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It's hard to think of another government in recent memory dishing out so much pain to farmers who feed the nation.
Last month's shock decision by Defra to close the flagship Sustainable Farming Incentive to new applications with immediate effect was as brutal as it was unfair.
It was just the latest in a series of government announcements which has understandably left farmers and farming families wondering if Labour politicians care about agriculture at all –despite repeated pledges to look after the industry while they were in opposition.
First, we had the decision to impose 20% inheritance tax on farm assets worth over £1 million – despite the fact the most farm businesses don't generate enough cash to pay the tax bill.
Then we had the decision to phase out what remains of the Basic Payment Scheme harder and faster than previously promised – only weeks after farm minister Daniel Zeichner told farmers he didn't want to "upset the applecart".
The closure of the SFI to new applications effectively closes any opportunity for farmers not already in the scheme to replace lost BPS income by implementing environmental measures on their farm – including mitigating climate change and creating valuable wildlife habitats.
It's a decision which calls into question the government's commitment to meeting climate and environmental targets. It also calls into question the government's commitment to UK food security – something it has previously insisted is as important as national security.
Farm leaders have condemned all these decisions and more. But so too have environmental groups. Both recognise that food production and nature restoration are two sides of the same coin.
That is a lesson our political leaders need to learn too. Short-term policy measures are not only failing farming – they are also failing the country which deserves much better than this.
Without farmers, there is no food. And everyone needs to eat, which makes farming fundamental to human survival.
But growers and livestock managers provide much more than food, important though that is. They are the bedrock of our rural communities, the creators and carers of our countryside, and the guardians of our environment as well.
The government needs to recognise all of this and start investing in the industry – not just financially but with supportive policies too.
Johann Tasker Editor
Farm leaders have urged the government to renew its commitment to food production and the environment following a series of cuts and tax rises.
The warning follows last month’s closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive to new applications with immediate effect – and the harder, faster phase-out of the Basic Payment Scheme announced last autumn.
Measures coming into effect this month include a rise in employers’ national insurance contributions – and the reclassification of farm pickups so they are treated as company cars for tax purposes.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said thousands of farmers across the country had signed up to government schemes to provide environmental services for society, only to discover that applications closed suddenly overnight.
“This puts the vital work being done by farmers and growers as stewards of the countryside at risk, from delivering healthier soils to new habitat for wildlife, all while producing the nation’s food.”
Mr Bradshaw added: “If government really seeks to end short-term economic policy-making, then it must confirm a multi-year future farming budget which is adequate to deliver government goals.
More than 50 farming and environment groups say Defra’s nature-friendly farming budget should be increased to meet nature and climate targets and ensure sustainable, wildlife-friendly food production.
It comes as YouGov polling for the Wildlife and Countryside Link shows that only 13% of the public think the government made the right decision in suspending the Sustainable Farming Incentive (see panel).
The poll also confirms that most Brits feel increased nature-friendly farming grants would have a positive
wildlife, with 57% saying an increase would help to boost rural communities. Meanwhile, 69%, 70% and 56% say that river, soil and air pollution would be positively affected.
The RSPB said investment in naturefriendly farming must be protected –and ideally increased – to ensure farm businesses could produce food while helping the UK meet its legally binding climate and nature targets.
RSPB chief executive Beccy Speight said: “Farmers need to be at the heart of this complex and vital challenge but
“Farmers are facing growing uncertainty and a sense of being continually undermined, especially following the sudden closure of the SFI.
“Many have been left without support or a clear route forward, just as they need to be planning ahead. People across the country can see the pressure farmers and wildlife are under –and recognise that both need support.”
The government says it has secured the largest budget for sustainable food production in the country’s history, with £5 billion being spent to support farmers and nature-friendly farming over a two-year period.
A revised Sustainable Farming Incentive is expected to be announced this summer – but unlikely to reopen before next year.
Defra officials are working on a new version of the SFI after the government closed the 2024 scheme to applications with immediate effect, saying the budget for the scheme had been fully allocated
Farm minister Daniel Zeichner said: “We have now successfully allocated the SFI24 budget as promised.” He added: “More farmers are now in schemes and more money is
being spent through them than ever before.”
Defra says the revised SFI will be “underpinned by the government’s cast iron commitment to food secu rity, focusing on food production [and] creating more resilient farm businesses alongside supporting na ture recovery.”
It says the new scheme will be de signed to ensure it delivers value for money for taxpayers. The budget will be capped and strong budgetary con trols put in place so it is affordable to the public purse.
Silt builds up when water flow is slowed down sufficiently enough that the fine particles sink. Overtime these build up reducing the flow further exacerbating the problem.
This is why we are always telling people to keep their ditches and outfalls clean and clear as silt build up usually starts there. If your outfall is blocked, even a little it won ’t take long for this to start to effect the rest of a drainage scheme and once started, it is difficult to clear a pipe. Wet spots will form or if left for a few seasons a drainage scheme could fail completely.
SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST DRAINAGE
Former science minister George Freeman MP has accused the government of putting food security at risk by prioritising Net Zero over farming.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Freeman (pictured right) said swathes of farmland risked being lost under subsidised solar panels generating expensive electricity as the government “rushed” to reach net zero at the expense of food production.
