Author Posts: Farmers Guide

At a seminar on the Welsh government’s proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) hosted by NFU Cymru, farmers have raised concerns over the 10% tree cover and habitat targets with rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths and called for greater flexibility to make the scheme viable for producers.

Responding to financial pressures facing the sector, Yorkshire pig producers Vicky, Rachel and Kate Morgan, diversified into holiday lets. Since their March launch they’ve received outstanding customer reviews and their new enterprise is fully booked until August. This is how they did it… 

As part of their campaign to Back British Farming, A-Plan Rural Insurance is sitting down with farmers to chat about all things farming. In their latest blog, they spoke with Anna Longthorn (@annas_happy_trotters), who is an English farmer. Anna discusses the farm she works on, how she came to be a pig farmer, the farming tradition in her family and the opportunities she sees for others wanting to enter farming.

Sustainability, water management and environmental schemes will be the key topics discussed during the 2023 Autumn Farming Conference at Wherstead Park, Ipswich on Tuesday 10th October.

Results from the latest Planting and Variety Survey indicate that more barley and oilseed rape (OSR) are being sown in the UK at the expense of wheat, the area of which is estimated to decrease by 3% for harvest 2023.

With the rate of suicide reported to be alarmingly higher in farming compared to the national average, Jeremy Clarkson is on a mission to help raise awareness of poor mental health in farming caused by mounting financial and societal pressures.

AHDB’s annual Love Lamb Week (LLW) campaign is set to return on the first week of September to highlight the qualities of UK lamb by teaming up with popular farming influencers on social media to share ‘Shepherds and their Pies’.

Livestock farmers are being urged to consider vaccinating against bovine coronavirus (BCoV) as recent studies have identified the pathogen as the most prevalent virus behind calf respiratory disease in the UK.

Sheep farmers who have not vaccinated their flock early for EAE (enzootic abortion of ewes) may be unable to do so later in the season due to delays in the manufacturing and distribution process of the Cevac Chalmydia vaccine, the supplier has said.

Building on last year’s success, a two-day event celebrating the countryside is expected to generate a major boost for the North Wales economy, with record-breaking sales of £12 million being forecast.

Animal Health and Welfare Pathway funding can help sheep farmers implement a strategic worm control plan. The Pathway, which is open now, will pay sheep farmers £436, covering the cost of the vet’s time and the diagnostic testing. 

Farmers, growers and buying co-operatives must brace for changes in the law which will require them to provide photo ID when purchasing ammonium nitrate (AN) fertilisers from October, the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) has warned.