to consumers have boomed during the coronavirus lockdown, while canny use of social media has added further impetus to this growing market. “We have seen… More articles
