This Week in Farming: General election, SFI and toys for farmers

Welcome to the latest edition of This Week in Farming – and what a quiet week it has been, with virtually nothing going on.

Well, that is if you choose to ignore the announcement of the general election, scheduled for 4 July, and the rollout of Defra’s new and improved Sustainable Farming Incentive.

Politics and policy

The announcement by a sodden Rishi Sunak of the general election was made just too late for inclusion in this week’s magazine (though look out for more coverage in next week’s print offering). 

NFU deputy president David Exwood told Farmers Weekly the two key issues of the election for farmers would be securing a long-term budget for agriculture and “putting food first”.

News of the election followed an earlier announcement this week about the rollout of the new SFI scheme for farmers in England, with more than 100 options for farmers to consider.

Industry organisations say farmers should approach this with a “positive mindset” to see what works for them.

Farmers Weekly agreed the latest iteration is a massive improvement on what has gone before and praised Defra for getting it out quicker than last year.  

Toys for farmers

The Farmers Weekly Machinery team has been taking its usual look at kit that is either with us now, or on the way shortly. 

Machinery editor Oli Mark takes a detailed look at Ineos Automotive’s debut 247hp Quartermaster pickup – and balks at the price tag (£85,000).

Better value for money seems to be the van-style Grenadier Commercial, which replaces the firm’s two seat Utility Wagon, with a lower starting price (£51,931) and lower benefit-in-kind tax rates.

Meanwhile, and still at the “prototype” stage, manufacturer Bobcat is working on its TL25.60e electric telehandler. Yet to enter full production, it is set to “lock horns” with JCB’s Loadall 525-60E, given that they share identical lift capacities of 2.5t and maximum lift heights of 6m.

Rural crime

As ever, expensive kit is proving attractive to criminals, with the National Rural Crime Unit reporting a fresh wave of GPS thefts to hit the farming community. 

The activities of international meat smugglers also continue to draw attention, with Farmers Weekly hearing of criminal gangs buying English-registered coaches and vans to lower their chances of being caught at Dover.

Since September 2022, the Port of Dover Health Authority has seized more than 90t of illegal meat, of which 67t were from countries with African swine fever.

Animal welfare 

With rumours flying that summer may be on the way, our Livestock team has been talking to vet and consultant Tom Chamberlain about how to prevent heat stress in grazing cows.

Disease control is another worry, so Defra is stepping up its preparedness for an influx of bluetongue-carrying midges.

It is also bolting on an additional element to the annual Animal Health and Welfare Review, offering an extra £923 to pig producers to allow for more in-depth diagnostic testing for PRRS,

The welfare of livestock beyond the farmgate is also massively important, so it has been pleasing to see the Welsh government join England and Scotland in making CCTV in abattoirs compulsory from 1 June.

Farmer views and opinion

Rarely lost for words, Farmers Weekly columnist Will Evans has been sharing his thoughts this week on the tricky issue of farm succession, arguing in his Will’s World column that everyone needs to prepare for the worst.

Meanwhile, Julia Stoddart uses her opinion column to argue that crofting needs a ‘competent’ government plan to ensure it provides a route into farming and not just a second home for holidaymakers. 

Leicester farmer James Herrick applauds the way that Clarkson’s Farm has shown the “harrowing reality” of farming.

Ian Pigott agrees that farming needs to project a positive image.

Listen to the FW Podcast

Don’t forget to listen to the latest edition of the Farmers Weekly podcast with Johann Tasker and Sandy Kirkpatrick online.

Alternatively, bring us with you in the cab by downloading it from your usual podcast platform.