2025: What made the farming news in September and October?

Our review of 2025 continues with a look at what made the news in September and October – from the Farmers To Action protest tour and expiring Countryside Stewardship agreements to the Farmers Weekly Awards and confirmation of the end of the badger cull in England.

See also: FTA’s Trailer of Truth rolls into Westminster

September 2025

• Farmers took to the roads for a month-long Trailer of Truth tour, collecting messages of protest against Labour’s inheritance tax plans. Organised by the now-disbanded Farmers To Action, the tour with three trailers, representing England, Scotland and Wales, stopped at key locations including Westminster before rolling into Liverpool for the Labour Party conference.
• Defra signalled it may end the £30,000 annual grant that has supported the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs for more than 30 years. A Freedom of Information request showed officials warned in June that the 2025-26 payment could be the last, though the department insisted no final decision had been made.
• It was revealed that more than 5,500 Countryside Stewardship agreements in England were set to expire by March 2026, with no replacement schemes ready. Industry leaders warned Defra delays risked the biggest loss of farmland habitat in 30 years, prompting calls for urgent rollovers.
• All change at Defra this month, as Emma Reynolds replaced Steve Reed as secretary of state, and Angela Eagle stepped into Daniel Zeichner’s shoes as the new farming minister.
• Farmers were urged to take extra care and prioritise safety following a disturbing rise in farm fatalities – with 17 lives lost on Britain’s farms in just under six months.
• Alan Laidlaw, former head of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, was appointed England’s first Tenant Farming Commissioner. He said one of his top priorities would be promoting the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice.
• Red Tractor chief executive Jim Moseley announced he would retire in April 2026 after nine years at the helm. Mr Moseley was heavily criticised for his role in developing the “greener farms commitment” (GFC) – a voluntary environmental module for the assurance scheme.
• A Welsh government assessment suggested the new Sustainable Farming Scheme would cut livestock numbers by 5%, farm labour by 4% and farm business income by 16%, with 1,163 job losses and 60,000 fewer animals. But ministers insisted the scheme will deliver better long-term outcomes.
• Love Lamb Week celebrated its 10th year, with Northern Ireland’s sheep farmers taking centre stage in a nationwide celebration of lamb’s quality, versatility, and the people and places behind it.

October 2025

• Farmers Weekly revealed Defra’s new Sustainable Farming Incentive will not open until late spring 2026 at the earliest, leaving farmers facing major cashflow gaps as direct payments fall away. Delays stem from budget constraints, IT problems and policy changes, with a redesigned scheme likely to include caps and competitive elements.
• Farmers dug deep for a good cause at the Farmers Weekly Awards, raising more than £10,000 for the Farming Community Network (FCN). More than 1,100 guests gathered at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Thursday 3 October to celebrate the best in British agriculture.
• At a staged “rally” at Conservative Party conference in Manchester, shadow ministers declared a “food and farming emergency”. But they later admitted that mistakes were made on agricultural policy when they were in government.
• The mainstream press was sent into a frenzy after Farmers Weekly revealed the Treasury was weighing up changes to the inheritance tax plans set out in the 2024 Budget. But hopes were quickly dashed, with Defra farming minster Dame Angela Eagle confirming days later that the proposals had been considered – and rejected.
• As pressures on the arable sector intensified, Velcourt announced it would end about 20% of its contract farming agreements – about 10,500ha. After three difficult years of weather-hit yields, rising costs, lost Basic Payment Scheme support, Sustainable Farming Incentive delays and weak markets, the firm said it must withdraw from high-risk farms.
• Defra minister Angela Eagle confirmed the badger cull will end after the 2025 season, signalling a decisive shift away from lethal control in England’s bovine TB strategy. No new licences will be issued, with just one remaining by the season’s end, ahead of a refreshed eradication plan due in 2026.

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• After sustained pressure from industry, Defra granted a one-year extension to more than 5,000 Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreements, avoiding a major funding gap and ensuring key biodiversity and nature-friendly work can continue.
• Scotland’s cereals harvest hit a 20-year high in 2025, rising 8% to more than 3.2m tonnes. Strong winter crop yields drove gains, though spring crop results were mixed and malting-barley rejections were high. Wheat and barley outputs climbed, and rapeseed production rose despite reduced area.
• The downturn in the machinery market continued, with Chafer Machinery and sister brand Horstine entering administration. BPI Asset Advisory sought buyers for all or part of the businesses, with the sale to include both brands, IP, software, equipment and £1.4m of stock.