All_Articles_Since_June_1

Bluetongue vaccination push is launched

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:33:00 GMT

Continued vaccination is the key to making sure Britain remains free of bluetongue, farmers are being warned.

Feed system could improve cow performance

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:21:00 GMT

A new diet concept that balances rates at which feeds are fermented in the rumen will have a big impact on cow health and production, as Jeremy Hunt found out

Field trials support current Atlantis application advice

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:59:00 GMT

Herbicide application studies taking place on a Velcourt farm have given some clear pointers for Atlantis applications this spring. Louise Impey finds out more

EU-wide organic logo winner announced

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:39:00 GMT

The logo chosen by the public to appear on organic food across the EU has been revealed.

Farmer and lambs reunited after theft

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:38:00 GMT

A farmer has been reunited with his flock of lambs 24 hours after they were stolen from his farm in Hampshire.

Go faster, wider and shallower for lo-till

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:36:00 GMT

Farmers looking to lower the cost of tillage should be working shallower, wider and faster.

Lamb prices set to remain fair in 2010

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:29:00 GMT

Lamb prices are forecast to remain relatively strong for the third year in a row, as dwindling supplies more than compensate for any reduction in high street sales, according to industry body EBLEX.

Cereal farmers urged to take long term view

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:19:00 GMT

Mitigating risk from volatile grain markets means arable farmers should consider grain prices in three seasons at any one time, according to HGCA.

Research shows growing blackgrass resistance to Atlantis

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:00:00 GMT

The findings of a random field survey conducted by Rothamsted Research last summer support the view that Atlantis performance is declining

New nitrogen guides are put through their paces

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:30:00 GMT

HGCA has published new guidelines for nitrogen recommendations in winter wheat. Mike Abram took the guide's author Roger Sylvester Bradley to last year's Cereals host farmer, Tim Whitehead, to see them put into practice

Sexed semen can be cost-effective

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:08:00 GMT

As sexed semen reaches a decade in use, just what are the benefits of such a technology?

Farmer Focus Arable: Edward Tupper sticks with spring barley

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:32:00 GMT

So has anybody drilled anything yet? There's always a great debate on whether to drill in February or not. Some say that if the conditions are right then it can be beneficial, but others say that the soil ought to be just starting to warm up before drilling.

Farmer Focus Arable: Philip Reck prepares ground for spring crops

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:37:00 GMT

Spring is on the way with noticeably longer evenings and some pleasant sunshine.

2010 FW Awards: Find out how to enter

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:26:00 GMT

Entries are now open for the 2010 Farmers Weekly Awards. See all the categories and found out how to enter or nominate someone

Don't let cell counts get out of hand

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:02:00 GMT

Rising cell counts is something not to be ignored. When looking at bulk milk, if cell counts have risen from 160,000 to 250,000 then something needs to be done.

Farmer Focus Arable: David Shepherdson gets to grips with NVZs

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:32:00 GMT

Another month has passed and, as I write, the farm looks exactly as it did a month ago - covered in snow.

Matthew Naylor: Staying safe isn't for wimps

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:10:00 GMT

What's that you say? You aren't conscious and you've stopped breathing? Hey, relax. I've just done my first aid course. I'll have you sorted out in no time.

Farmer Focus Arable: Philip Bradshaw ponders NFU elections

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 08:32:00 GMT

Frost may well be my friend after all. Earlier in the year I wasn't sure. The freezing temperatures were potentially damaging my clamped sugar beet, and slowed my progress filling the reservoirs with winter storage water for irrigation next summer.

Bayer launches insecticide for brassica and lettuce

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 08:01:00 GMT

Bayer launches new insecticide Movento for brassica and lettuce growers.

Farmer Focus: Victor Chestnutt ses red tape grow

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 07:15:00 GMT

Recently we completed our annual TB and brucellosis tests and thankfully both were clear.

Arctic forecast prompts action on feed

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 07:04:00 GMT

Concern that cold weather is set to return has prompted a relaxation of livestock feeding rules.

Weaning on concentrate intake is better than milk alone

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:34:00 GMT

Weaning the dairy calf is not just about restricting and removing milk from the diet. Key to a successful weaning is...

Farmer focus: What to do with kune kunes, asks Robert Neill

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:14:00 GMT

Three months, three weeks and three days after Percy the Kune Kune boar arrived and the first piglets appeared at Upper Nisbet.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Clyde Jones on calving

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:20:00 GMT

Clyde Jones manages a 550 dairy cow herd on the 1600ha (3954-acre) Bisterne Estate, Hampshire. The herd is split into spring...

Farmer Focus: EID is here to stay, says John Bainbridge

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:14:00 GMT

John Bainbridge farms 600 ha (1483 acres) of rented MOD hill land near Richmond, North Yorkshire...

Consumers expect eggs to be British

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:04:00 GMT

Consumers are unhappy that many food products, such as quiche, are made using imported eggs and egg products, according to...

Dow issues new advice for wheat herbicide Broadway Star

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:44:00 GMT

Dow AgroSciences has issued new advice for the effective use of its wheat herbicide Broadway Star to control grassweeds this spring.

DEFRA ordered to defend SFP compensation decision

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:38:00 GMT

Environment secretary Hilary Benn has been ordered to reassess DEFRA's decision not to compensate farmers over the single farm payments debacle, or face explaining the decision in public.

Practical poultry courses get grant subsidy

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:31:00 GMT

New training courses for poultry and egg producers in the North and Midlands are backed by substantial grant support

Reasons why you should have your say on the Animal Health Bill

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:12:00 GMT

Rob Newbery, NFU chief adviser leading on the Animal Health Bill gives 10 reasons why you should have your say.

Scots and Welsh fear fallout from Animal Health Bill

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:44:00 GMT

Farmers across the UK could be caught up in the fallout of the Animal Health Bill, it has emerged.

Animal Health Bill: Proposals for inclusion

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:44:00 GMT

Farmers Weekly looks at the proposals that the draft Animal Health Bill contains.

Watchdog to probe anonymous retail complaints

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:08:00 GMT

Farmers dealt a raw deal by supermarket buyers will have their complaints investigated without fear of retribution, the government has pledged.

Farming leaders brand Animal Health Bill as unfit for purpose

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:44:00 GMT

Industry leaders have voiced mounting concern over government plans to make farmers partially responsible for the cost of combating animal disease.

TV documentary celebrates Ferguson's famous tractor

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:30:00 GMT

Machinery enthusiasts will get a chance to learn about Harry Ferguson and the history of the Fergie tractor in a new TV documentary.

Kverneland to introduce new IsoBUS control box

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Kverneland's new IsoBUS control box, the IsoMatch Tellus, is due on the market this spring.

You say science will feed the world

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:03:00 GMT

New technologies and genetic modification will play key roles in feeding the world, say thousands of farmers across the globe who gave views on solutions to feeding the world in a poll led by Farmers Weekly.

Spring annual meadowgrass options

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:32:00 GMT

Growers who failed to tackle annual meadowgrass in the autumn will need address the problem this spring

Supermarkets face strengthened code of practice

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:53:00 GMT

New rules have come into force to oversee the way supermarkets treat farmers.

NFU urges Birds Eye to think again on Anglian peas

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:52:00 GMT

The NFU has urged Birds Eye to reconsider its decision to stop sourcing peas in East Anglia.

Birds Eye cancels pea contracts of 180 East Anglian farmers

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:51:00 GMT

Farmers across Norfolk and Suffolk have been dealt a hammer-blow after Birds Eye cancelled their pea contracts.

Scots to test sheep for TSEs without owner's knowledge

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:48:00 GMT

The Scottish Government proposes to meet its European obligations to test fallen sheep for TSEs by sampling animals from fallen stock collectors without the owner's knowledge or permission.

100% British Hovis hits shop shelves

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:00:00 GMT

The first loaves of 100% British Hovis bread have hit the shop shelves this week, as leading miller Rank Hovis rolls out its policy of using UK-produced red wheat only in all its branded products.

Genetics and management key to calving

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:47:00 GMT

Genetics and management are key to a successful calving, according to new research by SAC.

Consumers need to eat less meat says Soil Association

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:05:00 GMT

The UK needs to cut its poultry and pigmeat consumption by 75% if it is going to meet targets to cut carbon emissions.

Market report: Pork sales in the ascendancy

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:59:00 GMT

Pork sales surged by 3.1% last year, and ended 2009 with a 13.5% increase compared with December 2008, according to latest Kantar Worldpanel data.

Market report: Stronger pound threatens milk prices

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:46:00 GMT

The strengthening pound is threatening milk price recovery in the UK, according to Nick Holt-Martyn, director of The Dairy Group

Lesson to be learned from organic farmers

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:57:00 GMT

Conventional farmers will have to look to the skills of the organic movement if the industry is going to meet targets to produce more while cutting emissions.

Market report: Grain markets feeling the pressure

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:45:00 GMT

Grain markets are set to remain under pressure during the first half of 2010, according to analyst Rabobank

Poussin supplier calls in administrators

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:19:00 GMT

A buyer is being sought for Harrisons Poultry Limited, the UK's leading specialist supplier of poussin, after the company went into administration in January.

Download poster of farming's dance star

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:21:00 GMT

Rural families across the country are backing farmer's son Alastair Postlethwaite bid to win the TV show, So You Think You Can Dance.

Government calls for TB tenders

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:09:00 GMT

The government is on the hunt for businesses able to dispose of TB carcasses, in a move that will hopefully bridge links with industry.

Getting to grips with machinery depreciation

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:43:00 GMT

Machinery depreciation is a big cost for most farm businesses. Suzie Horne asked Gary Markham from Grant Thornton for some top tips on how to get to grips with it

Soil Association calls for 'radical changes' in farming

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:47:00 GMT

The narrow debate over conventional and organic farming needs to stop, according to the Soil Association. You can also follow the annual conference via our Twitter Feed

First Milk to pay for milk lost during big freeze

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:15:00 GMT

First Milk is to pay compensation to members whose milk went uncollected during the freezing weather.

Would you like to join the FW team?

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Following a series of internal promotions, some fantastic vacancies have arisen in the award-winning Farmers Weekly Group.

TB replacements cause huge losses for Welsh dairy farm

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:17:00 GMT

A college farm which bought in cattle to replace TB losses is counting the cost in lost production and record empty rates after the replacements infected existing stock with BVD and IBR

Draft Animal Health Bill pushes biosecurity up the agenda

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:13:00 GMT

The idea in DEFRA's new draft Animal Health Bill that biosecurity levels could be linked to compensation reinforces the importance of hygiene and animal health.

Crop watch: Bad weather disrupts spraying schedules

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:05:00 GMT

Crop Watch returns with a new and improved format including videos and this week, our agronomy experts look at getting their spray programmes back on track and tackling manganese deficiency.

Longer-lasting residual control for maize weeds

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:18:00 GMT

A new pre-emergence herbicide from Syngenta will give maize growers longer-lasting residual control of key weeds that threaten crop establishment and yields.

Essential pre-lambing supplements

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:45:00 GMT

Late lambing flocks should ensure ewes are provided with an adequate supply of essential elements to prevent problems at lambing...

Check chemicals for damage after cold snap

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:21:00 GMT

Growers have been advised to check their crop protection products to ensure they were not damaged...

UK Pesticide Guide 2010 is published

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:19:00 GMT

The UK Pesticide Guide 2010 is now available to buy from the British Crop Production Council

Slow growth and less soil N may prompt early N use

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:04:00 GMT

Thin or backward cereal and oilseed rape crops are likely to need early nitrogen in late February or early March when ground conditions are suitable, ADAS says.

Combating yellow rust requires a plan

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:54:00 GMT

Varieties susceptible to yellow rust will almost certainly need a T0 spray this spring.

Welsh college bucks unemployment trend

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:15:00 GMT

Farming is bucking the national unemployment trend in Wales with one agriculture college reporting a waiting list of farmers seeking recruits.

Routine worming of in-lamb ewes unnecessary

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:35:00 GMT

Selectively worming in-lamb ewes can prevent resistance and as well as saving time and money

Rustler warning as pigs stolen

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:48:00 GMT

Pig producers are being warned urged to be vigilant for rustlers after more than 200 weaners were stolen from a farm in Shropshire

Soils 2: capping and slumping

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:17:00 GMT

Some soils are particularly vulnerable to capping and slumping. As ADAS consultant Nick Caspell explains, this can damage productivity and lead to erosion and run-off. What are capping and slumping? Capping occurs where the surface soil particles bind together creating an impermeable layer. This reduces the ability of soils to absorb water, leading to surface waterlogging and increasing the risk of run-off and erosion, even on very gentle slopes. The impermeable layer can also deprive seed of moisture and oxygen and can impede germinating shoots. Where slumping occurs the soil may collapse downwards and also, on ridges and raised beds, sideways. Slumped soils may be more prone to erosion and surface runoff. Where soil collapses into wheelings, roots, tubers or bulbs may be exposed, with resulting quality problems. Both capping and slumping can delay crop emergence and even reduce population density. How are they caused? The action of rainfall or inappropriate irrigation on...

Volunteers wanted for grower pollen beetle trials

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Pollen beetles and verticillium wilt in oilseed rape caught Phil Case's attention at last week's HGCA Oilseeds and Pulses conference

EU cage eggs threaten UK market after 2012 deadline

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT

The need for an intra-community trade ban on conventional cage eggs after 1 January 2012, if other member states are given more time to phase them out, is becoming clearer with new figures showing that some 120m EU layers are unlikely to meet the deadline.

Survey shows food confusion rife

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:04:00 GMT

Two-thirds of schoolchildren struggle to identify the origins of everyday foods, according to a survey commissioned by rural insurance firm Cornish Mutual.

Lancashire farming community supports dance star

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT

The Lancashire farming community turned out in force at the weekend to support their newest star - Alastair Postlethwaite.

Tory broadband pledge lacks urgency, say landowners

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:55:00 GMT

A Tory pledge to introduce superfast broadband across the country by 2017 lacks urgency, landowners have said

HGCA looks into OSR wilt threat

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:52:00 GMT

Shorter rotations and early drilling could increase the risk of verticillium wilt on oilseed rape, warned ADAS plant pathologist Dr Peter Gladders

Leading Cornish milk buyer to expand

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:45:00 GMT

Trewithen Dairy, Cornwall's third largest milk buyer, is is set to increase production by 80% over the next four years

Farming family with racing pedigree

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:05:00 GMT

Horse-racing is in the blood of this Welsh faming family

Beef prices set to stay firm throughout 2010

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:01:00 GMT

Beef markets are expected to remain "firm and stable" during 2010, according to the latest market outlook from industry levy body, EBLEX

Meet Britain's Sexiest Farmers

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:59:00 GMT

Pete Mortimore and Anna Simpson are Britain's Sexiest Farmers.

JCB and Volvo join forces in skid steer production

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:26:00 GMT

JCB and Volvo Construction Equipment have entered into an agreement which means they will co-operate on the engineering and manufacturing of skid steer loader and compact tracked loader products.

Livestock and crop warning as lanterns blight farms

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:03:00 GMT

A growing trend of releasing Chinese lanterns at outdoor events is putting livestock, crops and farm buildings at risk, according to farmers.

Harper Adams students will pull tractors for charity

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:53:00 GMT

A team of students from Harper Adams University College is to hold a charity tractor pull on Saturday 20 February in the HAUC grounds. Money raised will go to RABI.

Agrimac stock trailer uses vertical rams to make loading easier

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:47:00 GMT

Getting sheep or pigs on to the top deck of the Agrifac stock trailer is reckoned to be a whole lot easier than with other designs

Honda CR-V: An all-rounder with performance to boot

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:20:00 GMT

The latest version of Honda's CR-V has a new engine that promises zippier performance.

UK potato production 'increases alternaria threat'

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:20:00 GMT

Trends in UK potato production appear likely to increase the risk of alternaria, or early blight, becoming a serious problem in the UK, SAC's Ruairidh Bain said.

Chitting could help spud producers hit targets

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:15:00 GMT

More potato growers should consider chitting seed before planting, SAC's Yorkshire agronomist John Sarup said at the college's Association of Potato Producers annual conference.

Dickeya-infected potato seed may not be replanted in Scotland

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:15:00 GMT

Grower members of the SAC's Association of Potato Producers heard about new risks from diseases and whether to chit seed at their annual conference.

Consumers turned on by local produce

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:14:00 GMT

Consumer interest in locally-produced food is growing fast, with nearly a third of shoppers saying they have sought out such produce in the past month.

Grass bred to reduce greenhouse gases

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:09:00 GMT

Breeding grasses to improve nitrogen use efficiency in the rumen could be part of the solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to Jon Moorby, IBERS

Free loans to reduce farm energy costs

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:36:00 GMT

Farmers can apply for interest-free loans aimed at slashing farm energy bills by making equipment more efficient.

NVZ appeal list continues to grow

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:15:00 GMT

DEFRA's list of the areas where land may be removed from a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone following successful appeals by farmers has grown to around 20 catchment areas

Difficulties in sourcing non-GM soya threatens organic poultry sector

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:18:00 GMT

Increasing difficulties in sourcing non-GM soya could threaten the next generation of organic egg and poultry producers, warned leading independent compounder Martin Humphrey of Humphrey Feeds last month.

Farmer Focus Livestock: George Moss enthuses about Dairy Push project

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:46:00 GMT

The first of many meetings this year has been and gone and this was a steering group meeting for Dairy Push.

Farmer Focus Arable: Be prepared for chaos, but fear it even more, admits Jim Alston

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:27:00 GMT

Chaos theory basically states you can have little idea of the outcome of complex systems because there are just too many variables.

Intensive dairy systems produce fewer emissions

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 12:10:00 GMT

Targeted attacks on large-scale intensive dairy systems for their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions are unfounded, according to a farm business consultant.

Farmer Focus Arable: Biogas plant project research points to new plan, reports Andrew Hunter

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:30:00 GMT

At last we are managing to get back to work. After Orthodox holidays in Serbia and the Ukraine it feels like there has been two months of very little activity with many business's open in theory but in reality doing very little.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Bryan Griffiths experiments with cattle diet

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:45:00 GMT

The scanner revealed more triplets than singles, and a dozen empty ewes. All 12, young and old alike, were in the cull market the next morning.

Chafer's nematicide applicator fits single rotary bedtillers

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 08:33:00 GMT

Horstine Farmery , part of Chafer Machinery, has launched a new Microband kit for single rotary bedtillers in response...

Farm students set to benefit from new award

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 05:30:00 GMT

The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust is launching an award for postgraduate students in agriculture.

Snow blade lets power broom clear 6in of snow

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:31:00 GMT

Steel snowblade option for Broadwood International's BroomEx power broom allows you to clear snowfalls up to 150mm (6in) deep.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Jim Dwyer prepares for calving

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:45:00 GMT

As I write, calving is about to start and so to the beginning of another year of dairy farming.

Poultry sector hit hard by winter costs

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:05:00 GMT

Poultry and egg producers' costs soared last month amid the coldest winter in a decade, and many are urging retailers to ease downward pressure on prices.

Livestock industry squares up to greenhouse gas emissions criticism

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 09:00:00 GMT

The livestock industry must be prepared to fight its corner when facing attack over greenhouse gas emissions, said Duncan Pullar, head of research and development for EBLEX.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Charlie Armstrong doses sheep against fluke

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:46:00 GMT

At last the nights are getting lighter which gives us more time to look at sodden water logged fields. The only positive thing is they can only get dryer, lets hope it's soon.

Farmer Focus Arable: LAMMA shopping list short, says Will Howe

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:30:00 GMT

What a pleasure travelling to LAMMA was this year after all the queues and congestion of the previous show. Whether we have to thank the event co-ordinators or the lorry fire on the A1 I am not sure, but there was not a queue of traffic in sight.

Farmer Focus: Roof collapses around Neil Thomson

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:59:00 GMT

The collapse and damage of several farm buildings in the area caused by the recent record snowfall pales into insignificance when you compare it with the plight of the Haitian people.

Bringing home the bacon

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:49:00 GMT

The British Pig Executive is calling all farm shops to take part in Bacon Connoisseur's Week, beginning 22 March.

Industry reacts to Animal Health Bill

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:28:00 GMT

DEFRA's plans to establish a non-departmental public body as outlined in the draft Animal Health Bill has received mixed reaction from farming organisations, with many deeply opposed to such plans.

Agrifac shows off Quatro harvester and Condor sprayer

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:48:00 GMT

Bigger cleaning and hopper capacities feature on the new version of the Quatro six-row beet harvester as Dutch maker Agrifac ...

Lely Tigo will be at next week's Doe Show

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:40:00 GMT

Dutch machinery giant Lely has brought forward the distribution of its forage wagon range to 1 February 2010 to catch the spring season.

One-shot treatment for foul in the foot

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:17:00 GMT

Cattle producers will now be able to treat foul in the foot with a single-shot antibiotic and nil milk withdrawal.

McCormick makes changes to MC tractors

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:15:00 GMT

Fellow Argo Tractors stablemate McCormick is to fit new cabs with better visibility, improved ventilation and a more modern instrument...

EU countries fail to meet salmonella targets in poultry

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:51:00 GMT

Three EU member states have failed to meet their salmonella reduction targets for laying flocks, according to new EU figures

Will the Animal Health Bill make it through Parliament?

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

NFU senior advisor Matt Ware takes a look at the Animal Health Bill's chances of making it through Parliament in the face of an upcoming general election.

Draft Animal Health Bill: What's in it and what's not

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:47:00 GMT

The government plans to share the cost of combating animal disease with livestock producers across the country by introducing the Animal Health Bill. Farmers Weekly looks at the measures that Bill contains.

Livestock industry furious over animal health plan

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:56:00 GMT

Government plans to share the cost of combating animal disease with livestock producers across England are based on statistics which fail to reflect reality, it has emerged.

Exclusive: OP poisoning – a case study

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:39:00 GMT

A farmer has warned of the possible dangers of chemical use after pesticide poisoning ravaged his health, leaving him seriously ill and unable to work.

NFU to probe history of OP poisoning

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:39:00 GMT

The NFU is to open its archives in a bid to unearth information that may help farmers who believe they have been poisoned by organophosphate (OP) pesticides

Sainsbury's signs deal with Arla in store expansion programme

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:34:00 GMT

Sainsbury's has signed a deal with milk processor Arla to supply a planned expansion of 70 new stores.

