News
Battle continues over inheritance tax
Arable
Key milestone for digital passports
Soil health
Low-interest loans to reduce emissions
Water
Shake-up for flood defence funding
Professional Services
Balance returns to farmland market
Fen Tiger
Few farms survive without debt
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The government’s latest move in the battle over inheritance tax has rightly angered farmers and farming families.
Summoning industry leaders from across the UK to attend top level talks in London raised hopes of a Treasury compromise on plans to impose inheritance tax on farming assets worth more than £1 million from April 2026.
But those hopes were brutally quashed by Treasury minister James Murray who refused to engage with farm leaders from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw has rightly pledged to continue fighting for farmers. But this was the clearest signal yet that the government will not be swayed from its inheritance tax plan for farming. It might be that the policy is eventually tweaked – but clearly the government wants us to believe that it is here to stay.
In battling on – and rightly so – the NFU has to strike a fine balance. It must ratchet up the pressure without the fight becoming so all-consuming that it overshadows the impact of other government policies on agriculture.
In other words, we must realise that inheritance tax is not the only issue affecting farmers – despite
being the most high profile.
Think food security, competition from substandard food imports, the need for supply chain fairness, the slow roll-out of environmental schemes, labour shortages and ongoing low investment in agriculture.
It is hard to accept, but we must also prepare for the possibility that the inheritance tax proposals may not be tweaked at all. Some farming families already have plans. But many do not. As when fighting every battle, it pays to have a contingency plan for when things go wrong.
That means considering all possible eventualities, talking to trusted advisers and revising succession plans to take into account the unwelcome situation in which we find ourselves.
It is a hard truth, but succession planning will not resolve the situation for everyone. This means checking in on other family members – especially the older generation and those who are infirm or terminally ill – and reassuring them that they are loved, valued and cherished. And that we are all in this together.
Johann Tasker Editor
• Treasury refuses to listen to farmers
• Government ‘no interest’ in moving
• Leaders propose compromise tax
Industry leaders have pledged to fight on after the Treasury again refused to back down on plans to impose inheritance tax in farmers.
It came after Treasury minister James Murray summoned farming representatives to a London meeting – only to tell them that the govern ment was determined to impose 20% inheritance tax on farm assets worth more than £1m from April 2026.
Blunt refusal
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said the government’s blunt refusal to accept any compromise would have a devas tating impact on UK farming families and the nation’s food security.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Bradshaw said: “Disappointed doesn’t cover how I feel after this meeting. To day, we have repeated our concerns about the impact on farming fami lies – they don’t care.
“On the impact on families who can’t afford vast tax bills coming their way on the death of a loved one – they don’t care. On the elderly, who feel they are now a burden on their family – the most vulnerable people in our farming community – they don’t care.”
interest
Farm leaders from across the UK at tended the London meeting. They included Country Land and Business Association president Victoria Vyvyan, Tenant Farmers Association chief executive George Dunn and NFU Scotland president Andrew Gannon.
The inheritance tax compromise proposed by farm leaders is based on a clawback mechanism which the NFU says will raise revenue without damaging family farms.
Also in attendance were farm minister Daniel Zeichner and Treasury officials. Despite presenting alternative proposals, the farming delegation was firmly told that the government had no interest in compromise.
Jeremy Moody, chief advisor to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, said many farms would have to sell off land and other assets to pay
“Put simply, farmers don’t get money when they inherit, they get the farm, the business asset, and often the debt,” said NFU president Tom Bradshaw. “Any money they do get, they get when they sell.”
The NFU compromise, which is based on this premise, was suggested by tax experts. It means government will still receive its planned tax income – but inheritance tax
would be paid only if an inherited farm is sold, rather than when it is inherited.
“Crucially, this would allow family farms that want to continue to produce the nation’s food to do so, while giving the Treasury what it wants,” said Mr Bradshaw.
It was wrong for the government to argue that the £500 million raised by the tax was needed to rescue the NHS, added Mr Bradshaw.
“This amount will fund the NHS for a day,” he said. “ It’s disingenuous for ministers to repeat this untruth.”
Hare coursers could face stiffer sentences and bigger fines following a consultation to clamp down on the criminal gangs at the heart of the problem.
The Sentencing Council consultation on court guidelines when dealing with hare coursing offences follows a campaign by the NFU –and countless incidents across the region.
NFU Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire chair Freya Morgan met representatives from 30 police forces and 10 partner agencies at the Operation Galileo Hare Coursing Enforcers Conference – hosted last month by Leicestershire Police and the Hare Preservation Trust.
“There has been some good progress, but more needs to be done,” said Mrs Morgan, who discribed the consultation as a step forward. “We need to more arrests and more convictions.
“There needs to be a better understanding of hare coursing and its impact across the whole criminal justice system, including all police officers, not just in the rural crime teams, as well as with police call handlers and magistrates.”
Mrs Morgan spent around £12,000 on increased security to protect her north Bedfordshire farm in 2020. This included erecting about 50 lockable gates, installing a £4,000 electric entrance gate and digging ditches around the farm to limit vehicle access.
“This has made a difference, but the problems are still there. We were hit by hare coursing again in December and we have seen in the news recently that hare coursing continues to be a major problem for many people.”
Other hare coursing incidents have made national headlines. Last month, five people were arrested on suspicion of hare coursing after the car they were in crashed into a ditch near Sleaford, Lincolnshire.
They included three men and two teenagers. Lincolnshire Police said: "Hare coursing is barbaric and we will continue to arrest offenders, seize their dogs and cars and put them before the courts to halt their illegal activities."
Another incident saw 4x4 vehicles racing across farmland in Cambridgeshire and causeing untold damge to crops.
The consultation runs until 25 April. It aims to ensure a consistent approach and cover four offences associated with hare coursing.
These include two introduced under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 – trespass with intent to search for or pursue hares with dogs, and being equipped for searching for or pursuing hares with dogs.
To respond to the Sentencing Counil consultation, visit www.bit.ly/hare-coursing
Criminal gangs are targeting agrochemical stores – and stealing significant quantities of plant protection products to sell to farmers.
As spring spraying programme gets under way, the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) is warning farmers and growers to be wary if offered plant protection products for sale from unknown or suspicious sources.
Recent weeks have seen thieves cut through fencing and buildings at distributor stores in Bedfordshire and Norfolk. They gained access to storage units before stealing large quantities of agrochemicals.
The agri-supply trade association said crop protection and agronomy companies and farm businesses should be on high alert for the risk of further thefts in these areas as well as throughout the country.
They should also consider reviewing their security arrangements.
AIC head of crop protection and agronomy Hazel Doonan said: "In light of these thefts, businesses which store professional plant protection products may wish to check that own their security measures are sufficiently robust.
"Farmers and growers are reminded to only purchase plant protection products from reputable suppliers. A professional supplier must employ a member of the BASIS professional register to give advice on professional usage.
"Using PPPs that are of unknown provenance can risk business reputation, the acceptance of end produce treated with the product, farm assurance status, and even prosecution."
Farmers and agronomists suspicious of agro-chemical products offered for sale should contact the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) by emailing CRDEnforcement@hse. gov.uk immediately.
After yet another wet winter, early drilled cereals are already showing significant disease pressure and will need an early and robust programme of fungicides to ensure they go on to achieve their true yield and quality potential.
Attack is the best form of defence
The critical factor in providing adequate protection from cereal diseases is to ensure that a suitable fungicide programme starts as early as possible, before infections take hold. With several fungicides showing signs of reduced efficacy due to resistance development, it is important to limit the exposure of at-risk active ingredients. This can be achieved by using a range of fungicides throughout the season, and by using different active ingredients with alternative modes of action. For example, a multi-site fungicide such as ARIZONA® should be included alongside single site actives at key stages in the crop protection programme.
ARIZONA® delivers the following benefits:
• Additional control of septoria in wheat, and ramularia, net blotch and rhynchosporium in barley. Also reduces yellow and brown rusts.
• Extends green leaf area duration and boosts yields: every £1 spent on ARIZONA® will provide a £4 return on investment.
• The only fungicide proven to extend the effective lifetime of at-risk fungicides.
‘Every £1 spent on ARIZONA® will provide a £4 return on investment’
(Based on 272 trials carried out from 2019 to 2024. Based on wheat at £200/tonne)
Multi-site efficacy and value
ARIZONA® (folpet 500 g/L) is a unique multi-site fungicide that provides valuable protection against key diseases in wheat and barley: it delivers a reliable return on investment through enhanced disease control and consistent yield improvement whilst safeguarding the efficacy of partner products.
When to use ARIZONA®
T1 is a critical timing for the control of septoria in wheat: using ARIZONA® at this timing will provide a positive yield response and reliable return on investment. A second application at T2 will further enhance disease control extend green leaf duration and maximise yield benefit as well as protect partner chemistry.
In higher risk situations (e.g. a susceptible variety facing high disease pressure), ARIZONA® should also be included at T0 to provide early season protection before diseases take hold.
In barley, ARIZONA® should be included at T2, especially where ramularia control is required. ARIZONA® can also be used at T1 when it protects against rhynchosporium and net blotch, or at T0 if earlier protection is required. To achieve the best control of both diseases and maximise yield benefit, ARIZONA® should be included at T1 and T2. For more information, subscribe to the ADAMA crop protection hub at: www.adama.com/uk/en/adama-hub
What is ‘powered by MSI Protech®’?
MSI stands for the special action as a Multi-Site Inhibitor.
Protech stands for Proven Technology. MSI Protech® is the ONLY multi-site cereal fungicide proven to prolong the effective life of single-site partner products. It’s super fine grind of active ingredients means the formulation is fully optimised for the best results.
ARIZONA® in barley
• Ramularia: T2 1.0 - 1.5L/ha
• Best guidelines for ramularia and other diseases: T1 1.0 - 1.5L/ha
fb T2 1.0 - 1.5L/ha
Max. 3.0L product/crop
ARIZONA® in wheat
• 1.0 - 1.5L prod/ha at T1 & T2 High risk => 3 x 1.0L prod/ha (T0, T1, T2) or 2 x 1.5L prod/ha (T1, T2). Consider including ARIZONA® at the first fungicide application in any crop. Max. 3.0L product/crop
• Industry agrees on way forward
• Goal is a more efficient system
• Next steps include funding talks
Digital passports are another step closer for cereal crops after the NFU said its concerns had been addressed.
Due to replicate the existing paper system, the digital passport will enable live assurance checks during grain collection and delivery. Weight and quality data will be passed digitally from recipient to supplier.
Some growers had voiced concern that passports wouldn’t work without a good internet connection. Others were worried about data security and commercial confidentiality. But those concerns have been overcome.
Data transfer
Where there is no internet, data will pass from one device to another via QR codes. This will ensure logistics are not held up – and the system will update automatically once the device picks up data signal again.
Growers with no computer or smartphone – and those who are unfamiliar with using such technology – will be able to telephone a helpdesk which will create and populate a digital passport on their behalf.
A joint statement from the cross-industry leadership group overseeing the digital passport process said NFU agreement was a “key milestone” – with the sector now in agreement
Grain checks will be undertaken in real time during collection and delivery
and fully aligned on the concept of a digital passport system.
“The sector is now in agreement
Digital passports aim to achieve greater efficiency, accuracy, and traceability of data throughout the supply chain – while maintaining confidence in the safety of food and feed.
The leadership group has been seeking a meeting with farm minister Daniel Zeichner to make the case for initial funding. Grant funding could cover build, pilot and implementation costs.
Once the transition has been made to the new system, the AHDB cereals and oilseeds sector council has formally agreed to use levy funds to cover ongoing running costs.
Due diligence is being undertaken on the budget and delivery options.Work is being undertaken to ensure support is in place to enable a smooth transition across the supply chain. Once complete, the business case will be revised and shared with the industry.
The digital passport will initially operate in England and Wales –with an option for Scottish businesses to join voluntarily later. The Ulster Farmers’ Union is keeping a watching brief on the project.
The industry group believes a meeting with Mr Zeichner could take place as soon as this month. It says this would represent another big step on the say to the new system.
An initiative has been launched to boost UK bean production by setting out some definitive best practice guidelines for growers.
The ability of beans to fix their own nitrogen and leaving it in the soil for the following crop is well known to growers, making legumes an important UK break crop.
But the uptake of growing beans has long been curtailed by the perception that they’re unreliable – despite the multiple benefits they provide, says the Processors and Growers Research Organisation.
“The perception is real and impactful,” says PGRO chief executive Roger Vickers – even though numerous studies show that spring beans are no more unreliable than other spring sown crops.”
To put this right, the PGRO is embarking on a study to establish new best practices and recommendations for growing field beans. The goal is to optimise the on-farm yield and quality of beans as an alternative UK-produced protein source.
The project brings together the PGRO, plant breeder NPZ (LSPB), nutrition specialists Yara, and Lincoln University. It is called Answers – or Alleviating Nutritional Stress for Wider Environmental Rewards in Sustainable UK protein crop production. Real field-scale trials will be conducted to help create nutrient plans that enhance nodule activity and nitrogen fixation, boost productivity, increase yield stability, enhance protein content and encourage climate resilience.
