Author Posts: Farmers Guide

The screen adaptation of Bea Roberts’ multi-award-winning stage play And Then Come the Nightjars is set to land in cinemas soon, bringing viewers a heart-warming tale of friendship and survival set against the backdrop of the infamous foot-and-mouth outbreak. Farmers Guide chatted with film director Paul Robinson for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look.

A free downloadable flyer has been released by the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) to help inform farmers and growers of new photo ID requirements for ammonium nitrate fertilisers coming into force this autumn.

With the gap between farmgate milk and retail prices promising no let-up and high input costs putting significant strain on the sector, British dairy farmers are facing a tough six months ahead, the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) has warned.

Dr Carrie Rimes, a former grassland ecologist turned artisan cheese-maker, recently hosted minister Lesley Griffiths on her new award-winning sheep milk dairy in Bethesda, Gwynedd, which was realised through government funding and support from the local council.

The first UK ovine embryos have been shipped to the United States following the lifting of a long-term ban in 2021 on sheep and lamb imports from countries previously affected by BSE.

There’s much to be said about the balancing act of harvesting in such unpredictable weather. When the skies are clear you can guarantee the first thing on farmers’ minds is getting their combines and trailers rolling again, before the next spell of rain hits. Yet, within this intricate choreography of agricultural expertise, lies a reality that can determine the success or failure of the entire process, a robust post-harvest strategy.

A-Plan Rural Insurance sat down with Jesy Byron (@tattooedshepherdess) who shares her journey to becoming a farmer, the livestock she keeps, advice for those thinking of getting into farming and how she, and her partner, learnt to farm as a first-generation farmers.

In line with Somerset-based Godminster Farm’s ethos: ‘nature repays those who treat her kindly’, Pete Cheek who has been in charge of the farm’s 300 organic dairy herd for more than 25 years, is working with McArthur Agriculture to replace imported soya bean meal from the cows’ diet with home-grown and roasted pulses.

Many farmers are worried for the future as unseasonal wet weather continues to hamper this year’s harvest. Farmers Guide caught up with Suffolk rural chaplain Graham Miles and farming charity FCN who offered advice for those who are struggling.

Murray winter oilseed rape was newly added to the AHDB Recommended List (RL) last autumn and went straight to the top of the East/West Region Only table. LS Plant Breeding are receiving positive reports from merchants and growers alike.

Hartpury College will receive almost £1 million in government funding to upgrade two agricultural engineering workshops at its Gloucestershire campus and a further £1.4m to purchase cutting-edge equipment ahead of launching three new agriculture T Levels in 2024.

New analysis conducted by AHDB has highlighted potential markets for UK red meat in Central and South America and Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as longer-term opportunities for dairy in South Africa.