“What we are not happy about is this government’s rush to force our consumers to pay higher bills and see a very, very important ag-
ricultural area of Norfolk turned at vast subsidy into farmers farming solar panels,” he said.
Accusing the government of abandoning “agricultural leadership in Net Zero,” Mr Freeman said the offer of paying consumers £250 compensation for higher bills and the defoliation of a large part of Norfolk had no consideration for local people.
Too much farmland is disappearing under solar developments, say critics
The issue of solar panels on farmland is increasingly contentious – and the Tenant Farmers Association has urged the government to explain how tenants can be protected from largescale solar developments.
TFA chief executive George Dunn spoke out after the government gave the go-ahead for a major solar development in North Yorkshire – despite the application being rejected by the local planning committee.
“This decision is also crushing for the wider tenanted sector,” said Mr Dunn. “We need the government to explain urgently how it will protect other tenant farmers from having to face this trauma.”
AHerefordshire woman will take on the London Marathon for a charity tackling rural isolation and people struggling in farming communities.
Ali Parker, whose family farm is near Bromyard, is training for the big event on 27 April. This will be her first marathon and she hopes to raise £10,000 for the We Are Farming Minds initiative.
Raising awareness
Founded by Sam and Emily Stables, the charity was set up to break the stigma around mental health in the farming community. It provides training, events, information, advice and support that is designed to raise awareness.
Ms Parker, who is NFU Herefordshire county adviser, said she enjoyed running – but a marathon was never an ambition until she found out the charity had a place.
“I went for it and was lucky enough to be given the spot,” she said. “I’m turning 30 at the start of April so this feels an appropriate challenge, but most importantly I am so pleased to raise money for We Are
Farming Minds in the process.
“Working as Herefordshire NFU county adviser I see day-to-day the relentless difficulties facing farming families. With so many challenges outside of farmers’ control, life can feel like a constant battle, often being fought in isolation.
“As a result, poor mental health in farming is 46% higher than in other occupations – and sadly all of us in the farming community know of loved ones who have struggled with mental health challenges.
“We Are Farming Minds is doing fantastic work in the county helping those who are struggling and also tackling rural isolation and I think it’s never been a more important time to support charities like this.”
We Are Farming Minds project manager Emily Jones said: “Last year was our busiest to date, with a 51% increase in counselling referrals and an increase in demand for all our other services. So far 2025 has been busier still.”
To make a donation, visit www.justgiving.com/page/ali-parker
Energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said spiralling energy prices for consumers over the past few years had shown why the UK needed to break its reliance on fossil fuels.
“It is not a reality that we think is tenable – so we will sprint to clean power, because that is the route by which we achieve energy security for the country, and financial security for families.
“We are on the right side of history, and on the side of consumers.”
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Fertiliser manufacturers say it still pays to apply urea – despite rules which mean it must be specially treated to reduce ammonia emissions.
Restrictions which came into force last year mean urea spread after 1 April must be treated with a urease inhibitor. Audited through the Red Tractor farm assurance scheme, the government rules aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by restricting the application of untreated urea fertiliser.
Although some farmers may see this as a needless restriction, suppliers say the benefits could offset the burden of compliance.
Protected urea costs about 10% more than unprotected urea – but it can reduce ammonia losses by as much as 70%. This represents a 2:1 return on investment on arable crops at today’s prices, says Tom Wells, agronomist at Origin Soil Nutrition.
Multiple trials have shown protected urea offers equivalent yields to ammonium nitrate. It also has a lower cost per unit of nitrogen, so users can spread the same amount of nitrogen with fewer bags and refills.
There are other benefits too. Using protected urea means more of the fertiliser remains available to plant, rather than being lost to the environment – so it offers a viable option for several reasons, explains Mr Wells.
“Protected urea consistently matches ammonium nitrate’s yield responses and has the potential to be cheaper per unit cost of nitrogen due to a higher nitrogen content in each bag,” he adds.
Enforcement
Defra is monitoring the update of urease inhibitors. Failure to abide by the rules could see new legislation passed making it mandatory to include an inhibitor in all applications – not just those from 1 April each year.
“As an industry, we should be fully supporting this stewardship guidance
to prevent regulation being enforced,” says ProCam business manager Phil Burrell.
“Not only should we be thinking of inhibitor use for stewardship, there is also the financial aspect. With ferti liser making up a large proportion of on-farm variable costs, anything we can do to enhance performance and get the most from that investment should
opment team ensures that the right amount of product is used according to the conditions at time of use.
Inclusion of NitroShield with the Omex liquid fertiliser range will reduce ammonia emissions, improve nitrogen use efficiency and consequently improve yield or provide the option of applying less nitrogen, says Omex technical director David Booty.
“Our trials show ammonia emissions from Nitroflo alone are less than a third of that from urea – and similar to emissions from protected urea,” says Mr Booty. “NitroShield produces an average emissions reduction of 70% compared with Nitroflo without
Applying fertiliser is more accu-
Growers with late-sown cereals should be mindful of drilling date rules when spraying crops this spring.
The drilling date is important because it determines whether a cereal crop is defined as a winter crop or a spring crop – and which pesticides and growth regulators can be legally applied on those fields.
Any cereal drilled after 31 January is legally classed as a spring cereal – even if it is a winter variety. Similarly, a spring variety sown before the end of January will technically be considered as a winter crop.