Growers are being advised to tackle rust problems early in winter wheat crops – or risk paying the penalty later.
Mike Thornton, head of crop production at ProCam UK, says recent mild winters followed by cool, wet springs mean both brown and yellow rust are cycling more quickly – leading to higher levels of inoculum in crops at the T1 spray timing.
Later drilling windows embraced by many growers to ease grassweed pressures have also exacerbated yellow rust issues – making early season cereal disease control a much greater challenge.
“It’s a difficult conundrum for grow ers,” says Mr Thornton.
“Later drilling offers them better prospects for septoria control but, conversely creates a greater risk of yellow rust because crops are usually under more stress at that point giv en their root systems are not as ful ly developed.”
Wet spring weather and sodden fields can make it a struggle to get a T0 fungicide spray on to crops in March.
“It’s a difficult conundrum
A dual triazole approach is preferable to a single triazole to avoid situations when use of a single triazole can inadvertently select for certain populations of septoria, making disease control potentially more difficult.
Disease
“Combining two different triazoles, such as bromuconazole + tebuconazole, in azole-based products such as Soleil is a solid option for combating rust at T0. It also means not selecting as vigorously for the same septoria strains.
“This helps to avoid serious disease scenarios later in the spring – particularly in forward crop with septoria, varieties with low septoria resistance, or if the grower is in a higher risk septoria area.
But Mr Thornton says the additional investment and security of a T0 spray is worthwhile to get on top of rust and other key diseases earlier – helping to reduce resistance risk and protect yields later.
Top: Controlling early yellow rust isn’t always easy – but can be done
“Different rust populations come with different sensitivities, so good resistance management strategies within any fungicide programme comes down to mixing different actives to gain the broadest spectrum of control and reduce risk.”
Using different azoles at T0, such as bromuconazole and tebuconazole, also takes the pressure off more popular azoles such as prothioconazole that are often being used as either a straight or within mixes at both T1 and T2, says Mr Thornton.
Simon Leak, crop solutions manager for Sumitomo Chemical, supports
trol of rust and eyespot but can also be applied up to growth stage 65 as it delivers fusarium control at T3, says Mr Leak.
“It’s a flexible tank mix option, can be applied in all soil conditions and performs equally well on both winter and spring wheat, rye and triticale.”
Changing the triazole mix to improve resistance management is sensible given that different azoles are active on different septoria strains. It’s also better than the same azole throughout a fungicide programme – albeit in mixes with other chemistry.
“Controlling both brown and yellow rust effectively is a significant challenge,” says Mr Leak – especially given the possibility that tebuconazole may disappear from the armoury in the future.
The answer may come from a new active ingredient from Sumitomo known as Indiflin (inpyrfluxam), currently in the regulatory system. An SDHI, it is already on the market globally, targeting diseases such as soybean rust.
“Indiflin will, in general, be used at T1 or T2 for the control of yellow and brown rust. It has excelled in UK trials – even when up against the severe brown rust infections that many growers experienced during the 2024 harvest season.”
ALincolnshire farmer who grew a record-breaking crop of spring oats won gold at the 2025 Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) awards.
Mark Popplewell credited his win to precise nutrition and an unusually wet spring. The crop of Merlin yielded 11.46 t/ha –more than double the national average –at Happy Days Farming, Market Rasen.
"The numbers were so high we thought the equipment was faulty,” says Mr Popplewell. “The grain tank was filling faster than even a strong wheat crop."
It was Mr Popplewell’s first oat harvest.
He planted 300ha of Merlin oats in late March after a wet winter. Yields reached up to 14 t/ha in some areas with advanced seed treatment, growth regulators and optimised fertiliser application.
“We’ll grow more Merlin in 2025 as it fits well in our rotation,” said Mr Popplewell, who manages 2,000ha of arable land andbed-and-breakfast pigs.
The Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) is an independent knowledge-exchange network. It enables farmers to measure and compare their crop performance on 60 different factors – including agronomy decisions and soil health.
members to share ideas, learn from each other, and work together towards better crop yields. The award was presented to Mr Popplewell last month.
Gemma Clarke, managing director of seed merchant Cope, launched Merlin to the UK market in 2021. “Resilient seed varieties are critical as farmers face increasing challenges from climate change and unpredictable weather,” she said.
Accepted by all mills, Merlin oats are valued for their early harvest, low screenings, high disease resistance and strong yield potential. It’s one of only two spring varieties on spring oat contracts.
The network –open again to growers in 2025 – encourages
“It’s an early variety (-2), offers a competitive lodging score of 8, and has a high rating of 7 for mildew. It also has low screenings which is a real bonus to the mills and a good specific weight,” said Ms Clarke. good
Mark Popplewell’s oat crop yielded more than twice the national average
Mark Schuurman (Director of Agriculture for Virgin Money) discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the agricultural industry and the importance of maintaining a forward-thinking mindset.
“The winter months can often be good for reflection, and the last period has seen so much to discuss, review and consider. However, as we move into spring, it’s more important to look forward and plan for upcoming activities.
With so much going on around the agricultural industry in terms of policy and tax changes delivering direct impact to all businesses, it’s understandably easy to get distracted by the many things we have no control over. At times like this, there’s no better time to look over the fences and see how others are adapting to, or dealing with
these headwinds.
driving down their environmental impact. Within all their targets and KPI’s, their focus is on the things they can control. This is of course much easier said than done, but even in the last few di cult years, there are standout farming businesses with levels of performance that (based on any number of measures) do not relate to their scale, industry, or age/experience.
actually distract from prudent decision making that supports an overarching logical strategy? And at the same time, the availability of a grant does not justify an investment in itself.
In my experience of supporting both farming and other industries, the most successful business owners seem to retain a steely focus on their own strategies, which could be sales growth, maximising production, ruthless cost e ciency or
This is because the individuals just don’t get blown off course, and that’s what makes my role so satisfying. It’s the people that make businesses work. Do they have a clear long-term strategy, and does this influence short-term decision making or not? How are challenges approached? How do they manage people and those other stakeholders who may influence their operating environment? How much time do they spend away from their business, not just looking over the fences but getting under the skin of the drivers of performance of the best
As funders, we think in terms of risk and risk mitigation, and recognise that the agricultural industry right now has everincreasing exposure to the free market with subsidised food production now almost non-existent. This is systemic change, and farmers and landowners in the future will need to be even more agile, ever closer to their customers, the consumer and end users of their products, and to some degree reduce their sole reliance on food or production from land or business.
which could be sales growth, maximising
businesses out there? business to build resilience.
It does of course depend on financial management too, and all the same challenges apply. There will continue to be pressure on farming incomes because of climate change, geopolitical pressures, commodity prices and government policy, but none of these variables outside a business owner’s control should divert attention from what can be done to mitigate, insure and diversify a
Another issue I often debate with customers is that of grants. I am trying in this article not to get blown off course myself and blame Government policy, so I come back to my challenge that any investment opportunity really should stand on its own merit. If an investment makes good business sense because it will deliver a return, be it financial, environmental, in greater e ciency or whatever measure you value, then waiting for a grant to appear
on its own merit. If an investment makes potentially just delays the benefits.
I recognise the value of grants, and you don’t want to miss out if they are available, but do they
While we support the various campaigns that may positively impact central government decision making, maybe more importantly such campaigns can actually more positively engage the UK consumers. It’s an inevitable reality that farming businesses will require the pursuit of diversification opportunities around their core enterprises to deal with ongoing demand and price variability, sustain pressures from imports and build resilience to reduce risk across the sector. Reducing the gap between the population and how our food is grown and sourced is a responsibility for us all in the industry but also allows a variety of other opportunities to be pursued.
As bankers to such a critical sector, we remain positive about the future of farming and food production. We anticipate ongoing change, and we consider that as an opportunity to support forward-focused businesses with the agility and vision to move forward towards their goals whatever headwinds that materialise. Mindset is critical in delivering positive outcomes and I share that positive approach with our customers. I encourage you to surround yourselves with those who you look up to, learn from the focused and forwardthinking, and don’t spend too much time on those things you just can’t control!”
Mark Schuurman (Anglia) mark.schuurman@virginmoney.com
• Biologicals help to protect beet crops
• Plants made ‘less attractive’ to aphids
• Foliar spray to boost quality and yield
Sugar beet growers are being reminded of alternatives to help manage aphids and the threat of virus yellows this spring.
It follows Defra’s refusal to grant an application for the emergency authorisation to use the neonicotinoid-based seed treatment Cruiser SB. Manufacturers claim biological alternatives have shown promising results in trials.
Unlike Cruiser SB – which provides seed protection against the potato peach aphid and the virus yellows virus it transmits – some biological products strengthen plant cell walls and increase leaf hair density to make them less appealing to aphids.
“This approach, alongside common insecticides including Tepppeki and Insyst, has shown a significant reduction in the virus transmission,” says agronomist Mike Stoker, of Orion Future Technologies, which makes the biological product Sirius.
Transmission
A biostimulant containing 21% bio-available silicon, Sirius has been used by UK growers since 2022 to suc
“By accumulating more silicon, the plant becomes less attractive to pests and combining this with aphicides offers an attractive alternative to using Cruiser SB,” he adds.
Sugar beet losses were minimal (-0.5%) in 2019 and 2021 when Cruiser SB was unavailable, according to information published by Defra minister Emma Hardy, who is responsible for pesticide authorisations.
Losses soared to 25% in 2020 –again when Cruiser SB was unavailable – but ranged from just 0.3% to 1.7% when Cruiser SB was available between 2022 and 2024 – a level not dissimilar to 2019 and 2021.
Stronger crops
“Relying solely on seed treatments is not a sustainable way to farm sugar beet in the UK – nor has it necessarily provided the level of protection expected,” says Mr Stoker.
Biological products can help protect against yellows virus
“There are alternatives, and concentrating on strengthening plants using naturally available solutions like silicon are sustainable and efficacious.”
Silicon is applied as a foliar spray to sugar beet at growth stage 6-8 true leaves. Once accumulated, Mr Stoker says it acts to reduce the feeding time
Agronomist Mike Stoker (below right) says stronger cell walls can reduce the risk of aphid damage (left)
of predating pests such as aphids.
This reduction in feeding time has been identified as an important factor in the reduction in virus transmission and has also led to healthier plants with an improved yield, he adds.
Data from multiple sources – field applications, replicated plot trials and lab studies – has demonstrated why silicon-treated crops are more resilient – and how higher silicon levels in the plant can boost quality and yield, says Mr Stoker.
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• Keep careful eye on all crops
• Good strategy pays dividends
• Return on investment is key
Variable weather last autumn is having a significant impact on the over-winter survival of oilseed rape crops.
There will be no one-size-fits-all approach going into spring, say experts. Instead, crops should be managed on a field-by-field basis – ranging from those which struggled to establish to others which are further forward.
It’s by no means all bad news, though. Overall, cabbage stem flea beetle numbers were lower last autumn, according to the national network of Bayer’s newly launched MagicTrap digital yellow water traps.
But with the oilseed rape crop area for harvest 2025 estimated to be down by 36% on 2024 at around 226,000ha, timely crop assessment and targeted management in the coming weeks could pay dividends this season.
New season oilseed rape crops were generally planted in good conditions across much of East Anglia.
But establishment was compromised by wet weather and a delayed harvest further north.
Bayer trials manager Richard Williams, responsible for Dekalb’s oilseed rape strip trials programme, says: “When I visited our strip trial
“It was drilled on 7 August and that’s what we have to do in the East – we have to get in with the drill early and hit the moisture early.
That’s what the team at Rougham did and they have a fantastic crop.”
It was a similar situation in Herefordshire. Plant counts in the strip trial ranged between 33-48 plants/m² in December – nicely within the optimum range of 30-50 plants/m².
“We know from our trials over several years now that a population of 25-40 plants/m² is needed for the best performance. Some well-established, thick crops are likely to benefit from a little thinning out over winter or, in some cases, a spring PGR.
Cabbage stem flea beetle pressure was lower last autumn than in previous seasons – but growers should still check crops regularly for larvae.
Wet seedbeds in some areas have put crops under pressure from the outset. A realistic appraisal of the likely return on investment should be undertaken by assessing plant populations, rooting and the presence of flea beetle larvae.
January frosts have reduced the canopy size in bigger crops. That said, crops may benefit from an early application of tebuconazole where larger canopies persist.
Growers should consider delaying or reducing the first nitrogen split in well-established, forward crops but prioritise nitrogen on smaller, backward crops.
Light leaf spot symptoms are starting to appear. There is no treatment threshold – growers should apply a fungicide such as Aviator Xpro (bixafen+prothioconazole) at the first signs of disease or as soon as field conditions allow.
Left: Hit the moisture early, says Richard Williams Below (left to right): Some oilseed rape crops have established better than others; strip trial establishment has been the best of the past three seasons; clubroot resistant RL candidate variety DMH 585 going into winter
A key message is the lack of difference in terms of establishment between DK Excentric, which was launched last year, compared to the tried and tested variety DK Exstar or pipeline variety CWH 596, both of which are earlier varieties.
eye on crops and manage them on a case-by-case basis. That said, oilseed rape remains the best break crop ahead of a first wheat, she adds.