Scottish farm incomes fell by £20m in 2009

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:04:00 GMT

Total farm income in Scotland fell by £20m in 2009 largely as a result of the crash in the value of milk and grain.

Audio: Paper sets out steps to increasing food production

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:19:00 GMT

World food production can be increased by 2050 but only if a step change is made in agriculture, according to a paper published in the journal Science.

Scots tell Benn to think again on animal health

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:02:00 GMT

An uncompromising "hands off Scottish farmers" message has been sent to Hilary Benn by the Scottish government telling the DEFRA secretary to "think again" if he intends to impose a UK-wide livestock tax to recoup animal health costs.

Removable boot and tyre studs stop the sliding

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Fed up with sliding during the recent icy weather? The Swedes, who know a thing or two about ice, have an answer - tungsten-carbide screw-in studs that lend grip to everything from wellington boots to a tractor tyre.

MPs blast bungling RPA chiefs

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:06:00 GMT

The Rural Payments Agency has once again been branded incompetent and unfit for purpose by MPs.

Meaty topics at free open meeting in Bakewell

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:13:00 GMT

Beef and sheep farmers in the Derbyshire Peak District can find out more about hot topics in the red meat industry at a free open meeting in Bakewell

Farm incomes see 6% fall according to DEFRA

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:10:00 GMT

Farm incomes in the UK fell by 6% in 2009 to £4.07bn, according to estimates from DEFRA, as declines in output values outweighed savings made from cheaper inputs and the increase in single farm payments.

Free range producer gets shed conversion right at second attempt

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:31:00 GMT

Ken Randall finds out how one free-range egg producer turned round a performance crisis in a new shed

Vets concerned by animal health plans

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:02:00 GMT

Veterinary experts are disappointed that the government remains committed to separating its animal health and welfare policies.

Grain chain could save £42m a year to the benefit of all

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:28:00 GMT

Inefficiencies in the cereals supply chain are nothing new. But this winter an ambitious project linking farmers, hauliers, a grain trader and a leading miller showed how sharp things could really be - and the benefits to all. Ian Ashbridge found out more.

MPs to quiz officials over lack of SPS compensation

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:35:00 GMT

MPs are due to quiz senior DEFRA officials over the handling of the Single Payment Scheme.

Supermarkets demand price cuts from suppliers

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:15:00 GMT

Supermarket chains are demanding hefty price cuts from farmers ahead of new rules governing the relationship between retailers and producers

Video reveals 'shocking truth' about imported pork

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:10:00 GMT

MPs were last night shown footage which questions the systems used to produce cheap pork imports.

Prepare now for spring calving

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:48:00 GMT

Acting now and preparing spring calvers for calving could prevent costly problems.

Herb-and-spice feed additive enhances chicken flavour

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:40:00 GMT

The feed additive digestarom has for some years been added to poultry diets to improve feed conversion, growth rate and uniformity of growth as well as reduce mortality.

Market report: NI milk prices dip in latest auction

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:49:00 GMT

Milk prices at United Dairy Farmers' latest auction fell by 3.67p/litre to 24.05p/litre, sparking criticism by the Ulster Farmers' Union.

Volac buys eastern European distributor

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:42:00 GMT

Dairy nutrition firm Volac has bought-out its distributor for central and eastern Europe.

Sugar processors allowed to offload surpluses

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:42:00 GMT

EU sugar processors are to be allowed to export an extra 500,000t of sugar to the world market, to help ease the current world shortage of sugar while reducing the EU's own surplus.

Free woodfuel training for farmers

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:36:00 GMT

Free training is available for farmers looking at getting involved with woodfuel projects. Organised by the Rural...

Market report: Potato stocks weigh down on market

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:32:00 GMT

British potato stocks at the end of December were more than 10% higher than last year, at nearly 3.4m tonnes, according to the Potato Council.

Profit up for Mole Valley Farmers

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:14:00 GMT

Mole Valley Farmers' profits grew by more than 6% last year.

Market report: Red meat supplies continue to be tight

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:11:00 GMT

Red meat production in the UK remained stable last year at 1.9m tonnes, according to recent DEFRA figures.

NFU slams 'old school' CLA policy

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:03:00 GMT

Calls by the Country Land and Business Association and the RSPB for CAP prioritising rural development and agri-environment measures have been branded "out of date" and "naïve" by the NFU.

Natural England reopens ELS applications

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:02:00 GMT

Natural England today announced Entry Level Stewardship applications have reopened after they were suspended in December

Scotland’s farmers reveal plans to expand

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT

Farmers in Scotland are more optimistic about the industry than at any time in the past decade, a survey has found.

Incomes to fall in 2010 - NFU

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT

Farm incomes are expected to drop back in 2010, as high stock levels weigh down on commodity prices and sterling strengthens in the international currency markets.

Cumbria sheep farmers call for 'green' policy rethink

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Cumbria sheep farmers have called for an urgent rethink on "green" policies that have removed massive numbers of sheep from the Lake District fells.

Investigation after cattle found 'starved to death'

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:56:00 GMT

An investigation has been launched after more than 20 cattle were found dead on a farm in Northern Ireland.

Radio 4 appeal to help farming

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 05:30:00 GMT

The BBC is giving over its Appeal slot to raise money for the rural and farming community on Sunday 7 March.

New farm machinery show at Bath and West next week

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:21:00 GMT

The Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Show (AMES) takes place next week at Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

Increasing liver fluke risk poses a threat to in-lamb ewes

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:04:00 GMT

Liver fluke infection poses a continued risk to adult pregnant sheep and could lead to reduced health and abortion, says Roger Daniel, Vet Lab Agency, Camarthen.

Dealing with travellers: Staying safe and staying legal

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:14:00 GMT

The lack of designated sites for travellers means that rural land continues to be vulnerable to unwanted visitors. Suzie Horne finds out what steps can be...

Sterling Sires to market Italian Holstein bull semen

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:34:00 GMT

Semen from some of Italy's leading Holstein bulls will now be available in the UK through Sterling Sires , following...

NFU protests over single farm payment delays

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:34:00 GMT

Farm leaders are to write to the government in protest at continuing delays to single farm payments.

Dairy Crest suppliers get free Johne's testing

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:34:00 GMT

Dairy Crest Direct (DCD) members can now secure an initial Johne's status for their herd thanks to a free 30-cow milk test being offered by the processor.

Smokies a step closer to becoming legal

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:02:00 GMT

The Food Standards Agency is to seek ministerial approval for the production of skin-on sheepmeat or "Smokies".

Prince launches scheme to boost wool prices

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:33:00 GMT

The Prince of Wales has backed a campaign to help sheep farmers around the world boost the price of wool.

Deere stays ahead of the tractor pack

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:30:00 GMT

John Deere has increased its share of the UK tractor market by nearly 1% to 30.2% in 2008's tractor sales line-up.

Online tool launched to clear farm waste confusion

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:21:00 GMT

The Environment Agency has launched a website to help clear up confusion among farmers about managing agricultural waste.

Bayer cuts spring Atlantis partners

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:13:00 GMT

In a bid to prolong the efficacy of it's key blackgrass herbicide Bayer has slashed the list of supported partners for spring-applied Atlantis. James Andrews reports.

Tackling lamb losses highlighed at sheep meetings

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:55:00 GMT

Sheep farmers in northern England wanting to brush up their knowledge of sheep husbandry, nutrition and health care have the chance to attend meetings being run by ADAS

Metaldehyde reduction results promising

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:41:00 GMT

Early indications suggest the metaldehyde stewardship campaign has helped reduce the amount of the slug pellet active ingredient entering watercourses.

DEFRA unveils draft Animal Health Bill

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:29:00 GMT

DEFRA has shelved plans to make livestock farmers take out insurance to help foot the bill for future disease outbreaks.

Sterility trials aim to help wheat breeders

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:21:00 GMT

SAC trials should help plant breeders build in resistance to sterility in future wheat breeding programmes, said SAC cereals specialist Steve Hoad

Grain prices won't recover until 2011

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:06:00 GMT

High world grain stocks will inhibit any recovery in grain prices this year, SAC business consultant, Julian Bell, warned Scottish cereal growers...

Concerto yield and flexibility brings benefits for Scottish growers

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:55:00 GMT

Spring barley varieties, wheat fertility research and world grain prices were discussed at a SAC/HGCA workshop in Aberdeenshire

Crop and gizzard impaction in poultry

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:42:00 GMT

Gizzard and crop impaction in free-range hens is becoming a widespread concern for poultry producers, leading to mortality and reduced production.

German tractor makers jockey for position

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:50:00 GMT

German figures for tractor sales for 2009 have already been issued.

Hay and straw prices continue to firm

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:06:00 GMT

Hay and straw met with another firm trade at Carter Jonas's 59th annual January sale at the Newbury Rugby Club last Thursday (21 January).

NI minister calls for delay in poultry marketing rules

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:47:00 GMT

The Northern Ireland minister of agriculture has called for a 12-month delay in implementing the new poultrymeat marketing rules...

ABN launches pig and poultry marketing award

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:47:00 GMT

Feed supplier ABN is offering £1000 in prize money for the winner of a new competition aimed at developing marketing ideas for pig and poultry products.

Americans buy UK Aberdeen Angus record bull for 75,000gns

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:30:00 GMT

A new UK record price for an Aberdeen Angus bull has been set, with one of the most fancied entries for next week's bull sales at Stirling, Balmachie Black Bear, selling for 75,000gns

NFU Cymru elects new president

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:13:00 GMT

Merionethshire beef and sheep farmer Ed Bailey has been elected unopposed as NFU Cymru president.

Malting barley too risky for Scots growers

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:12:00 GMT

Scottish cereal growers face the prospect of drilling spring barley "on spec", with no contracts on offer nor any indication of harvest prices for malting barley.

Warning after ‘suspicious' fires tear through farms

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:11:00 GMT

Farmers have been warned to be vigilant after suspicious fires caused thousands of pounds-worth of damage on two farms in Gwynedd in one week.

Vetwatch: A monthly round-up of vet issues around the UK

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:03:00 GMT

"Having just taken a few fat lambs to the abattoir, collected ewes from their holiday with the tup and sent some old cull ewes in, I've decided to stick to being a vet, which is far less stressful.

A new approach to poultry disease testing offers quicker diagnosis

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:01:00 GMT

A breakthrough in testing is set to make poultry disease diagnosis even quicker. Rob Harrison explains how

Farmer Focus Arable: Seth Pascoe's spuds make the olympic dream

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 15:11:00 GMT

I'm proud to announce that North Paddock Farms will be represented at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver next month.

Farmer Focus Arable: Richard Cobbald finally lifts his sugar beet crop

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 08:17:00 GMT

Over the past few weeks, I've been watching Jimmy Doherty's Global Harvest, finally something to watch on the "idiot box" that doesn't involve lining the Murdochs' pockets.

Farmer Focus Arable: Allan Chambers blasts Union over land letting system

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:11:00 GMT

The new year kicked off with the Ulster Farmers' Union area meeting, where we were updated on current situations. About 250 local farmers and I hoped the positive vibes reported from the Oxford Conference would be highlighted.

Farmer Focus Arable: Barley outlook bleak for RIchard Beachell

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:11:00 GMT

As I mentioned in my last offering, the short-term prospects for barley, winter and spring, are bleak and an improvement in the market is as likely as Hull City's Phil Brown winning manager of the month. A massive carryover of stocks by UK Maltsers means it will not be buying much for the rest of the year.

Input price monitor: Share your figures

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 07:55:00 GMT

The forces of change are at work in the farm inputs market, with the cold weather driving up the wholesale price of red diesel and animal feed.

Plan carefully to replace grain storage

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 07:19:00 GMT

Grain storage on many farms is showing its age - many sheds are getting on for 40 years old. But do the returns justify the investment? Suzie Horne takes some advice

RPA minefield for Bical energy crop growers

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:33:00 GMT

Farmers growing energy crops for Bical - which went into administration in late November 2009 - have been issued guidance from the Rural Payments Agency about how it will affect their Aid for Energy Crops payments. FW tries to interpret the guidance

Farmer faces £200,000 bill over illegal workers

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:15:00 GMT

Farmer faces £200,000 bill over illegal workers Caroline Stocks gangmasters, bulgaria, poland, farm workers, scotland A Perth farmer faces...

Welsh farmer cashes in on farm animal cartoon talent

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:57:00 GMT

Farm animals are proving great subjects for one Welsh illustrator, as Debbie James discovers

Britain's Sexiest Farmer - vote counting about to begin

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:50:00 GMT

Postal and web votes are about to be collated by FW in this prestigious competition

Cattle test positive for Enzootic bovine leukosis

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:30:00 GMT

Cattle fed on imported colostrum substitute have tested positive for enzootic bovine leukosis.

Three new sires from Genus

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:54:00 GMT

Three new calving ease bulls that boast good Type combined with solid performance have been released by Genus.

Semex conference: Efficiency key in volatile dairy market

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:51:00 GMT

Improving farm efficiency will be key to dairy farmers surviving the next 10 years.

Semex conference: Efficient dairy farms are greener

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:51:00 GMT

Improving efficiencies on farm is not only key in managing market volatility it will also play a part in the fight against climate change.

Semex conference: Health and welfare for dairy profit

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:51:00 GMT

The drive for greater dairy profitability will be through health and welfare.

KWS and BASF develop high-yielding sugar beet

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:28:00 GMT

Sugar beet breeder KWS and the biotechnology division of BASF are collaborating to develop a genetically modified high-yielding sugar beet by 2020.

Kuhn Poly-Longer targets mainstream hedgecutter market

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:22:00 GMT

Kuhn has slotted a new hedgecutter model, the 5.5m reach...

Lambing special 2010: Managing triplets

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:16:00 GMT

Triplets are a fact of life and correct management is vital to ensure optimum survival and growth.

Kramer shows smallest telehandler yet

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:12:00 GMT

Ultra-small telehandlers are beconming increasing popular and most makers now offer one.

Lambing special 2010: Aim for consistency in early lambs

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:09:00 GMT

Early lambing systems depend on both excellent ewe nutrition and ensuring lambs have access to a high quality creep feed make a draw of lambs as soon as possible.

Bayer's Raxil barley fungicides revoked by EU

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:55:00 GMT

Bayer CropScience's Raxil range of seed treatments has had its approval revoked by the Chemicals Regulation Directorate...

Lambing special 2010: Nutrition care to keep it simple

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:49:00 GMT

Careful pre-tupping and pre-lambing nutrition is aimed at making lambing a simpler time for a Wiltshire farming couple

Frozen food plant to cut jobs after fall in poultry exports

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:49:00 GMT

The Kerry Group is to cut 36 jobs at its frozen ready meals plant in Co Monaghan because of a decline in poultry exports to the UK.

Lambing special 2010: Prepare for success

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:51:00 GMT

Early lambs are appearing in fields across the UK, but what is the key to a successful lambing season?

Goldline layer to be renamed Bovans Brown

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:50:00 GMT

Hendrix Genetics has completed its acquisition of Cambridgeshire supplier Joice and Hill and renamed the Goldline bird which is now the Bovans Brown.

LAMMA 10: Clever grain moving system from Ryetec

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:32:00 GMT

Sick of shovelling out grain bins or having trouble getting grain out of tricky places? This clever machine could provide just the answer. Imported from...

Medina buys former DFoB plant at Blaydon

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:21:00 GMT

Medina Dairies has bought the former Dairy Farmers of Britain factory at Blaydon, Newcastle upon Tyne.

LAMMA 10: High capacity fertiliser spreaders from Gustrower

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:05:00 GMT

Ryetec has started importing high-capacity spreaders from German company Gustrower.

China looks promising as a market for Welsh beef and lamb

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:38:00 GMT

China could offer market opportunities for Welsh beef and sheep producers, according to Zhou Xiaoming of the Chinese Embassy.

LAMMA 10: New generation of reach mower from Spearhead

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:07:00 GMT

Spearhead had the first models from its next generation of reach mower on show for the first time. The Twiga 560...

LAMMA 10: New company Tillso shows Rake & Roll

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:01:00 GMT

Having moved to Colorado to farm in the late 1990s, Tillso's Chris Lane saw a strong demand for Simba DDs and related...

LAMMA 10: Plain wire attachment from Quickfencer

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:48:00 GMT

No LAMMA would be complete without a tweak or two from charismatic fencing company Quickfencer, in Blackburn.

Variable nitrogen application on Berkshire farm improves yields

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:15:00 GMT

Oxon grower and Farmers Weekly farm manager of the year finalist Simon Beddows is carrying out his own trials to see if precision farming pays.

CNH to provide machines for Haiti relief effort

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:42:00 GMT

Case New Holland (CNH) is to deploy excavators, wheeled loaders and other equipment from its dealer...

Improve security on your poultry unit

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:21:00 GMT

Poultry units are seeing a surge in break-ins across the UK. We look at the measures producers can take.

Tenants urged to think long-term on rent reviews

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:02:00 GMT

The TFA and NFU are urging tenant farmers to prepare for upcoming rent reviews

2010 FW Awards: Give your team the recognition they deserve

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:37:00 GMT

Anyone running a profitable and sustainable farming business should consider themselves a worthy contender for the 2010 Farmers Weekly Awards, says FW projects manager Debbie Beaton

Mead challenges Kendall for NFU presidency

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:22:00 GMT

NFU president Peter Kendall faces a challenge from Derek Mead in 2010.

Four-way fight for NFU deputy president

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:22:00 GMT

Meurig Raymond is up for re-election as deputy president, with three challengers.

Ten members up for NFU vice president's post

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:22:00 GMT

Ten candidates will contest the election for NFU vice-president.

Farmers furious over plans to flood coast near Morecambe Bay

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:06:00 GMT

Four Lancashire dairy farms covering 1035 acres could disappear under the sea if the Environment Agency gives the go ahead for a shoreline management plan along the coast of Morecambe Bay.

Stephen Carr: Sale of the century at Oxford

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:20:00 GMT

It is to Oxford, in January, that farmers flock to gaze at agricultural policy hardware. With an election only months away all the major policy manufacturers - Labour, Tory and Lib-Dem - turned up in force.

LAMMA 10: SnowEx spreaders from Broadwood

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:50:00 GMT

Broadwood supplies salt and grit spreaders that can be mounted on anything from an ATV to a 7.5t truck.

LAMMA 10: BFS makes true variable-rate liquid fertiliser application a reality

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:44:00 GMT

With its new AutoStreamer applicator, Billericay Farm Services has automated rate changes by replacing fixed-size flow restrictors with a pressure-sensitive variable-flow valve using a simple rubber sleeve inside the inlet.

LAMMA 10: AFT Trenchers imports Tuchel-Trac compact loader

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:26:00 GMT

Suffolk AFT Trenchers has started importing the German manufactured Tuchel-Trac compact pivot-steer loadall.

LAMMA 10: US-built Haydryer makes an appearance

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:19:00 GMT

This unusual-looking setup is a Veda Hay Dryer , imported from the USA by Irish company Robinson Farms.

LAMMA 10: Gregoire Besson's Combimix one-pass cultivator

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:15:00 GMT

Gregoire Besson's Combimix one-pass mounted cultivator is designed to be towed by tractors from 150hp up...

LAMMA 10: Austrian-built cultivator packs a punch

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:12:00 GMT

Vogel and Noot is to bring its TerraTop semi-mounted cultivator into the UK for the first time.

LAMMA 10: He-Va King Roller is largest in Opico range

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Those with a lot of acres to cover may consider Opico's He-Va King Roller, the largest the company has to offer. With...

Farmer Focus Livestock: Matthew Cole is pleased with rising lamb prices

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:35:00 GMT

Mathew Cole farms beef and sheep over 900 acres on Dartmoor with his brother Neil and parents Arnold and Bridget. They keep South Devon and Galloway suckler cows, Scotch and Swale ewes on the hills, and mule lambs bred to sell in-bye. They also have pedigree flocks of Bluefaced Leicester and Whiteface Dartmoor ewes and a herd of Dartmoor Hill Ponies

LAMMA 10: Claydon launches Hybrid direct drill

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:45:00 GMT

Claydon's latest direct drill - the Hybrid - can be set up for shear-bolt mode or hydraulic stone protection just by adding a different module.

LAMMA 10: Einbock Grass-Star lets you reseed standing grass

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:35:00 GMT

Einbock 3m wide Grass-Star can go straight into standing grass that's got too damaged to be much use and re-seed it - all in one pass.

LAMMA 10: Hopper makes grainstore vacuuming less of a chore

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:28:00 GMT

Vacuuming out big grain stores is never much fun, but a new bulk cleaner from Cambridgeshire's Michael Williams could ease the pain.

LAMMA 10: Landy launches large-capacity pto pressure washer

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:57:00 GMT

Makers of high pressure washer systems, Landy, had its bowser-mounted pto washer and jetter on display at the LAMMA Show.

LAMMA 10: Cost-effective GPS solutions from Patchwork

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:46:00 GMT

Patchwork Technology has launched a cost-effective option for farmers looking to invest in a GPS guidance system....

LAMMA 10: Vapormatic's key pad reduces insurance

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:38:00 GMT

Vapormatic's new vehicle keypad immobiliser has gained Thatcham approval, meaning vehicles fitted with it can get...

LAMMA 10: Tanco bale Shear means no need to remove wrap

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:30:00 GMT

Bale-wrapping equipment specialist Tanco announced that it now owns the rights for the Bale Shear, first previewed...

LAMMA 10: JCB's newest Loadall breaks cover

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:21:00 GMT

Making its UK debut was JCB's 527-58 Loadall, first seen at Agritechnica last year. Measuring...

Workshops to help broiler producers meet welfare rules

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:04:00 GMT

New broiler welfare rules are set to come into force in June and to help producers prepare, ADAS has organised a series of six regional workshops.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Julian Ellis gets to grips with a new mixer wagon

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:59:00 GMT

Our experience with a mixer wagon is a learning curve. The courtesy machine that was sent to us is keeping us going until the refurbished one arrives; unfortunately it has an appetite for shear bolts.

Bella Hall: Why I love January

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:56:00 GMT

I confess - I really like January.

Book now for Maize Growers Association conference

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:45:00 GMT

This year's Maize Growers Association conference will be held on Thursday 25 February at The Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.

