This Week in Farming: OFC, tax tips and Mitsubishi’s return
Oxford Farming Conference 2026 - FW Question Time panel© OFC 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.
Before we get started, a quick reminder that our Farm Inventions Competition is still open for applications.
There’s a prize pot of £2,550, spread across three categories that cover everything from perfectly welded drills to simple knick-knacks knocked together on a rainy afternoon.
And here’s your first proper look at the markets for 2026 (opens as PDF).
Now, on with the show.
About the author
SFI to reopen in June
We have officially passed the start of the farming calendar now that the Oxford Farming Conference is done and dusted. It’s 90 years since the first one.
Defra secretary Emma Reynolds revealed more on the priorities for the Sustainable Farming Incentive, with the scheme set to reopen for farmers in England in June.
She also firmly shut the door on additional inheritance tax reform (although the government did that on a number of occasions before partly relenting last month).
Our lead story in the magazine this week focuses on the differing approaches of the key lobbying organisations in light of that.
In Parliament, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee chairman Alistair Carmichael is still pressing the government to show its workings out on farm tax.
More 2026 outlook
In last week’s bulletin, I promised that I would bring you the remaining sector-by-sector outlook pieces for the year ahead that we are publishing in partnership with farm consultancy firm Andersons.
There’s some cautious optimism for those raising poultry, sheep and beef, and a little bit more concern for the pork sector given the risks that consolidation poses, say Andersons.
Planning for dairy income drops
The sharp reversal in fortunes for the dairy sector may be giving rise to some tricky tax bills to deal with – a topic our Business Clinic experts get stuck into this week.
And business editor Suzie Horne delves into where some milk producers may wish to focus their attention on if they are on a mission to analyse and cut costs.
There have been some more farmgate price drops announced this month, but those in search of a brighter outlook will be cheered to learn that global markets have shown some signs of recovery.
Guess who’s back?
Making a return to the UK pickup market after a near five-year hiatus is Mitsubishi, which will sell a new-look 2.4 litre L200 double-cab, adding fresh competition to the sector.
In other machinery news, we take a close look at the latest updates to the Claas Axion, which includes a range of upgrades to the cab.
And you can stay up to date with another large round of changes to which dealers are winning and losing distribution contracts.
Who’s up and who’s down?
On the up is Morrisons’ Sophie Throup, who was this week revealed as the NFU’s new director general.
She’ll take over from Terry Jones as the power behind the presidential throne in May.
Feeling down this week will be some folk looking to sell land, as fresh data from Knight Frank reveals the average price for bare land dropped by 5% in 2025.
Listen to the FW Podcast
Don’t forget to tune in to the Farmers Weekly Podcast, with Johann Tasker, Louise Impey and Hugh Broom.
You’ll find it anywhere you get your podcasts, or listen free on the FW website.