“As a crop, it will come back into favour – we just need to have some patience and wait for the flea beetle tolerant varieties to come through.
These varieties are starting to appear on the horizon and Ms BortwickNorth says she is getting good feedback from our breeders.
Bayer technical manager Ellie Borthwick-North urges growers to keep a close
“Right now it’s about getting out and checking crops and making sure we look after them with good farming and good agronomy.”
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Getting the best from nitrogen will be especially important this season, says Natalie Wood .
wet autumn and a range of drilling dates mean nitrogen applications need careful consideration
The first nitrogen application is particularly important in cereals because it affects yield potential. In wheat, for example, tillering tends to start in the autumn when the crops are at the three to four leaf stage.
During the tillering phase, the maximum number of potential florets is set. Applying sufficient nitrogen before the third week of March can help increase the number of tillers the crop puts on, meaning a higher yield potential overall.
As is often the case, unpredictable weather conditions mean that while some farmers are looking forward with their planning, some are behind schedule.
While some areas of the UK had average or below average rainfall during autumn, many areas south of the Midlands had almost 200% of the totals they’d usually expect. This resulted in a lot of variation in both drilling dates and growth stages.
The warmer temperatures seen up until the cold snap in early January may have benefits in terms of increased soil mineralisation. But it’s likely that many soils will still be deficient in nitrogen because of last year’s wet conditions.”
Farmers on track should aim for around 250 plants/m² in the spring, with first nitrogen applications adjusted according to plant
are white, it’s growing. If they are grey or pink, or they’ve been in waterlogged conditions, the advice is to be patient.
population and growth stage. Crops on target with 250 plants/m² should receive about 60kgs of nitrogen.
So, the big question is: what should farmers be looking at in terms of products?
Presuming you’re going to need sulphur too, I'd recommend something like YaraBela Axan. If you want some phosphate and potash – good for most crops when spring soil temperatures are cold – look at a product like YaraMila 52S or Actyva S.
“ Many soils will still be deficient
In the case of backward crops, they will need a bit more of a helping hand.
As there’s only a limited amount of time to increase the number of tillers and late drilled crops are already going to have fewer tillers, the focus should be on helping them with some early nitrogen – at a higher rate.
Instead of 60kg/ha of nitrogen, farmers should look to apply 80kg or even slightly more depending on the situation. As well as an adequate amount of nitrogen, the timing of that first application is crucial too. It should be applied as soon as possible once the crop is growing. If the crop isn’t growing, it won’t take up the nitrogen and there’s potential for nutrient loss.
To check the crop is growing, dig up some plants and look at the roots. If the root tips
If your cereals are particularly backwards, consider a split first nitrogen application. You might want to apply 40kg/ha followed by 40kg, but bear in mind that if the crop responds well you will need to get back in with the second application quite quickly.
Given that last year’s flooding not only damaged soil structure and washed away crops, but also depleted soils of micronutrients, farmers are encouraged to make use of them as well as phosphate and potash to kickstart growth and maintain momentum.
Assessing the quality and status of soils doesn’t have to be guesswork. Yara has some helpful tools available, including soil analysis that can tell you everything from how many microorganisms are in the soil to whether pH is right.
Getting the pH right ensures more nutrients are available to the crop. Tissue analysis allows you to understand whether micronutrients are getting into the crop, and grain analysis enables better decisions about what you need to apply this season.
Yara’s digital Atfarm tool also helps farmers make more informed decisions about what to apply. It allows you to adjust nitrogen recommendations based on what the crops are telling you.
Grain analysis is a backward look, but you can compare what it tells you about the soil content with your most recent soil analysis to see how much you have lost in any flooding situation.
Natalie Wood is a Yara crop nutrition agronomist. For details, visit www.yara.co.uk
Ways to maximise the yield and quality of barley crops are the subject of a technical growing guide unveiled for the 2025 season.
The Barley Agronomy Guide explores the factors and husbandry required to fulfil the potential of spring and winter crops.It has been published by BASF in partnership with NIAB, ADAS, Scotland’s rural college SRUC and Ireland’s Teagasc.
The first part of the guide examines the importance of planning and implementing a well-considered crop strategy. This an essential step on the road to creating and achieving yield potential.
The importance of end market objectives, the position of the crop in the rotation and choice of variety – all of which will impact crop management – are considered by crop physiologist Steve Hoad, of SRUC.
BASF business development manager David Leahy explains: “It is absolutely essential to get the basics right from the start. Barley is sink limited which means it is limited by the number and the capacity of grain sites.
“Creating yield potential in both winter and spring barley is all about maximising sink capacity, which means establishing the crop in a way that enables the crop to strongly develop and tiller.”
drilled, good establishment is key to enable rapid development and the formation of tillers, adds Mr Leahy.
The next section of the guide is designed to give crops the best start. Will Vaughan-France (NIAB) Ciaran Collins ( Teagasc) discuss seed quality, seed rates, drilling dates and establishment techniques.
Detailed husbandry over the course of the season is key to achieving high yielding crops. Ways to minimise risk from the outset are considered by Jonathan Blake and Sacha White (both ADAS), alongside take-all and barley yellow dwarf virus.
Sarah Kendall and John Cussans (also both ADAS) look at weed management, macro- and micro-nutrition. They discuss integrated pest manage-
Once the variety is selected and
It’s always best to consider the target market before drilling the crop
Pete Berry (ADAS) discusses how to avoid lodging and brackling – including ways to maximise yield and quality while minimising lodging risk and the factors which influence brackling, which has become more common as yield parameters are pushed.
Disease management strategies are covered in depth by Stephen Kildea (Teagasc), Neil Havis (SRUC) and David Leahy (BASF). They describe the lifecycles and effects of Rhynchosporium, net blotch, brown rust, powdery mildew and ramularia.
Below: Crops should be established in a way that encourages strong tillering The barley crop management guide
The key principles of IPM for each disease are outlined, considering the risk factors which affect the severity of each, and potential management strategies.
Fungicide strategies and timings are explored, including independent data illustrating the efficacy of active ingredients to help growers make informed choices.
David Leahy says: “This guide, with its intuitive layout, is packed full of useful content and will act as an invaluable reference for successfully growing barley crops from start to finish."
Anationwide initiative to assess cabbage stem flea beetle larvae levels in oilseed rape aims to encourage more farmers to grow the crop.
The project is a collaborative effort jointly funded by Hutchinsons, Agrii, and United Oilseeds. Niab scientists have been analysing oilseed rape stem samples for flea beetle larvae numbers and the results are being shared with the wider industry.
Larvae numbers
Bayer MagicTraps, used in a nationwide network set up by United Oilseeds and widely used by project partners, have already recorded relatively low adult flea beetle numbers – and on-farm observations indicate fewer adult beetles this year too.
Experts say post-harvest shallow cultivation practiced by 80% of farmers could have had an impact on larvae numbers.
Regardless of this, the count is expected to offer further insights into what we might expect later this year.
Selected farmers from across the partner networks have been collecting and send ing plant stems to Niab for as sessment. The findings will provide valuable insight into flea beetle larvae populations and help inform future manage ment strategies.
Niab break crop specialist Col in Peters said: "This is a simple and cost-effective project that could provide valuable insights for farmers and the indus try in understanding what adult flea bee tle pressure may look like later this year.
“While long-term research remains crucial, we also need shorter-term initiatives like this that can leverage real-time data to support farm decision-making."
The initiative underscores the importance of tackling key agronomic challenges togerher, said Mr Peters, praising industry partners for delivering robust and practical insights for growers.
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The survey is part of the oilseed rape Reboot initiative launched by United Oilseeds last summer.
Designed to revitalise cultivation of the crop in the UK, the campaign aims to key challenges such as pest pressures and declining yields.
Strong prices and lower growing costs mean spring oilseed rape is capable of delivering a healthy margin this year.
A shortage of UK-grown rape and the need for growers to find profitable options to cereals in the rotation are creating a growing interest in the crop, says Sarah Hawthorne, of breeders DSV.
"The variable establishment that can be seen in challenging autumn and winter conditions are obviously avoided and with a realistic yield target of 3.0t/ha, good returns are possible.”
DSV has been breeding spring oilseed rape since the early 1970s and says it is continuously adding value to the crop. The latest genetics offer not just high outputs and quality potential, but good levels of resilience, too.
The UK range yields as high as 103% of controls with three Clearfield varieties, says Ms Hawthorne.
“DSV has been particularly successful in developing varieties that deliver consistently high yields in the shorter growing period available.
“As well as focusing on varieties that deliver high yields and oil contents, we are working on more robust plant types that are more resilient against biotic and abiotic stress."
With the introduction of its new Clearfield hybrid Cocktail CL, DSV now has five of the six varieties on the 2025 AHDB Descriptive List for spring oilseed rape – and remains firmly committed to the crop, says Ms Hawthorne.
DSV Contra CL, Cocktail CL and Crazy CL are all varieties tolerant to imidazolinone herbicides making them valuable tools for weed control in the rotation with all capable of delivering respectable yields and oil contents, as well.
DSV Crazy also has clubroot resistance. DSV Lakritz, which joined the DL in 2021, remains the highest yielding of all spring sown OSR varieties, closely followed by DSV Lumen.
Sowing of oilseed rape should be car ried out in the best conditions possible to ensure rapid and even emergence, expalins Ms Hawthorne.
"It is always better to wait for opti mum seedbed conditions rather than sowing early."
Spring rape develops less branch es than winter sown so a higher plant density is advised with a target of 6080 seeds/m² but this will depend on soil conditions and sowing date.
"Spring rape can be drilled from mid-March to mid-April with a firm,
Above: Oilseed rape can still deliver financially
Below: Decent yields can be achieved, says Sarah Hawthorne
“Generally, the same herbicides used for winter oilseed rape are suitable and for fields with high volunteer pressure or difficult to manage weeds, new Cocktail CL would be a good option.
“Insect pests are the most difficult to manage problem in spring oilseed rape. Cabbage flea beetles must be monitored after sowing.
“Their feeding damage can look similar to cabbage stem flea beetles so you need to be careful.
Pollen beetle can be an issue and growers should be on the lookout for these as soon as buds become visible, adds Ms Hawthorne.
“Pollen beetle are a bigger threat to spring sown crops than winter ones as the beetles migrate to the spring crops after the winter crops have flowered, so you must remain vigilant and take appropriate action where needed."
•
• Dilemma for early fungicide plans
• Effective disease control is vital
Extra care will be needed to manage wheat development and disease pressure this spring – as crops come out of winter in a wide range of growth stages.
Variability will be similar to last season for some growers. Many early-sown forward wheats are showing good growth and excellent potential. But some later-drilled crops have struggled to get going in cold, wet soils.
Essex and Suffolk-based Farmacy agronomist Tom Smith says the most forward wheats in his area were up to growth stage 25 by mid-February, with many at Growth Stage (GS) 2324. Those drilled in mid-November after potatoes were nearer GS13.
“These are the extremes, but there’s a lot of variability out there, which poses challenges for early fungicide planning, and reinforces the importance of applying treatments according to growth stage, not calendar date.
“Growers also need to recognise that later, backward crops, often go through growth stages quickly as temperatures and day length increase, potentially complicating spray timings.”
Late-drilled wheats can often be the trickier crops to manage, especially if rapid growth results in weaker stems and increased lodging risk, he adds.
Both forward and backward crops need managing carefully to protect and build potential, which all starts with the T0 spray, says Farmacy head of integrated crop management David Howard.
“We have seen before that growers can sometimes be reluctant to invest too much in thinner crops, cutting back on early T0 and T1 sprays, only to find they then had to chase disease hard at T2 to get it back under control.”
Yellow rust in particular can be more pronounced in late-sown or stressed wheats. Thinner crops are also more reliant on lower leaves to help them catch up so protecting photosynthetic capacity is key, despite the potentially lower yield potential.
With recent seasons indicating rust and septoria are becoming more aggressive and better adapted to changing weather patterns, effective early disease control is vital to stay on the front foot in any crop.
“The T0 fungicide may not offer the same yield responses as later treatments, but it sets the foundations for effective disease management, and crucially, helps manage the pressure on subsequent GS 32 (T1) treatments and key yield-building leaves.”
Historically, septoria was the main target at T0, and while septoria control remains important in high-risk varieties and regions – particularly the west and south-west – for many, the focus has shifted towards managing rust, says Mr Howard.
“Last year saw a particularly early appearance of brown rust in some crops, and after a high-pressure season, there could be more inoculum around this spring, although much depends on the impact of winter frosts in reducing inoculum, or at least delaying onset.
Equally, milder conditions, like last season, could result in earlier rust pressure for many farmers.
“Rust management is a numbers game; you must act early to slow it down before inoculum builds. An effective T0 is a ‘no-brainer’ for anyone growing wheat in higher rust-risk areas of eastern counties.”