Fleckvieh cattle provide dairy profitability

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:40:00 GMT

Could dual purpose breeds be the answer to dairy farm profitability? Aly Balsom reports on the first import of Fleckvieh heifers to Great Britain

College Calendar: Back to life at Harper for Steve Mears

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:12:00 GMT

I am feeling refreshed and all geared up for my second term after a month off over Christmas.

College Calendar: White start to year for Lizzie Jennings

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:12:00 GMT

I should, at the time of writing this, be sat in a lecture on Business Planning and Control.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Weather is a challenge for Alistair Mackintosh

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:59:00 GMT

The weather has been a problem for us, with frost and ice proving challenging. My impression of Disney's Bambi on ice every time I went across the yard soon became tiresome and, sometimes, painful.

Lambing special 2010: Blood-test ewes for pre-lambing insight

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:56:00 GMT

Body condition score is a good general guide to sheep nutrition, but for a more accurate view of nutritional state, sheep producers should give ewes a blood sample three to four weeks ahead of lambing.

DEFRA to allow infrared beak trimming for layers in England

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:49:00 GMT

DEFRA is inviting comments from the poultry industry in England on its proposed delay to the beak trimming ban due to come into force from the start of 2011.

Dairy aid package won't help UK farmers, say critics

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:43:00 GMT

An emergency fund to help the dairy industry will do little to stop dairy farmers from going out of business, critics have claimed.

Irish poultry exports to UK continue to suffer

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:40:00 GMT

Exports of Irish poultry products fell by 11%, from €203m (£179m) in 2008 to €180m (£159m) in 2009.

CLA-World First deal offers currency hedge

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:31:00 GMT

Landowners have a new option to limit their exposure to currency fluctuations.

LAMMA 10: Video from the UK's biggest farm machinery show

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:08:00 GMT

Get a flavour of what was at LAMMA from our videos

Frontier grows profits despite difficult climate

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:56:00 GMT

Frontier Agriculture, Britain's biggest grain trader and farm inputs business, has reported an operating profit of £21.4m for the year ending June 2009.

LAMMA 10: Reco takes on UK distribution of Strautmann kit

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:48:00 GMT

Reco has bought Strautmann UK. The deal is designed to plug the gap in Reco's line-up following the sale of Mengele.

Interim report on future of support in Scotland

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:11:00 GMT

An inquiry team looking into the future of agriculture support in Scotland has published a ‘wish list’ of measures which it wants farmers to debate.

Gilbert and Sullivan estate up for grabs

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:19:00 GMT

An ideal bolt-hole for stressed City types, described as secluded yet just 14 miles from Marble Arch, is being offered by agent Bidwells.

Leicestershire estate sells for £1 million over guide price

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:07:00 GMT

The Langley Estate is understood to have sold for significantly more than its guide price, according to joint selling agent Savills.

LAMMA 10: Logic shows lightweight ATV helmet

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:48:00 GMT

If you want a lightweight, non-claustrophobic helmet specifically for ATVs, Logic has traditionally been the company to go to.

LAMMA 10: Watkins displays combined weight blocks and toolboxes

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:48:00 GMT

Philip Watkins was showing some useful-looking combined front weight blocks and toolboxes at the LAMMA Show.

LAMMA 10: New features for FarmGEM's sprayers

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:48:00 GMT

Anyone who has owned a Gem sprayer will recognise some of the features on the new machines being brought in by FarmGEM.

LAMMA 10: Simse Attachments launch BeastE cow catcher

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:48:00 GMT

Stoke-on-Trent's Simse Attachments is a new name to the agricultural machinery market, though the firm has actually been contract manufacturing for the likes of JCB and Caterpillar for many years.

Farmer focus Livestock: Iain Green's New Year's resolutions

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:31:00 GMT

Iain Green farms 1110ha (2740 acres) as a family partnership. Stock includes 130 pedigree Simmentals, 330 Simmental crosses...

LAMMA 10: Video from set-up day

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:26:00 GMT

LAMMA 2010 opened its gates to the public on Wednesday (20 Jan). View a short video shot while the show was being set up

180 acres on offer on the Isle of Axholme

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:50:00 GMT

A block of highly productive grade 2 warp land near Scunthorpe, north Lincolnshire, is being sold by Savills. The 180-acre parcel on the Isle...

LAMMA 10: French subsoiler available through MDT

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:41:00 GMT

Available for the first time through Suffolk-based wearing parts supplier, MDT, is the robust French made one-pass Agrisem Maximulch cultivator.

LAMMA 10: Sumo develops new Versadrill to meet customer demands

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:38:00 GMT

The farm machinery world is all about listening to what farmers want, and Sumo has done just that with it’s latest Versadrill +.

Welsh consult on dairy aid payment

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:31:00 GMT

Dairy farming leaders in Wales have united in calling on the Welsh Assembly Government to act swiftly in...

Market report: Dairy margins feel the squeeze

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:28:00 GMT

Dairy producers' margins over purchased feed narrowed by 1.29p/litre in the year to November 2009, according to Promar's latest Milkminder costings.

Market report: Grain prices suffer dramatic slump

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:24:00 GMT

Grain markets have continued to slide over the past week, crushed by negative government reports and less competitive exchange rates.

Lack of GMOs costs lives, claims leading scientist

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:16:00 GMT

Many human lives have been lost due to the reluctance of some countries to accept genetically modified crops, former government chief scientific...

Market report: Meat retail/farmgate price gap narrows

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:53:00 GMT

The gap between farmgate and retail prices for pork and lamb narrowed markedly between 2008 and 2009.

Poultry producer wins planning appeal on mobile unit

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:32:00 GMT

A producer has successfully appealed against the rejection of their planning application for a free range unit...

Semex conference: Managing price volatility key to dairy future

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:21:00 GMT

Managing volatility in milk markets will be the key to dairy farmer survival over the next decade, delegates heard at Semex's Dairy Conference in Glasgow this week.

LAMMA 10: High-speed big bale collector-stacker from Big Bale South

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:19:00 GMT

High-speed big bale collector-stacker made by CHK Engineering and sold by Big Bale South

Cold weather unlikely to stop yellow rust outbreak

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:16:00 GMT

Recent very low temperatures are unlikely to prevent early outbreaks of yellow rust occurring this spring.

LAMMA 10: Traffic chaos delays visitors

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:12:00 GMT

Traffic problems dog the opening day of LAMMA show

LAMMA 10: New Pulse Jet from NC Engineering

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:04:00 GMT

The latest version of David Mitchell's clever Pulse Jet was on show at the 2010 LAMMA show.

Bullish outlook for farmland values

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:52:00 GMT

Further evidence of the bullish outlook for English farmland values is contained in the latest flush of reports by agents, with one claiming prices have...

Salmonella: New rules for turkey farmers

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:51:00 GMT

New rules aimed at salmonella in turkey flocks have just come into force.

LAMMA 10: Damman launches 5000-litre DT2000

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:22:00 GMT

German sprayer maker Damman is best-known for its high-spec, high-price machines, brought in since last year by Scunthorpe company Chantry-Damman.

LAMMA 10: Mid-range plough from Dowdeswell

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:22:00 GMT

Dowdeswell , Britain's only plough maker, had its new 105 Series on show for the first time.

LAMMA 10: Slovenian sprayers imported to the UK

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:22:00 GMT

It wasn't just FarmGem, with its new Hungarian-made sprayers, that was showing off good-value Eastern European machines.

LAMMA 10: Big bale handler from CHK

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:22:00 GMT

On the Big Bale South stand was a high-speed big bale collector-stacker that looked much like the Walton Eclipse, made by CHK Engineering.

LAMMA 10: Stewart shows off latest GX trailer range

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:05:00 GMT

Stewart trailers has designed its latest GX range of trailer to be even longer lasting and easier to use.

LAMMA 10: Bomford adds forward arm to hedgecutter

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:11:00 GMT

More and more farmers are asking for a forward arm option on their hedgecutters, says Evesham's Bomford.

Bright future for Hartpury College

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:08:00 GMT

Hartpury College has been recognised as one of the best in the country for providing agricultural and land-based...

LAMMA 10: Low hp direct drill from John Dale

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Usually, direct drilling is reserved for farmers with plenty of hp to play with, but Lincolnshire-based John Dale Drills has come up with a low-hp alternative for this year’s show.

LAMMA 10: Ten top tractors at Newark

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:01:00 GMT

The LAMMA show opens today (20 Jan) and is a great place to see the latest tractor models. David Cousins and Emily Padfield round up 10 new models making their debut in the UK for the first time.

LAMMA 10: Picture gallery

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 04:30:00 GMT

View a picture gallery from LAMMA 2010 and add any pictures of your own

TMR can cut ewe costs

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:40:00 GMT

Feeding sheep a total mixed ration allows greater control of ewe condition, can reduce metabolic problems and lower costs.

Loyalty discounts for NFU Mutual customers

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:24:00 GMT

Loyal NFU Mutual customers are set to receive discounts of up to 20% this year.

Winter spray warning for crops

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:11:00 GMT

Farmers should think carefully before applying winter treatments to crops, the Voluntary Initiative has warned.

Lower stem canker levels predicted

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:11:00 GMT

Growers should see lower levels of stem canker this season, but more pressure from light leaf spot, according to Bruce Fitt from Rothamsted Research.

Pigeons threaten OSR after big freeze

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:47:00 GMT

Pigeons are likely to prove a greater danger to oilseed rape crops emerging from the recent cold snap, although a further period of fluctuating temperatures could still cause winter damage.

New discussion group for Western poultry farmers

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:40:00 GMT

West Country poultry farmers are set to benefit from having their own discussion group by sharing tips and problems with experts on managing layers.

Fertiliser market report: Upwards price pressure seen off - for now

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:24:00 GMT

Nitrogen and compound prices have seen a greater hike for February than was anticipated, with domestic ammonium nitrate up by £20 at £225/t.

Online grocery set to double

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:11:00 GMT

Online shopping for groceries is set to double to over £7bn by 2014, according to research from the IGD

Dairy Crest to sell holding in Wexford Creamery

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:02:00 GMT

Dairy Crest looks set to sell its majority shareholding in Irish milk processor Wexford.

Farming Stalwarts: John Cameron

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:35:00 GMT

In the latest of our series celebrating commitment and services to agriculture, Nancy Nicolson talks to John Cameron

Battle for NFU presidency is under way

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:07:00 GMT

Hustings are taking place across the country as the NFU prepares for next month's presidential elections.

Floods cause further misery after thaw

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:28:00 GMT

Flooding has hit parts of England, Scotland and Wales after the rapid thaw and heavy rain. The Met Office said that frozen ground had made the flooding...

Dow addresses propyzamide stewardship

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:58:00 GMT

Concerns over propyzamide being found in watercourses has prompted new research from Dow Agrosciences.

New Syngenta fungicide looks hopeful

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:46:00 GMT

Syngenta has announced that their new cereal fungicide isopyrazam could be approved by the end of the month.

Triazole fungicide limit proposed by Syngenta

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:20:00 GMT

Controversial proposals to limit the number of sprays to two of any single triazole fungicide active ingredient in a wheat disease control programme have been proposed by manufacturer Syngenta.

Thousands of farmers join protests in Greece

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:51:00 GMT

Thousands of farmers are taking part in road blocks in Greece in protest over the amount they are being paid for produce.

Financial support for NI sheep industry

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:49:00 GMT

Live auction marts, abattoirs, export assembly centres and slaughter collection centres in Northern Ireland...

Consumers urged to drink 1% fat milk

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 09:46:00 GMT

A campaign to get people to switch to 1% fat milk in order to reduce their intake of saturated fat has been launched by the Food Standards Agency.

Contract heifer rearing helps block-calving herds

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:23:00 GMT

Contract heifer rearing could help block calving herds maintain a condensed calving period and minimise both farmer and cow stress.

Soil rules prompt concerns over fee increases

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:42:00 GMT

Extra paperwork associated with the revised version of the Soil Protection Review has raised concerns among agronomists that they may have to...

Measuring N pays dividends

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:22:00 GMT

Measuring the amount of nitrogen available to a crop throughout the growing season offers significant...

Urea measures up to ammonium nitrate

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:52:00 GMT

Urea fertilisers could be a viable nitrogen source for growers this season, but those on thinner soils should approach with caution.

Irish farm incomes set to rebound

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:50:00 GMT

Irish farm incomes are set to recover in 2010 and 2011 after two years of slump.

Floods cost farming ‘as much as £66m’

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:06:00 GMT

The devastating floods which hit large parts of the country in 2007 cost the agricultural industry as much as £66m, a report by the Environment Agency has found.

Poultry sector relies more on specialists to meet NVZ rules

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:20:00 GMT

Almost 70% of England now falls within the extended Nitrate Vulnerable Zone, imposing stringent regulations on producers' use and storage of manure.

Farm emissions 'far higher than thought'

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:28:00 GMT

Livestock farming accounts more than half of all agricultural greenhouse emissions, according to a new report.

Scots launch snow damage survey

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:21:00 GMT

The Scottish government has launched a farm survey to assess the damage caused by snow and ice.

Church backs HSE campaign

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:20:00 GMT

Worshippers at a church service in North Yorkshire backed the HSE's latest campaign yesterday.

Paddock grazing pays off for beef boys

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:26:00 GMT

They may both be ruminants, but managing dairy and beef cows at grass couldn't be more different. For the dairy producers, paddock grazing is commonly...

Farmer Focus Arable: Martin Lawrenson's battles with the frost

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:51:00 GMT

With snow on the ground and freezing temperatures, Christmas and the New Year have been a bit trying to say the least.

Britain's Sexiest Farmer: Cast your vote

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Time is running out to vote in Farmers Weekly's Britain's Sexiest Farmer competition.

Farmer Focus Arable: New Zealand trip leaves Andrew Charlton ruing retailer trading rules

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 07:51:00 GMT

A very relaxing and enjoyable trip to sunny New Zealand to spend the holidays with my son has left me fired up for the challenges of another farming year, albeit more than a little envious of farmers over there who produce for a demanding market without the brutality of trading imposed by UK supermarkets.

Farmers urged to adopt new stewardship options

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 09:04:00 GMT

Farmers are urged to consider new environmental stewardship options in a bid to fend off a compulsory set-aside replacement across England.

2020 Vision: What farming would be like outside the EU

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

The year is 2020 and, following a referendum in 2010, the UK has been outside the EU for a decade. What's the new world like for British farmers?

Farmer Focus Arable: Robert Law's New Year starts with a bang

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

2010 started with the completion of our early lambing, which always brings the farm to life at a time when things are normally quiet.

Farmer's son becomes dancing star

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

A farmer's son from Lancashire is getting a taste of fame as one of the contestants on a primetime BBC 1 dance show.

Digital FW available for subscribers

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:04:00 GMT

Has the weather disrupted delivery of Farmers Weekly? Find out how subscribers can get a digital edition

Bitter blow for Dairy Farmers of Britain creditors

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:00:00 GMT

Farmers caught up in the Dairy Farmers of Britain collapse last year will not, in the main, be able to use the capital losses they incurred to offset either income tax or capital gains tax, HM Revenue and Customs has confirmed.

LAMMA 10: Landini launches new 5H tractors

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:42:00 GMT

A new four-model tractor range that aims to combine the best features of two top-selling Landini ...

Watch this week's news video

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:31:00 GMT

This week's Farmers Weekly video examines the government's decision to appoint a supermarket ombudsman.

JCB donates diggers for Haiti relief effort

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:17:00 GMT

JCB is donating diggers worth $150,000 (£92,000) to help the disaster relief effort in...

Would-be agriculture commissioner sets out priorities

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:24:00 GMT

A Common Agricultural Policy that delivers food security for consumers and a decent income for farmers is the overriding objective for would-be EU agriculture commissioner Dacian Ciolos.

Farmer Focus: Irrigation delays harvest for Bill Davey

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:47:00 GMT

Bill Davey – a former Lincolnshire farmer – emigrated to New Zealand six years ago. He grows a wide range of crops including wheat, barley and vining peas...

Hallmark Tractors offer full wind turbine package

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:44:00 GMT

A Derbyshire tractor dealer is the latest firm to offer farmers a full planning, survey, grant and installation service for a small wind turbine.

CowCam lets you watch calving from the web

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:41:00 GMT

Keeping an eye on calving cows by CCTV no longer means having to be glued to a fixed monitor in the house, thanks to a new invention from Sweden.

Pig welfare under the spotlight again

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:28:00 GMT

Issues surrounding intensively-reared pigs will, yet again, come under the spotlight, when it gets addressed parliament later this month.

Red Tractor scheme gets a revamp

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:17:00 GMT

Farm assurance standards are to be revamped to ensure more consistency between six schemes behind the Red Tractor logo.

FCN calls for industry-wide plan to cut farmer poverty

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:03:00 GMT

A leading rural charity is calling on farming bodies, businesses and organisations to work together to help farming families out of poverty.

Country of origin not prime concern to shoppers

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:00:00 GMT

Country of origin is still not a prime concern for shoppers, according to research from the Food Standards Agency.

Hants Young Farmers star turn on radio

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:15:00 GMT

Hampshire Young Farmers have bagged a great opportunity to promote agriculture by getting a regular slot on BBC Radio Solent.

Market report: Grain prices tumble as USA boosts harvest estimates

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:29:00 GMT

Grain and oilseed prices have tumbled this week, following the latest report from the US Department of Agriculture.

United Oilseeds rewards members for fourth year in a row

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:07:00 GMT

United Oilseeds returned a surplus of £324,000 in the year to 30 June 2009, which will be distributed among the co-operative's 3100 members.

Woldgrain unveils 18000t expansion

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:48:00 GMT

Lincolnshire central grain store Woldgrain has begun an 18,000t extension to its storage facility at Hemswell near Gainsborough, part of an initial £3.1m capital investment.

LAMMA 10: New Holland launches new range-topping T5000

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:07:00 GMT

New Holland will launch a new addition to one of its best-selling tractor ranges at LAMMA.

Keep cold weather from limiting calf growth

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:34:00 GMT

Temperatures may be plummeting, but so too could calf growth, according to Volac's Maggie Gould.

T6000 range tops out and gets more power

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

First seen at Agritechnica, the T6090 now tops New Holland's T6000 range, taking its offering to over 200hp.

Rumenco launches badger beating feeder

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:42:00 GMT

A new cattle feeder that keeps forage supplements for grazing and housed livestock well out of reach of badgers has been launched by Rumenco.

Oman son proves his worth

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:30:00 GMT

The first British-proven son of Oman from Cogent's progeny testing scheme has proved to produce hard-working and easy to manage daughters in this week's Holstein bull proofs.

Big Freeze: Store crops carefully, farmers warned

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:06:00 GMT

Potato growers have been urged to monitor their crops in store carefully to ensure they are not suffering from the big freeze.

Thames Valley Cambac buys pig business

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:52:00 GMT

Thames Valley Cambac, the UK's biggest pig marketing co-operative, has acquired Yorkshire-based Allied Livestock Marketing from Associated...

Farmers are paying too much tax, warns rural accountant

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:53:00 GMT

A sharp fall in farm profitability over the last year means many businesses will be paying too much tax. With tax liabilities based on previous years'...

Strong Christmas trade for traditional turkey producers

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:08:00 GMT

Christmas 2009 turned out to be strong season for traditional farm fresh turkeys with both producers and butchers reporting good trade at the recent Anglian Turkey Association meeting.

Kendall faces challenge for leadership of NFU

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:01:00 GMT

Somerset farmer Derek Mead aims to end Peter Kendall's hopes of serving for a third term as NFU president.

Hilary Benn defends government food strategy

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:51:00 GMT

DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn has defended the government's long-awaited strategy for securing food supplies up to 2030.

Asda price cuts spark fears of retailer wars

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:25:00 GMT

Retailer Asda is slashing the price of one in five of its products by an average of 13%, in a move that suppliers fear could spark another supermarket price war.

Sub-zero veg harvest rolls on

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:23:00 GMT

Staffordshire parsnip growers R&RW Bartlett have been the stars of TV and radio, explaining how vegetables are harvested from under two feet of snow and in temperatures of minus 10.

Downs to fight pesticides case in European Courts

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:20:00 GMT

Anti-pesticide campaigner Georgina Downs is preparing to take her case alleging the UK government has "fundamentally failed to protect the public from pesticides" to the European courts.

First Milk ups price by 0.25p/litre

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:15:00 GMT

Dairy co-operative First Milk is to increase its standard farmgate milk price by 0.25p/litre from 1 February.

Rebel branch bucks NFU vote rules

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Ordinary farmers will help choose the next NFU president after a rebel union branch decided to introduce a one-member, one-vote system - against official policy.

DEFRA Fertiliser Manual one step from publication

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:04:00 GMT

The long-awaited DEFRA Fertiliser Manual is inching closer to publication, after revisions of the grassland sector were discussed in December, Keith Goulding, the project's co-ordinator from Rothamsted Research, says.

Supermarket ombudsman - a decade in the making

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:07:00 GMT

The campaign for a grocery market ombudsman has run for more than decade. View a timeline of some of the key events as charted by the NFU

Industry welcomes ombudsman announcement

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:44:00 GMT

Farm leaders have welcomed the government's decision to accept recommendations to create a supermarket ombudsman.

Yeast in beef rations boosts growth

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:40:00 GMT

Adding yeast to beef rations could boost growth by up to 8% a day, according to new research.

Careful pesticide use brings benefits for farmland birds

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:03:00 GMT

New Voluntary Initiative advice has been issued to help sprayer operators...

Welsh badger cull due to begin in April

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:00:00 GMT

A five-year programme to cull badgers on 350 livestock farms in west Wales will begin as early as April, the Welsh Assembly Government has announced.

Supermarket ombudsman plans unveiled

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:52:00 GMT

The government has unveiled plans to introduce a supermarket ombudsman.

Snow affected farmers chase feed supplies

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:50:00 GMT

The extreme cold weather and tighter supplies have given a significant boost to hay prices, as farmers look to secure the feed they need to see their livestock through the winter.

Market report: UK milk prices show signs of improvement

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:25:00 GMT

Whole Milk Powder prices fell at Fonterra's auction in January for the first time in six months, dropping by...