“When winter cereals are sown after the
end of January, they can only be treated with products approved in spring cereals,” explains Hutchinsons technical support manager Duncan Connabeer.
Any product authorised for use on winter cereals can legally be used on spring cereals sown before the end of January. But such use may not necessarily be supported by product manufacturers or agronomists.
Crop damage can occur when using some chemistry on winter cereals drilled in the spring – or spring cereals sown in the autumn. Growers should check labels carefully and discuss suitable options with their agronomist.
Scientists have mapped the genome sequence of a wild wheat relative –shedding light on its genetic diversity and potential use in breeding programmes.
Published in Scientific Data, the research contributes to a growing body of research aimed at safeguarding global wheat production in the face of climate change and emerging plant diseases.
The study was led by Dr Surbhi Grewal, an assistant professor at Nottingham University’s School of Biosciences. It was conducted as part of the Nottingham Wheat Research Centre’s (WRC) ongoing pre-breeding programme.
The researchers produced a high-quality fully-annotated genome assembly and valuable insights into the genetic architecture of Aegilops mutica, a species known for its adaptability to challenging environmental conditions.
Dr Grewal said: “This high-resolution genome assembly represents a significant step forward in our ability to utilise wild relatives for wheat improvement.
“With traits such as wheat rust resist ance, as demonstrated in our past studies, present in Aegilops mutica, this resource opens new possibilities for enhancing the resilience of modern wheat.”
The Nottingham Wheat Research Centre has been developing wheat-Aegilops mutica in trogression lines for more than a decade –aiming to transfer beneficial traits from this wild species into cultivated wheat.
These efforts have laid the foundation for identifying and integrating novel genetic di versity into wheat breeding programmes.
It follows the team’s publication of the genome assembly of Triticum timopheevii, another wheat wild relative.
The research employs wheat chromosomespecific molecular markers and advanced genomic tools to track introgressions from wild relatives into breeding lines.
Researchers are focusing on traits that enhance stress tolerance and disease resistance, explains Dr Grewal.
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The newly assembled genome will greatly enhance the identification of these beneficial traits, she adds. This will allow wheat breeders to transfer them into their elite breeding material and efficiently track beneficial introgressions.
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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
Excessively wet soils this year are more likely to be dried by the presence of cover crops than kept wetter. But sun and wind must be allowed to reach the soil surface for adequate drying predrilling.
While many cover crops may have already been dessicated either by glyphosate or grazing, in some situations of late establishment limited growth has been allowed to continue and spray off opportunities have been limited.
Sustainable Farming Incentive rules for overwinter covers also mean that termination is not realistically possible until midJanuary – and spraying opportunities and field access even after then has been limited this year.
Some thinner covers may in fact be better left until nearer drilling for desiccation, although this depends very much on species within covers, soil type and following crop and its likely drilling date.
It’s worth remembering too that blackgrass regrowth on bare soil can also be considered under the same rule set as covers with regards to dessication.
Desiccation options
Grazing with sheep is increasingly popular. Hutchinsons Maxi Graze mix is ideal where this is planned. But there are still several considerations to take into account.
It is important the grazier understands
that many covers are being grown for soil conditioning and not exclusively sheep grazing. This means the stock will graze the top growth very rapidly and will need moving on before soil surface damage occurs.
For this reason, roughly twice the cover grazing area is required compared to a traditional stubble turnip crop where the sheep are left on to clear all the tubers.
This is what puts condition on the sheep whereas top growth provides a maintenance feed.
Again, this must be clearly understood and accounted for as more work is expected of the grazier – including moving fences, water and livestock – for less weight gain in the sheep. Grazing fees must reflect this.
Cultivation to kill and better facilitate drilling always remains an option in controlling cover crops.
But if a drill will not cope with the situation, then it is better to cultivate as required, rather than risk failure of a crop. Why? Because you only get one chance at establishing a spring crop.
Only do what’s required. Remember the benefit of the cover is largely underground. If ploughing, for example, plough as shallowly as possible or work the top just enough to facilitate accurate sowing.
Remember, the covers are rooted, and drills will often cope well as the residue does not ‘drag’. It is often worth an early run up and down with an empty drill to see if it copes, before cultivations are used.
Legume species like crimson clover, berseem clover and vetch will often survive treatment.
This is rarely problematic if herbicide in the next crop is effective – or where the following crop is tall like maize or more smothering like peas.
It is a compromise between soil conditioning, cover crop processing and feed value to the grazier. Only sheep from six months old should graze multispecies covers, do not graze ewes with lambs at foot, as milk taint can occur.
If you go for this option, make sure adequate rates of glyphosate are used – 1000g minimum – with an adjuvant like Spryte Aqua CF. Remember too that low temperatures and shading will impact performance.
Kyleo is usually used in mixture with additional glyphosate around 3 l/ha and should be used where surviving brassica or phacelia will impact the following crop. This approach requires expensive post emergence herbicide treatment, if any exists.
Kyleo is helpful where a larger cover bulk needs reducing quickly to improve the drills' ability to cope with aftermath adding the importance of treatment to sowing safe periods.
Shark can also be a very useful addition to glyphosate for a range of species more tolerant of glyphosate. It is vital where nettles form part of the cover on lighter soils and useful on brassica species – remember the onemonth gap before planting a crop.