Spraying early can help to ease the pressure to treat crops later
“While there has been a bit of Septoria bubbling away on older leaves, yellow rust has not been present in crops. But that could change quickly once conditions warm up. Although we did have a cold spell during January, conditions have generally been quite mild through the autumn and winter, noculum is still likely to be there.”
In most situations, Mr Smith says tebuconazole is his preferred option to control yellow rust at T0 – combined with a strobilurin for extra persistence. For those looking to boost septoria protection, consider adding a multi-site like folpet, he notes.
“As always though, fungicide choices should be based on individual situations, considering things like variety, growth stage, previous cropping, drilling date, the weather, and what diseases you’re seeing in the field at the time.”
GS 30 is also an ideal time to apply a plant growth regulator, such as trinexapac-ethyl or chlormequat, to manipulate plant growth, says Mr Smith.
The aim is to control apical dominance and help balance the flow of nutrients and energy across the leaves, stems and developing spikelets, giving the plant the best chance of retaining as many tillers as it can support, with strong stems and large ears.
There is an important distinction between this early growth ‘manipulation’ and the use of PGRs at the later GS 31/32 or 37/39 timings, where the focus is on growth ‘regulation’ by shortening and strengthening the stem to reduce lodging risks, he notes.
“There’s
Some laterdrilled crops have struggled says Tom Smith
Supporting root development of more backward crops is another important consideration at T0, and phosphite-based biostimulants have been shown to boost root growth and tiller retention, as well as enhancing PGR effects.
Ideally, they need to be used early, typically at GS 30, although there may be some benefit up to GS 31. Trace elements can be useful for healthy crop growth too, , particularly where previous soil testing has highlighted potential deficiencies.
“Many growers might already include magnesium or manganese, but a number of Gold soil tests we’ve done have come back showing low levels of zinc and boron on several farms, so these may be worth including at T0 and T1 where necessary.”
This season, Mr Smith hopes to conduct a tramline trial comparison to see if there is any tangible benefit to crop growth, yield and grain quality from applying zinc and boron at T0 where issues have been highlighted by soil testing.
Finally, Mr Howard advises growers to be open-minded about T0 spray timing.
“Typically, many wait for GS 30, but crops are sometimes beyond that by the time of application, and when catchy weather delays spraying, some may wait until the T1 and perhaps try combining the two.
“Having a gap between T0 and T1 is beneficial though, so be flexible with the early timing. If disease is present and you are 2-4 weeks out from T1, it is worth treating, subject to product label restrictions.”
Many products can only be used from GS 30 onwards, but there are some that can be applied earlier, including biological controls, says Mr Howard.
More than 70 farmers attended the inaugural client conference held by independent agronomy firm Indigro last month.
Believed to be the largest one-day event of its kind by a UK-based independent agronomy company, the conference took place on 4 February at Whittlebury Hall, Northamptonshire.
The day was themed around farm resilience. A packed and wide-ranging agenda covered subjects as diverse as soil health, sap testing and gross margins – and ways to integrate the Sustainable Farming Incentive within the farm business.
‘Critical issues’
Technical sessions looked at varietal choice, appropriate disease control, weed management, regenerative practices, biodiversity net gain and soil carbon management – including revenue potential.
With a theme of Fit for the Future, the day concluded with an after-dinner speech from agronomist Sean Sparling, executive director and former chairman of the Association of Independent Crop Consultants.
Indigro director and co-founder Roger Davis said: The aim of the conference was to update and engage our clients about critical issues in today’s
challenging times and make them and their farm businesses more resilient.
“The conference provided truly independent advice on a broad spectrum of subjects to improve farm profitability and the quality of the food we produce, whilst also improving the health of soil and water and natural capital.
Mr Davis said the event was well-attended, fostering healthy and thought-provoking discussions. Feed-
Econometric chief executive David Wright takes the stage
The inaugural agronomy conference was themed around resilience
across the Midlands, East Anglia and south-west England.
Three new fungicide co-formulations have been launched – giving growers more options against cereal diseases.
All three Adama products contain the active ingredient prothioconazole. Two incorporate the company’s Asorbital formulation technology to provide rainfastness and faster protection against key cereal and oilseed rape diseases.
The first of the three new products is Maganic. It contains a combination of prothioconazole (175g/litre) and difenoconazole (125g/litre) in an emulsifiable concentrate (EC) formulation, says Adama.
Strong protection
Manganic provides strong protection against a range of wheat, barley, rye, triticale and oilseed rape diseases, and is the ideal tebuconazole-free option for the T3 timing in wheat, says Adama fungicide specialist Andy Bailey.
The second new product is Avastel. It provides protection against a broad spectrum
terms of which cops it can be applied to and when. In wheat, for example, it can be applied at T1, T2 or T3, and in barley at T1 or T2.
Giving broad spectrum control of key foliar and stem base diseases in wheat, Avastal is and is also effective against brown rust, yellow rust and tan spot. In barley, it protects against net blotch, rhynchosporium, brown rust, ramularia and mildew.
‘Great value’
The third new product is Maxentis. It is marketed as a great value disease control fungicide thanks to its mix of two broad spectrum active ingredients: azoxystrobin (200g/litre) and prothioconazole (150g/litre).
Maxentis gives effective control of a range of foliar and ear diseases including septoria, fusarium, rusts, ramularia, net blotch and powdery mildew in cereals, and sclerotinia and alternaria in oilseed rape.
For the control of fusarium on the ear of wheat, Maxentis can be applied after ear emergence until the end of flowering, says Mr Bailey. The optimum timing being early flowering, he adds.
Farmers preparing to tidy up stubbles ahead of spring crops are advised to check the situation in the field before filling up the sprayer.
Effective weed control from glyphosate depends on suitable application conditions – but growers reported were several cases of poor performance last spring due to prolonged bad weather.
Performance
"Last spring stretched the limits, reminding us glyphosate is not infallible," says Bayer agronomist Roger Bradbury. "Several factors combined to affect performance, and these are things to watch out for this spring too."
Spray rates should be sufficient for the most stubborn weed in the spectrum – including weeds at advanced growth stages. If there is a delay between spray recommendation and application, double-check and consider a higher rate if weeds have grown.
Avoid applications to stressed weeds which may not translocate glyphosate throughout the plant effectively. Stress most likely means waterlogging at this time of year. Drought or prolonged cold and frosty weather are the other possible causes.
"Last spring, spray windows were few and far between meaning some farmers made applications in margin al conditions or at speeds well in excess of 12km/hour to cover the ground,” says Mr Bradbury.
"Apply with good application tech nique paying attention to nozzle choice, boom height and calibration. If a water conditioner is deemed nec essary, make sure this is added to the spray tank first.”
Should the weather become more challenging, growers should keep in mind that modern glyphosate formu lations are faster-drying and deliver more reliable and consistent levels of efficacy even under more difficult con ditions, says Mr Bradbury.
In later spring, weeds at the stem extension phase of growth are often difficult to control. The glyphosate is carried upward controlling the shoot but is not translocated sufficiently to the roots so there may be regrowth.
"Allowing plants that regrow to set seed is a resistance risk.
"The danger was underlined by the recent announcement of a resistance in Italian ryegrass – highlighting the importance of correct application and stewardship.
Glyphosate is not infallible “
Research in the UK and experi ence around the world suggests that ryegrass species are higher risk with regards to glyphosate resistance. Growers should stick to best practice for application and closely monitor performance in the field.
option'
rowing miscanthus can improve farm business resilience – and increase profitability in less productive areas of the farm, says
Despite high establishment costs, miscanthus delivers greater profitability than wheat and barley over a 10-year period, suggests Terravesta. Beyond this point, the crop’s low maintenance costs further boost returns.
As a perennial crop, miscanthus thrives on poorer quality land, is resistant to pests and can withstand extreme weather conditions – making it an ideal choice for diversification, explains Terravesta managing director
“Planting Miscanthus may initially appear financially challenging due to high establishment costs and delayed returns. However, this analysis shows that stable, long-term returns outweigh these initial hurdles.”
A farm growing 100ha of cereals will achieve a cumulative net margin of £342,920 over 10 years, suggests Terravesta. Although miscanthus takes five years to break even, the same area of the crop will generating £424,663 over the same period.
“Farmers are still better off with Miscanthus after 10 years compared to wheat and barley,” says Mr Ilias. “Beyond year 10, its low maintenance further improves profitability.”
• Improved nutrient use efficiency • Creates the ideal conditions for soil microbes to thrive • Calcium enhances soil structure and root development
• Flexible terms based on cash flow
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Remain profitable and sustainable
Farmers working to improve soil health can take advantage of a new loan agreement with preferential interest rates.
Launched by Oxbury Bank, the Transition Facility aims to help farmers continue farming profitably while changing their management practices to reduce carbon emissions and boost their resilience.
Available from an interest rate of 1% over the Bank of England base rate, the loan is versatile and can be used for any purpose. It can be drawn down and repaid continuously over period of up to six years.
Speaking at last month’s LEAF conference, Oxbury co-founder and managing director Nick Evans said the bank wanted to incentivise and reward farmers who made sustainable changes.
“Oxbury spent two years developing the Transition Facility ensuring that it understood the needs of
farmers and the supply chain,” he told the LEAF audience of farmers, industry leaders and academics.
“The bank concluded that the whole industry including government, banks and the sup-
meeting the needs of farmers
improving their soil health and boosting soil organic carbon.
Its launch follows independent research by the Soil Association Exchange showing that 77% of farmers who have decided to transition have little or no financial flexibility to adapt their farming systems.
With climate change pressures and demands from government and supply chains, Mr Evans said Oxbury recognised the need for farmers to obtain the necessary funds to change their farming practices.
The loan facility operates alongside other financing initiatives – including government grants and private sector payments for farming practices – creating a blended finance model to extend the impact of multiple partners in the value-chain.
Farmers already making changes
Borrow up to £500/ha – from £25,001 to £500,000
Interest rates from 1% above base for up to six years
Annual facility fees from 0.5% of the facility amount
Flexible repayment terms based on cash flow Facility can be continuously repaid and withdrawn
Interest payable monthly on outstanding balance
No need to change your existing bank relationship
No early repayment charges
“ The industry needs to work together
will need to provide Oxbury with documentation showing what they have done. Farmers who are planning to make changes must provide budgets and other evidence for the changes to be made.
For full details about the Transition Facility, visit oxbury.com
As well as giving farms access to finance, the Oxbury Transition Facility helps farmers prove that any changes are delivering results.
Carbon footprints will be measured at the start of the facility and will be ongoing to assess reductions in emissions. Satellite imagery and soil testing will measure improvement in soil organic carbon levels.
Oxbury has partnered with Downforce Technologies to calculate the annual average soil carbon levels across more than 120,000ha of farmland. This will
help farmers track the outcomes of transition actions on soil health.
While there are existing facilities for farmers to fund specific sustainable projects, Oxbury’s initiative allows farmers to take a range of actions over time and understands that the benefits will be gradual. Customers can use the facility in the way they deem most appropriate for their transition. This could cover for instance input costs, general working capital, infrastructure or machinery.
• Sodden soils after another wet winter
• Test properly to assess nutrient status
• Take time before drilling spring crops
Growers in doubt about the nutritional status of soils this spring should get out in the field and conduct a thorough test, says an agronomist.
ProCam agronomist Justin Smith says there’s no room for complacency when managing this season’s mixed bag of forward and backward crops after another wet autumn caused a wide drilling window.
“There’s no better way to understand the nutritional status of soils or needs of a crop than by testing. Likewise, there’s no substitute for using a spade to dig a hole to determine if or when soils are ready to be drilled.”
Soil testing and tissue sampling
will help determine nutrient requirements, says Mr Smith. “Rather than mauling in spring crops, growers should take the time to make sure conditions are suitable, he adds.
“It might be tempting to drill spring crops at the first sign of drier conditions, but after such a wet winter don’t underestimate just how waterlogged the ground could remain, especially where soils were compacted.
“Likewise, when we get to next autumn’s drilling window, be patient. It’s never too early to start planning, so talk to your agronomist about whether you should be thinking about sub-soiling or ploughing to alleviate compaction.
“But be prepared to change plans as the year unfolds. If conditions aren’t suitable for deep cultivation work, any good intentions could easily backfire and put soil structure and yield potential even further back.”
A flexible approach will pay dividends following a wet winter, says Mr Smith. Although some crops are very for ward, some are less advanced and oth ers are way behind where they should be at this time of year.
“While some crops were successful ly sown in early September, wet weath er soon halted progress, resulting in crops being drilled in two or three dis tinct phases several weeks apart.”
With such a diversity of situations, a blanket approach to crop care won’t suffice. Growers are therefore advised to seek specialist agronomic support to guide them on a case-by-case basis.
“In a lot of cases, reserves of resid ual nitrogen will have been depleted by the wet conditions with crops in need of an application of fertiliser as soon as possible. As well as conventional fertilisers, growers should consider alternative nitrogen sources.”