Fuel prices rocket in big freeze

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 09:48:00 GMT

Diesel prices have rocketed on the back of the last few weeks’ cold weather.

More information for bull proofs

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

The new genetic indexes for dairy breeds, excluding Holsteins has been launched by DairyCo and has seen a number of re-rankings within breeds.

PCN sampling charges for Scottish growers outlined

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:45:00 GMT

Three charging options have been put forward by the Scottish government in a consultation on how the cost of extra soil sampling for the new EU potato cyst nematode directive will be met.

Natural England relaxes supplementary feed rules

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:53:00 GMT

Natural England has relaxed its rules to make it easier for farmers affected by the snow to feed their animals.

Market report: Pigmeat imports on the wane

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:57:00 GMT

Pork imports dropped sharply in 2009, aided by the weaker pound against the euro.

Allowing access to waterlogged soils would offer flexibility

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:18:00 GMT

Growers will be allowed access waterlogged soils for mechanical field operations without needing a derogation from DEFRA...

QuickcutGB to show prototype wholecrop header at LAMMA

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:14:00 GMT

Farmers and contractors looking to boost their wholecrop harvesting capacity now have a new tool to...

Oman bloodline dominates bull proofs

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:14:00 GMT

O-Bee Manfred Justice and his sons continue to dominate this year's Holstein bull proofs from DairyCo breeding+, with only one bull in the top ten not in the Oman bloodline.

Breakthough on sexing unhatched eggs

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:35:00 GMT

Researchers believe they have come up with a way of sexing fertilised eggs before they hatch, thus avoiding the practice of killing male chicks...

Farming one of the most dangerous jobs in UK

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:33:00 GMT

Agriculture has been revealed as one of the most dangerous professions in the country after figures revealed more than 450 people were killed in farm-related incidents in the past decade.

HSE continues to raise accident awareness

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:24:00 GMT

The HSE has launched the latest stage of its Make the Promise campaign, urging farmers...

Keep your machinery running smoothly in freezing weather

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:15:00 GMT

Keeping machinery running has been a struggle for many farmers over the last fortnight. Nick Fone offers some top tips on how to ease things when the next round of freezing weather arrives

Sugar losses soar due to cold weather

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:05:00 GMT

Britain's big freeze is posing problems for sugar beet growers, with farmers reporting losses of 30% in some fields.

Natural England launches blueprint to save birds

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:43:00 GMT

Natural England has produced a package intended as "a blueprint for saving farmland birds in England".

20 frustrating things about snow

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:54:00 GMT

Weeks of cold weather can be a test of endurance - and sometimes it can be the fairly small frustrations that most get to you. Farmer's wife Noreen Wainwright lists 20 things to drive you crazy about the snow

HD BeadChip for deeper genomic selection

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:50:00 GMT

A bovine BeadChip which will allow more in depth genomic selection of cattle has been released by Illumina.

Elm Farm 2010: Soil testing for organic crops

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:38:00 GMT

Regular soil nutrient testing is necessary to ensure growers do not limit crop access to potassium (K)...

Bernard Matthews looks to expand Suffolk site

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:36:00 GMT

Turkey producer Bernard Matthews Farms is looking to expand one of its processing plants in Suffolk.

Big Freeze: Slurry and milk spreading rules relaxed

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:27:00 GMT

Regulations surrounding slurry and milk spreading are being temporarily relaxed to help farmers affected by the big freeze.

Elm Farm 2010: Cover crop species could suppress weeds

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:27:00 GMT

Selecting a mix of complimentary legume species sown into a stand could have significant agronomic benefit helping suppress weeds as well as adding...

Elm Farm 2010: Blight-resistant spuds could lower carbon levels

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:03:00 GMT

Using blight-resistant varieties of potato could reduce the carbon dioxide footprint from the sector by as much as 40%...

New wave of GM crop trials set for UK

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:52:00 GMT

A new wave of genetically-modified crop trials will be carried out this year after scientists successfully grew GM potatoes in the UK.

Buoyant outlook for US farmers

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:51:00 GMT

US farmers and ranchers should see improved prices and margins for many of their products during 2010 as the global economy emerges from recession.

Monsanto hails GM launches as 'game-changers'

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:43:00 GMT

Launches of genetically modified crop traits in North America mark the beginning of an explosion of high-impact products, says Monsanto.

Farmers likely to shape the land market in 2010

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:21:00 GMT

City money made a surprising return to the English land market in 2009, helping to push arable land values back up in the second half of the year.

Elm Farm 2010: Buckwheat to unlock P from soil

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:10:00 GMT

Novel crops such as buckwheat could help growers with low soil phosphorous or limited FYM to achieve good yields from an organic cereal crop.

Elm Farm 2010: Nutrient efficacy in organic farming

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:09:00 GMT

Using nutrients efficiently is just as important for organic growers. Simon Wragg heard the latest research at Elm Farm's Organic Producer Conference

Food price rise warning as snow halts harvest

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:53:00 GMT

Food prices could soar as snow and ice continue to make it difficult for farmers to harvest vegetables and for tankers to collect milk, consumers have been warned.

Supplementary milk system increases pig litter

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:33:00 GMT

A supplementary milk system has brought huge benefits for a Shropshire pig farmer, as Sarah Trickett found out

Teaching milking cows to use robots proves challenging

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:13:00 GMT

Robotic milking may take away the daily grind of dairy farming, but it does present other challenges, particularly in how cows are fed

Automatic feed pusher increases forage intakes

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:29:00 GMT

Pushing up and freshening the ration throughout the day can improve intakes and increase yields, without added labour. Aly Balsom finds out how

MPs to grill Hilary Benn over food strategy

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:40:00 GMT

DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn will be grilled about the government’s new food strategy by MPs.

McDonald's launches major study to cut cows’ emissions

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:30:00 GMT

Fast-food chain McDonald's has launched a three-year project to look at ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions from cows.

Snow Britain - how bad is it really?

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:25:00 GMT

This winter's snow has caused chaos in many areas, prompting farmer Guy Smith to compare it with previous bad winters. Maybe this year hasn't been quite so bad, after all

Farmer Focus Livestock: John Bainbridge battles cold conditions

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:54:00 GMT

John Bainbridge farms 600 ha (1483 acres) of rented MOD hill land near Richmond, North Yorkshire along with 21 ha (52 acres) of family owned land with his sons Lance & Reuben. His 1400 sheep, plus followers, along with 70 suckler cows are the main farm enterprise.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Weather provides a challenge for Clyde Jones

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:54:00 GMT

As we recover from the festivities, another year milking over Christmas still comes as a shock, what with missing the Queens speech. Hopefully we should be dry for the next one or my knighthood is out the window!

Deep-freeze Britain - share your pictures and stories

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 09:00:00 GMT

View the latest of your snow and ice pictures submitted to our photo gallery

Get voting for Britain's sexiest farmer

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

FWi can now reveal the shortlist of 10 people vying to take the coveted title "Britain's Sexiest Farmer".

Farmer Focus: Training project gaining momentum, says Philip Bradshaw

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:53:00 GMT

We are fortunate in having two reservoirs for irrigation water at our disposal.

Farmer Focus: Winter fun for Edward Tupper

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:42:00 GMT

A very happy new year to you all - and I trust the festive period was full of everything British.

Big Freeze: Farmers braced for more snow

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 18:16:00 GMT

Farmers across the UK are bracing themselves for more snow and sub-zero conditions as freezing weather continues across the weekend.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Robert Neil's son takes a tumble

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:46:00 GMT

2010 has arrived and with it comes more legislation. Sheep EID is now compulsory and a Food Chain Information Declaration for prime stock now has to be completed for animals being sold for slaughter.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Victor Chestnutt is hoping for a change in temperature

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 09:20:00 GMT

With almost a month of Christmas card like scenes, Northern Ireland farmers are hoping for a change in temperature and a drying out of ground conditions as 1 February looms and slurry eve is almost upon us.

Big freeze: Farmers urged to help wildlife

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:01:00 GMT

Farmers are being urged to help wildlife pushed to the brink of a crisis by Britain's big freeze. Cold winter weather was potentially the greatest single wildlife killer of the new millennium, said the RSPB.

Farmer Focus: Wintry weather should help lift feed prices, says David Shepherdson

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:35:00 GMT

Santa's little helpers delivered the single farm payment just before Christmas.

Farmer Focus: Irish cereal growing future uncertain, according to Philip Reck

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:31:00 GMT

The future of cereal growing in Ireland is facing an uncertain future.

Winter warnings for livestock producers

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Heavy snow and ice continues to dominate UK weather, so what precautions should farmers be taking with their livestock?

Video: FWi News Review - 8 January

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:54:00 GMT

Watch a round-up of the major stories that have appeared on FWi this week.

Big Freeze: Transport restrictions relaxed

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:41:00 GMT

Restrictions on working time rules for lorry drivers have been relaxed in a bid to help get animal feed to snow-hit farms.

Big freeze prompts urgent talks over slurry in Scotland

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:48:00 GMT

Farm leaders are holding urgent talks after extreme cold weather left Scottish livestock farms unable to spread slurry.

Q&A: VAT returns on-line only from 1 April

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:54:00 GMT

Significant changes in the way many farmers submit their VAT returns and pay their VAT dues are on the way. Cathy Meredith answers some common questions

Kamasa floating screwdrivers won't sink

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:33:00 GMT

Though aimed mainly at the boating fraternity, Kamasa's new floating screwdrivers would no doubt be useful for many farmers, too.

View farmers' pictures of the snow and ice

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:57:00 GMT

Farmers have been sending in pictures showing the extent of the problems being caused by snow and sub-zero temperatures.

Farmer buried alive as snow causes roof to collapse

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:52:00 GMT

An Aberdeenshire farm manager was saved by a layer of manure when heavy snow caused his cattle shed roof to collapse.

Former bosses defend actions over DFoB collapse

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:50:00 GMT

Three former bosses have defended their actions prior to the collapse of Dairy Farmers of Britain.

Thai poultry producers oppose proposed EU quotas

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:32:00 GMT

Thai chicken producers are unhappy over proposed changes by the EU on how it allocates import quotas for chicken.

Britain's Sexiest Farmer: Your chance to vote

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

FWi can now reveal the shortlist of 10 people vying to take the coveted title "Britain's Sexiest Farmer".

Sheep may benefit from toxoplasmosis check

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Sheep farmers with a barren rate of more than 2% can now receive a subsidised flock blood test to establish whether the cause is toxoplasmosis.

David Richardson: My tip for a new government

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

One thing is certain - in a few month's time we will have a different government. Please note, I did not say it would be Conservative or Labour, Liberal or coalition, for it could be any of those.

Farmer Focus writers share their snow stories

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:00:00 GMT

Farmers are continuing to battle against the freezing temperatures and heavy snow. We asked our Farmer Focus writers for their experiences

Snow brings disruption for milk producers

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:20:00 GMT

Disruption to milk collections is set to continue over the weekend as sub-zero conditions show no sign of easing.

OFC 2010: Climate change may mean more rats

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Climate change is likely to trigger an even bigger rat population, according to the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU).

Winter weather plays havoc with auction marts

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Livestock markets have seen a firm start to the New Year primestock trade but heavy snow and icy weather are causing major disruption to sales.

College Calendar: Steve Mears back in the driving seat

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:54:00 GMT

Steve is feeling refreshed and looking forward to starting his second term after a month off for the Christmas break.

Foreign tankers are loading, not delivering, at Wiseman

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:26:00 GMT

Robert Wiseman Dairies says foreign milk tankers at its Bridgwater dairy are in fact loading cream for export, not delivering milk.

Free BPEX pig industry meetings

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:31:00 GMT

BPEX is offering a series of free pig industry updates to anyone working in the allied industry.

Sea eagle plan delayed for consultation

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:30:00 GMT

Controversial plans to introduce sea eagles to the East Anglian coast will not reach fruition this year.

Irish conference to focus on future profitability

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:01:00 GMT

Attendants to this year's Irish Grassland Annual Dairy Conference will be able to hear keynote speaker, Alan Dukes outline his views for a successful Irish agricultural and dairy industry in the future.

Vetwatch: A monthly round-up of vet issues around the UK

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 06:28:00 GMT

Monthly milk recording has highlighted economic losses to the dairy industry...

Farmer Focus Livestock: Low grain prices help out Charlie Armstrong

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:20:00 GMT

Happy New Year from us all at Middle Moor, lets hope this year is a good one for all types of farming as last year seemed to follow the saying 'up horn and down corn'.

Market report: Oilseeds reap the benefit of demand boost

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:11:00 GMT

Oilseed rape markets have improved over the Christmas period, driven by firmer crude oil prices following colder weather and strong food demand.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Cold weather halts grazing for Jim Dwyer

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:00:00 GMT

We welcomed 2010 with sub-zero temperatures and the cold weather looks like it's set to continue.

OFC 2010: Recognition needed for agriculture's professionals

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:37:00 GMT

Professional status for farmers and farm managers inched a step closer after DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn advocated a "new culture of professionalism" in agriculture at the Oxford Farming Conference.

Grain exports get off to a buoyant start

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:32:00 GMT

Grain exports have got off to a "buoyant" start in the New Year, according to grain merchant Frontier Agriculture, with the sale of another 15,000t of feed...

More job losses predicted for poultry sector

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:39:00 GMT

After a tough year in 2009 for the UK poultry industry, one analyst is predicting that although more job losses are predicted, conditions in 2010 will be much more positive.

OFC 2010: Change in political tone welcomed by farmers

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:37:00 GMT

Delegates at the Oxford Farming Conference say political interest in farming is welcome - although long overdue

OFC 2010: Government plans to boost food research

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:29:00 GMT

The government's chief scientific adviser has unveiled plans to improve research into food security and sustainability.

OFC 2010: Business as usual will not feed the world

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:23:00 GMT

A "business as usual" approach to increasing food production would be useless against the challenge of feeding a growing world population, the conference heard.

Novel egg box based on cardboard offers green benefits

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:40:00 GMT

A novel egg box design is set to revolutionise the egg sector offering packers a greener alternative which is easily recycled.

OFC 2010: DEFRA food strategy at a glance

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:19:00 GMT

See our at-a-glance guide to DEFRA's food strategy Food 2030

Strategy to eradicate Johne's disease needed now

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:15:00 GMT

A Johne's disease strategy is needed now to avoid the disease getting out of control.

Reverse decline in livestock numbers, say Scots

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:14:00 GMT

The future of the Scottish meat industry is at serious risk unless something is done about the continuing decline in livestock numbers.

Women in agriculture: Claire Summerson

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:14:00 GMT

Claire Summerson is one of five women we asked to give us a snapshot into the multi-faceted, varied and ever-changing role of the farmer's wife.

Women in agriculture: Elizabeth Elder

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:13:00 GMT

Elizabeth Elder s one of five women we asked to give us a snapshot into the multi-faceted, varied and ever-changing role of the farmer's wife.

Women in agriculture: Bella Hall

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:12:00 GMT

Bella Hall is one of five women we asked to give us a snapshot into the multi-faceted, varied and ever-changing role of the farmer's wife.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Bryan Griffiths splashes out on new machinery

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:00:00 GMT

2009 will surely be remembered as a vintage year, a solid beef trade throughout, much improved sheep prices and even a small increase in our SFP.

OFC 2010: Investment in research vital

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:30:00 GMT

Britain's farming industry will be seriously threatened and the government's Food 2030 strategy risks being undermined without better investment in agricultural science.

OFC 2010: Re-shape European rural policy for the 21st century

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:26:00 GMT

Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2012 should abandon support for farmers and focus on developing a new regime for the "whole European rural area", according to a leading Dutch academic.

OFC 2010: Farmers are urged to retire at 60

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:24:00 GMT

Farmers should retire at 60, according to a debate among farmers and industry representatives at the Oxford Farming Conference.

FW announces photo competition's 'winner of winners'

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:21:00 GMT

This is the picture that FWi users have named their "winner of winners" in the Farmers Weekly 2009 Photography Competition.

Tractor sales fall 12% in 2009

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:19:00 GMT

Tractor registrations in the UK fell by more than 12% in 2009, reversing the upward trend seen over the previous three years.

Women in agriculture: Sarah Heath

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:18:00 GMT

Sarah Heath is one of five women we asked to give us a snapshot into the multi-faceted, varied and ever-changing role of the farmer's wife.

Women in agriculture: Barbara Welford

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:15:00 GMT

Barbara Welford is one of five women we asked to give us a snapshot into the multi-faceted, varied and ever-changing role of the farmer's wife.

Claymore Dairies in management buyout

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:59:00 GMT

Arla Foods and North Milk Coop have agreed to sell Claymore Dairies to a management buyout team based at Nairn for an undisclosed sum, with effect from 1 February 2010.

OFC 2010: MP calls for ‘total commitment’ to watchdog

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:53:00 GMT

A leading MP has described Tory pledges to introduce a retail watchdog as a step in the right direction.

Snow threat to slurry spreading

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:40:00 GMT

Farmers hoping to spread slurry after months of restrictions face a further wait due to heavy snow and ice.

Minimising stress during piglet vaccinations

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:08:00 GMT

The task of injecting piglets at weaning is always a stressful process, but one business has developed a clever way to reduce both handler and piglet stress

Farmer Focus Livestock: George Moss sees dairy dividends

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

George Moss and his wife Sharon farm a 74ha (183 acres) conventional dairy, milking 185 Friesian cows as well as a 70ha (173 acres) conversion organic dairy farm, near Tokoroa, New Zealand

Barometers give CFE their approval

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:01:00 GMT

As the push to publicise the Campaign for the Farmed Environment on farm begins this month, Andrew Blake discovers most of our Barometer farmers welcome the recently launched scheme

Cut N dose according to soil nitrogen?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 06:56:00 GMT

Reducing nitrogen recommendations to take account of soil mineral nitrogen levels of less than 100kgN/ha as suggested by the HGCA is being questioned by The Arable Group.

Fertiliser price climbs in IPM survey

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 06:03:00 GMT

Farm inputs prices remained fairly stable in December, according to data generated by the Farmers Weekly/NFU Inputs Price Monitor, with the notable exception of ammonium nitrate fertiliser.

Livestock farmers made significant losses in 2009

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:59:00 GMT

Beef and sheep farmers are urged to take a close look at their margins after 2009 figures revealed that most enterprises lost significant sums.

Knapsack spray ban for Actellic liquid

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:53:00 GMT

Actellic 50EC (pirimiphos-methyl) can no longer be applied to store structures using a knapsack sprayer.

CFE gets the nod from most arable Barometer growers

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:28:00 GMT

As the push to publicise the Campaign for the Farmed Environment on farm begins this month, Andrew Blake discovers most of our Barometer farmers welcome the recently launched scheme.

Tan spot increases in wheat

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:16:00 GMT

Tan spot appears to be an increasing threat to wheat crops, especially in the east, after Crop Monitor assessments found it on 19.5% of samples last season.

New enzyme can reduce poultry feed costs by 7%

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:06:00 GMT

EU producers are set to gain more value from maize-based poultry diets with the use of a new feed enzyme.

Milk Link to increase butter processing

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:38:00 GMT

Milk Link, the UK's largest cheese producer, is to invest more than £350,000 in its Lockerbie processing plant to increase its output of butter, cream and spreads.

Funding increase for energy crop growers

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:28:00 GMT

Farmers venturing into energy cropping this year are now eligible for half-rate grant funding from a scheme administered by Natural England.

Salmonella rules for turkey farmers come into force

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:22:00 GMT

Turkey producers are now legally required to test for salmonella under rules that came into force at the start of this year.

OFC 2010: Supply chain split over ombudsman plan

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:49:00 GMT

Milk producers have welcomed Tory plans for a supermarket ombudsman - but retailers claim the idea will be bad for consumers.

Market report: Milk producers rely on single farm payment

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:10:00 GMT

Dairy farmers are likely to continue subsidising milk production with their single farm payments in 2010, according to The Dairy Group.

Dairy Crest suppliers to cut carbon emissions

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:48:00 GMT

A new joint venture, designed specifically to measure and reduce dairy producers' carbon emissions, has been set up by Dairy Crest and Dairy Crest Direct.

OFC 2010: Benn unveils major Government food strategy

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:20:00 GMT

The government has set out its first major food strategy for 60 years in a bid to develop secure food supplies and protect the environment.

OFC 2010: Mixed reception for food strategy

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:00:00 GMT

Farm leaders have described DEFRA’s food strategy document as a useful blueprint for the future, but warned care will be needed to implement it.

Snow and ice brings havoc on farms

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:53:00 GMT

Snow and sub-zero conditions are causing havoc for farmers and rural communities in Wales, Scotland and the north of England.

Dairy bosses face collapse inquiry

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:48:00 GMT

MPs are to quiz former bosses of the now defunct farmer-owned milk company Dairy Farmers of Britain.

Conventional targets could leave pig farmers missing out

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:56:00 GMT

Pigs weaned a sow a year is one of the most common targets used on pig units, but does this really mean anything? Sarah Trickett investigates.

OFC 2010: Benn refuses to intervene in markets

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:34:00 GMT

DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn has dismissed a call for government to limit financial speculators’ activity in agricultural commodities markets.

OFC 2010: Conservatives make pledge on ombudsman

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:20:00 GMT

The Tories have pledged to implement plans for a supermarket ombudsman should they form the next government.

LAMMA exhibition line-up, part four

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

More than 550 exhibitors will be exhibiting their machines at this year's LAMMA Show. Andy Collings provides a preview.

Management Matters: Focus on stock sees cereals cut back at Fearn

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:09:00 GMT

Pressure on arable margins is causing the Scott family to focus on their livestock business

Farmer Focus: Amazing warm weather for Xmas in Hungary for Andrew Hunter

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:30:00 GMT

It is back to work in Hungary, although the Orthodox Church in Serbia and Ukraine only celebrates Christmas on 7 January.

Legal bid to stop Welsh badger cull

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:26:00 GMT

Animal welfare campaigners have challenged the legality of a badger cull to curtail tuberculosis in cattle.

Farmer Focus: Environmental scheme management key on 2010, says Jim Alston

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:17:00 GMT

2009 was the year of the unexpected.

Farmer Focus Arable: Treacherous conditions stump police, but not Will Howe

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:52:00 GMT

It would appear that hare coursers have been using the Countryfile programme the same way holiday makers use Wish You Were Here.