Cereal genetics that maximise productivity are becoming increasingly important for plant breeders keen to help growers boost profitability.
Recent years have seen enhanced functionality added to crop options but high yields are also a priority –and the latest KWS varieties more than prove this, says Kate Cobbold, the breeder’s UK head of product and agro-services.
KWS saw eight new wheats added to the latest Recommended List – with top placings in all the key groups as well as in conventional and hybrid barleys. It shows that yield is once again king for growers, says Ms Cobbold.
The KWS Sowing for Peak Performance initiative of the last ten years or so which has put the emphasis on qualities such as overall resilience, disease resistance, field performance and consistency of production.
This saw varieties with good disease resistance and production reliability establish themselves as the UK's most widely grown wheats in recent times. They include Group 2 KWS Extase and Group 4 all-rounder KWS Dawsum.
Productivity priority
But nothing stands still and a new set of criteria is starting to influence UK production needs – which is precisely the thinking behind the latest KWS Productivity Squared initiative.
Productivity Squared builds on Sowing for Peak Performance to put a variety's ability to deliver the best gross margin centre stage of the decision-making progress.
"While output is a fundamental part of the productivity equation, so too is the cost of production, says Ms Cobbold. So, while yield dictates the top line in terms of revenue earned,
cost of inputs is key in determining the final gross margin/ha.
"A variety that is more robust and requires less agronomic intervention will be able to contribute more to the bottom line than one that is needy and requires significant expenditure to deliver its full potential.
"That's where disease resistance and resilience comes in, but marketability is important too. Being able to achieve premiums for your production adds markedly to the top line of the productivity equation."
KWS wheat product manager Olivia Bacon says the diversification of the KWS wheat portfolio for 2025 offers growers more choice and, importantly, varieties that meet the production demands of growers.
"Group 1 new KWS Vibe, for example, brings the highest overall protein production to help growers maximise margins together with a comprehensive agronomic package.
"KWS Vibe brings genuinely improved performance to a sector that has had few new additions in recent years. We believe KWS Vibe is the new 'protein banker' for the UK with the best combination of yield and protein of all varieties – but with a much better plant package than previous varieties."
“
Marketability is important too
ahead of KWS Extase at 106% of control – making it comparable to the best Group 4s, together with the additional benefits of 7s for both yellow rust and septoria resistance.
"KWS Equipe takes second spot in Group 2 at 103% of treated controls plus it has the highest untreated yield of all varieties on the new RL at 92% while KWS Newbie delivers excellent first and second wheat yields.
"Group 3 additions KWS Solitaire, the Group's new highest yielder, and KWS Flute are definite 'disrupters' with the potential to serve all market opportunities be they distilling, export, feed or biscuits.
"Like Group 2, Group 3 is also evolving with these new genetics providing a range of opportunities for growers that would not have been possible just a few years ago."
In Group 4, where KWS Dawsum's reliability and strength have made it the UK's most popular wheat by area in recent years, KWS Scope tops the Group and the new Recommended List overall with a yield of 108% of control for the UK as a whole, she adds.
In Group 2, the three top spots are taken by KWS Arnie, KWS Equipe and KWS Newbie – building on KWS Extase's legacy of high yields, good milling potential and strong disease resistance, says Ms Bacon.
"That rises to 111% in the west region so it's a true yield monster with the type of agronomic foundation that allows this performance to be delivered across the country plus it has a specific weight significantly higher than the next highest yielder on the list.
"KWS Arnie is the new Group 2 leader with a yield some 4% points
"A 7 for yellow rust, a 6 for brown rust and a 6.5 for Septoria tritici resistance give KWS Scope similar agronomics to KWS Dawsum with its specific weight of 78.9 kg/hl right up there too."
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BRED IN BRITAIN FOR UK FARMERS
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Highly recommended for all regions of the UK, this top-performing conventional variety boasts the highest yield. Featuring large pods and abundant seeds, it ranks as the No.1 choice. Developed in Britain specifically for British farmers, its superior yield, vigour, and establishment surpass even that of Campus.
ommended for all regions of the UK, this top-performing conventional variety boasts the highest yield. Featuring large pods and abundant seeds, it ranks as the No.1 choice. Developed in Britain specifically for British farmers, its superior yield, vigour, and establishment surpass even that of Campus.
ommended for all regions of the UK, this top-performing conventional variety boasts the highest yield. Featuring large pods and abundant seeds, it ranks as the No.1 choice. Developed in Britain specifically for British farmers, its superior yield, vigour, and establishment surpass even that of Campus.
• Early use delivers biggest benefits
• Integration with regular agronomy
• Clear health and resilience benefits
Including biosolutions in conventional crop management programmes is helping to boost plant health and resilience.
"There's clear evidence emerging from our trials that using biosolutions early in a fungicide programme is where they're likely to deliver the best results," says Agrii technical manager Jodie Littleford.
Lower disease levels compared to a standard conventional fungicide programme are evident where biosolutions are used earlier in the programme – and integrated with traditional chemistry before disease levels escalate, says Ms Littleford.
"Where this pattern starts to break down is where disease levels have already started to build in the early stages of the spring and the effects of the biosolutions on crop resilience are potentially limited."