Encera, a bacteria-based product which fixes atmospheric nitrogen and makes it directly available to the plant, provides an accessible source of nitrogen while offsetting the cost and logis-
Weed control will require a tailored approach, says Mr Smith. “Where a pre-emergence herbicide was successfully applied on time and there was plenty of moisture available to aid uptake, the weed burden hopefully won’t
"But where pre-em treatments were hampered or missed entirely, a robust approach will be needed in the spring. Again, an experienced agronomist’s advice will be crucial to ensure each field and crop is protected according
The priority for very forward crops will be to manage canopies to prevent lodging later in the year, with the application of a PGR such as trinexepac and prohexdione in Medax Max also providing a useful secondary benefit by stimulating root development.
“Disease burden will also vary greatly depending on the crop’s status, with any that were drilled early likely to need a T0 treatment to keep ahead of infections such as Septoria,” explains
Aregenerative farming initiative started by commodity trader ADM has exceeded expectations thanks to solid support by farmers, says the company.
ADM’s regenerative agriculture programme encourages farmers to implement practices that help to improve soil health and water quality, promote biodiversity – and curb carbon emissions.
More than 260 farmers enrolled on the programme in its first year. They receive payments for using regenerative farming methods and technical support on how best to implement these practices on their farm.
"Farmers understand the important role regenerative agriculture plays in securing the future of their businesses and the planet," says Jonathan Lane, managing director of ADM Agriculture.
"ADM is committed to supporting farmers in our effort to create a more
sustainable and resilient food system, and our UK experience gives us confi dence as we seek to continue to scale up our efforts globally."
The global company defines re generative agriculture as an out come-based farming approach that protects and improves soil health, bi odiversity, climate and water resourc es while supporting farming business development.
After expanding from North America to Europe last year, ADM's global regenerative agriculture programme targeting 1.4 million hectares in 2024. It is now targeting 2 million hectares in 2025.
Globally, ADM says the initiative reduced its Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions and delivered carbon dioxide sequestration that was equivalent to removing more than 135,000 cars from the road for a year.
The scheme rewards farmers who improve and maintain soil health
ADM works with key implementation partners offering remote data collection and validation to give farmers a deeper understanding of their carbon footprint and sustainability performance.
The UK programme was designed with farm data specialists Map of Agriculture – giving ADM customers crucial insights into the environmental impact of their supply chains, including verification by techniques such as remote sensing.
For more details about the scheme, email ClimateSmartuk@adm.com.
• Payments for organic matter test
• Increase in nutrient management
• More profitable farming practices
More farmers are taking advantage of Defra’s Sustainable Farming Incentive to better understand soil health.
Defra’s soil testing incentive CSAM1 is part of the wider SFI scheme and offers £6 per hectare and £97 per SFI agreement to farms willing to test the organic matter of soil on an annual basis.
Soil scientists say the incentive has spurred a sharp rise in laboratory tests – and led to more farms applying for the CNUM1 £652 payment to request nutrient management plans from FACTS certified advisors.
“Our labs in England and Scotland have been very busy,” says Eurofins Agro’s Shane Brewer. Many farmers are seeking to go a level deeper by learning more about the characteristics of soil, he adds.
Soil structure
The Eurofins fertilisation manager test measures the chemical values of macro and micronutrients, soil acidity and soil overall structure – alongside biological components such as fungi and bacteria.
Mr Brewer says: “We have seen growing interest in the Soil Life Monitor test which determines the total microbial biomass, fungi, bacteria and protozoa. It also identifies some physical characteristics such as pH and the quality of organic matter.”
A better understanding of soil structure makes it easier to judge which crops are better suited to both the soil and growing conditions. It also acts as an indicator for how well soil can retain water, explains Mr Brewer.
“Weather extremes can damage soil nutrient levels through leaching and leave soil less able to deal with rainfall. Testing soil each year helps to build a picture of how the soil is reacting to weather, crop choice and fertilisation decisions.”
Mandy McAulay, head of product sustainability at Origin Soil Nutrition, says more farmers are asking FACTS
certified advisors to create nutrient management plans under the CNUM1 option.
“Having soil samples that are no more than four years old is key to managing your nutrient usage more efficiently and effectively, says Ms McAulay – especially amid increasingly variable weather from season to season.
“Knowing the expected yield and crop offtake, and calculating the nutrients
required after optimising organic sources, will produce a nutrient management plan that maximises nutrients and minimises waste.”
Farmers are being reminded to comply with Sustainable Farming Incentive rules – and make sure they can show there are meeting their obligations.
Growers and livestock producers who sign up to the SFI could face a hefty penalty if they are later unable to show the Rural Payments Agency they are meeting its full requirements, say farm business consultants Strutt & Parker.
One of the simplest SFI actions is to assess soil, produce a soil management plan and test soil organic matter (CSAM1). The assessment must be carried out and a written soil management plan produced within 12 months of an agreement start date. Schedule in your soil tests over the course of your agreement, so you meet the requirement that
Growers and agronomists keen to optimise margins are using the combination of more regular soil testing and detailed nutrient management planning to improve soil health whilst reducing input costs.
Shane Brewer: more soil tests
within the last five years all land parcels have had their soil organic matter measured.
Without a reminder in the diary, it can be easy to forget which land parcels need soil tests in years two and three of the agreement. Growers should also check that any old soil test results you may be relying on actually include soil organic matter – not all do. The soil management plan should be reviewed each year.
Requirements are similar for nutrient management plans (CNUM1). As with the soil management plan, the nutrient management plan needs to be completed within the first 12 months and then reviewed each year.
The nutrient management plan must, however, be completed by a FACTS-qualified adviser. This means that an existing management plan for the Red Tractor scheme may not be adequate.
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Defra plans to review the way it funds flood defences – saying it wants to ensure that farms, rural businesses and local communities are properly protected.
It comes after the government unveiled an extra £50m for internal drainage boards (IDBs) – the public bodies responsible for managing water levels for agriculture and the environmentin low-lying areas.
Defra says the investment will put drainage boards on a firm footing to deliver their vital role in flood and water management. IDBs that submit successful bids will be able to spend the £50m on projects over the next two years.
This will benefit projects that will improve, repair or replace IDB assets – including flood barriers, embankments and maintenance of watercourses. Defra says the funding will support projects which reduce the risk of flooding and its impact.
Defra minister Emma Hardy said the extra funding would benefit farmers and rural communities – and would be accompanied by a government consultation on a new strategic vision for floods investment.
The funding formula for allocating money to proposed flood defenc-
were destroying homes, businesses and livelihoods across the country –with farming communities facing the heaviest consequences, she warned.
“That is why this government is reforming how flood funds are distributed to protect businesses, rural and coastal communities as we invest over £2.4bn in flood defences across the country.”
es would be simplified to new flood schemes could be delivered more quickly – including innovative approaches such as nature-based schemes and sustainable drainage.
A government consultation this year will include a review of the existing formula to ensure the challenges facing businesses and rural and coastal communities are properly accounted for when delivering flood protection, said Ms Hardy.
More intense weather events
Farmers are being encouraged to join forces and find new ways of securing enough water for agriculture.
Although increased reservoir storage is likely to feature prominently, the Environment Agency is encouraging groups of farmers to think “outside of the reservoir box” and look for more innovative solutions.
Water Resources East is being funded by the agency to provide technical advice and input to consultants and fam clusters. It follows an open application process for groups of farmers to work in clusters to improve water resilience. Potential new options include new water
A new Floods Resilience Taskforce met for the first time last autumn –bringing together central and local government representatives, the NFU and others to discuss ways to speed up and co-ordinate flooding preparation and resilience.
Association of Drainage Authorities chief executive Innes Thomson said the additional funding would “go a long way” to ease the pressure on internal drainage boards facing the significant cost burden from winter storms.”
Emma Hardy: flood reform
sharing arrangements, water rights trading, increased utilisation of high flow abstraction, floodplain storage and collaborative working with Internal Drainage Boards.
Grants are potentially available from Defra to meet 40% of the construction costs of options under this process. Options will likely need planning approval and Environment Agency consent if they require new abstraction licences.
Other developments include the formal incorporation of Water for Food as a national voice for agricultural water needs – and an opportunity to grow a network of water abstractor groups (WAGs) between Lincolnshire and Essex.
• Abstraction licence terms breached
• Offences took place over four-year period
• Magistrate imposes £4000 fine
Farmers are being reminded to abide by abstraction licences after a Norfolk grower was fined more than £4000 for taking too much water.
Brian Rutterford, 77, of Undley, Lakenheath, was ordered to pay £4300 on 15 January at Norwich Magistrates Court. It followed water abstraction offences over a four-year period involving a channel next to his farm in Hockwold-cum-Wilton.
The court heard that Mr Rutterford took three times the amount of water permitted by his abstraction licence. He continued to take water during the record-breaking hot summer of 2022, when the region was in drought.
The successful prosecution was brought by the Environment Agency. It said Mr Rutherford had a history of environmental offending and his actions affected water supplies for the local community.
Mr Rutterford held two water abstraction licences – one for summer and one for winter. His licences required him to keep abstraction records and maintain abstraction meters – but
Mr Rutterford argued that he over-abstracted the water to address a leak in his lake that put his fish at risk. But prosecutor Mrs Sarah Dunne told the court that his activities had continued for four years including during a summer drought.
In addition, the water abstraction offences were committed while Mr Rutterford had received a suspended sentence for another separate environmental offence involving the operation of an unpermitted waste site at his farm.
Mr Rutterford pleaded guilty to over-abstraction under both his licences between 2018 and 2022. The presiding magistrate said he had been “chaotic” and “incompetent” – and his previous offence was an aggravating feature.
The court ordered Mr Rutterford to pay a total of £4,300. This included a £2000 fine for his offences, £100 for breaching his suspended sentence, £2000 prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £200.
Environment Agency water resources specialist Michelle Herron said: “Abstraction licenses are issued to ensure that there is enough water for everyone and that there is no harm to the environment.
“Water abstractors have a responsibility to conserve supplies, especially during droughts. Mr Rutterford clearly failed in fulfilling his responsibilities, so it is right that he pleaded guilty
summers will be ‘enormous challenge’
The Environment Agency says it will continue to carry out robust regulation and enforcement on those who break the rules.
Drier summers will be an enormous challenge over the next few decades, so building drought resilience is important, says the agency. The licensing system protects water resources by controlling how much is abstracted, where and when.
Norfolk farmer Brian Rutterford had two water abstraction licences which allowed him to abstract water from the channel next to his Black Dyke Farm. Under his winter licence, he was permitted to abstract a limited amount of water to fill a lake at his farm.
Under the summer licence, Mr Rutterford was permitted to abstract a much smaller amount and only for the purpose of crop spraying. Conditions on his licences required him to keep abstraction records and maintain abstraction meters.
Mr Rutterford pleaded guilty to over-abstraction under both licences between 2018 and 2022. He also pleaded guilty to failing to maintain abstraction records in accordance with his licences and failing to maintain and calibrate his abstraction meters.
Anyone taking 20m ³ of water or more daily is required to have an abstraction licence.
Where abstraction is damaging the environment, the agency also has the power to amend or revoke existing licences.
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Irrigation and weather start-up
Sencrop has been acquired by Groupe ISAGRI – one of Europe’s leading companies in digital solutions for field management.
The acquisition aims to ensure the continuity of innovation and provide farmers with higher service levels, moving Sencrop from a fledgling com pany to being part of an established service provider, says ISAGRI.
Sencrop co-founder Michael Bruniaux said the partnership came at a crucial time when pressure on farm margins and the impact of cli mate change were forcing farmers to rethink the way they manage their businesses.
Network expansion
With a fast-growing weather commu nity, users and their partners – includ ing co-operatives and traders – would
in which our customers have invested, guaranteeing the presence of a solid partner who will listen to their needs, and provide them with appropriate solutions.”
ISAGRI's Horizon 2028 project, which aims to make the company a global technological leader in connected agriculture. The acquisition of Sencrop is seen as a key step towards this goal.
For farmers, using weather data to act at the right time is becoming increasingly important. This includes when drilling, irrigating and harvesting crops – all of which can make a significant difference to crop yields.
“This move comes at a time of consolidation in the ag-tech sector, and ISAGRI is the ideal partner to accelerate the development of our unique collaborative platform,” said Sencrop co-founder Martin Ducroquet.
“We have strong synergies which will bring about the emergence of tomorrow's leader in precision agriculture, where data and artificial intelligence will play a key role.”
Asolar powered irrigation monitoring system was named Digital Innovation of 2025 at this year’s LAMMA machinery show.
Raindancer is a GPS-enabled system designed to maximise water efficiency for farmers. It uses sector control technology to ensure irrigation is applied only within field boundaries, avoiding wooded areas and other non-crop zones.
By accurately distributing water across the crop and addressing typically under-irrigated areas, the system optimises irrigation performance – helping to optimise enterprise margins.
Developed over four years, including two years of in-field software and app refinement, the system delivers precise insights on irrigation runs. It tracks how much water
has been applied and alerts users to faults, ensuring smooth operations.
Manufactured in Berlin and exclusively imported to the UK by RST Irrigation, Raindancer integrates with the accompanying gun sector for enhanced performance. The award was announced ahead of the LAMMA event at the Birmingham NEC.