Farmer Focus: Assurance scheme prying is a joke, says Neil Thomson

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:49:00 GMT

With snow lying "deep and crisp and even" for the past two weeks and counting, you will understand why I cannot report on the state of my crops.

OFC 2010: Benn to unveil major food strategy

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:34:00 GMT

The government is to unveil its first major food strategy for 60 years.

Abattoir rules come into force

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:30:00 GMT

Livestock producers without additional paperwork face losing the value of animals sent for slaughter.

WFU launches London chapter

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:15:00 GMT

The Women’s Food and Farming Union has announced the launch of a new group aimed at rural-minded women who live in London.

TB changes offer opportunities for farmers

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 09:03:00 GMT

Recent policy changes to movement controls relating to bovine tuberculosis (TB) will provide owners of TB-restricted cattle in England and Wales with a greater range of options for moving and trading animals

'Let farmland providing good returns'

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 07:50:00 GMT

Agricultural land continues to deliver solid returns for investors despite the recent economic turmoil, according to latest figures from Carter Jonas.

Early OSR crop management key to higher yields, says Sentry

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 07:14:00 GMT

Making an assessment of establishment in the autumn, preferably during November, is a very good indicator of final oilseed rape yields, says Sentry's farm business manager John Barrett

High-fibre diet is key to Swaledale finishing

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 09:03:00 GMT

Hill lamb finishing can be a tricky business with intensive finishing difficult with lambs unaccustomed to eating concentrates

Syngenta packaging improvement increases productivity

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Improved packaging design combined with ready-mixed formulations is helping increase productivity on a Cambridgeshire farm.

Poultry farmer designs his own mobile housing

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Chris Jones looks to be the man about to revolutionise mobile poultry housing systems.

Packing small bales eases the handling load

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 07:46:00 GMT

Designing machines that tie lots of small bales into one big bale-sized package isn't easy, but a handful of makers have found clever ways of doing it

News preview 2010: Industry leaders look ahead

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:03:00 GMT

What will be the key issues of 2010? Industry leaders look to the year ahead

2010: BPC to spearhead initiative on people and skills

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT

At the start of a new decade, we hear from four key industry leaders what they believe will be the main issues affecting poultry producers in the coming year. In this final instalment, we hear from the chief executive of the British Poultry Council, Peter Bradnock

Bull proofs 2010 allow more informed breeding choice

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:13:00 GMT

Farmers selecting bulls using the new 2010 DairyCo breeding+ bull proofs will be able to compare genetic indices between breeds, select on calving ease and assess indexes for new breeds

LAMMA 10: Big choice of livestock trailers

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:05:00 GMT

While the LAMMA show has traditionally had a strong arable flavour, more and more livestock farmers are attending. With that in mind, Peter Hill provides a round-up of purpose-built livestock transport trailers

Spring Seeds: Red wheat packs a profit punch

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:08:00 GMT

Growers are starting to take an interest in spring red wheat variety AC Barrie.

RSPB man tops New Years Honours list

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 10:50:00 GMT

Chief executive of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Graham Wynne, has been knighted in the Queen’s New Years Honours list for 2010 in recognition of his services to nature conservation.

Call goes out for thousands to join Campaign for Farmed Environment

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:00:00 GMT

Thousands of farmers will this month be urged to join the industry-led campaign to fend off a compulsory set-aside replacement across England

Pedigree sale highlights of 2009

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 08:42:00 GMT

The ongoing economic perils facing much of the UK and the wider world could have seen 2009 become a relatively dull year lacking in highlights for pedigree sales

2010: Poultry sector has a positive future according to NFU

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:17:00 GMT

We hear from four key industry leaders what they believe will be the main issues affecting poultry producers in the coming year. Today - Rob Newbery

John Bainbridge

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

John Bainbridge farms 600 ha (1483 acres) of rented MOD hill land near Richmond, North Yorkshire, along with 21ha (52 acres) of family owned land with his sons Lance and Reuben. His 1400 sheep, plus followers, along with 70 suckler cows are the main farm enterprise Latest stories • For more columns from other Farmer Focus writers

George Moss

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

George Moss and his wife Sharon farm a 74ha (183 acres) conventional dairy, milking 185 Friesian cows as well as a 70ha (173 acre) conversion organic dairy farm, near Tokoroa, New Zealand Latest stories • For more columns from other Farmer Focus writers

Farmer Focus Livestock

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Each month livestock farmers from across the UK, Ireland and New Zealand, write exclusively for Farmers Weekly in our Farmer Focus pages. Catch up with their opinion, wit and rants by clicking on the names, or have a look at the latest news items at the bottom of this page. • Charles Armstrong, Alnwick, Northumberland • John Bainbridge, Richmond, North Yorkshire • Victor Chestnutt, Bushmills, Northern Ireland • Tim and Louise Downes, Shrewsbury, Shropshire • Jim and Grainne Dwyer, Co Laois, Ireland • Julian Ellis, Lands End, Cornwall • Chris Fogden, Thetford, Norfolk • Murray Garrett, Okehampton, Devon • Iain Green, Garmouth, Moray • Bryan Griffiths, Burrington, Devon • Jolyon Higgs, Llanidloes, Mid Wales • Clyde Jones, Bisterne, Hampshire • Alistair Mackintosh, Ravenglass, Cumbria •

Chris Fogden

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Chris Fogden farms 950 sows on 44ha (110 acres) of rented land near Thetford, Norfolk. He finishes all his own pigs on contracted farms and sells on a stabilised contract Latest stories • For more columns from other Farmer Focus writers

Jolyon Higgs

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Jolyon Higgs and family farm 130ha in Llanidloes, Mid Wales. His wife Alex helps at her parent's 200ha arable and grassland farm, 90 miles away on the Gower. Jolyon keeps 20 suckler cows and keeps a closed flock of 600 ewes, producing prime lambs for Waitrose as well as light continental-type lambs Latest stories • For more columns from other Farmer Focus writers

Iain Green

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Iain Green farms 1110ha (2740 acres) as a family partnership. Stock includes 130 pedigree Simmentals, 330 Simmental crosses, plus followers, 500 Highland Mule ewes and 340 sows. The partnership also runs a large haulage business Latest stories • For more columns from other Farmer Focus writers

Murray Garrett

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Murray Garrett farms 126ha (312 acres) at Waytown Farm. He runs 100 spring-calving pedigree South Devon cows and a flock of commercial sheep Latest stories • For more columns from other Farmer Focus writers

Alistair Mackintosh

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Alistair Mackintosh rents 259ha (647 acres) of mainly LFA/SDA land from the owners of Muncaster Castle and owns a further 40ha (100 acres). He runs 100 suckler cows, finishing all male progeny and 1000 North of England Mule ewes Latest stories • For more columns from other Farmer Focus writers

Julian Ellis

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Julian Ellis milks 150 Guernsey cows on 158ha (390 acres) at Lands End, Cornwall, in partnership with his father and two part-time staff. The farm rears followers and store cattle, with 36ha (90 acres) used for growing spring barley, 12ha (30 acres) for spring cabbage and several acres for fodder beat and kale Latest stories • For more columns from other Farmer Focus writers

CAP Reform 2013 - NFU sets the scene

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:08:00 GMT

Reform of the CAP is firmly back on the political agenda as the EU gears up for the next round of changes, scheduled for 2013. But why now, and what does it all mean? Economics editor Philip Clarke puts the questions to NFU head of economics and international affairs Tom Hind.

Spring Seeds: Difficult season for spring barley

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT

Enthusiasm for spring barley has come to a shuddering halt, as last year's huge upsurge in plantings created a mountain of over-supply.

Spring Seeds: Malting contract crucial

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 05:55:00 GMT

Prospects are not any brighter in Scotland than in the rest of the UK.

2010: BEIC to lobby against widening of salmonella rules

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 05:27:00 GMT

We hear from four key industry leaders what they believe will be the main issues affecting poultry producers in the coming year. Mark Williams, chief executive of the British Egg Industry Council

Peter Kendall's New Year Message

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:01:00 GMT

NFU president Peter Kendall has issued his New Year message describing the challenges facing agriculture in the coming year, in particular the urgent action needed to tackle bovine TB

News preview 2010: Industry leaders look ahead

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:03:00 GMT

What will be the key issues in 2010? Industry leaders look to the year ahead

Coccidiosis controlled with single dose

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:28:00 GMT

Sheep farmers can now prevent coccidiosis in lambs and protect liveweight gains by using a single treatment of Baycox Sheep

Rapid change for US farming as technology comes to the fore

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:36:00 GMT

American agriculture is changing - and changing fast.

Experts address key issues raised by free-range egg farmers

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:23:00 GMT

Members of the Midlands Free Range Discussion Group staged their own version of BBC's Question Time for their final meeting of 2009. Ken Randall brings the highlights

Former farming minister John Gummer to quit parliament

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:43:00 GMT

Former agriculture minister John Gummer is to quit the Commons at the general election and concentrate on combating global warming.

Escaped pigs close motorway for several hours

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:07:00 GMT

A motorway in Essex was closed for several hours after several pigs escaped from a lorry involved in an accident.

News preview 2010: Industry leaders look ahead

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:03:00 GMT

What will be the key issues in 2010? Industry leaders look to the year ahead

LAMMA exhibition line-up, part three

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:03:00 GMT

More than 550 exhibitors will be exhibiting their machines at this year's LAMMA Show . Andy Collings provides a preview.

LAMMA exhibition line-up, part two

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:01:00 GMT

More than 550 exhibitors will be exhibiting their machines at this year's LAMMA Show . Andy Collings provides a preview.

Fermented maize is best for energy output

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:30:00 GMT

Leaving maize to ferment in the clamp for at least three months will improve metabolisable energy by 20%, improve throughput through the rumen and increase milk yields

Farmer Focus Arable: Allan Chambers learns how to get a tax refund

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:23:00 GMT

Christmas has been and gone. I helped pluck some turkeys this year again - almost a family gathering, that I would hate to miss. It takes me back to a time when we had thousands of them.

2010: Free-range egg farmers face many challenges

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:23:00 GMT

We hear from four key industry leaders what they believe will be the main issues affecting poultry producers in the coming year. First, Tom Vesey.

Prospects good, but investment cost looms over poultry businesses

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:28:00 GMT

In the last of our 2010 outlook articles, Farmers Weekly and consultant Andersons examine the prospects for poultry

Heat pumps offer low energy heating for poultry

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:09:00 GMT

Under floor heating offers many cost savings to poultry businesses, but to get the full benefit, it needs to be coupled up with a sophisticated control system and a renewable source of heat, according to one expert

Farmer Focus Arable: Strong dollar puts pressure on Canadian growers says Seth Pascoe

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:06:00 GMT

As I write this article staring out at the snow, I note it has been at least three weeks since the mercury was anywhere near some positive temperatures.

News preview 2010: Industry leaders look ahead

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:03:00 GMT

What will be the key issues in 2010? Industry leaders look to the year ahead

LAMMA 10: Exhibition line-up, part one

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 08:01:00 GMT

More than 550 exhibitors will be exhibiting their machines at this year's LAMMA Show . Andy Collings provides a preview.

Finished pig margins under pressure in 2010

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

In the seventh of our sector-by-sector outlooks, FW and consultant Andersons explore what 2010 might hold for finished pig businesses

Get ready for 2010 - your top 12 resolutions (Part 4)

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:45:00 GMT

Getting good advice and acting on it is crucial to keep a business at the top of its game. Suzie Horne gleaned twelve top tips for 2010 from the experts.

DEFRA launches hunting ban campaign

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:30:00 GMT

DEFRA launches a campaign to support the fox hunting ban amid claims a Tory government would repeal the Hunting Act

Farmer Focus Arable: Taking a pitch on grain sales says Richard Cobbald

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:26:00 GMT

With 2010 upon us, I have been wondering what the year might bring. The crops have all gone in well and, as a result, the early impressions for the...

Smart hatchery range to include anti microbial technology

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:07:00 GMT

Incubator specialist Pas Reform is to incorporate new antimicrobial technology into its Smart hatchery range

Fancy winning £1000 worth of pig semen?

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Pig farmers batch farrowing could be in with a chance of wining £1000, as well as being named Janssen Animal Health 2009 Batch Farrower of the Year

Farmer Focus Arable: Richard Beachell's crops look promising but margins don't

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:03:00 GMT

Stuck in the farm office doing the farm budgets and cashflow is not my idea of fun.

News preview 2010: Industry leaders look ahead

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:03:00 GMT

What will be the key issues in 2010? Industry leaders look to the year ahead

Fixed costs key to sheep profitability in 2010

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:07:00 GMT

In the sixth article looking at farming profitability in 2010, Farmers Weekly and consultant Andersons look at finished sheep enterprises

Landini launches lower-spec version of PowerMondial tractors

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:05:00 GMT

Landini has introduced a Techno version of its PowerMondial tractor to broaden its appeal to farmers

Economic loss from calf rearing is huge, says vet

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

With estimates that 6-8% of calves will die before they are weaned and about 30% of calves will suffer some form of illness during the same period, calf rearing is an area that can be improved on many dairy farms

New NFSCo measures aid farmer compliance

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:29:00 GMT

The National Fallen Stock Company will be asking its 105 collectors to re-tender their fallen stock prices across the UK next month

Spring seeds: Demand could give pulses an edge

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:28:00 GMT

Demand for various peas and beans outstripping supply gives growers good reasons to consider the crop again this season after a successful 2009, according to analysts.

Heat exchanger offers poultry energy savings

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Reduced energy costs and improved litter quality are some of the benefits now required of modern ventilation systems. Richard Allison takes a look at a new system

Get ready for 2010 - your top 12 resolutions (part 3)

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:29:00 GMT

Getting good advice and acting on it is crucial to keep a business at the top of its game. Suzie Horne gleaned twelve top tips for 2010 from the experts.

News preview 2010: Industry leaders look ahead

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 09:03:00 GMT

What will be thekye issues in 2010? Industry leaders look to the year ahead

Bluetongue vaccine passes protection to offspring

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 08:01:00 GMT

New research shows cows vaccinated with a BTV-8 bluetongue vaccine passed protection to their offspring.

Pound: Euro rate will be key for beef finishers in 2010

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

In our fifth article gauging the prospects for farming in 2010, FW and consultant Andersons explore finished beef prices

Get ready for 2010 - your top 12 resolutions (part 2)

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 07:26:00 GMT

Getting good advice and acting on it is crucial to keep a business at the top of its game. Suzie Horne gleaned twelve top tips for 2010 from the experts.

New organic poultry feed rules in force from 1 Jan

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

New organic rules are set to come into force on 1 January with the organic content of poultry diets rising from 90% to 95%

The best of Phil Clarke's Business Blog 2009

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Phil Clarke's Business Blog has been up and running for almost a year, and in that time over 150 entries have been posted.

Spring Seeds: Canadian error puts linseed into the frame

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:54:00 GMT

Concern about possible GM contamination of Canadian linseed is making the crop attractive to UK growers this spring.

Amazone to launch Cenius cultivators

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:48:00 GMT

Amazone 's new Cenius cultivators are available in working widths of 3m, 3.5m and 4m.

News preview 2010: Industry leaders look ahead

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:03:00 GMT

What will be the key issues in 2010? Industry leaders look to the year ahead

Protect OSR with effective pigeon control

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:04:00 GMT

Eric Prior, author of A Definitive Guide to Woodpigeon Shooting, gives advice on the effective control of pigeons on oilseed rape

Avoid production surpluses to boost potato returns

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

In the fourth of a series of articles looking at farming sectors in 2010, Farmers Weekly and consultant Andersons examine potato and sugar beet prospects

Get ready for 2010 - your top 12 resolutions (Part 1)

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 07:56:00 GMT

Getting good advice and acting on it is crucial to keep a business at the top of its game. Suzie Horne gleaned twelve top tips for 2010 from the experts.

New tool aids pig farmers with NVZ calculation

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 07:19:00 GMT

BPEX has produced two calculators to help pig farmers complete the calculations required by Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulations

Reap cost savings from new lighting systems

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Lighting in poultry buildings is becoming increasingly more important as producers attempt to simulate natural daylight as required by the welfare codes, while keeping costs down

Proclean container-rinsing nozzles for W&B induction hoppers

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 06:37:00 GMT

Watson and Brookman, which supplies most of the induction hoppers fitted to new British-built crop sprayers, is to fit the ProClean container-washing nozzle produced by Hypro EU as standard.

Curries, snakes and monsoons: Helping Indian farmers progress

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 07:14:00 GMT

Indian agriculture is a rich mix of traditional and modern methods as BASF's Rosie Bryson found on a recent trip to the country

Vote for your favourite rural photo

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Pick your favourite from the category winners in the Farmers Weekly Photo Comp 2009

Dairy commodities rally should help farmgate prices

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 06:50:00 GMT

In the third of a series of articles looking at prospects for farming sectors in 2010, Farmers Weekly and consultant Andersons look at dairy farmers' fortunes in the coming year

Top five issues on the forums in 2009

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 06:28:00 GMT

What have been the issues that have provoked the most reaction on the FWiSpace forums over the past 12 months?

Farmers advised to check their brakes

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 04:41:00 GMT

If you haven't checked or adjusted the brakes on your farm trailers in donkey's years, now's a good time to start.

Solving problems at British Cattle Conference

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:07:00 GMT

Sustainability will be a key theme at next month's British Cattle Conference, Telford, with many speakers proposing workable solutions to reduce carbon footprint of the cow

OFC 2010: Upstart challenges Oxford conference

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:01:00 GMT

The agricultural industry's annual New Year event - the Oxford Farming Conference - is being challenged by a new rival.

Wheat production costs look better in 2010

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

In the second of a series of articles looking at prospects for key farming sectors in 2010, Farmers Weekly hand consultant Andersons examine the general outlook for combinable crops

Novel equipment helps in the battle against poultry disease

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Converted vineyard sprayers and weed burners are helping in the battle against poultry diseases. Wendy Short finds out how

Biodiesel protocols renewed

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:30:00 GMT

Farmers can now specify quality assured biodiesel thanks to new industry guidelines for the production of the renewable fuel introduced by the Waste Protocols Project – a joint Waste & Resources Action Programme and Environment Agency initiative

Autumn plantings cut spring crop area

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:55:00 GMT

Increased winter wheat and oilseed rape plantings have reduced the area available for spring crops this season.

Demand fuels 13 years of dairy goat expansion

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:12:00 GMT

Strong market demand has forced expansion on a dairy goat farm in Dorset.

Ten most viewed picture galleries in 2009

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT

The FWispace photo galleries contain over 23,500 pictures – but which were the most popular galleries during 2009?

DEFRA accused of caving in to welfare groups over broiler rules

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Broiler growers in England will not be allowed to keep birds at the higher stocking densities set out under the new EU welfare Directive, it was announced by DEFRA last month.

Total Income From Farming could break £3.5bn in 2010

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

In the first of a series of articles looking at prospects for key farming sectors in 2010, Farmers Weekly has teamed up with business consultant Andersons to look at general profitability in the industry

Realising the value from ancient woodland

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Installing a woodchip boiler has allowed a Hampshire landowner to get more value out of his ancient woodland. Will Meister reports

NVZ hope for highly stocked holdings

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

A glimmer of hope when it comes to NVZ regulations could be possible for holdings with high stocking number, according to Natural England

Vicon tedder goes for width and easy adjustment

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:30:00 GMT

The 2010 silage season may seem a long way off, but grass machinery companies are already announcing their new-season machines.

Improvements will make PCN model site-specific

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:25:00 GMT

Improvements are being planned to the Potato Council-funded SCRI potato cyst nematode control model, the council's Mike Storey has confirmed

Farmer avoids £17,000 RPA repayment

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:42:00 GMT

A Yorkshire farmer has avoided refunding £17,000 to the Rural Payments Agency after using European Commission rules to contest claims he had been overpaid.

Mobile mast network consolidation: Bad new for farmers?

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Solicitor Ruth Morris from law firm Withers LLP outlines some of the changes taking place to the telecomms network.

Last minute present?

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:13:00 GMT

Looking for a last minute present for someone special? Then Land Rover may have the perfect gift - and it's a little bit different.

Watch ewe feed costs this winter, says EBLEX

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Sheep farmers could save £2 a ewe this winter by watching feed cost efficiency carefully – the difference between profit and loss for many producers

Groundbreaking roundworm vaccine

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:11:00 GMT

A breakthrough in roundworm control could see worm burdens lowered by up to 90%, according to researchers at Moredun Research Institute, Edinburgh.

Tips on protecting your poultry invention

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Producers are often inventing new equipment, but how do you go about getting a patent. Wendy Short finds out

Go plastic for vegetable storage

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:13:00 GMT

Goplasticpallets has launched a new large capacity plastic box in a bid to tempt more potato and vegetable growers to make the switch from using wooden boxes to plastic for storage

Farmers willing to do their bit for the environment

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:08:00 GMT

Meat and dairy products may have been under the spotlight recently with celebrities such as Paul McCartney calling for 'meat free Mondays' but it seems farmers are willing to do their bit.

Declining livestock numbers force QMS to up costs to farmers

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Scottish livestock farmers will have to pay more to have their product promoted next year following the announcement that levies charged by the promotion agency, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) are to be increased for cattle, sheep and pig

New SFP penalties could cost farmers thousands

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New penalty rates being imposed on Scottish farmers for breaches of Single Farm Payment rules have been raised from 1% to 3% of the annual subsidy, and in at least one case represent fines totaling tens of thousands of pounds.

A pig is for life not just for Christmas

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Micro-pigs may have become one of the must have gifts on the Christmas wish list’s for many this year, including celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Victoria Beckham, but experts warn they must not be bought on a whim.

Trailer brake safety

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Making sure the brakes on your current trailers are well maintained and effective – and that your new trailer purchase is up-to-spec – will cut costs and reduce accidents

Polaris launches first electric 4x4 farm buggy

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:37:00 GMT

ATV specialist Polaris says it has introduced the world's first 4x4 electric farm buggy. Called the Ranger EV, it shares its chassis with the Ranger 400 and has many of the features of its full-size counterparts

Farming 'horror-scopes' for 2010

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:27:00 GMT

Widely known for his crystal balls, FW's Tim Relf draws up a 2010 horoscope. Or should that be a horror-scope.