Mode of action
Understanding how to use biosolutions in crop management programmes is key – including a firm grasp of their mode of action.
"Elicitors, for example, trigger the plant's hypersensitive response. This was discovered in 1992 and is effectively the response the plant has to a pathogen damaging its cell wall and has been associated with disease tolerance.
"Once a hypersensitive response is triggered, it stimulates metabolic pathways in the plant that help with crop resilience and intrinsic defence against these pathogens."
Peptides, which are specially designed strings of amino acids, have been shown to mimic this cell wall damage and trigger the response, but applying them early in the programme and ahead of disease onset is important, says Ms Littleford.
"In this way, the plant’s immune response has been activated prior to a pathogen attacking.
"It's the same with fungicides really, where a protective approach is the most effective. If you’re in a situation where you’re having to firefight, then you’re really too late with the application whether it is a conventional fungicide or a biostimulant.
Building blocks
As well as resilience-boosting results with peptides, other biostimulants, including amino acids, PGA (pyroglutamic acid) and phosphite, have all performed well in trials, she says.
"Amino acids are building blocks utilised in a range of biochemical functions including protein synthesis, stress reduction and modulating stomatal opening.
"Biostimulation of these processes can enhance growth, improve nutrient cycling, help crops combat disease and increase productivity.
"PGA and phosphite have also been shown to enhance nutrient use efficiency as well as improving rooting and upregulating photosynthesis, which in turn provides the plant with more energy and resources to thrive."
Trials carried out in the heightened and sustained disease pressure of the 2024 season have further underlined the known effects of biosolutions in a targeted approach alongside fungicides, says Ms Littleford.
Trial plots treated with a standard fungicide programme in south Wales had virtually no green leaf area left last summer. Septoria pressure is usually high in south Wales during a normal year – but extreme levels were also seen during this season.
But plots in the same trial with a fully biological approach at T0 and T1 integrating elicitors, amino acids, phosphites and bio-fungicides, had significantly more green leaf area left on the flag leaf.
"So even in a year like the last one, bio-based solutions stacked up against traditional chemistry when used in the right way in a programmed approach.
"Having a fully integrated approach with stronger chemistry when it is needed, particularly on less resistant varieties, can certainly deliver better results in terms of gross margin over input costs.
“A range of options are availablfor integrating biosolutions
"But there is also a wide range of options for integrating biosolutions into existing fungicide programmes to protect yields and improve margins, but these do depend on the location and disease pressure seen."
One of the most exciting of the newer biostimulant options is Innocul8, containing manganese, zinc and a peptide which has been shown to enhance crops by triggering the plant's complete hyper-sensitive response, she says.
"At the early assessment timings, where we’ve used Innocul8 at T0 or before, we see enhanced greening and healthier crops carrying lower levels of disease, better able to withstand environmental stress.
"We’ve also seen a consistent yield increase of around a third of a tonne per hectare (0.34t/ha) where we’ve applied Innocul8 at those early timings.
"All the emerging science and trials results are showing biostimulants. Elicitors in particular, to be vital tools in boosting a crop's ability to withstand the various challenges of climate change and more stressful growing conditions."
• High-yielding and early drilling
• Traits include inbuilt tolerance
• Recommended list will ‘evolve’
Swhen growing the crop.
eties with in-built tolerance to pests and disease. That said, the number of available varieties has increased by just one to 23 because some varieties have dropped off the list.
high-yielding conventional varieties
Antler and Gadwall – along with Hoopoe which bolsters the beet cyst nematode portfolio of genetics. All three
rowers now have valuable additional information to select the most appropriate sugar beet varieties, says plant breeder SESVanderHave.
The release of data from 2024 sugar beet harvest by the British Beet Research Organisation will help growers choose the best varieties to sow in their location, says Ian Munnery, UK director for SESVanderHave.
“It's encouraging to see three of our varieties – Antler, Gawall and Hoopoe – all recommended. This confirms the excellent perfor-
mance we have seen in three years of Animal and Plant Health Agency trials.”
Sugar content
Antler is yielding as high as the previous number one, but with higher sugar content and lower bolting. Also gaining recommended status is Aslan – bred by Hilleshog and marketed by SESVanderHave UK.
Hoopoe has joined the list for its outstanding performance under the threat of beet cyst nematode. Meanwhile, for growers facing the
challenge of AYPR rhizomania, Osprey is the only recommended variety, says Mr Munnery.
"Many growers will acknowledge this aligns with their own farm experience from trialling these varieties."
Changes introduced by NFU Sugar and British Sugar mean growers can now access new varieties and treatments earlier and directly from the breeder.
"While all our varieties have proven popular, we still have some stocks for anybody needing more seed this spring."
01733
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varieties qualify for early drilling. Hilleshög makes a return the recommended list with the entry Aslan, which is marketed by SESVanderHave. Another high yielding conventional variety, it too is suitable for early drilling.
The first new addition from KWS for 2026 is Generosa. It joins Marushca as the breeder’s second virus tolerant variety. This provides an improvement in yield performance over Marushca, says the company.
As a first for the recommended list, KWS has added the trait combination of beet cyst nematode (BCN) and acetolactate synthase (ALS) resistance in a single variety. Smart Nelda is for growers looking to use ALS technology with a known BCN problem.