With over 3,000 Sector Control units sold in the past two years, RST Irrigation says Raindancer has proven its value. Ongoing software development and app enhancements promise to further streamline its usability and functionality.
By reducing water waste and improving irrigation efficiency, Raindancer supports sustainable agricultural practices, helping farmers to conserve water resources and enhance productivity.
How Northants farmers are helping to reduce flood risk for neighbouring communities using natural solutions.
Tristan Baxter-Smith reports
As a fifth-generation farmer, I know unpredictable weather is nothing new, but 2024 was on another level. It was the wettest 18-month period since records began, and we all felt the impact: sodden fields, waterlogged crops, impassable roads, and, for many, the devastation of floodwater entering homes and businesses.
Like many farmers, I’ve spent my fair share of time clearing ditches, helping neighbours pump out water, while trying to protect my own land from flooding. But as storms intensify and flood risk increases, we need longer-term solutions that work with nature, not just emergency responses.
That’s where Natural Flood Management (NFM) comes in - and why the RAIN Project is working with farmers and landowners across Northamptonshire to deliver funded flood resilience projects.
A Science-Backed Approach to Flood Management: The RAIN Project, funded by Defra’s Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme, is helping landowners and farmers implement practical, land-friendly flood management solutions.
What makes this different from past
approach, we’re targeting the most effective locations to slow water flow and reduce flooding downstream. And
the best part? There’s funding available to compensate farmers for land used in these projects, so flood mitigation can be part of a sustainable farm business.
Tristan Baxter-Smith is Land Advisor for Nene Rivers Trust & NFM Lead for The RAIN Project.
We are supporting farmers in implementing practical, landfriendly flood management solutions, including:
1. Tree and Hedgerow Planting Trees and hedgerows absorb excess water, reduce erosion, and slow runoff. They also act as windbreaks, improve soil stability, and offer shelter for livestock and wildlife.
2. Wetland Creation
One of our biggest projects will be the development of a new two-hectare wetland north-west of Brigstock. This site will hold water higher in the Harpers Brook catchment during periods of heavy rain, reducing flood
risk for villages downstream, including Sudborough and Lowick. Wetlands act as natural sponges, storing and gradually releasing water while creating valuable habitats for wildlife.
3. Leaky Dam Features
Leaky dams in streams and ditches slow water flow, helping to prevent erosion, store stormwater, and create more resilient watercourses.
4. Soil and Land Management Changes
Adjusting soil management such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, and contour ploughing, improves water infiltration and reduces runoff, leading to better soil structure and increased yields.
Funding Support for NFM Projects
We know land is a farmer’s most valuable asset, so RAIN provides funding to compensate farmers for land used in NFM projects. This means financial support to offset temporary income loss, and in some cases, new revenue opportunities.
We’re actively looking for more farmers to partner with for projects in the Harpers Brook and Wootton Brook catchments. Get in touch. By working together, our aim is to help reduce flood risk, while at the same time boosting your local natural environment - all while making sure that farming businesses continue to thrive. www.rainnorthants.co.uk RAIN@westnorthants.gov.uk
Farming must address the twin challenges of food and water security, says Melvyn Kay .
“Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink,” wrote English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Penned in 1798, it's a sentiment that echoes down the ages as water becomes an increasingly scarce resource today.
With so many issues facing UK farmers, there is seldom an ideal time to talk about water for agriculture. Yet we are experiencing increasingly frequent winter floods – often followed by summer droughts.
Each of these extreme weather events can have a devastating impact on food production – especially when they occur at the wrong time and in the wrong place. Dealing with all this gets more complicated by the day.
Many farmers understandably think they have adequate access to water. That may be true now – but it may not be true in the near future. The sector is under increasing pressure – and not just from the weather.
Many growers seem unaware of the potential licence cuts coming down the track as the Environment Agency continues to review abstraction licences in an effort to balance future water supply and demand in key catchments.
UKIA Conference • 5 March • Peterborough www.ukia.org
Why farmers are the best people to manage water for agriculture
When I ask farmers whether they realise the serious implications this has for their businesses, many are unaware. Understandably, the current economc climate means they are hard-pushed to think about the future.
But the Environment Agency does think long-term. And so do the five regional water planning groups, which are responsible for bringing together water plans from England’s 17 water companies.
They are asking what the aquatic environment will look like in the 2050s. Will we have enough water? And if not, how do we avoid a water crisis? For this reason, these groups are taking action now to reduce abstraction so we will have a sustainable environment in the future.
How are farmers responding? Some in the most critical water-short regions are already facing licence cuts and some have had licences revoked. Others are preoccupied with other here-and-now issues.
Still others are joining force and working together in Water Abstractor Groups (WAGs) to tackle common problems. Some WAGs are well established in the Anglian Water region with more at an embryonic stage.
Last summer the Environment Agency called for small groups of farmers to apply
the past six months or so, 19 screening studies have seen 100 farmers working together to test this appoach.
The results are encouraging. Farmers are getting together as WAGs, increasing their awareness of the challenges they face, discussing them and looking for local potential solutions.
The outcome from the screening studies – including next steps – will be a central theme for the UK Irrigation Association Conference on 5 March at the Orton Hall Hotel, Peterborough.
Traditionally, regional planning groups only focused on planning for public water supply. But this is changing because Environment Agency funding means they can take account of water for agriculture as they plan the next National Framework.
Agriculture now has a seat at table in terms of the planning process including representatives at a national level from the Water for Food Group and the NFU. New appointments are now in place in five regional planning groups.
As each region is different, each has developed their own approach – reflecting their structure, development and regional needs. It all means things are beginning to look up for farmers and water.
Melvyn Kay is executive secretary of the UK Irrigation Association. For details, visit www.ukia.org
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• Deadweight prices reach record highs
• Domestic production expected to fall
• Tighter supplies meet higher demand
Beef prices are expected to remain firm this year – although imports are expected to rise to compensate for a fall in domestic production.
UK beef production is expected to decline by 5% year-on-year to 885,000 tonnes in 2025, according to the latest figures from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. At the same time, beef consumption is forecast to grow by 1%.
Famgate beef prices have reached record highs in recent weeks. The average all-prime price reached 620p/kg during the week ending 13 February – an increase of 15p on the previous week and 125p higher than the same time last year.
The drop in UK production follows a sustained reduction in cattle numbers due to a combination of factors – including underlying business profitability and the phase-out of direct payments.
Prime cattle availability is forecast to decline, with a 6% drop in prime cattle slaughter to 1.99 million head. Reductions in cattle supply are also expected to continue into 2026, following trends in calf registrations in previous years.
AHDB red meat analyst Hannah Clarke said: “The beef sector is entering a period of significant supply constraint – which is expected to support cattle prices throughout the year.”
Beef mince is expected to perform strongly in the retail sector. But price sensitivity to more expensive cuts and consumer choice will play a pivotal role in determining overall carcase values, says the AHDB.
Having said that, consumer concern about ultra-processed foods is
expected to fuel demand for fresh, primary beef cuts over processed prod ucts. Some 90% of consumers believe that diet is important in contributing to their overall health.
Overall, consumer demand for beef is forecast to grow by 1% year-on-year. While that is good for producers, on the trade front, UK beef imports are expected to rise by 12% to compen sate for lower domestic production.
Cattle numbers are set to tighten further this year
Imports from Ireland, the UK’s largest supplier, are likely to see the most significant increase. And the AHDB expects beef exports to fall by 7% in 2025, pressured by supply constraints after strong growth in 2024.
Farmgate cattle prices are expected to be supported, with reduced supply both domestically and globally likely to drive competition for beef cattle – and retailers continuing to promote beef.
“The supply chain will need to focus
“
perform strongly
“Communication around the nutritional benefits of beef, as well as continued emphasis on sustainability and animal welfare, will help to secure long-term consumer trust and demand for beef.
“As the industry heads through 2025, the UK beef sector will need to stay agile in responding to market shifts, with a focus on driving efficiencies and engaging consumers through compelling messaging and promotions.”
Farmers can ask their vet to blood test sheep for exposure to toxoplasmosis and enzootic abortion – thanks to the 2024 FlockCheck scheme.
Launched by MSD Animal Health, the scheme opened last month, with the EAE diagnostic phase starting on 1 April. The subsidised service, which helps identify possible reasons for early lamb losses, closes at the end of June.
Ewe reproductive failure, neonatal lamb disease and mortality are the three biggest factors limiting better flock productivity – with toxoplasmosis and enzootic abortion significant causes of these unwanted flock heath issues. Consequently, sheep farmers who find that
more than 2% of their flock is barren or aborting this lambing season are being encouraged to contact their vet to take advantage of the FlockCheck diagnostic scheme.
More than 30% of GB sheep flocks don’t know their barren ewe rate or are reporting a figure greater than 5% after lambing, said MSD Animal Health veterinary adviser Kat Baxter-Smith. “This is particularly concerning.”
Sheep producers can take advantage of the FlockCheck scheme by asking their vet to take blood samples from six to eight aborted, unvaccinated ewes – or from barren ewes or ones that have produced weakly lambs.
Results help vets and farmer make more informed decisions about appropriate flock health measures, says MSD.
• Viable alternative to feeding warm milk
• Advantageous at different growth stages
• Can help save time during busy periods
Feeding cold milk to surplus lambs makes no difference to growth rate – and can ease the workload during a busy season, suggests a study
Some 58% of survey respondents said they will consider feeding milk replacer cold to surplus lambs this season – and view the method as a viable alternative to feeding warm milk during the busy lambing period.
In a separate question, over half of respondents said feeding milk replacer cold to lambs made no difference to lamb growth rates and could be advantageous for feeding lambs at different growth stages.
‘Proven technique’
The data comes from the annual Lamlac Lamb Intentions Survey carried out at the end of 2024. Ewe milk replacer fed cold was a proven technique – and provided surplus lambs with the consistent rearing support they require, said the company.
“Rearing surplus lambs with milk replacer fed cold offers sheep produc-
ers a time-effective feeding method in their systems,” says Lamlac sheep nutrition expertJessica Cooke.
“After following recommended rearing practices during the first week of life, the ability to feed cold can help in situations when rearing lambs of different ages requires milk to be fed at a constant temperature.”
The survey findings are supported by trials at Reaseheath College, says Dr Cooke. Lambs fed cold milk achieving a daily live weight gain of 0.27kg/ day, compared with the 0.25kg/day delivered by the warm milk fed group of lambs.
Performance
“Lambs fed cold milk replacer from just over a week of age showed no negative impact on their performance,” says Dr Cooke. “In fact, lambs fed cold milk replacer performed marginally better through to weaning.”
Feeding milk replacer cold shouldn’t be seen as poor alternative to warm milk feeding –and can add flexibility to lambing systems. Gener-
“In fact, it performed marginally better
With over half of producers stating it has no difference to growth rates, flockmasters should consider it as a viable feeding option, especially if warming milk isn’t possible or time limitations prevent it.”
Lambs should have fresh water, straw, and a good quality creep feed to encourage rumen development. Producers feeding cold milk replacer should always mix cold and feed –rather than mixing warm and allowing to cool – to avoid gorging.
Limousin producers are being urged to highlight the breed’s environmental credentials amid a fall in cattle numbers.
British Limousin Cattle Society chief executive Paul Rainey said the breed had enormous potential and a range of standout qualities – despite challenges facing the beef sector.
“With suckler cow numbers falling across the industry, it’s important we maintain Limousin registration numbers as high as we can,” he said.
Limousin cattle were faster finishing than other continental and native breeds. They also dominated the genomic methane breeding value rankings compiled by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation.
“There’s hard data to show Limou-
sins lead the industry as a very ‘green’ breed with very strong feed efficient genetics,” said Mr Rainey.
“These sustainability benefits come with no compromise on performance in terms of daily live weight gain, carcass weights, kill out rates or fleshing ability.”
A familiar face to many members, Mr Rainey has judged hundreds of pedigree Limousins in show rings around the country, from the Great Yorkshire Show to the Carlisle Sale Show in recent years.
Taking up his role this month, he said: "My goal is to create a strong, stable society with a united team, all working together to support the best interests of our members – without whom we wouldn’t have a society.”
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Following last month’s article on optimising forage, this month we focus on selecting a compound feed to complement your forage analysis, writes Nerys Wright
Seasonal variations in forage quality mean the same compound feed and quantities may not be suitable in every situation every year.
In years with good winter forage, we can reduce purchased feed. Conversely, when forage quality is poor, supplementary feeding ensures ewes meet their energy and protein needs.
Shop around
Compound feeds vary significantly between and within companies. Generally, you get what you pay for. If one option is £10/tonne cheaper, it probably contains ingredient substitutes. It's advisable to shop around for quotes and options.
With that in mind, key elements to consider are energy and protein – in that order.
Feed companies are not legally required to disclose the energy content of their feed, which is measured in ME/kg dry matter (DM). But you should still ask your supplier – and a good one will have no problem telling you.
Compound feed energy content should be higher than the energy of your forage – otherwise there is little
Check the label – ingredients are listed in descending order.