Interest-free loans aim to slash energy costs

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:18:00 GMT

Interest-free loans will help farmers slash energy bills by a total of £4m, the government has announced.

Food campaigner claims victory over label

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:20:00 GMT

A food labelling campaigner is claiming victory after Bird’s Eye agreed to drop the words ‘Great British Menu’ from a ready meal made with imported meat.

Farmers debate the end of the cheque in 2018

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:46:00 GMT

The warning that cheques may be phased out in October 2018 is prompting discussion among farmers

NFU Scotland membership continues to grow

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:45:00 GMT

NFU has announced an increase in its membership – for the third successive year.

Hurry to order your pressed sugar beet pulp

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:02:00 GMT

Farmers should place orders for pressed sugar beet pulp as soon as possible to guarantee supplies, says Trident's Alistair Jackson.

Incorrect maize drilling could compromise yields

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

About 50% of farmers using corn drills to plant maize are not doing it well enough, according to David Bright of David Bright Seeds

Modified Massey tractor makes cleaning poultry sheds easier

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:22:00 GMT

A fleet of specially modified Massey Ferguson compact tractors has made the task of cleaning out...

Farmer Focus Livestock: Rain delays drilling progress for Julian Ellis

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:13:00 GMT

The wet, mild weather of late has put a stop to the drilling, which got off to a good start, however the cabbage have certainly enjoyed it and are looking well.

Farmer Focus Livestock: Simmental bulls sell well for Iain Green

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:01:00 GMT

Last month's fine weather unfortunately didn't last, with several days of torrential rain and in some instances more than 50mm falling in 24 hours.

Vote for your favourite snap from our Photo Competition

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

The battle is hotting up as to which of the six category winning photos in the FW Photography Competition should be crowned "winner of winners".

Livestock farmer focus: Alistair Mackinstosh on the neighbours

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 11:02:00 GMT

Alistair Mackintosh rents 259ha (647 acres) of mainly LFA/SDA land from the owners of Muncaster Castle...

Farmer Focus Livestock: Garrett's last stand

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:10:00 GMT

Murray Garrett farms 126ha (312 acres) at Waytown Farm. He runs 100 spring-calving pedigree South Devon cows and a flock of commercial sheep

Feedwatch: Soyabean shortage sends prices sky-high

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:52:00 GMT

With the soyabean meal market still heavily influenced by fund buyers, the only real changes in UK prices have come from minor currency fluctuations.

We put seven 100hp tractors to the test

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:32:00 GMT

In the market for a 100hp tractor? Wondering which machines are the best? We've spent a week testing seven 100hp tractors and reckon we have a pretty good idea of their strengths and weaknesses.

Scotland hits out over animal health funding

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:30:00 GMT

DEFRA has been condemed by Scotland's farmers and politicians for failing to work out an acceptable deal on devolving animal health and welfare funding

Innovations in poutry housing units

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:03:00 GMT

Attic vents and evaporative cooling are some of the many US innovations being used on one UK unit. Richard Allison visited the first Hired Hand installation

Stephen Carr: Behind the scenes with the mandarins

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:49:00 GMT

Watching the BBC2 political comedy The Thick of It has inspired me to imagine what a conversation between Whitehall mandarins might have been like following the report calling for livestock numbers to be slashed.

Recession scrambles organic egg sales

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:42:00 GMT

The full damage of the credit crunch on organic egg production has been revealed in new statistics published by DEFRA, while free range continues to grow.

Tractor Test: Case IH CS105 Pro

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:57:00 GMT

The CS is a real classic. Steyr started out with it in 1995 and the current CS105 Pro has been uprated in many areas while retaining its key strengths. However the Sisu engine didn't prove too thrifty.

Tractor test: Fendt Vario 310

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:54:00 GMT

300-series Vario are among Fendt's best sellers. The steplessly-transmissioned tractor scored well in many respects but on price it's way off the mark.

Tractor test: Valtra N92

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:50:00 GMT

The N92 is a robust tractor. It scores high marks with respectable performance, a big cab and good auto gearchange functions.

Tractor test: John Deere 5100R

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:44:00 GMT

At first glance, the 5100R looks like a shrunk-in-the-wash version of one of the green giant's larger tractors. And indeed, it has many of the strengths of its bigger brothers. However, the cab turns out to be fairly small.

Tractor test: Massey Ferguson 5445

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:40:00 GMT

Class-leading visibility, a sophisticated but simple-to-operate transmission and roomy cab make the MF a real all-rounder - although the engine turned out to be thirsty.

Breakthrough in the battle against campylobacter in poultry

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:25:00 GMT

A scientific breakthrough by Irish researchers could lead to the development of broiler birds resistant to campylobacter

Duo maize offers high starch and digestibility

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:10:00 GMT

Duo planting maize could be the answer for farmer looking for high starch and high digestibility, said David Bright of David Bright Seeds

Commodity market slump hits EU farm incomes

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:06:00 GMT

EU farm incomes have dropped by over 12% this year, with almost all member states reporting a significant downturn, as the slump in commodity markets has hit farmers in the pocket.

Scotland shifts to voluntary bluetongue vaccination

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:36:00 GMT

The Scottish government will not be repeating a compulsory vaccination programme against bluetongue disease in 2010

Tractor test: And the winner is...

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:21:00 GMT

Find out which of our seven tractors won the multi-test.

Irish egg producer faces demand to repay €8m bank loan

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:09:00 GMT

An Irish egg distributor who is to be extradited to the UK on charges of alleged involvement in a multi-million...

Tractor test: Deutz-Fahr Agrofarm 430

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:09:00 GMT

A compact chassis and large tyres typify Deutz's Agrofarm. The tractor is nimble, has an impressive engine but had to accept penalty points for some practicality issues.

RPA meets payment target

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:05:00 GMT

The Rural Payments Agency has met its first 2009 single payment scheme target, six weeks ahead of schedule

French young farmers protest over food prices

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT

French young farmers have dumped piles of hay outside the French presidential palace in protest at plunging food prices and to demand more help from the government.

Tractor test: Putting them through their paces

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:57:00 GMT

Like the proverbial Swiss army knife, there's a lot expected of a 100 hp tractor.

How old is too old to farm? Join the debate?

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:15:00 GMT

The Oxford Farming Conference will be debating whether farmers should retire at 60. Farmers Weekly airs views from both sides of the debate

FW Photography Competition 2009 winners - plus your chance to vote

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:12:00 GMT

Here are the six winners. Vote for your favourite to decide the "winner of winners" - the sender of which will receive £100, in addition to the £100 each category winner gets.

Should all farmers retire at 60? Yes, says Matthew Naylor

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:08:00 GMT

This year's Oxford Farming Conference will debate the motion "This House believes that all farmers should retire at 60". Matthew Naylor explains why he is in favour of the motion.

Should all farmers retire at 60? No, says Michael Seals

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:07:00 GMT

This year's Oxford Farming Conference will debate the motion "This House believes that all farmers should retire at 60". Michael Seals explains why he is against the motion.

Should all farmers retire at 60? No, says David Richardson

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:05:00 GMT

This year's Oxford Farming Conference will debate the motion "This House believes that all farmers should retire at 60". David Richardson explains why he is against the motion.

Should all farmers retire at 60? Yes says James Peck

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:05:00 GMT

This year's Oxford Farming Conference will debate the motion "This House believes that all farmers should retire at 60". James Peck explains why he is in favour of the motion.

Quiz: Are you a Business Numpty or Business Genius?

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT

The last year has seen a lot of up and downs for agricultural businesses. But how much do you remember from 2009? Take our quiz and find out if you are Business Numpty or a Business Genius.

Farmer Frank's Christmas wisdom

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

FW's resident agony uncle Farmer Frank may not be qualified, experienced (or indeed all there, according to some) but he's been dispensing some homespun rural remedies on festive queries.

Emerging diseases: Vector-Borne illnesses

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

As part of Farmers Weekly's survey of emerging diseases, Sarah Trickett speaks to Chris Oura, of the Institute of Animal Health, about the rise Vector-Borne illness.

Food Chain: Mince sales feel the effect of recession

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Understanding how shoppers have changed their attitudes to beef mince will help farmers market their animals more effectively. Paul Spackman reports on the latest trends

Tractor test: New Holland T5060

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:02:00 GMT

The T5060 is a best seller for New Holland. It's a favourite for small and medium mixed farms thanks to its compact dimessions and strong engine.

Market report: Wheat pices to stay flat in 2010

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:10:00 GMT

Global wheat prices are likely to remain under pressure next year, according to Rabobank's latest report

Market report: Milk price rise starts to filter through

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:10:00 GMT

Average UK farmgate milk prices increased by 0.38p/litre in October, to 24.43p/litre, according to DEFRA's latest report

Berthoud launches high-volume mounted sprayer

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:31:00 GMT

Berthoud has launched a new high-volume mounted sprayer aimed at farmers and contractors for whom a self-propelled or trailed sprayer is hard to justify.

Turn your chainsaw into a sawmill

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:20:00 GMT

Got a lot of trees? Instead of cutting them up for firewood why not make then into planks or beams instead?

Asda 'betrays UK farmers' by importing turkeys

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:25:00 GMT

Asda has been accused of betraying British farmers by importing cheap turkeys from Brazil.

Genus bulls found with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:20:00 GMT

Vet experts have voiced concern after stock bulls at cattle breeding company Genus contracted Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis

Pneumonia in adult sheep: NADIS sheep health bulletin

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:20:00 GMT

Pneumonia is often over-diagnosed in adult sheep simply because the animal presents with an increased respiratory rate and breathing effort.

Milk contracts likened to “surrender documents”

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:15:00 GMT

Milk contracts are little better than "surrender documents" which farmers have no choice to sign, according to NFU south-west dairy board chairman, Martin Whell.

Christmas bonus for Dairy Crest suppliers

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:00:00 GMT

Dairy Crest has announced that it will pay a bonus of 0.25p/litre to farmers who supplied milk in December.

NADIS cattle report and forecast December 2009

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:50:00 GMT

So far so good with bluetongue. A better vaccination strategy in Europe has reduced the risk of diseases spreading to the UK; demonstrating again that our best defence against exotic diseases such as bluetongue and F&M is to control them better elsewhere.

Vote to feed the world and win a trip to South Africa 2010

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:50:00 GMT

How can the world feed itself? That's the question being asked as Farmers Weekly launches a global poll with six international farming titles. And by taking part you could win a trip for two to South Africa in 2010.

MP to introduce retailer ombudsman Bill

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:48:00 GMT

An MP from Wales has revealed that he is to introduce a Private Members Bill which could result in the creation of a supermarkets ombudsman.

Emerging diseases: HP-PRRS

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:41:00 GMT

As part of our round-up of emerging diseases, Sarah Trickett speaks to Trevor Drew about the rise of Highly Pathogenic Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (HP-PRRS).

New free health scheme could reduce disease costs

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:27:00 GMT

A new, free animal health system, will allow beef and dairy farmers in the south east improve the health status of their animals and reduce disease costs

Swine infuenza: NADIS pig health bulletin

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Influenza in all mammalian species is caused by specific viruses that have the ability both to jump species and recombine to produce new strains that can then affect one or more species.

Joint winners for Scottish Egg Quality Award

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Two husband and wife egg producer retailers have tied for top honours in this year's Scottish Egg Quality Awards

Emerging dieseases: Bleeding calf syndrome

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

As part of Farmers Weekly's round-up of emerging exotic diseases, Sarah Trickett speaks to Graham David of the Veterinary Laboratories Agency about the bleeding calf syndrome.

Number of Freedom Food turkeys tripled in two years

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The RSPCA has seen a tripling in the number of Christmas turkeys reared under its Freedom Food scheme in the past two years, with the number now approaching one million birds.

AgriLive Smithfield 09:Set farm-specific targets

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:11:00 GMT

No matter what beef prices are, farmers will not make a profit if they do not hit performance targets.

South-west report shows low-cost way into renewables

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:41:00 GMT

A new study into low-tech, low-cost anaerobic digesters could offer farmers an affordable way into renewable energy projects without investing hundreds of thousands of pounds.

British Wool Board defends producer levy

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:37:00 GMT

Recent wool price rises and a world-wide promotional campaign in 2010 could sprovide a boost to sheep farmers incomes, according to the British Wool Marketing

Opico adds front linkages for Kubota tractors

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:02:00 GMT

Opico has introduced a new tailor-made front linkage for Kubota M8540 and M9540 tractors

Variable rate cuts fertiliser costs in half

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:02:00 GMT

Variable rate fertiliser spreading is proving to be a profitable exercise for one Cambridgeshire farm, as Andy Collings reports

New weigher for llamas and alpacas

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:31:00 GMT

Salter Brecknell has launched a new range of portable floor scales for weighing alpacas and llamas

Farmer turns to Florida for the ideal grassland aerator

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:31:00 GMT

Frustrated by the design of home-grown pasture aerators, a Somerset farmer shipped one over from Florida

Poultry producers to see Climate Change Levy discount cut

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:49:00 GMT

The NFU has condemned a proposal in the Pre-Budget Report that would see the Climate Change Levy discount being cut as it sends out the wrong signal on tackling climate change.

Cornish farmer designs automatic fencing machine

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:34:00 GMT

An inventive farmer from Cornwall has come up with an inspired design that allows one man to erect fencing from the tractor seat

Comment: The RPA deserves a good telling off

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:53:00 GMT

FW columnist Matthew Naylor explains why he feels criticism of the RPA is more than justified

RPA put on report for SFP failings

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:30:00 GMT

The Rural Payments Agency has been put on report by MPs for its "systematic failures" in delivering single farm payments.

Mandelson challenged to be a farmer for a day

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:29:00 GMT

Business secretary Peter Mandelson has been challenged to spend a day on a farm after he revealed he would like to be a farmer once he left government.

DEFRA to fund gravel clear-up on flood hit farms

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:15:00 GMT

A £500,000 emergency fund has been set up to help farmers clear debris and gravel left behind by last month's floods in Cumbria

Bantam Modern takes top title at 2009 National

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:14:00 GMT

Every major prize at this year's National Show went to a handful of English northern counties. There was some Southern consolation that the coveted waterfowl...

Sugar beet growers demand increased export allowances

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:10:00 GMT

Sugar beet growers are demanding an immediate increase in the amount of sugar that can be exported by the EU, to help ease a chronic world shortage and avoid the EU having to stockpile its own surplus.

Apologise to farmers, RPA told

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:00:00 GMT

The Rural Payments Agency has been told to apologise and pay compensation for its handing of the single farm payment.

Emerging diseases: Peste de Petits Ruminants

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:00:00 GMT

As part of Farmers Weekly's survery of emerging diseases Sarah Trickett speaks to Chris Oura, of the Institute of Animal Health about the dangers posed by Peste de Petits Ruminants (PPR).

Britain's Sexiest Farmer - the judging begins

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:30:00 GMT

Judges are getting ready to decide who should be crowned Britain's Sexiest Farmer, but they need your help to make the final choice.

S4C crowns Wales's 'best farmer'

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Cardigan farmer Aled Rees has won the title of Best Farmer on Welsh TV channel S4C's farming competition Fferm Factor

Emerging diseases: African Swine Fever

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:28:00 GMT

As part of Farmers Weekly's survey of emerging diseases, Sarah Trickett speaks to Chris Oura, of the Institute of Animal Health, about the rise of African Swine Fever.

DEFRA opts to gold plate EU broiler welfare rules

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:04:00 GMT

Broiler growers in England are to face a maximum stocking density of 39kg/sq m from next year

Sent maps to RPA but heard nothing? Don't panic

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:40:00 GMT

English farmers who have returned their corrected maps to the Rural Payments Agency can expect to receive updated paper copies in the New Year.

Have your say on the EU's organic logo

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:30:00 GMT

The European Union is asking members of the public to vote for a new EU-wide organic logo. View the three options and see what people are saying about them

Farming central to climate change, UN told

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:20:00 GMT

Farming should be a key part of global legislation on climate change, industry leaders have told United Nations officials.

Farming likely to feel the pinch of economic recovery

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:46:00 GMT

Farmers should protect their businesses against the effects of the "massive" economic recovery process...

HGCA guidelines for nitrogen fertiliser management in wheat

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:24:00 GMT

New nitrogen management guidelines for winter wheat published by the HGCA take growers step-by-step through calculating a N recommendation and judging its success.

Work together, supermarket tells farmers

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:41:00 GMT

Working together will help increase profitability in a difficult economic climate, according to Waitrose agricultural manager, Duncan Sinclair

Free animal health system launched at AgriLIVE

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:34:00 GMT

A new, free animal health system, will allow beef and dairy farmers in the south east to improve the health status of their animals and reduce disease costs, according to vet Matt Dobbs.

Red meat demand falling, AgriLIVE hears

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:34:00 GMT

The world population may be increasing, but demand for red meat is declining according to Imperial College's food marketing expert, David Hughes.

Arable stewardship pays off in Hertfordshire

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

As the Campaign for the Farmed Environment gets under way, Louise Impey visits two Hertfordshire estates where stewardship schemes make sound environmental and economic sense

Management Matters:Watching the grain markets at HBH

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

With January feed wheat futures struggling to better £105/t, the partners of our big arable joint-venture enterprise in Oxfordshire are watching the markets.

Survey suggests 86% will buy organic or free range at Christmas

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:03:00 GMT

Nearly 90% of consumers claim that they will be eating a free range or organic turkey this Christmas, according to a new survey

Bare land could reach £7000/acre, says Savills

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:14:00 GMT

It's been an uncertain year for farmland values. There have been plenty of buyers worried prices will rise again, while sellers have held back, fearing the icy fingers of recession will nip farmland prices. So where now? Ian Ashbridge reports on new forecasting model.

Yellow rust will strike, warns ADAS wheat disease expert

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:56:00 GMT

All winter wheat varieties previously susceptible to one of the two main races of yellow rust are also susceptible to the new "Solstice" strain, NIAB analysis has found.

Cheshire Police offer crime advice on video

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:40:00 GMT

Cheshire Police has produced two videos which outline ways farmers can reduce their chances of becoming victims of crime.

'Cut meat and dairy to save the planet'

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:27:00 GMT

Consumers need to cut down on the meat and dairy products they eat to help tackle climate change and reduce diet-related diseases, a government-back report has claimed.

Farm trial proves precision farming pays

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT

It is well documented that automatic guidance systems offer significant improvements in the accuracy of field operations

Online precision farming tool saves pounds

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT

Managing precision farming operations on a web-based system is improving efficiency and reducing costs for three Wiltshire growers. James Andrews reports

Top agriculture banker in shock resignation

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:30:00 GMT

HSBC head of agriculture Pat Tomlinson has resigned after little more than a year in the job.

Simple measures can help meet CFE biodiversity targets

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Farmers only need to use simple measures to help meet government targets on biodiversity, according to the results from a five-year £1m project.

Multi-tier system helps maintain free-range feather cover

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

While multi-tier layer systems offer many benefits over traditional floor systems including better feathering and more efficient use of buildings, they also require more management.

Concerns over unchecked free-range egg expansion

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Last month saw the largest gathering of free-range egg producers at their annual conference in Warwickshire. Richard Allison reports

Early signs of recovery for UK milk production

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:26:00 GMT

There are tentative signs that the decline in UK milk production seen over the past five years may have bottomed out

Biochar - soil solution for carbon capture?

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

In a world fixated by climate change, a new way of locking up carbon in soils could soon find favour

New tyre cuts cab noise in high-speed tractors

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:18:00 GMT

As tractor manufacturers have more effectively isolated engine noise and vibration from the cabin, so other sources of disturbance have become more intrusive. Peter Hill reports on a tyre manufacturer's efforts to redress the balance.

Best of British - Standen continues to thrive

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

In the latest in our series on British farm machinery manufacturers, Mike Williams talks to Cambridgeshire beet and potato kit specialist Standen Engineering

Code of Practice to clean up pork labelling

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:50:00 GMT

A code of practice on the labelling of pork and pork products is to be drawn up which could mean an end to ambiguous terms such as "produced in the UK"

New performance tractors extend options for 2010

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:15:00 GMT

Growers planning to add to their tractor fleets have numerous options as manufacturers extend and plug gaps in their ranges with new performance-orientated models. Peter Hill reports.

Co-op launches new Christmas turkey range

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:54:00 GMT

Co-operative Farms has expanded its "Grown by Us" range to include turkeys in the run-up to Christmas.

AgriLive Smithfield 09:Student bursary for new entrants

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:43:00 GMT

A student bursary scheme aimed at helping people make a career in the livestock industry has been launched at this year's AgriLIVE Smithfield, Stoneleigh.

In The Hot Seat: BBC boss defends rural programming

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:48:00 GMT

The BBC's portrayal of British farming has come under fire. Caroline Stocks ask Andrew Thorman, executive editor of rural affairs programming, if the criticism's fair.

AgriLive Smithfield 09:New calf tub an alternative to prescription medicine

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:15:00 GMT

A new molasses –based lick containing botanical ingredients which could help prevent diarrhoea and pneumonia, saw its launch at AgriLIVE Smithfield.

RPA still making errors over repayments, experts claim

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:03:00 GMT

Farmers sent letters by the Rural Payments Agency demanding repayments should check whether they really do owe money before they pay.

New Holland's fuel cell tractor to be at LAMMA

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:51:00 GMT

New Holland's NH2 fuel cell tractor will make its first UK appearance at the LAMMA show, Newark, in January.

Tractor figures down 14% on 2009 figures

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:31:00 GMT

The number of tractors sold in November was 662, down 5.7% on the same month last year.

David Richardson: The truth behind TIFF figures

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Total Income From Farming (TIFF) has increased 25% this year, according to DEFRA . Not on this farm it hasn't.

David Richardson: Lessons from LEAF

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

We men all wore black ties and dinner jackets. The ladies were far more decorative, but I am not well enough informed on fashion to adequately describe their dresses.

Fertiliser market report: Nitrogen prices surge pre-Christmas

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:05:00 GMT

Fertiliser prices have jumped by up to £10/t this month as buyers have rushed to snap up remaining stocks.

WRECKERS YARD: Vintage moment with a pea viner in Fife

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:23:00 GMT

Wreckers Yard disasters aren't a new phenomenon as these pictures taken in 1977 demonstrate

Climate change a threat to UK farmers

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Climate change is a threat to UK agriculture according to MEP Richard Ashworth, speaking at AgriLIVE Smithfield, Stoneleigh Park today.

