Business News

Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement offers some welcome news for farmers – including a national insurance cut, the extension of current business rate relief and a freeze on alcohol duty. However, further detail on how Agricultural Property Relief will apply to ELMS is desperately needed, said NFU Mutual.

With unpredictable input costs, volatile markets, and future uncertainty, UK farmers are facing extraordinary challenges. Whilst the drive towards net zero may seem like an additional pressure to many, could it also be an opportunity for farm businesses to assess how they can move towards a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable future, asks Farmplan director Piers Costley.

Graham Wilkinson has been appointed CEO of the AHDB after Tim Rycroft announced his resignation earlier this year.

Blenheim Palace has hosted its second farming conference for the local community – with a range of talks on rural crime, diversification, cash flow and mental health.

The government has announced a Call for Evidence to address issues facing tenant farmers, and improve relationships between landlords and tenants.

Crop storage specialist Martin Lishman Ltd is gearing up for LAMMA 2024 – the ideal platform to showcase its latest developments in energy-saving grain cooling systems and agricultural innovations.

Ahead of Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement, due to be presented on 22nd November, Sean McCann, chartered financial planner at NFU Mutual, picks out three things farmers should look out for…

The MP for north east Cambridgeshire has become the fifth environment secretary in four years, as Thérèse Coffey quits in Cabinet reshuffle.

Farming families across England are being invited to join a free programme of support – with the option of taking part, virtually from the farm.

The value of UK farmland continues to be underpinned by strong demand from a growing number of purchasers and the new opportunities that existing landowners are keen to explore.

Since 2019 the NFU’s petition to ban sky lanterns in the UK has gained over 100,000 signatures as more research is conducted into their potential ability to start wildfires, kill animals, destroy crops, set buildings alight, as well as littering the countryside. To date 188 councils out of 333 have banned them in England and Wales.

Dairy farmer Stephen Carson recently installed the UK’s first batch milking system, with milk being pasteurised and bottled on site before being sold through vending machines. Allowing him to keep the profits through the supply chain, the project was funded by a combination of government grants and specialist agri finance.