This Week in Farming: Land use, red diesel and IHT latest

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

First, here’s your markets (opens as PDF). Once again, that diesel number is the one that draws the eye. More on that later. But first…

The Land Use battleground

Our lead story this week is that Defra has finally unveiled its Land Use Framework, and it’s a lot to digest – but does any of it matter for farmers in England?

We’ve broken down the 10 things you need to know, ranging from new environmental mandates to how your local planning might shift.

Critics are already questioning the food production pledge within the plan, with concerns that “food security” is being used as a buzzword while actual productive acreage continues to be squeezed by carbon and nature targets.

Iran fallout 

Red diesel prices have spiked by 60% since the Iran conflict began and markets editor Charlie Reeve has spent some time this week digging into why that is.

In my editorial, I nod to the fact that there is a lot of suspicion that profiteering is a part of how rapidly the price has gone up – but acknowledge that the lower underlying tax and tight supplies have also had a big impact.

While there’s no sign (and little prospect) of any Treasury help with tractor fuel costs, there has been some help announced for heating oil.

Dairy: Expansion, efficiency and energy

We’ve got plenty of dairy content this week thanks to the monthly Dairy Update supplement.

It includes the succession story mentioned in my editorial above that shows how one family worked through varying attitudes to risk to unlock major growth.

And three more headlines to whet your appetite:

• Advice for producers on navigating falling milk prices
• How milk source heat pumps have slashed dairy’s energy bills
• Advice on balancing fibre and concentrates in dairy diets.

IHT latest

Farmers have officially begun their battle in the courts over perceived wrongdoings in how the government imposed its changes to inheritance tax, in a case that could delay them coming into effect next month.

Even with the concessions announced before Christmas, our experts explain why tax planning remains crucial.

The uncertainty is already having an impact on the ground, with Scotland’s farm letting market tightening as landowners pause to see which way the wind blows.

Who’s up and who’s down?

Feeling fit and fine this week are our applicants to this year’s Britain’s Fittest Farmer competition. If you’d like to join them, visit the BFF website for more information.

Feeling down will be the major illegal “smokies” trader, who has admitted to a slew of offences in court this week after being pursued by the National Food Crime Unit.

Listen to the FW Podcast

Don’t forget to tune in to the Farmers Weekly Podcast, with Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom.

This week, the team react to the ongoing red diesel crisis, Defra’s Land Use Framework and why upland farmers are being shut out of environmental schemes.

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