Recipe: Campari with Fresh Grapefruit Juice

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Farmers Weekly's recipe writer Philippa Vine explains how to make a festive tipple you help you get through the Christmas season with a bang.

Savings to be had by cutting carbon hoofprint

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:32:00 GMT

Farmers could reap big financial savings by improving the carbon footprints of their farming businesses, according to a leading supermarket.

Bulk storage scheme offered for molasses feed trial

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:01:00 GMT

Farmers can take advantage of a free bulk tank storage scheme to trial the effects of feeding molasses.

Farmers could keep SFP overpayments

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:35:00 GMT

Farmers may not have to pay back millions of pounds mistakenly handed out in single farm payment cheques by the Rural Payments Agency.

Taking control of Johne's Disease in cattle

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:55:00 GMT

Making Johne's positive cows stand out in the herd and calving these cows separately has helped a Devon dairy farmer on the road to eliminating the disease, Aly Balsom reports.

'Farming's the solution to climate change, not the problem'

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:35:00 GMT

Farmers and industry leaders are heading to the Copenhagen environment summit to promote farming as a green industry and rebuff criticisms linking meat-eating with climate change.

Pictures: Harper students get in the festive spirit

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:23:00 GMT

Students from Harper Adams University College got into the festive spirit with their Christmas Ball on 4 December. View the pictures

Commodity prices drive rise in food price inflation

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Food inflation increased again last month as the effects of higher commodity prices filtered through to retail shelves

Light touch for farming in pre-Budget report, for now

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:04:00 GMT

Agriculture may have escaped relatively lightly from Wednesday's (9 December) pre-Budget report by Chancellor Alistair Darling, but tax experts have warned farmers not to get complacent.

RL 2010: OSR conventional varieties strike back

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:52:00 GMT

The two new additions to the HGCA Recommended List for the east and west region show that there's plenty of life in conventional varieties.

Gordon Brown paves way to streamline DEFRA

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:02:00 GMT

Gordon Brown has paved the way for a major cost-saving programme at DEFRA by unveiling radical plans to streamline government.

Pre-budget report - read the experts' views

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:50:00 GMT

Catch up with the headline announcements from the pre-budget report. Read the assessment of key industry commentators who took part in a live discussion

RL 2010: KWS Cassia sets a challenge for six-row varieties

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:07:00 GMT

One of the three winter barley varieties making it onto the 2010 Recommended List has been very well received by the whole industry.

Market report: Bigger wheat crop for 2010 predicted

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:18:00 GMT

Winter crops are in good condition, with the open autumn allowing farmers to increase their winter wheat and oilseed rape areas, according to the HGCA.

Shortlist for FW photo competition revealed

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:33:00 GMT

The shortlisted pictures for the 2009 Farmers Weekly photo competition have been revealed

Welsh farmers could face fines for TB breaches

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:24:00 GMT

Welsh farmers who break rules on controlling bovine tuberculosis could face fines and have disease compensation payments cut, the Welsh Assembly Government has announced.

Global dairy consumption is on the up

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:15:00 GMT

Global consumption of dairy products is likely to increase in 2009 despite the ongoing recession, according to the latest market research by Tetra Pak.

Simple measures best to meet environmental targets

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:10:00 GMT

Farmers only need to use simple measures to meet government targets on biodiversity, according to a leading scientist

Farmers win prizes with Inputs Price Monitor

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:00:00 GMT

Two lucky farmers have won prizes worth £100 each - courtesy of Farmers Weekly and the NFU - just for taking part in the November Inputs Price Monitor.

RL 2010: Winter wheat additions get mixed reception

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:06:00 GMT

The recently announced Recommended Lists for 2010 contain some useful - and not so useful - additions, especially in the winter wheat category, where the six newcomers were given a very mixed reception. Louise Impey reports

New service to give energy efficiency advice to poultry farmers

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Rural business consultant 7Y has branched out into the poultry sector by launching a new business aimed at giving energy efficiency advice to poultry producers.

Good nutrition keeps cows healthy and productive

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:48:00 GMT

Optimising the rumen environment for fibre degrading micro-organisms is key to dairy cow productivity and longevity, according to Biotal's Johnny Bax speaking at a recent open day.

Your EID questions answered - read the transcript

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:32:00 GMT

Farmers were given the opportunity to quiz two experts about the new electronic identification regulations coming into force in the New Year. Read the transcript.

Single farm payments slow to a trickle

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:37:00 GMT

The rate at which single farm payments are going out from the Rural Payments Agency has slowed considerably, with latest figures revealing that just another 1160 payments have been made in the past week.

Seven four-furrow ploughs on test

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:25:00 GMT

Buying a plough can be a complex and drawn-out affair. Whether you choose a make because you've always had one of them, or because of your...

New investment for Suffolk abattoir

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:02:00 GMT

Suffolk meat company C&K Group has announced details of a new investment that will help it expand production and promote local meat in eastern England.

'Cross breeding can improve dairy cow welfare'

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:43:00 GMT

Cross breeding can help address animal welfare concerns from both a financial and ethical perspective.

FSA names Spanish egg company in salmonella investigation

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:01:00 GMT

The Food Standards Agency has named a Spanish egg company as part of its investigation into this year's increase in cases of a particular strain of salmonella...

New bioethanol plant starts taking in UK wheat

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:15:00 GMT

Bioethanol production at the new Ensus plant at Wilton, Teesside, should begin early in the New Year, according to the company's bosses.

NFU calls on politicians to 'get real' on CAP

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:15:00 GMT

A future UK government has to be less extreme on the issue of agricultural support if it is to advance its interest within the EU, according to the NFU.

Poor timing is hampering fluke treatment

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT

Poor timing of flukicide treatment is a big obstacle to effective fluke treatment, says Nigel Underwood, Janssen Animal Health

Lion free range eggs to feature at 2012 London Olympics

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:29:00 GMT

UK egg and poultry farmers are set to play a major role at the London 2012 Olympic games with Lion free range eggs and Red Tractor poultry meat set to feature on menus.

What's on your Christmas list?

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:21:00 GMT

So, as another Christmas draws near, we on the Machinery Desk were wondering what we'd like on our Christmas lists...

East Anglian market sees few acres for sale

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:33:00 GMT

The number of acres on the open market in 2009 has been significanly lower than last year. But nowhere has this been more pronounced than in the eastern counties, agents say.

Bare land blocks for sale

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:08:00 GMT

Whirledge & Nott has recently launched two blocks of bare land near Halstead, Essex.

Budget deficits could hit farm support

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:05:00 GMT

Soaring budget deficits could thwart future government support for farming across Britain and the EU, say the Tories.

Irish farmers suffer 'devastating' year

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Falling commodity prices, unfavourable exchange rates and poor weather have combined to push Irish farm incomes down by over 30%.

Market report: Butter and cheese exports rise

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:30:00 GMT

UK exports of butter and cheese have increased sharply this year, rising by 69% and 18%, respectively.

Market report: Pork sales boosted by promotions

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:30:00 GMT

Consumers bought 3% more pork in the three months to 1 November, compared to the same period last year, according to the latest TNS data.

Toyota boosts power and payloads for 2010

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:55:00 GMT

Toyota's Hilux pick-up gets a 20% increase in power and more torque for 2010.

VW's first 4wd pick-up will arrive in the UK next summer

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:05:00 GMT

Volkswagen's new pickup - called the Amarok - will go on sale in September next year.

Once-bred heifers could help restore beef calf balance

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:29:00 GMT

Once-bred heifers could boost suckler herd output by more than 25% a year without increasing cow numbers, says EBLEX's Duncan Pullar.

RL 2010:Shorter oats could cut PGR use

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:03:00 GMT

Two Senova varieties have been added to the winter oats Recommended List.

RL 2010:Two OSRs confirm leap in gross output

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:16:00 GMT

Only two new varieties make it onto the HGCA Recommended List for oilseed rape in 2010. But they continue the leap in yields of the past two years.

RL 2010:Feed wheats benefit from yellow rust woes

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:16:00 GMT

Two newly recommended feed wheats could attract grower interest looking for alternative options with better yellow rust resistance than Oakley or Viscount.

College Calendar: Steve Mears gets ready for exams

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:18:00 GMT

The end of term is rapidly approaching and, with Christmas not too far away, a festive feel has spread around campus. Halls of residence have been decorated with tinsel, lights and even the odd Christmas tree.

AtlasFram delivers cost savings to members

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:58:00 GMT

AtlasFram Group, the UK's largest farmer-owned farm inputs purchasing and crop marketing business, achieved a turnover of £149m during its first year of operation.

Retirement age to be debated at Oxford Conference

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:57:00 GMT

The sensitive issue of when farmers should retire will be debated at the 2010 Oxford Farming Conference.

GM seed prices soar

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:55:00 GMT

Genetically modified seed prices are rocketing and, with further increases for 2010, growers are starting to question the value of GM crops, according to the Organic Centre USA.

RL 2010:Group 3 breakthough could reinvigorate market

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:30:00 GMT

A new Group 3 capable of fulfilling all the main soft wheat markets appears the most exciting wheat addition to the new HGCA Recommended List.

VIDEO:New EID rules explained

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:21:00 GMT

The turn of the year sees the introduction of electronic identification for sheep. So, what do the rules mean for you? Jonathan Long asked NSA chief executive Peter Morris and Hilary Stephens of Shearwell Data the critical questions.

Shifting system helps deliver increased sheep returns

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:05:00 GMT

James Evans' structured changes to the 780-ewe flock at Walcot is moving the business toward a more sustainable future, according to the authoritive figures of 2008 Farmers Weekly Sheep Farmer of the Year Crosby Cleland and ADAS sheep specialist Kate Phillips.

Livestock Heroes: The Fortland Holsteins

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:03:00 GMT

Longevity may be seen as a weakness in the Holstein, but one Lancashire pedigree herd is proving just the opposite is true.

RL 2010: Small yield improvements in barley sector

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

It's small steps in both barley markets. Two new malting and one feed variety have been recommended for winter barley, while one malt variety for brewing and a two-row feed have made it onto the spring list.

Partnership agreements need special attention

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Carefully drafting a business partnership agreement from the outset can help avoid future problems. Suzie Horne reports

Farmer Focus Arable: Robert Law fears spring barley will be a no show

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 08:31:00 GMT

We completed autumn drilling on 2 December with Consort wheat following freshly lifted sugar beet.

Farmer Focus Arable: Time to change the main tractor, says Andrew Charlton

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:11:00 GMT

The time to change the main tractor has come around again. I find this activity creeps up on you quicker than you think, and before you know it many thousands of pounds are changing hands.

ADAS offers tips on getting hens to range more

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Range management is set to become even more crucial as stocking rates increase.

Miscanthus growers reassured of crop’s future

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Energy crop specialists have rushed to reassure growers there is a positive future for miscanthus in the UK, despite the uncertainty caused when Bical went into administration a fortnight ago.

More research needed to meet farming challenges

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 09:46:00 GMT

Agricultural research is critical if farmers are to meet future challenges of climate change and food security, according to speakers at the Cirencester Conference...

Farmer Focus Arable: Martin Lawrenson's planning for 2010

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

As we head towards Christmas and the New Year thoughts inevitably turn towards planning for next year.

Farmer Focus: No hurry for irrigation pump replacement

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:46:00 GMT

A fair bit has happened since I wrote my last article. I've been back to the UK for my father's funeral, then on my return we had younger son Nick's wedding. Two family events that most of us will experience at some stage.

Cross-breeding can help increase cow longevity

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:37:00 GMT

Strategies to improve cow longevity and fertility were discussed at a recent DairyCo cross-breeding event at Whitminster Inn, Gloucestershire. Aly Balsom reports.

Truck chipping adds power and torque

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:13:00 GMT

Mention chipping a vehicle to most people and the image which their mind most likely conjures up is one of boy-racer types in souped-up hatchbacks terrorising the streets of suburbia and quiet market towns at all hours of day and the night.

College Calendar: Lizzie's sheep herd gets scanned

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:23:00 GMT

Lizzie Jennings, 20, has just begun the second year of a two-year foundation degree course in Agriculture at Bishop Burton College in Yorksire.

Meet the holly growers

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:14:00 GMT

With Christmas approaching and halls across the country about to be decked with holly, Debbie James visits one amazing collection of the plants.

VIDEO:Hatchery branches out into selling duck eggs

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:03:00 GMT

A Norfolk duck hatchery has successfully branched out into producing and selling retail eggs itself.

Six wheats but only two OSR varieties make Recommended List

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT

Fifteen new varieties of winter wheat, winter and spring barley, oilseed rape and oats have been added to the HGCA Recommended List for 2010/11.

David Richardson: Why I use contractors

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT

So, the government wants to assess farming's resilience and competitiveness. Forgive me for being a little terse. But those farmers who have not been resilient over recent years have not survived.

One in four farmers live in poverty, figures show

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:55:00 GMT

One in four farming families is living in poverty, according to government figures obtained by the Conservatives.

First Milk chief executive resigns

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:45:00 GMT

First Milk has confirmed that its chief executive Peter Humphreys is to leave the co-op next year.

Farmers' costs climb, IPM reveals

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:41:00 GMT

On-farm fuel costs have climbed again in the past month, reflecting the firmer value of crude oil, according to the Farmers Weekly/NFU Inputs Price Monitor for November.

Cattle disease rinderpest on brink of eradication

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:39:00 GMT

Scientists have announced that they expect to be able to announce the worldwide eradication of the cattle disease rinderpest during the next 18 months.

Deadline fast approaching for Sexiest Farmer contest

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:38:00 GMT

Time is fast running out to prove you are Britain's sexiest farmer by entering Farmers Weekly's competition.

How can we improve the CAP?

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:23:00 GMT

Farmers are being asked to come up with ideas for simplifying the common agricultural policy, to feed into a report being prepared by the European parliament in Brussels.

In the Hotseat: Richard Ashworth

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Next week Conservative MEP Richard Ashworth will take part in The Big Debate on food supply at the AgriLIVE Smithfield event. Economics editor Philip Clarke fires him a few warm-up questions.

Farming Stalwarts: Pat Bichan

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:04:00 GMT

Pat Bichan – pioneer of progeny testing in cattle, sowing the seed of the genetics revolution responsible for huge improvements in livestock performance.

Isobus-ready sprayer from Vicon

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:01:00 GMT

Vicon reckons its new, futuristic-looking iXter sprayer range is the industry's first mounted sprayer series to be offered with full Isobus compatibility.

New water laws could swamp landowners

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:16:00 GMT

New legislation over reservoir and lake management could drown landowners in more red tape.

Cut-high-and-mow-behind system could save cash

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:53:00 GMT

Raising the combine cutterbar as high as 36cm (14in) and then using a wide rotary mower to chop stubbles could speed up harvest and cut fuel use.

Farmer's idea could help firecrews fight farm blazes

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:02:00 GMT

A simple coupling that allows fire engines to take water from on-farm tanks could make it easier for fire crews to deal with farm fires.

First Drive: Deutz-Fahr TTV630

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:45:00 GMT

Deutz-Fahr's latest CVT offering, the TTV 630, puts the Italian company up with the big boys.

Floods leave farmland under millions of tonnes of gravel

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Cumbria farmers say it is impossible for them to attempt to shift the millions of tonnes of gravel lying on meadows following the Cockermouth floods and are calling on the government to declare the area a disaster zone

Farmer confirmed as head of Natural England

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:55:00 GMT

Oxfordshire farmer Poul Christensen has been confirmed as chairman of Natural England.

Waxing means fewer pluckers needed for Christmas turkeys

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:52:00 GMT

It is six years since Kelly Turkeys introduced wax plucking of turkeys at its processing plant in Essex.

Shortlist imminent for FW photo competition

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:46:00 GMT

There's still time to enter the Farmers Weekly 2009 Photography Competition, but hurry because the closing date is Friday 4 December.

Box loader gives carrots tender loving care

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:46:00 GMT

Could a new box-swinging trailer provide the answer to root-crop bruising? Nick Fone finds out

Your EID questions answered here on 8 December

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:35:00 GMT

Farmers Weekly will be holding an online session on 8 December to allow you to ask your questions about the new EID regulations.

One-off chance for farmers to slash tax bill

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:33:00 GMT

Farmers and food processors that hold large stocks at the end of the financial year could slash their tax liability this year, says rural accountant Old Mill.

Trust calls for labelling laws to protect UK egg trade

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:26:00 GMT

The Battery Hen Welfare Trust has called on the government to allow consumers to make an informed choice when buying food and at the same time to support the British egg industry by opting for enriched colony eggs.

Management Matters: Upbeat about prospects for 2010 at Clinton Devon

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:14:00 GMT

There is cautious optimism that 2010 will be a decent year for Clinton Devon Farms, despite a shaky year for the organic sector in 2009.

Energy audit shows surprising scope for savings

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:01:00 GMT

How do you trim those electricity bills? Peter Hill reports on a new energy assessment service designed to answer that thorny question.

SFP starts to reach England’s farmers

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:42:00 GMT

The majority of farmers in England have received their Single Farm Payment, just one day after the European Union gave the go-ahead for payments to be made.

Dairy Crest unveils new contracts for farmers

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:30:00 GMT

Dairy Crest is to ring the changes with an overhaul of its dairy farmers' milk contracts including a two-year fixed price deal.

Asda boost to Red Tractor logo

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Asda is to increase the size of the Red tractor logo on all British meat in stores to help consumers identify it more easily

Paul McCartney takes meat-free drive to Brussels

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:03:00 GMT

Farmers and industry leaders reacted with fury this week as Sir Paul McCartney raised the stakes in his "Meat-free-Monday" drive by taking his campaign to. the European Parliament

Market report: Locust threat boosts South American wheat market

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:02:00 GMT

Wheat farmers in Argentina are racing to spray fields against what may be the biggest plague of locusts in 30 years.

Swine flu confirmed in Norfolk pig herd

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:00:00 GMT

DEFRA has called for calm after a Norfolk pig herd tested positive for the H1N1 swine flu virus.

Days left to enter Britain's Sexiest Farmer

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:01:00 GMT

There are still a few days left if you want to enter"Britain's Sexiest Farmer" competition - the closing date is 7 December.

Brussels expresses grave doubts over EID

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:20:00 GMT

Brussels has admitted having grave doubts over the practical implications of electronic identification of sheep

DEFRA spends £5m reviewing the RPA

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:15:00 GMT

DEFRA is spending £5m on a review of the way the RPA works, despite claims that England's payments scheme is "ahead of its time".

Farmer set to lead Natural England

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:14:00 GMT

MPs have backed Oxfordshire farmer Poul Christensen to become the next chairman of Natural England.

Bale Baron balepacker aims to move bales fast

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:55:00 GMT

The small bale packer market just got a lot more competitive with the arrival of a third accumulator, this time from Canada.

Scotts launches new RS trailed windrower

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:47:00 GMT

Boston, Lincolnshire firm Scott Potato Machinery was showing its new flagship Microlift RS6 trailed windrower with a patented 6-row Evolution separator at British Potato 2009 at Harrogate last week.

Market report: January milk price rise on the cards

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:40:00 GMT

Farmgate milk prices should rise in January, according to the Dairy Group.

Conditions good for OSR, but beware drains flowing

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:14:00 GMT

Farmers using residual herbicides to control blackgrass in winter oilseed rape should act now as weather conditions are ideal, say crop experts

British Potato 09: Blackleg risk from imported seed

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:04:00 GMT

Potato growers face a greater risk of a new, more aggressive, form of the seed-borne bacterial disease blackleg if they import seed from outside the UK.

Market report: Lamb price rises hitting retail sales

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:56:00 GMT

Lamb prices are becoming increasingly fragile, as British consumers are buying less in the face of higher prices

Meet the YAS's new agricultural chaplain

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:43:00 GMT

It's a busy time of year for Canon Leslie Morley. Commitments in the run-up to Christmas include an afternoon carol service at Thirsk Auction Mart on 19 December and taking a midnight communion service in a remote village in the Yorkshire Dales.

Cheaper imports fail to dent dairy heifer replacement costs

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:32:00 GMT

Hundreds of dairy heifers are being imported from Europe by milk producers hunting for affordable replacements

Campaign will identify misleading food labels

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:26:00 GMT

Food manufacturers who use misleading words or imagery on their packaging are being named and shamed as part of a campaign for honest labelling.

FW photo comp - enter now

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:25:00 GMT

There's still time to enter the Farmers Weekly Photography Competition 2009 - but don't delay as there are just three days left.

Prime arable opportunity in Morpeth

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:00:00 GMT

A large block of prime arable land near Morpeth, Northumberland, is attracting considerable interest, according to agent George F White.

Act now to avoid New Year tax hike

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:02:00 GMT

Farmers should prepare now to avoid a VAT hike coming in the New Year, says Strutt & Parker's George Chichester.

Fluke guide offers advice on parasite control

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:23:00 GMT

A free liverfluke guide, containing information about the control of the parasite is now available from Moredun Research Institute.

Farm advisers back environment campaign

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:01:00 GMT

Agronomists and farm advisers have given overwhelming support to Campaign for the Farmed Environment.

Welfare body claims DEFRA is planning to drop beak trimming ban

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:00:00 GMT

DEFRA is now preparing to shelve the forthcoming ban on beak trimming indefinitely, claims Compassion in World Farming

15 years of RSPCA's Freedom Food

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:30:00 GMT

The Freedom Food scheme is 15 years old and Ken Randall takes a look at what the future holds

Diverse Leicestershire farm for sale

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Howkins & Harrison has recently launched a diverse equestrian and pasture farm at East Langton, Leicestershire.

Workshop to address climate change concerns

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:41:00 GMT

Beef and sheep farmers are invited to a free workshop in Oxfordshire on 9 December to explore ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

England farm support approach out of step with Europe

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:31:00 GMT

England's approach to farm support is out of step with mainstream Europe, according to Scotland's rural affairs minister Richard Lochhead.

Rare breed turkeys gaining in popularity this Christmas

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:24:00 GMT

Rare breed turkey is an expanding market for Christmas producers, as Jeremy Hunt found out

Test tube meat to tackle livestock emissions

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:10:00 GMT

Artificial meat could be on sale within five years after Dutch scientists grew a form of meat in a test tube.