Strube brought ST Tweed to the list in 2025 as a conventional variety. But ST Tweed now becomes an SY2, with the addition of a virus yellows trait claim. As with previous years, all trait claims are based on external data sources beyond the trials.
This is assessed by an expert panel for robustness and then approved by
the official crop committee. As with the other VY tolerant varieties, growers should contact the breeder regarding their performance in the presence of the three viruses.
While 2024 was favourable for beet growing, rain showers during spring were challenging for establishing trials – despite keeping aphids at bay.
Although seed bed conditions were often exceptional, heavy rain after drilling led to reduced establishment.
Switching one untreated trials to treated – to ensure that enough crop was available to harvest – resulted in only one untreated trial going to yield.
This means that limited data is available for year one varieties and any data should be treated with caution.
Bigger visual changes to the Recommended List results are expected to be seen in 2027 with a move from genetic to product testing.
The BBRO says the list will continue to deliver as much information as possible to assist with the selection of all varieties – with any differences between individual varieties are small and statistically insignificant.
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The recommended list is run and funded by the BBRO while the variety list is run and funded by breeders and independently verified by British Society of Plant Breeders.
Seed is unprimed. Early-sown bolting was determined in the separate trials that were not taken to yield. The recommended list dataset also includes disease infection from separate trials that were not treated with foliar fungicides.
Variety tables are available on the BBRO website. To make them easier to navigate, yield performance alone now ranks the varieties from left to right as listed on the tables.
All growers and advisors will have been frequently reminded of the importance of the ‘X’ on the recommended list – with early sown bolter trials suggesting certain varieties shouldn’t be drilled before mid-March.
For 2026, a purple ‘X’ can now be seen. This recommendation is from the breeder and does not relate to bolter numbers. The advice relates to Smart varieties only and reflects the stewardship advice for ALS technology. Many differences between individual varieties are small
Prospects remain good for sugar beet – despite an 18% price reduction. But careful crop management is needed, say advisers.
Three pricing options were available to beet growers for the 2025/26 crop – a fixed price of £33/t for up to 70% of contract; a guaranteed base price of £30.70/t plus market-linked bonus; or a futures-linked contract for up to 50% of the contract.
At a cost of £1.40/t for farmers, could also opt for enhanced yield protection – the option to de-risk the crop by guaranteeing a minimum payment for 85% of a grower’s expected contract production.
Taken together, it all means sugar beet gross margins for the 2025/26 crop are set to fall by more than 30% due to a lower sugar beet price and stubbornly high variable costs, according to the latest Nix Farm Management Pocketbook.
Nix forecasts a potential £580/ha reduction in gross margin for a crop averaging 77t/ha for the coming season compared with 2024/25. Despite the drop, this is still a far higher gross margin than many other break crops.
But it’s not just variable costs that have risen, says James Webster-Rusk, senior agribusiness analyst for The
Anderson Centre. Fixed costs have increased too – putting additional pressure on the bottom line.
Higher interest rates, increases in the minimum wage and changes to National Insurance contributions – depending on farm size – are also putting pushing up fixed costs on many beet growing farms, says Mr Webster-Rusk.
So what can growers do to outperform the forecasts and minimise any loss in margins? After all, it’s not easy to reduce fixed cost structures, particularly with interest rates unlikely to fall much in the next three to five years.
One solution could be to look again at machinery and labour usage, says Mr Webster-Rusk. The top performing growers tend to make better use of contractors, suggests a recent Andersons update for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. Margins could also be protected by opting into Sustainable Farming Incentive options – especially overwintered cover crops ahead of beet. But while that would bring in an extra £129/ha, it does require attention to detail.
Ceres Rural managing partner Richard Means says farmers should be careful about the cover crop species or mix they choose – especially given their potential to provide a habitat for pests which go on to infest beet.
The potential to create a green bridge for aphids transmitting virus yellows in sugar beet, for example, emphasises the importance of destroying any cover crop in good time to aid successful establishment.
“If you jeopardise crop establishment and reduce yield by even 5% you lose more than you gain by having a cover crop,” he says. “I’d suggest only those who are comfortable with managing cover crops and are on the right soil types use that option.”
With neonicotinoid seed dressings not approved for the coming season, there is likely to be an elevated risk from virus yellows. That added risk, coupled with the lower beet price, makes the crop more challenging to manage profitably, says Mr Means.
While yield protection insurance was available through British Sugar, that option had to be taken up during contracting, so attention to detail for in-season management remains the only option to growers to mitigate risk.
Seedbed preparation
That starts with establishment, says fellow Ceres Rural partner Jock Willmott, who suggests growers should reduce risk with good seedbed preparations. “If a crop goes in well, it is so much easier to look after.”
In a wet winter and early spring, ploughing is generally a safer way of achieving good establishment. But in dry conditions, a deep cultivator in the autumn followed by shallower cultivations in the spring work better.
“Spring crop land has been relatively well prepped this autumn,” adds Mr Willmott.
Earlier drilling dates will generally maximise yield. Drilling after midApril potentially leading to adjusted yield losses of over 4 t/ha per week, according to the British Beet Research Organisation.
But soil temperature and moisture –rather than calendar date – remain key to determining the best time to get the crop in the ground. Rapid and even establishment will influence how much yield potential is achieved.
