Rural News

Farmers can now apply for this year’s round of Severn Trent’s Environmental Protection Scheme (STEPS) match funding, offering up to £30,000 for farms in priority catchment areas to invest in improving water quality.

Despite a year-on-year increase in meat-free meals, dishes containing meat, fish and poultry (MFP) are still a firm favourite with diners and account for the majority of spend in the out-of-home market, AHDB research has shown.

The British Standards Institution (BSI) has launched new guidance intended to provide food, beverage, and retail organisations with a framework for building a robust food safety culture to help prevent illness and death resulting from food contamination each year.

The Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset Sheep Association’s National Show has fast become a success and drawn breeders from across the country since its calendar debut – and this year will be no different.

To meet rapid growth in global demand, family-owned UK manufacturer Claydon Yield-o-Meter Ltd has recently expanded its factory at the Wickhambrook site in West Suffolk, with the completed building set to double production and create numerous additional jobs.

LEAF Education’s latest study of 2,500 young people, conducted in partnership with McDonald’s UK and Harper Adams’ School of Sustainable Food and Farming, demonstrated the agri-food industry is best placed to engage, motivate and inspire 12-19-year-olds about the sector and how to get involved in it.

Spanning approximately 1,379 acres (558 hectares) within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Cedar Farm offers the purchaser a unique opportunity to acquire a sizeable, predominantly light land farming unit, in a coveted location adjacent to the Suffolk Heritage Coast.

Becky Wilson from Farm Carbon Toolkit explained how understanding where emissions come from on a farm can support informed decision-making on reducing carbon footprint, which can lead to increased business resilience and profitability, at a farming conference hosted by accountancy firm Scrutton Bland in early 2023.

The founders behind Pick-Ups for Peace originally set out to provide 100 vehicles, but it has become clear that limitless numbers are needed and – thanks to huge generosity of the British farming community and, increasingly other sectors – the group are confident enough that they can double that target to 200.

Launched today (12th April), the new Land, Nature, and Adapted Systems (LNAS) Advisory Group will inform Defra on definitions of economic activities that can be considered environmentally sustainable to enhance the UK’s resilience and deliver climate and nature goals.

Rural communities across England are set to benefit from £110 million funding under the Rural England Prosperity Fund, aimed at supporting local businesses and community organisations, creating jobs and boosting productivity and prosperity in the countryside, the government announced on 7th April.

Over 2,600 lots, including more than 250 rare vintage and classic tractors, will go under the hammer at the Cheffins Vintage Sale, the largest vintage auction event in Europe, on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd April.