'Let UK agriculture compete'

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:59:00 GMT

An influential group of agriculturalists and farmers has called on the government to take immediate steps to improve the competitiveness of UK agriculture.

Getting to grips with the cost of dairy investment

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:16:00 GMT

Building a new slurry store or milking parlour can be expensive and fraught with planning and tax hurdles. Suzie Horne gets some advice on likely costs and how best to proceed

Plan asset handover to maximise tax relief

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:16:00 GMT

With public finances likely to be under pressure for the foreseeable future, tax revenues and rates are likely to increase.

Preparing for the cost of further education

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:57:00 GMT

More farming families are sending a son or daughter to university or college. The cost may be daunting, but help is available, as Olivia Cooper reports.

Scots and Welsh farmers paid SFP on Tuesday

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:49:00 GMT

The majority of farmers in Scotland and Wales are set to receive their Single Farm Payment on Tuesday (1 December).

Crop Watch: Looking ahead to spring

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:39:00 GMT

Autumn applications are drawing to a close for most growers and attentions are turning to spring management, say Farmers Weekly's Crop Watch bloggers.

FSA criticised for failing to act on imported eggs

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:35:00 GMT

British Lion egg producers have criticised the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for failing to give clear advice to caterers about using safe eggs.

CLA hits out at online tax return plan

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:22:00 GMT

Mandatory online tax returns will prove impossible for farmers and companies in broadband "not-spots", according to the Country Land and Business Association.

So you want to… Finance a used tractor

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:56:00 GMT

Financing a used tractor purchase can be a tricky decision, with big tax implications. Mick Roberts asks Grant Thornton's director of agriculture, Gary Markham, for some advice

Not making a will could build up future problems

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:53:00 GMT

Intestacy, when someone dies without a will, is still relatively common in farming families. It means more scope for disagreements over who is entitled to what.

Subsidy cuts will hit hill farmers hard

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:53:00 GMT

Reform of the single farm payment post-2012 will present challenges for all farmers, especially livestock producers

Take care to safeguard computer records

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:40:00 GMT

Safeguarding the future of your farm business demands careful attention and never more so than when it comes to preserving the integrity of the data files on your office computer.

Farmland prices on the rise in final quarter

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:36:00 GMT

Farm values in England have risen for the first time in more than a year, according to research by Smiths Gore.

Plenty of buyers for farmland in south west

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:36:00 GMT

Stags enjoyed one of its busiest weeks last week, with five properties in the south west finding buyers in a matter of days.

Feed Watch: Soyabean prices soar

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:00:00 GMT

An increase in futures prices has combined with a further weakening of sterling to once again push spot soyabean meal prices above £300/t this last week, writes Colin Shepherd

RPA sends out last mapping packs

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Rural Payments Agency says it has now sent out new mapping packs for farmers to check and is urging them to return the corrected maps within the 28-day window.

EBLEX unveils plans to cut greenhouse gases from beef and sheep

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:10:00 GMT

EBLEX has today (30 November) unveiled how beef and sheep producers can meet the government's target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 11% over the next decade.

Third of Wales’ dairy farmers quit over prices

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:03:00 GMT

Dairy farmers in Wales are quitting the industry in droves over poor deals on milk prices.

Contractor to explain benefits of biogas at NAAC conference

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:23:00 GMT

Charlie Baker, Farmers Weekly/JCB Contractor of the Year 2009, will be speaking on the benefits of biogas at next week's NAAC conference.

Best of British: Lister Shearing Equipment

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT

In the latest in our series on British farm machinery manufacturers, Mike Williams talks to Lister Shearing Equipment

Potato anaerobic digestion plant to cut Branston electricity demand by 40%

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:48:00 GMT

An anaerobic digestion plant at Branston's headquarters in Lincoln will use low value potatoes and peelings to produce enough electricity to cut the firm's reliance on grid electricity by 40%.

British Potato 09: Ambassador growers wanted

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:25:00 GMT

Nine "Potato Ambassador" growers are being sought by the Potato Council from around the country to spearhead and reinforce marketing campaigns aimed at the general public.

Handling semen correctly is vital to prevent loss of quality

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:18:00 GMT

Correct semen handling is essential on any farm, but ensuring semen is of high quality is even more important for autumn block calving herds, says vet Maarten Boers, The Livestock Partnership.

British Potato 09: Collaboration project increases confidence in research

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:41:00 GMT

Monitoring 88 separate crops is proving that Cambridge University Farm's advice on nitrogen and seed rates can save costs or increase target yields.

British Potato 09: Install sub-meter to save energy costs in store

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:41:00 GMT

Spending less than £500 on a sub-meter for your potato store could immediately trim up to 10% off your electricity bill, Adrian Cunnington told potato growers during a seminar on storage costs.

British Potato 09: New N guidelines allow fine-tuning

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:26:00 GMT

New guidelines on nitrogen and other nutrients have been published in the Potato Council's Crop Nutrition for Potatoes guide.

British Potato 09: Estima to fade away

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:26:00 GMT

Rivers 'likely' to drop out of NVZ published

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:32:00 GMT

DEFRA has started producing a list of the areas where land may be removed from a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone following successful appeals.

'Welsh green scheme rules need clarifying'

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:30:00 GMT

Welsh farmers could have £35m of support payments withheld or confiscated unless rules on dual claims for farmland are clarified ahead of the Glastir scheme's introduction in 2012.

Contractors back drive for increased skills

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:27:00 GMT

Farm contractors have pledged to support efforts to increase skill levels among people working in agriculture.

British Potato 2009: 'Cut potato areas to boost prices'

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:24:00 GMT

Cut potato areas to bring production in line with demand and to help improve prices, industry representatives advised growers at British Potato 2009.

Payments reach 84% of Welsh farms on 1 December

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:55:00 GMT

The Welsh Assembly has announced that 84% of Welsh farmers will begin receiving their single farm payment on 1 December 2009

Positive outlook for peas and beans

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:36:00 GMT

Claims that the UK pea and bean sector will be decimated by the French government's decision to pay its growers extra subsidies are over-stated, according to seed breeder Nickerson.

Have you got questions about EID?

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:30:00 GMT

There have been a series of meetings about EID in recent weeks but if you didn’t manage to make one Farmers Weekly is giving you the opportunity to quiz the experts online on 8 December.

Farmer Focus Arable: Edward Tupper on crop marketing

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:26:00 GMT

The farm this past month has been battered by wind and rain, which has not been pleasant. Catching up on office work has been the order of the day, albeit...

New research shows nutritional benefits of eating eggs

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:00:00 GMT

New research has outlined the change in perceptions of eggs from a food viewed with caution to one that helps them meet a wide range of nutritional requirements, as well as helping in weight management.

Farmer Focus Arable: David Shepherson on spring cropping

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:26:00 GMT

David Shepherdson and his father rent about 182ha (450 acres) of arable land, mainly thin limestone, on the Dawnay Estates near Scarborough...

How to manage a fresh cow group

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Managing a fresh cow group and ensuring sufficient feed and water intakes in fresh calvers were topics up for discussion at a recent best practice workshop...

Farmer Focus Arable: Philip Reck on Ireland floods

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:16:00 GMT

Irish agriculture has been taking a pounding from all quarters. Now things are even worse, with parts of the south and west reeling from some of the worst...

Farmer Focus Livestock: Clyde Jones gets ready for winter

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:15:00 GMT

Rotary parlours are great, especially when they are working. On my weekend milking, I had that sinking feeling, and sure enough, as soon as the first 50 cows loaded on to the milking platform, the main drive came to a grinding halt.

Bella Hall enjoys a family trip to London

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Dave took a day off during the children's half-term holiday as the drilling was complete and the spraying was up to date.

Action needed to halt decline in turkey consumption

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:29:00 GMT

Immediate action was called for last month to check the devastating slump in turkey sales, down from 40 million UK birds a year in 1995 to the current 15 million.

Farmer Focus Arable: Philip Bradshaw on beet yields surprise

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:11:00 GMT

We are pleased with the results from our first sugar beet lifting. About half the crop was lifted on a rainy mid-November morning and temporarily clamped....

Farmers' verdict on call to cut livestock numbers

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:00:00 GMT

A report calling for a sharp reduction in livestock numbers to help combat climate change and improve the nation's diet has been prompting discussion online.

Christine Moore is the voice of country shows

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:34:00 GMT

You might not know her name - but you'll probably have heard her voice. For many years Christine Moore has been heard at rural events across the country...

Flood-hit farmers get cross-compliance help

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:06:00 GMT

A ban on using vehicles on waterlogged soils has been suspended so flood-hit farmers in Cumbria can repair damage and remove debris

Farmer Focus: Victor Chestnutt on Texel sheep

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:50:00 GMT

Victor Chestnutt farms 200ha (500 acres) at Bushmills on the north coast of Northern Ireland. The farm carries 110 suckler cows, including pedigree herds...

Farmer Focus: Bill Metcalf on the sheep sector

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:43:00 GMT

Bill and Jonathan Metcalf rent 89ha (220 acres) of grassland, plus moorland grazing, near Barnard Castle, and own a further unit 12 miles away.

British Potato 09: New blight fungicide in development

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:42:00 GMT

BASF is developing a new potato blight fungicide, which it hopes will receive registration in the next two years.

British Potato 09: Nemathorin application changed to overall incorporation

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:42:00 GMT

The label recommendation for in-furrow application of the nematicide Nemathorin is being removed in favour of overall incorporation, Syngenta's Tom Whitworth said at British Potato 2009.

Temple seeks return to NFU high office

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:37:00 GMT

Former NFU vice-president Paul Temple is to stand for election as the union’s deputy president

British Potato 09: New application method for Amistar in potatoes could save money

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:33:00 GMT

New application methods have been devised for Amistar (azoxystrobin) treatments to control blackdot, rhizoctonia and silver scurf in potatoes.

British Potato 09: Potato cyst nematode sampling decision crucial

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:26:00 GMT

Potato growers will have to think carefully about how they define a "field" for sampling under the new potato cyst nematode directive, the Potato Council's Mike Storey said during a seminar at British Potato 2009.

Bluetongue vaccine has no effect on semen quality

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:25:00 GMT

Ram semen quality isn’t affected by bluetongue vaccination, a study has shown.

RSPCA campaign sees 500 restuarants sign up to cage-free eggs

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:33:00 GMT

More than 500 restaurants have signed up within the first month of the RSPCA's latest campaign, committing themselves to cage-free eggs.

EU marketing rules blamed for potential poultry job losses

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:33:00 GMT

More details have emerged on how new EU marketing rules coming into force next year are putting jobs at risk at a Northern Ireland poultry processing plant.

Red clover can help increase milk yields

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:01:00 GMT

Feeding a 50/50 grass silage/red clover mix can increase milk yields by 3.7kg/cow/day compared to feeding a grass-only silage diet.

Romanian takes EU's top agriculture job

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:45:00 GMT

Former Romanian agriculture minister Dacian Ciolos has been nominated as the next agriculture commissioner in Brussels, and is expected to take up the office by the end of January.

Pulse Recommended List highlights bean opportunities

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Three new bean varieties entered the PGRO pulse Recommended Lists this year and their promising export potential could offer growers a useful premium, said principal technical officer, Steve Belcher.

Controlling Johne's and BVD on farm

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:43:00 GMT

Assessing stock for signs of Johne's disease and BVD eradication were topics up for discussion at the recent, SAC BVD and Johne's disease awareness...

'Less meat is not the answer to climate change'

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:20:00 GMT

Calls to eat less meat to combat climate change are misguided, the Country Land and Business Association has warned.

E coli: Advice for open farms

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:00:00 GMT

The E coli outbreaks earlier this year serve as a reminder to those who open their farms to the public that careful management of farm attractions and educational visits is vital.

Buggy Test: John Deere

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:06:00 GMT

Wondering about a farm buggy? We looked at five diesel 4wd models including the John Deere Gator XUV 850D.

Buggy Test: Massey Ferguson 20 MD

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:05:00 GMT

Wondering about a farm buggy? We put five diesel 4wd models through their paces including the Massey Ferguson 20 MD.

Buggy Test: JCB Groundhog 4x4

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:04:00 GMT

Wondering about a farm buggy? We put five diesel 4wd models through their paces including the JCB Groundhog 4x4.

Buggy Test: Kawasaki Mule 4010

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:03:00 GMT

The Farmers Weekly team tested five buggies, with the Kawasaki Mule proving to be the best all rounder.

Buggy Test: Kubota RTV 900

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:02:00 GMT

We put a selection of five diesel 4wd buggies through their paces. The Kubota RTV 900 proved to have a robust build, but suffered from power loss through transmission.

Five farm buggies put to the test

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Wondering about a farm buggy? We looked at five diesel 4wd models and found some striking differences between them, as Emily Padfield and Nick Fone report.

Going organic would capture more carbon

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:45:00 GMT

More than 3m extra tonnes of atmospheric carbon would be absorbed if all UK farmland was converted to organic, the Soil Association has claimed

Agency pledge over stewardship

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Natural England has pledged to keep farmers informed over the suspension of environmental stewardship applications

Semex conference discusses the dairy industry's future

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:29:00 GMT

What has the next decade got in store for dairying and how can dairy farmers create a more stable, profitable and sustainable industry?

VIDEO: British army vets work with Afghan farmers

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:06:00 GMT

Captain Miles Malone is fast becoming known as the "Herriot of Helmand" thanks to his veterinary work with Afghan farmers.

Fury after report calls for livestock cuts

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:22:00 GMT

A government funded report calling for a sharp reduction in livestock numbers to help combat climate change and improve the nation's diet has been slammed by farmers and opposition leaders.

Benn meets farm leaders over skills

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Farmers and other industry stakeholders are being urged to comment on plans to attract more people into agriculture.

New buyer found as miscanthus specialist goes into administration

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:00:00 GMT

A group of private investors have come to the rescue of energy crop specialist Bical, after the company went into administration on Monday (23 November).

Calculate COP/kg to see true sheep profitability

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:00:00 GMT

For the first time, EBLEX has produced its Business Pointers statistics as "cost/kg" figures to make them as relevant as possible to producers, but are sheep farmers really managing their costs on a pence per kilo basis?

SFPs must stay says EU commissioner

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:45:00 GMT

EU agriculture commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel has set out her vision for the CAP post-2013, calling for a sufficiently large budget to deliver on food security, the protection of natural resources and wider rural development.

Public ‘confused’ over GM crops

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Consumers want more information about genetically modified crops, reveals a study.

'Cull livestock to combat climate change'

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Livestock numbers should be slashed to combat climate change, says a report.

Help us find Britain's Sexiest Farmer

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:00:00 GMT

There's still time to enter FW's "Britain's Sexiest Farmer" competition, with the closing date not until 7 December

Market report: Oilseeds bounce off back of stronger US trade

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:53:00 GMT

Oilseed rape markets have improved again this week, buoyed by strong export activity from America.

Arable margins look tight for 2010

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:38:00 GMT

Profit from arable farming next harvest will be "marginal at best" despite a fall in the cost of some inputs, according to the latest costings from Agro Business Consultants

Market report: Lamb prices post sharp increase

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:19:00 GMT

Lamb prices jumped sharply last week, driven by strong export demand and abattoirs competing to maintain lamb supplies

Market report: All export refunds removed as dairy market strengthens

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:46:00 GMT

EU milk market managers have removed all remaining export refunds on dairy products – another sign of the improving global market

Stolen sheep found after two-week police hunt

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:07:00 GMT

A flock of sheep stolen from a field in Leicestershire have been found two weeks later after police from two counties joined forces to track them down

Scrapie tests by SAC will be honoured

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:53:00 GMT

Sheep tested for scrapie by SAC will no longer have to be re-tested by another lab before leaving the country.

Recording boosts blackface output

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:47:00 GMT

Selecting breeding rams from within the flock and basing selection on a series of performance criteria has helped Greenmount College lift carcass weights in ram lambs

Reveal green measures, farmers told

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:15:00 GMT

English farmers are being urged to show how they alter the countryside as part of the Campaign for the Farmed Environment.

Irish incomes in 'worst crisis for a generation'

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:10:00 GMT

Irish farm incomes have dropped 28% this year, leading to what the Irish Farmers' Association is calling "the worst farm income crisis in a generation".

Fertiliser prices creeping up as spring buyers return

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:05:00 GMT

Fertiliser prices are increasing again after the autumn lull as spring buyers become more active and supplies appear to be tightening

Late maize harvest pays off in feed

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:04:00 GMT

Patience has paid off for those dairy farmers holding off harvesting maize early, according to Kite Consulting's Tim Davies.

Southport and Ormskirk poultry club

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

embargo 25 nov category: fra Region: Uk, Lancashire, Cumbria Topic: poultry Pics: as in print This month our pure breeds reporter...

Poultry butchers included on government's priority migrant skills list

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Improve is claiming victory after the government agreed to include two butchery roles on its priority list for skilled migrant workers

Scotland's hill farmers get £15m cash boost

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:45:00 GMT

Scotland's hill farmers are to get an extra cash boost in January in a package worth £15m to the industry over two years

Showcase your winning rural shots

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:00:00 GMT

Entries are already pouring in for this year's Farmers Weekly Photography Competition.

Trade reform must go all the way

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:53:00 GMT

The current Doha round of WTO negotiations is unlikely to go far enough in freeing-up international trade and further relaxation of trade barriers will be needed to create a global "level playing field".

Farmers on flood alert as rain returns

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:16:00 GMT

Farmers in Cumbria are back on flood alert as heavy rain makes a return to the region.

RPA admits losing more farmers’ details

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:50:00 GMT

The Rural Payments Agency's handling of personal data has once again been called into question after it admitted it misplaced details of English hill farmers.

British Sugar tight-lipped on record beet yields

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:44:00 GMT

Some sugar-beet growers have produced adjusted yields in excess of 100t/ha for individual fields, but British Sugar is remaining tight-lipped about whether the crop is on course for record yields.

Quality of life for rural people ‘in decline’ says poll

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:40:00 GMT

Half of people who live in the countryside think their quality of life has declined in the last five years.

Observe buffer strips when spraying oilseed rape herbicide

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:16:00 GMT

Observe a 5m buffer zone when spraying residual herbicides in oilseed rape this autumn, Patrick Goldsworthy, Voluntary Initiative manager, is reminding growers.

Lancs poultry company raided for suspected illegal workers

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:52:00 GMT

Officers from the UK Border Agency have raided a chicken processing plant in Lancashire and detained six men suspected of working illegally.

Superquinn is first Irish retailer to dump cage eggs

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:36:00 GMT

Irish supermarket chain Superquinn has become the first in the Republic to move to selling only cage-free eggs, a decision driven by customer demand, it claims.

171-acre Devon grassland farm for sale

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:18:00 GMT

[Print and web - please load briefs as separate articles] [Topics: Business, Land and property news] [Regions: UK, Devon] Savills ...

Control calf scours in five steps

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:11:00 GMT

A new five-step approach to improving and tackling the management of calf scour problems is helping dairy farmers cut the cost of the disease.

Levy increase ‘vital to secure Scotland’s livestock sector’

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:45:00 GMT

Scotland's livestock industry will not move forward without proper funding and marketing from promotion body Quality Meat Scotland, a leading industry body has warned.

Farmers urged to make the most of housing potential

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:25:00 GMT

Landowners should be actively promoting land for development, ready to make the most of the economic upturn, according to land agent Bidwells.

Benn meets farm leaders over skills

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:00 GMT

DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn is meeting farm leaders to discuss a skills strategy aimed at attracting more people into agriculture.

Agco to close its Randers combine plant in 2010

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:45:00 GMT

Agco has announced that it is proposing to close its Randers harvesting equipment operation in Denmark in 2010.

Stewardship to be suspended

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:01:00 GMT

Environmental stewardship applications are to be suspended – just weeks after the launch of a campaign encouraging farmers to join.

Cumbria farmers count cost of floods

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:55:00 GMT

Cumbria farmers in flood hit areas have been assessing the impact of the disaster on stock numbers and damage to lowland meadows.

Are you pelleting legally?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:33:00 GMT

Slug pellet seminars are training operators to apply pellets legally and getting qualified operators up to speed with the latest metaldehyde stewardship guidelines.

NFU looks to promote local turkeys and Red Tractor

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:15:00 GMT

Feed manufacturer ABN is to join forces with the NFU in a Red Tractor consumer awareness campaign at the BBC Good Food Show later in November.

More rain to come for flood-hit Cumbria

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:50:00 GMT

Forecasters are warning there is more rain to come for areas of the UK already hit by torrential downpours and flooding.

Potato levy to rise 9% in three years

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:45:00 GMT

Potato growers are being asked to pay an extra £1.17/ha in levy from next year - a rise of 3% to £40.17/ha - to help fund the work of the Potato Council.

Conman jailed for farming fraud

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:44:00 GMT

A conman with a history of targeting farmers has been jailed for four and a half years

Farmers face £3m flood clean-up bill

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:25:00 GMT

Farmers in Cumbria are facing up to £3m-worth of damage after the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the UK caused havoc in the region.

Crop Watch: Blackgrass grows apace but weather halts spraying

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:20:00 GMT

Wet and weather has brought urgent blackgrass control in wheat and oilseed rape to a standstill, say Farmers Weekly's Crop Watch bloggers.

Vet Watch: Update of animal health issues from across the country

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:02:00 GMT

A regional round-up of key veterinary issues from members of XLVets

Poultry firm fined for incorrect fluo tube disposal

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:21:00 GMT

A poultry company has been fined almost £5000 for incorrectly disposing of spent fluorescent light tubes at one of its chicken processing plants in Wiltshire.

Dairy calves propping up falling beef numbers

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:14:00 GMT

The total number of calves registered in Britain during the first nine months of 2009 fell by 3% to 2.07m head, according to British Cattle Movement Society figures.

Keenan launches efficient feed system

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:04:00 GMT

A weak pound may be favouring UK beef markets, but with feed and fuel costs continuing to sore, now is the time to be improving efficiencies on farm...

Deere updates its 6030 series tractors

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:42:00 GMT

John Deere's 6030 Series Mannheim-built tractors, which also include the 7430 and 7530 models, are being updated for 2010 to give more power and lower fuel consumption.