This Week in Farming: Bluetongue, drought and a retro refit

Welcome back to another edition of This Week in Farming, your one-stop shop for the best Farmers Weekly content from the past seven days.

First, here’s your markets (opens as PDF). It looks like some heat has come out of the lamb trade, but on the plus side, red diesel has edged back from its recent high of close to £1/litre as well.

Now, on with the show.

Bluetongue latest

The bluetongue virus continues to rip through south-west England, with smaller numbers of cases emerging elsewhere across England and Wales.

In my editorial I note that the fight back is on, with rapid vaccine uptake reported in the past two weeks, with the chief vets adding their voice to calls for uptake to be as widespread as possible.

We have two in-depth articles on the topic this week. Firstly, a practical guide to help farmers spot the disease as well as the latest advice on vaccination.

Second, a more in-depth look at the national bluetongue control strategy that asks – is it keeping pace with the disease?

Drought latest

As news of the impact of the prolonged period of ultra-dry weather finally started to break into the mainstream media this week, Defra has come under increased pressure from opposition politicians to put together a package of measures to support farmers.

Meanwhile, harvest has pushed further into northern England and Scotland, with farmers who have enjoyed cooler temperatures there seeing better yields.

Further south, early maize harvests have been described as a “salvage operation” while Farmer Focus writer Andy Barr has finished harvest in Kent around about the time he normally starts.

The search is therefore on for more heat-tolerant crops to grow – could chickpeas be the answer?

Business Clinic

Our Business Clinic experts are back to tackle another three thorny questions this month that won’t cost you a single billable hour:

• Can a farming business have a company as a partner?
• Will a boiler scheme work for our farm estate?
• Can a discretionary trust aid succession planning?

Don’t forget to email business editor Suzie Horne (suzie.horne@markallengroup.com) if you have a question that you’d like answered.

Retro refit

Machinery editor Oli Mark has found another workshop wizard this week – Ben Bament from Somerset.

He’s converted a Leyland 255 from diesel to battery power for just £3,000 of second-hand parts scavenged from electric cars.

Having successfully completed the project last year, he’s now offering replacement powertrain kits for similarly sized tractors through his business, Somerset EV. 

Who’s up and who’s down?

Feeling glum this week are a good number of grain merchants after our annual look at their accounts, in partnership with consultant Richard Whitlock, revealed profits in decline.

“As things stand, I don’t see more government support or protection coming farming’s way, so it will be down to free-market forces, survival of the fittest, talent and sheer grit,” said Mr Whitlock. “For farmers, it’s time to be very careful who you sell to.”

On the up this week are the good people of the DPJ Foundation, who have been celebrating 10 years of brilliant charitable support for Welsh farming, through counselling services, mental health training and physical health initiatives.

Bravo to Emma O’Sullivan, who used the grief of losing her husband to suicide as motivation to build such an incredible resource that has already supported so many farmers going through their own hardship.

Listen to the FW Podcast

Don’t forget to listen to the latest Farmers Weekly Podcast, brought to you by Johann Tasker, Hugh Broom and Louise Impey.

This week, the gang discuss the latest drought situation, grain markets, and salute 150 years of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society.

You’ll find it anywhere you get your podcasts, or listen free on the FW website.