Cereal content – wheat and barley at around 20% will be high in ME, while wheat feed is lower quality.
ME should be greater than 12 MJ/kg DM.
Protein content should be 18-20%, with around 5% DUP.
Fibre content should be less than 10% since fibre is obtained from forage.
point feeding it. Protein content – as a percentage – should complement your forage and do find out the ingredients.
Avoid overfeeding
You should also ensure the feed contains rumen degradable protein (RDP) and digestible undegraded (DUP), with DUP being essential in the last 3-4 weeks pre-lambing for twin and triplet-bearing ewes. Be cautious not to overfeed ewes in the last six weeks pre-lambing. This can lead to larger lambs at birth and potential lambing complications. Increasing feed allowance for ewes in the runup to lambing will support udder development and lamb growth.
splitting feeds into portions of no more than 0.5 kg each time. This helps maintain rumen pH stability and optimises forage digestion.
But I would advise against feeding more than
A new range of premium blends has been launched for farmers who feed cattle and sheep out of troughs and hoppers rather than via mixer wagons.
Made from predominantly nutty or whole ingredients, the ForFarmers blend includes whole oats and maize for the sheep blends, rolled barley, sugar beet, micronised flakes, North American soya and wheat feed pellets.
As a category, premium blends sit between compound feeds and traditional mealy blends, explains ForFarmers commercial manager Alister Davies. They allow farmers without a mixer wagon to benefit from quality blends.
A new purpose-built facility, next door to the compound mill at Newcastle under Lyme in Staffordshire, increases ForFarmers ability to meet the needs of its expanding beef and sheep customer base.
Delivery will be available across middle England and north to mid Wales with 800kg totes available nationally. Local customers and merchants can also collect from Newcastle under Lyme, says ForFarmers.
Nerys Wright is an independent sheep consultant. For more details, call 07891 187643 or visit sheepconsultancy.co.uk.
• Helps improve flock management
• Easy to operate strict culling policy • Integrated farm assurance scheme
State-of-the-art data management is helping an organic sheep producer run a more efficient flock.
A strict culling policy and close monitoring of lamb weights during the finishing period are the keys to success for Sam McPherson, who is in a shared ownership agreement at Sezincote Farms, part of the Sezincote Estate, in Gloucestershire.
Mr McPerson looks after the estate’s 1,000-ewe flock, comprising 600 pedigree Lleyns and 400 Lleyn x Texels, near Moreton-in-Marsh. Data technology has played an integral role in flock management since he joned the 2800ha farm five years ago.
Below: A software subscription was included with the handling system
Low input system
Sheep at Sezincote are run in an outdoor lambing system, which runs for about four weeks from 8 April. All lambs are finished on the farm and sold mainly to Dunbia at an average deadweight of 21-22kg.
In addition to the main flock, a group of 150 ewe hoggs is lambed each year and put to an Innovis Primera tup – a composite meat sire developed in New Zealand.
“We run a hard culling process to try and make it all as easy as possible,” says Mr McPherson. “Anything that goes lame or has any lambing problems will be culled; we can’t have any stragglers in the system.”
We can’t have any stragglers “
Mr McPherson runs his own Texel flock separate from his Sezincote commitments – and he was responsible for introducing the breed to the estate’s flock to produce lambs which finish faster.
“We finish all lambs on grass leys –including a mix of red clover and chicory – and a roots mix of vetch, oats, fodder rape, radish and turnips. Crossbred lambs are generally gone by October, and pure lambs are finished in time for the next lambing.”
Mr McPherson uses iLivestock data management technology. A year’s subscription to the company’s livestock software was included in the purchase of Mr McPherson’s Alligator sheep race and handling system.
He says he was so impressed by the software that he continues to use the accompanying eWeigh weigh head as a paid customer today.
“The app has a flag system – very useful when deciding which ewes to keep and which to cull.”
Being able to record information on various selection criteria is an invaluable selection tool. This includes the ability to select for lameness, mastitis and lambing ease, explains Mr McPherson.
“The app is also really useful when I’m drawing lambs. The tag reader vibrates if you scan a lamb which has had medication and is currently in its withdrawal period – alerting you that it can’t go for slaughter yet.”
Being able to monitor lamb weights is also crucial for worm management in his organic system. “The software captures all the weights and plots dai-
ly liveweight gain, so we can usually see if something is wrong early,” adds Mr McPherson.
“Based on this, I can then do faecal egg counts (FECs) to see if there is a problem with worms affecting lamb weight gain.”
Another benefit of the management platform reported by Mr McPherson is the ability to draw up all the relevant data on a lamb – including any treatments it has received – for any farm assurance inspections.
This is a benefit he believes is particularly relevant to organic producers who must be able to show the organic status of their livestock.
Going forward, Mr McPherson plans to keep using data to streamline his breeding and finishing decisions. He wantse to increase the number of Lleyn x Texels, and reduce the number of pure Lleyns, because the cross-bred lambs finish much quicker.
“By improving the genetics to get them away quicker, I can look at buying organic store lambs and finishing them for additional income after my own lambs have gone.”
Mr McPherson says continued data collection will be instrumental in these ambitions.
Other farmers could benefit from doing the same, he adds. “Recording and managing data electronically is far easier than doing it with paperwork, and it can’t be lost as everything is stored in the cloud.”
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Dairy farmers who take first-cut silage during April often end up with better quality forage, says a specialist.
Sticking to a traditional May cutting date for making first-cut grass silage could be putting winter milk yield at risk, claims Amanda Clements, Ecosyl technical business manager at nutrition specialists Volac.
Recent seasons indicate that dairy farmers who take first-cut grass silage during April or very early May, rather than at the traditional timing of 10 May onwards, can end up with better overall silage quality, she adds.
Key factors
“We saw this in 2024 – but we’ve also seen it in previous seasons,” says Ms Clements, who believes it could be due to two key factors.
“First, with the generally mild winters we get nowadays, grass growth doesn’t seem to truly stop. So by the time mid-May comes around, swards can contain a lot of overwintered, dead or dying grass in the base.”
This thatchy material is of poor nutritional quality for milk production, says Ms Clements. But it is also likely to contain increased numbers of unwanted bacteria. These can interfere with how well the silage ferments.
“The second reason is if you set out with a target cutting date of around 10 May, but cutting becomes delayed due to contractor availability or poor weather, grass can rapidly go to head at this time of year.”
When this happens, grass becomes more stemmy and fibrous, and therefore less digestible, and its metabolisable energy (ME) might fall from 11.5 to 10.5, which could lose 5-6 litres of milk/cow/day, says Ms Clements.
”Stemmy grass is more difficult to consolidate, which can add to fermentation problems and lead to silage heating in the clamp.”
Taking a slightly earlier first-cut can reduce the chance of these problems occurring, as well as removing the poorer quality, old and overwin-
tered grass, and stimulating fresher sward growth for the next cut.
“An early first-cut could be especially beneficial if you haven’t grazed off old grass with sheep over winter – or have an excess of overwintered growth,” says Ms Clements.
An early first-cut might not produce a lot of yield in some cases, she adds. But it paves the way for a better second cut, and farmers who follow this approach can get into a position where they already have two cuts completed by June.
“If you’re able to maintain this momentum of taking each cut before grass turns stemmy, you stand to harvest grass that’s higher in digestibility, and therefore ME, for the rest of the season.
“Younger grass also tends to be higher in protein, and because each cut will be lighter than if leaving grass to bulk up, it should wilt faster. This means less chance of being caught out with mown grass lying in the field if it rains.”
Cutting earlier might mean you increase from taking three cuts to four or five cuts over the year. But cutting
tractor costs.
“It could be especially beneficial
“If the quality of one cut does become affected by the weather, it will also represent a smaller proportion of the total amount of silage made. And by using different cutting dates to other farms in the area, it can improve contractor availability.”
Timely cutting remains particularly important during a hot summer because grass goes to head and becomes stemmy even sooner. But it is a proven additive can help to retain or even improve forage quality.
Earlier first-cuts can mean better silage quality
This can increase fermentation speed and preserve more dry matter and better silage ME. Feeding cows a range of silages preserved with Ecosyl in independent trials also boosted
• Forecast remains relatively stable
• Higher value than national average
• Investment benefits are still strong
The amount of farmland coming to the market this year is expected to remain relatively stable – following an increase in sales and lower prices last year.
The East of England saw a rise in the amount of farmland listed for sale in 2024 – with average prices cooling slightly, according to the most recent quarterly survey by land agents Savills.
Some 20,703 acres of farmland had come to market by the end of December last year – a rise of 7.9% on the 19,173 acres offered for sale in 2023. Prices softened – although values remained above the national average for most land types.
“Encouragingly, we agreed deals following the proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief and
Business Property Relief announced in September’s budget,” says Oliver Carr, who leads the rural team at Savills in Cambridge.
“Hopefully that’s a good sign of continued demand.”
The assumption is that the benefit of investing in land has been diminished – but demands on farmland have never been greater, says Mr Carr.
“Labour has said it is committed to delivering environmental targets, fast tracking the journey to clean power, investing in infrastructure, building more homes and securing food production.
“For these reasons, we should continue to see a variety of purchaser
farmland remains highly sought after by investors
“
never been greater
coming to the market this year. This is only likely from 2027 due to inheritance tax changes where sufficient tax planning was not possible, he explains.
“Farmland values are also expected to hold. Growth is most likely from 2027 by when clearer land use priorities will have emerge and development activity will be increasing, leading to more buyers and more competition."
Nationally, the farmland market last year experienced its highest activity since 2018, with over 187,500 acres listed for sale. This marked a 19% increase from 2023 and a 14% rise above the 2012-2016 average.
Eastern region prime arable land was trading at an average of £9,914 an at the end of 2024, says Savills. This represents a drop of 2.7% compared to 2023 – but is still higher than six of the last eight years.
Grade 3 arable land was trading at an average of £9,289 an acre – a drop of 0.4% on 2023 but ahead of the national average of £8,855.
Farmland prices averaged £9,290 an acre in the East of England last year – a fall of 1.12% on 2023 but higher than the national average of £8,299 an acre over the same period.
Oliver Carr, of land agents Savills, said: “A good proportion of the land sold in the east is productive farmland where both buyer and seller are driven by commercial objectives.
“Given the recent uncertainty in the agricultural economy some would-be sellers are waiting for greater clarity before opting to sell.
“This is perhaps in contrast to other parts of the country where the reasons for sale might be more amenity or lifestyle focused and timing therefore tends to
Oliver Carr: greater clarity
be driven by a desire to move rather than commercial opportunity.
Values in the east have historically been among the strongest in the country. Although they have softened more recently, Mr Carr said this reflects variation across the region alongside price rises in other parts of the country.
“For the best properties and where there is limited supply, stronger than average prices continue to be achieved.”
Isabella Boyden from Savills discusses how upcoming reforms will impact rural landlords
Although still subject to change, the Renters Rights Bill (RRB) is expected to pass into law by the summer
As it stands, the legislation will apply to new and existing agreements and spells the end of Assured Shorthold Tenancies – the most common type of arrangement if you rent to private individuals
The scale of reform means it is important for rural landlords to start preparing now and where necessary seek professional advice
Review residential portfolios as soon as possible and group properties together that will be retained for the short, medium and long term – considering how the changes will affect each group
Key elements of the new bill include:
No more fixed tenancies. Tenancies will run month to month until either the tenant serves notice, or the landlord meets one of the grounds for regaining possession This will be known as assured periodic tenancies
Grounds for possession will change. During the first 12 months of any new tenancy, landlords will not be allowed to move back into their property or attempt to sell it, unless they sell to another landlord who will take over the tenancy This means tenants will have a 12-month protected period; however a tenant can serve notice to terminate during this period Tenants will be required to give two months’ notice
How will landlords regain possession of their property?
Section 21 notices (known as no-fault evictions) will be abolished Instead, landlords must cite specific grounds und a Section 8 notice These include if the landlord (or their family) wants to move into the property, or they want to se Other reasons include rental arrears or antisocial behaviour Landlords will be prevented from gaining possession if they have not properly protected a tenant’s deposit or registered their property on the private rented sector database
Will landlords be able to increase rents? Rents can only increase once a year – with any rise in line with local market conditions If the tenant accepts, they will start paying from the next rent due date after the anniversary If a tenant believes the increase is above the market rate they can app However, they must do this before the start date of the proposed new rent For new tenancies, offers above the advertised rental price cannot be accepted
What else do landlords need to know? Other changes inclu the establishment of a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman for tenants’ complaints, while all landlords mus register on a Private Rented Sector database Requests for pets cannot be unreasonably refused and properties need to be in a reasonable state of repair with reasonably modern facilities
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• Consultation on land use framework
• Most productive land to be retained
• Changes will help meet green targets
Government plans could see a 9% reduction in the amount of England’s farmland used to produce food, suggests a Defra consultation.
Proposals for a national land use framework would see land taken out of food production and used instead to grow trees or to create wildlife. Defra says the change is needed to meet net zero targets.
More efficient farming would ensure food production would remain at current levels, says the government. The most productive farmland would be retained, boosting food security in a time of global uncertainty and a changing climate.
