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All the latest agricultural news for the arable and livestock farming sectors across the UK. Keep up up-to-date with farming policy from Defra and the devolved governments, agricultural subsidies and grants, farm compliance, farming business news and rural issues.

Advice and tips

CRIME

Video: Quad bike theft – how to avoid being a victim

Every farmer would be lost without their quad bike to get around the farm and yet, they are still the farm vehicles stolen most often. In this video hear from…

CRIME

9 tips to combat farm theft during darker nights

As the nights draw in following the end of British Summer Time, farmers are advised to ramp up security to deter rural thieves. See also: Video – farmers’ top tips…

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Why on-farm water supply is critical to contain fires

Farmers need to be fully prepared to counter the risk of fire at any time but particularly at certain times of year such as harvest and during festivities such as…

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Top tips for how to take on dangerous job of mixing slurry

Farmers are being warned by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) to take extra care when planning the dangerous job of mixing slurry. Slurry gas is a…

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Case studies

CRIME

Video: Farms turned into fortresses to battle rural crime

Farmers from Ambion Contractors Ltd, near Sutton Cheney in Leicestershire, in the shadows of the Bosworth battlefield, are engaged in their own battle – the constant fight against rural crime.…

NEWS

Farmers Weekly Awards – Young Farmer finalists 2018

Young farmers are the future of the agricultural sector and are coming into the industry by working on family farms, starting new businesses and competing for tenancies. Some sell themselves…

NEWS

Mooing cattle recorded in bitter row over noise

Mooing cattle on a Yorkshire farm will be recorded for a year in a bid to end a bitter planning row between an organic beef farmer and his neighbour. The…

AWARDS

FW Awards winners – on farming, winning and judging

With just two weeks to go until the closing date, if you haven’t already entered or nominated someone for a Farmers Weekly Award this year, there’s no better time to…

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Community

OPINION

Opinion: Never mind Brexit, what about my meniscus?

Neighbour: "Did you properly check your meniscus?" Me: "I didn't know I had one." This has been the flavour of the farming conversation round these parts throughout April and May.…

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Insights

WILDLIFE

Licence for shooting pest birds - where do farmers stand?

Natural England’s recent decision to revoke the general licence for controlling certain pest bird species came as a surprise and has stirred up controversy between farmers and environmental groups. The…

BREXIT

Brexit analysis: AHDB forecasts rise in farm labour costs

Rising labour costs and falling production are likely to trigger a fall in farm business income for just about all farm types post Brexit, whether the UK leaves with a…

CRIME

Exclusive survey: What farmers say about rural crime

Farmers are experiencing a wide variety of crimes and they believe the government is not providing rural police forces with adequate resource to protect their livelihoods, according to a new…

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News

NEWS

Farmer trapped in grain auger made 'last call' to wife

The devastated wife of an Australian farmer has revealed he made what he thought was his last phone call to her during a horrific farm accident. Gavin Boekel fell into…

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Defra pledges to cushion impact of direct payment loss

The government has pledged to help producers prepare for a big drop in farm incomes as direct payments are phased out after Brexit. It comes amid growing concern that thousands…

CRIME

Video: Farm bunds fend off rural criminals

It’s a simple but effective crime prevention measure that doesn’t cost farmers the earth. For centuries, earth bunds were used to protect areas and keep unwanted visitors off land near…

CRIME

Firebugs torch 100t of straw and machinery

A farmer has been left counting the cost after 100t of straw and machinery were set alight in Cambridgeshire. Fire investigators believe arsonists were responsible for the blaze in a…

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Opinion

NEWS

Opinion: There's more to employment than making money

After two years of Brexit water boarding and the 24-hour drip, drip, drip of politicians squabbling like toddlers in the playground, I find myself desensitised to politics. Soundbites from Radio…

NEWS

Opinion: The grass is definitely greener across the Irish Sea

Congratulations to all of the impressive Farmers Weekly fittest farmer competition finalists; no doubt a lucrative calendar opportunity awaits. There was a time when I would have nominated my husband…

NEWS

Opinion: Preparation is key to success for Open Farm Sunday

Sometimes it might not seem like it, but there really is a huge public well of support for farmers. While there’s a vocal minority active on Twitter, the vast majority…

NEWS

Opinion: Avoid knee-jerk climate change policies

I have never been a climate change denier; but I was a climate change agnostic. My scepticism was based on a number of factors, not least contradictory statements by some…

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Test and reviews

16 essential farming apps for 2014

Smart phones have revolutionised how farmers run their businesses, with apps doing anything from identifying weeds to recording and managing grazing platforms. There’s an amazing array of apps on the…

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Video

ENVIRONMENT

Video: Why cattle and a combine are environmental champions

Farming is often painted by environmental groups as the bad guy but a project to improve water quality and carbon storing are proving that farming holds some of the answers…

CRIME

Video: CCTV footage shows gang snatch in-lamb ewe

A sheep farmer disturbed a gang of rustlers making off with one of his in-lamb ewes in the middle of the night. Oliver Johnson was woken from his sleep to…

CRIME

Video: Quad bike theft – how to avoid being a victim

Every farmer would be lost without their quad bike to get around the farm and yet, they are still the farm vehicles stolen most often. In this video hear from…

WEATHER

Video: Drought-hit dairy farmers determined not to sell cows

Two Anglesey dairy farmers who have been among the hardest-hit by the drought are determined to spend their way out of trouble instead of selling cattle. Business partners Johnjo Roberts…

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