Minimising the time to reach 1216 true leaves reduces the risk of virus yellows. Weed control also plays a key role in enabling maximum crop growth by removing competition and avoiding any unnecessary check on the crop.
Input costs can be optimised and kept to a minimum without compromising weed control by mixing and matching straight herbicides rather than buying formulated products, suggests to Stuart Jackson of UPL.
“Herbicides are a significant part of growing costs,” he says. “But by using appropriate doses for the weed size and
spectrum of straight metamitron, ethofumesate and phenmedipham it’s possible to reduce the cost of the programme.”
The dose of ethofumesate hould be increased where weeds like cleavers, knotgrass, chickweed, orache or annual meadow grass are present. But higher doses of phenmedipham should be used for brassicas or speedwells.
“Using straights helps tailor the dose of one active substance without changing the others as the weed spectrum changes through the season or in different fields.”
Tailoring doses can also help reduce potential crop safety challenges, says Mr Jackson.
“The ratio of actives in a co-formulation is fixed, which means you can only lower the dose of the product to avoid crop safety risk.”
With straights, farmers and agronomists have more flexibility to tweak the ratio to ease crop safety risk while maintaining efficacy, he explains.
Plant breeders must look to the future changing needs of growers, as it can take 10 years or more to develop a new variety.
In 2015, Strube commenced ‘Project Jaunisse’, a dedicated breeding and trialling programme for virus yellows tolerance; in response to the anticipated loss of neonicotinoid seed treatments across Europe and the increasing threat to crop yield from greater virus yellows prevalence throughout northern Europe. This research focus and investment is now yielding progress through classical breeding techniques.
As recently as 2023, Strube’s latest genetics offer growers significant protection against aphid borne virus in France and Germany. Breeding for maintained performance under virus yellows pressure is just one focus area as we concentrate our breeding to ‘stack’ traits. So, for example to have Beet Cyst Nematode combined with Cercospora and Virus Yellows tolerance in the near future.
Strube focus on UK grower priorities:
Richard Cogman (Strube UK) says “our breeding programme is focused on multi-gene Virus Yellows tolerance for British growers, as well as selecting future candidates for Beet Cyst Nematode (BCN), Cercospora and Strong Rhizomania (AYPR) tolerance”.
We are pleased to share results from the 2024 BBRO ‘Goliath’ Trial that clearly demonstrates the potential for maintained yield performance even when subject to 100% inoculation of the yellowing viruses. This was clearly demonstrated by our new variety, ST Tweed, that will be first grown commercially this year.
Graph 1: 2024 Goliath Trial - Results show the comparative adjusted yield performance of ST Tweed against controls, including Morgan, for uninoculated and then inoculated with Beet Chlorosis Virus, Beet Mild Yellows Virus and Beet Yellows virus; and the relative yield summary table:
Whilst Morgan delivered highest uninoculated yield, ST Tweed retained c.95% of its uninoculated yield when exposed to 100% beet mild yellows virus infection, with reduced yield loss for all three viruses. On the basis of this compelling performance, backed up by our own replicated internal trials, the 2026 Sugar Beet Recommended List confirms virus yellows tolerance for ST Tweed. This resilience under 100% inoculation shows what Strube’s plant breeding can achieve and deliver to growers!
Strube offers Morgan, Stewart and Button, proven to deliver stable and consistently high output. For growers who experience or suspect Beet Cyst Nematode (BCN), Button offers tolerance to protect against yield loss, combined with excellent establishment. New for this year, ST Trent offers similar performance to Stewart.
ST Tweed offers highly competitive performance with very low bolting. In addition to yield resilience from tolerance to the yellowing poleroviruses, ST Tweed offers comparable yield to Morgan, but with lower disease expression for Rust, Powdery Mildew and most crucually Cercospora - therefore UK growers expect this variety to be highly reliable and stable in its field performance.
Strube offers Degas, Gahan and Clemens as leaders in high fresh and dry matter yield; in direct response to excellent field establishment and canopy health characteristics. Proven to be consistently reliable, offering excellent feed value for fodder and energy beet growers. Future candidate varieties, Hubble and ST Olympe will be entered into the next two years of UK VL trials for national listing and 2027 commercial availability.
Strube is renowned for delivering consistently high performing varieties from traditional breeding techniques, combined with excellence in seed quality.
Changing rotations and reduced tillage could explain why a key disease is becoming more prevalent and damaging in potato crops.
Potato growers need to be alert to the threat of Rhizoctonia solani this spring – especially farms moving less soil between crops. Reduced tillage has been shown to encourage survival the pathogen in the soil.
There are also more species of plants being grown in some rotations, whether that is driven by a greater area of cover crops, environmental schemes, or more cash crop options.
In theory, this diversity could reduce the amount of available Rhizoctonia inoculum for susceptible crops – including potatoes. But it also provides more hosts for soil-borne persistence.
Farming systems have changed rapidly over recent years and this has created a knowledge gap that needs filling, says Rumiana Ray, professor of plant pathology at Nottingham University.
“Growers and agronomists need to know the current soil-borne disease situation to assess the impact of these practices and implement alternative or corrective measures, if needed,” says Prof Ray.