Farmers, landowners and other stakeholders have until 25 April to respond to a “national conversation” on the plan – launched by Defra secretary Steve Reed at the Royal Geographical Society in London.
The consultation was the start of a national conversation to transform land use, said Mr Reed. That meant enabling the protection of prime agricultural land, restoring the natural world and driving economic growth.
“This framework will not tell people what to do,” he said. “It is about working together.”
Pooling knowledge and resources would enable local and national government, landowners, businesses, farmers and nature groups to take informed actions that were “best for them, best for the land, and best for the country”.
cal national infrastructure.
“We must have a land use plan in place, underpinned by sound science and evidence, that has British food at its heart and ensures we make the best use of our most productive agricultural land.”
Country Land and Business Association president Victoria Vyvyan said: “Whenever the state gets involved, its tendency is to only become ever more prescriptive. Initially, the framework might be light touch, but tomorrow it won't be.
“The government must build safeguards into the policy to prevent mission creep, or else it is entirely possible that in years to come, the man from the ministry will be telling farmers what they are and aren't allowed to grow, plant and rear on their land.
“That will be unacceptable."
‘Massively overdue’
Other businesses and organisations with farming interests have been responding
to the consultation announcement. Roland Bull, head of rural investment at Bidwells, said: “These reforms are massively overdue.”
Mr Bull added: “For too long, the UK's land use strategy has been short-sighted and driven by the wrong priorities that have undermined food security, energy needs, and environmental restoration.”
A new approach could finally bring some logic to the system, said Mr Bull. It could protect our best farmland while making space for housing, renewables, and nature where they make the most sense.
“The principle is clear: keep prime land for food, put solar and environmental projects on lower-value land, and build homes on the grey belt. But the real challenge isn’t knowing what should happen, it’s making it happen.
“Will this framework cut through bureaucracy and deliver real change, or get stuck in red tape? Execution will be the real test, done right, this could transform how we plan for the future."
‘We are committed to food production’ It is about working together “
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said the framework must have food production at its heart. The UK was a “small island nation” with huge demands on land including biodiversity net gain, leisure activities and criti-
Defra secretary Steve Reed (pictured) insists the government has a cast-iron commitment to maintain long-term food production – despite proposals to reduce farmland.
“The primary purpose of farming will always be to produce food that feeds the nation,” he says. “This framework will give decision makers the toolkit they need to protect our highest quality agricultural land.”
supports new housebuilding and boosts energy infrastructure.
Mr Reed argues that the government can achieve this by farming more efficiently and reduce conflicts that hold up development by creating land with multiple benefits –supporting economic growth on the limited land available.
The government’s vision for land is one in which longterm food security is guaranteed framework which future-proofs farm businesses,
will
He says the framework will help farm businesses to maximise the potential of multiple uses of land, supporting long-term food production capacity and unlocking opportunities for businesses to drive private finance into the sector.
“It will support the need to incentivise multi-functional land use that includes food production,” says Mr Reed.
Afirm of farm consultants says it will continue offering free business ad vice after the end of the govern ment’s Future Farm Resilience Fund.
Up to 500 free one-to-one business re views are being offered to farmers by Ceres Rural. The reviews were previously fund ed by Defra’s resilience fund which is due to come to an end this month.
Ceres Rural managing director Char lie Ireland said the reviews would focus on farmers who hadn’t been able to take ad vantage of previous offers and those farm ers who were now needing more specialist advice.
Performance
Businesses who weren’t receiving Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments before 2022 are eligible for the new offer. So too are those farmers who want to improve business performance or are considering a change of direction or diversification.
“The sudden slashing of BPS means there’s no way of avoiding the fact that harvest 2025 margins are going to be very
“At a time of great anxiety and stress for many, it would be very difficult for us to walk away from providing our bespoke advice and guidance that almost 1500 businesses have already received and benefited from when there’s still a need for it.”
Farming was going through an unprecedented transition, said Mr Ireland. “Standing together at a time like this is important. Ceres Rural remains committed to helping farms and rural businesses make the right
“In such turbulent times, there will be challenges as well as opportunities. Having the business resilience and financial performance to either overcome or take advan-
Consultations and follow-up action plans produced by experienced farm business consultants will prioritise pressing issues, from improving productivity to setting up diversification projects and finding additional income streams.
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Equipment - Livestock - Feed - Fertiliser - Seed - Cash Flow
Equipment - Livestock - Feed - Fertiliser - Seed - Cash Flow
Diversification Projects - Building - Debt Consolidation
Diversification Projects - Building - Debt Consolidation
Equipment - Livestock - Feed - Fertiliser - Seed - Cash Flow
Diversification Projects - Building - Debt Consolidation
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• Vehicles reclassed as company cars
• Due to come into effect from April
Farmers in the market for a dou ble-cab pickup (DCPU) are be ing advised to move quickly to get ahead of changes to the tax regime.
From next month, double-cab pick up trucks will be reclassified as cars rather than vans for taxation purpos es. It means farmers who rely on these vehicles for their operations could face a much higher tax bill.
An alternative is to purchase or or der a double-cab pickup before April. Doing so will mean the vehicle retains its commercial classification until 5 April 2029 – or when it is disposed of, or when the lease expires – whichev er is earlier.
The change was announced in last autumn’s Budget. As a result, farm ers are being urged to consult with tax professionals to understand the full impact on their operations – and ex plore potential strategies to mitigate increased tax burdens.
• Other changes come into force too ing for more tax-efficient vehicles that may not offer the same functionality. Manufacturers have launched campaigns to inform customers of the changes and encourage timely action to benefit from current tax advantages. Acting promptly will avoid increased costs due to the new tax treatment, says Isuzu.
Previously, double-cab pickups were taxed as vans, resulting in lower Benefit In Kind (BIK) rates for employees using these vehicles privately. With the reclassification, these vehicles will now attract higher BIK taxes associated with cars.
From 6 April, double cab pickups
The tax burden on a typical double-cab pickup by as much as 211% after April, suggests new analysis by the Countryside Alliance.
Thousands of farmers, gamekeepers, builders, electricians and other tradespeople will be affected by the government’s decision to reclassify double-cab pickups as company cars for tax purposes.
This is because – for the purposes of capital allowances, benefits in kind (BIK) and some deductions from business profits – these vehicles will no longer be treated as essential tools of the trade.
A typical double-cab pickup priced at
£33,265 and emitting 167g/km of CO2 will see its benefits in kind (BIK) allocation rise from £3,960 to £12,308, according to a study by the Countryside Alliance. The BIK on private fuel benefits will also soar from £757 to £10,286.
But self-employed tradespeople will arguably face the biggest blow. They can only deduct 6% of their vehicle's cost in the first year, slashing potential tax savings from over £9,600 to just £578.84.
In a statement, Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner said: “Chancellor Rachel Reeves' pickup truck tax will hammer thousands of working people in the country-
side and beyond.
“From farmers and gamekeepers to plumbers and builders the twin cab pickup has become the country's favourite workhorse. The decision to reclassify them as cars will hit working people hard.”
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional tax advice. Businesses should consult with a qualified tax advisor to determine the specific implications of these changes for their individual circumstances.
• Refi ned four-wheel-drive system
• Revamped and modern exterior
• Welcome upgrades in the cabin
The 2025 facelift Isuzu D-Max
UK version has arrived – with a range of updates worth considering for those in the farming community.
Known for its durability and practicality, the D-Max has long been a reliable agricultural workhorse – and this latest iteration builds on that reputation. Changes aren’t radical – but do cater to the needs of farmers who require a robust and versatile vehicle.
The exterior has undergone subtle but noticeable changes. The front grille has been redesigned, giving the vehicle a more modern appearance without straying too far from its utilitarian roots.
The headlights have also been updated, now featuring LED technology, which improves visibility during early morning or late-night work on the farm. The overall shape remains familiar, with a focus on functionality.
Bed dimensions are unchanged and maintain its 1 tonne capacity to carry tools, feed, or livestock supplies. The addition of more tie-down points and an optional spray-on bed liner could prove useful for securing loads and protecting the truck bed.
Interior comfort
Inside, the cabin has seen some welcome upgrades. It is available in a number of versions – from the workready Utility trim to the highest specification V-Cross, the D-Max provides uncompromised levels of comfort and performance.
The seats are designed to be comfortable for long hours, whether
The front grille has been redesigned, with a more modern appearance
you’re driving to market or checking on fields. The infotainment system has been updated, featuring a larger touchscreen with improved responsiveness.
While not as advanced as some systems found in more urban-focused vehicles, it includes features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The inclusion of more USB ports and a wireless charging pad is a practical addition.
Climate control has also been improved, with better airflow and the option to filter out dust and pollen, which could be beneficial during harvest season or when working in other dusty environments.
The engine delivers power and torque
Under the hood, the D-Max retains its 1.9-litre turbo diesel engine. The engine delivers adequate power and torque for towing trailers, transporting heavy loads, or navigating rough terrain.
While it may not be the most powerful engine in its class, it strikes a balance between performance and fuel efficiency, which is important for those who rely on their vehicle
for daily tasks. Towing is unchanged at 3.5 tonnes.
The four-wheel-drive system has been refined, offering better traction in challenging conditions. Ground clearance and approach/departure angles remain competitive, ensuring the D-Max can handle rough and varied terrain.
Safety has been a focus in this update, with the inclusion of additional driver-assistance features. These include lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and a 360-degree camera system, particularly useful in tight spaces or limited visibility.
Reliability has always been a strong point, and there’s no reason to believe this will change with the 2025 model. Isuzu’s reputation for building tough, long-lasting vehicles is well-established, and the updates seem to align with that ethos.
Running costs, including fuel consumption and insurance, are reasonable, and resale value is likely to remain strong, which is an important consideration for those who view their pickup as both a tool and an asset.
The Isuzu D-Max claimed ‘Pick-Up of the Year' for the fourth year in a row in the 2025 Company Car & Van Awards. Still a firm favourite among many farmers, the vehicle continues to turn heads in the agricultural world with its practical workhorse pedigree and welldocumented reliability following back-to-back record sales years into 2025. Praised for its versatility and variety, the 4x4’s the
workhorse capability and off-road features across the vehicle’s range were singled out by judges – including Andrew Walker, of Company Car & Van magazine.
“When a pick-up wins an award four years in a row, it must be doing something right and the D-Max does that alright, he said. “It'll do the rough stuff while also tackling the urban jungle too.”
Work ready. Life ready. On or off-road ready. Isuzu’s awardwinning pick-up is equipped with even smarter styling, stronger performance and safer technology. Delivering the reassuring capability and durability you expect from Isuzu, our tough workhorse takes comfort and refinement to the next level.
Wherever, whenever, The New Isuzu D-Max is ready at a dealership near you.
Like it or not, few farms could survive without being in debt, says Fen Tiger
Debt it is not something I’ve ever been comfortable with – and I suspect most farmers feel the same.
That hasn’t stopped me borrowing money, of course. I have taken out numerous loans over the years and I am more often in the red than in the black. But I still feel uneasy about it and I have never got used to it.
Income sources
Much of that money has been borrowed for land deals to secure that elusive field of dreams to produce more food. Diversification projects were never important back in the day because a decent standard of living could be had from food production.
Sadly, that is not the case now. The return on investment from food production is so poor these days that additional sources
of income are vital. In years gone by, I tried to repay my debt as soon as possible. How things have changed.
Forthcoming inheritance tax changes mean some people are taking on more debt in the hope that any borrowings can be offset against the tax liability when passing on the farm. The urge to save seems to have gone. The buzz-phrase is asset retention.
Large farmers appear more comfortable with the idea of borrowing money so they can expand their ever-growing businesses. Some take the alternative view and find outside investors to purchase land while the farming company does the manual work.
Big and bold
Seemingly worry-free about debt, they seem big and bold – although perhaps below the surface all is not what it seems. As one large farmer said to me: “Why use your own money when you can use somebody else’s?”
Of course, the well-known banks still lend to farmers. But the days of the specialist agricultural manager seem numbered. Instead, it’s a freephone number, a long wait and then usually a conversation with someone who can’t tell a cow from a sheep.
Thankfully, a specialist bank has now emerged to fill this gap. But funding still poses a problem for many farming families
– especially at a time of so much uncertainty and cost for the industry.
Low returns and the phase-out of direct support mean understandable concern about land valves. Lending is usually based on asset values and with current worries over tax issues, who knows whether land values will rise or fall?
Farms with larger borrowings may be in a better position. Lenders are often reluctant to foreclose on a business – so a bigger debt may be as much their problem as it us yours, if not more so.
Today it is more about debt restructuring. It seems to be encouraged to increase your debt in the hope that the asset value will eventually outweigh the liability – provided that financial conditions allow.
But there are few guarantees when it comes to capital growth. And having seen the way changes to the tax regime have prompted investors to flee the buy-to-let rental market, who is to say that the same will not happen to farmland?
To my mind, farms will always need to borrow. But it’s important to have a clear strategy. After all, lenders like certainty and will offer better rates if they know they will get their money back – with interest, of course.
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