Rural News

Six fire crews attended a field fire on the outskirts of Ipswich at around 8pm on Wednesday evening (20th July). Around seven acres of wheat and 200m of hedgerow were ablaze from 8pm, however Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service managed to get the fire under control quickly.

Figures published today (18th July) show 25 people, including a nine-year-old child, lost their lives on farms over the past year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports.

As inflation reaches a 40-year high, new analysis from national property consultancy Carter Jonas suggests the value of farmland will hold firm or grow.

As farming families face spiralling costs, in the run up to the new school year, RABI has launched a ‘return to school’ grant to help cover the cost of school uniforms, P.E. kit and other equipment.

Farmers have always been the backbone of any country’s economy. The ability, knowledge and talent to feed people, enabling individuals to thrive and survive, has been at the heart of every community since the dawn of time. Farms are, quite literally, a society’s bread and butter.

Criminal gangs could take advantage of the busy harvest period to steal expensive Global Positioning Systems (GPS) from tractors and combines, warns NFU Mutual.

Plots featured the company’s winter oilseed rape varieties with the new RlmS phoma-fighting resistance gene, as well as field beans, combining peas and spring wheat.

Cereals is blazing a trail of innovation this year with lots of new machinery, technology and techniques to help farmers push ahead with their businesses. Organisers offer a round-up of fresh developments to look out for.

While much time and expense goes into healthcare for livestock, it’s important not to forget the health of farm dogs and cats. Norbrook’s companion animal veterinary advisor Lars Mortensen outlines some health risks to be aware of.

Knowing that farm security was about more than just producing high yielding crops, Andrew Ward set about benchmarking every part of his business several seasons ago. Now he and his team of Ruben Sampson and Tom Hyland are going a stage further with a carbon audit with the NFU.

The government says the new licence will allow more badgers to be vaccinated by reducing the administrative burden.

LEAF confirmed that Caroline had passed away on Monday 23rd May after a short illness.