Hutchinsons agronomist and potato specialist Andrew Goodinson says currently that leaves good husbandry, combined with the application of
Farming systems have changed rapidly
soil- and seed-applied fungicides, as the main control measures where risk is identified.
Where soil-borne risk is identified, Mr Goodinson recommends the use of in-furrow fungicides like azoxystrobin or fluxapyroxad – combining them with a seed treatment where needed.
There are liquid seed-treatment options like flutolanil-based RhiNo and Andrew sees these becoming much more popular in the future as seed is treated in the shed over a roller table ahead of planting.
This takes an operation off a busy planter operator already grappling
der seed treatment application.
But Mr Goodinson says many of his potato growers are still using powder flutolanil formulation RhiNo DSG, as it gives flexibility, particularly where seed is delivered just-in-time for planting.
“But whatever seed treatment you decide to use, effectiveness does rely on excellent coverage. That makes correct setup, calibration, and maintenance of on-planter applicators crucial,” he adds.
Planting conditions and adequate early nutrition are the final considerations, with timely cultivations and seed-bed preparations that avoid soil compaction key to seeing the crop grow away from the threat of Rhizoctonia.
“Anything that can reduce stress and encourage crop development is a good thing and we are using phosphitebased products as well,” says Mr Goodinson.
“Other biological products will play an increasingly important role in potatoes, but we are still learning about how and when they are best applied for consistent success.”
Wireworm risk should be routinely assessed ahead of potato planting to combat the increased threat of pest damage to crops, say experts.
Historically associated with grassland rotations in south-west England, changing farm practices and climatic conditions have seen a continuous creep of the soil-borne pest to other regions in recent seasons.
Damage from wireworm boring into tubers can result downgraded crops – as well as creating an entry point for tuber rots and disease pathogens, says Syngenta potato technical manager Andy Cunningham.
Any past evidence of infestation indicates the presence of adult click beetle species in the area – and the ongoing threat of its larval stage, wireworm, Mr Cunningham told last month’s Syngenta Potato Power meetings.
Risk factors
Higher pest populations are linked to increases in green cover throughout the rotation, more soil organic matter and moisture retention, reduced cultivations in minimum tillage cereals and fewer insecticidal seed treatments in arable crops.
All these management practices benefit the wider arable rotation, which makes it challenging to employ integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to prevent wireworm damage in potatoes.
Maize grown for forage or energy crop are also a favoured wireworm host. Growers and agronomists should routinely risk assess for click beetle and wireworm populations on fields in advance of potato cropping, says Mr Cunningham.
“Being aware of the problem is key for developing an effective control strategy to target treatments effectively and to minimise damage,” he advises.
Assessment
Monitoring techniques include pheromone traps to attract the three primary click beetle species; and bait traps of seed balls with 50:50 wheat and maize buried in the soil when condi-
tions warm up.
“Pheromone traps are highly selective and give a very good indication of click beetle presence across the area, with capture thresholds as a guide to suggested actions,” says Mr Cunningham.
“Bait traps are more specific to the field, but if you do find any wireworm then it accurately indicates potato crops will be likely subjected to attack.”
The loss of Vydate and Mocap means Nemathorin is now the only nematicide available for growers to reduce wireworm damage, says Mr Cunningham. “Results can be very good, and equal to the nematicides previously used for the purpose.”
Above: Pest damage will see crops downgraded Inset: Wireworm is an increasing threat
ronomic sense to get the best performance with accurate application.”
While Nemathorin is the best option currently available, Mr Cunningham suggests that new products under development could offer a better long-term solution to the growing issue of wireworm.
When wireworm is the only soil pest to be targeted, the Nemathorin application rate is just 15 kg/ha – half the rate used for the control of potato cyst nematode or for targeting freeliving nematodes.
“The application technique is imperative to avoid mixing in too much soil and over diluting the treatment. It needs to be accurately applied and evenly incorporated into the top 1520 cm of the soil profile only.
Syngenta trials with an innovative new research product, based on the active ingredient tefluthrin, have shown excellent results, he says. The product formulation gives improved vapour activity in the soil profile around the
“For most growers, that means applying as a specific pass on a bed tiller directly in front of the potato planter,” says Mr Cunningham.
“Nemathorin is such an important and significant investment in the potato growing programme that it makes economic and ag-
Effective control strategies are vital, says
“Application trials have looked at in-furrow treatments to achieve protection around the growing tubers, but for growers who may not have the required applicators overall incorporation has also been successful in the research.”
Results have now been submitted for the product’s UK registration for the control of wireworm in potatoes and maize.
A £56,000 project is assessing new ways to combat the increasing problem of wireworm damage in potatoes. The 18-month Innovate UK initiative is being undertaken by Emerald Research in south-west England. It is evaluating whether soil improvers can deter wireworms by stimulating the reproduction and development of soil microflora. Wireworm can remain in the soil for up to five
years. Losses to the pest are typically 15-35%, says the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board – threatening crop viability on infested fields. Fieldscale trials are testing three possible solutions. It is examining the post-treatment level of wireworms in the fields, while also recording the effects on soil health, tuber damage and marketable crop yield.
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Anew weapon is helping vets and farmers decide whether it is worthwhile vaccinating livestock against bluetongue.
The Battle Bluetongue tool is a vaccination finance calculator to help beef and sheep producers reach an informed decision when it comes to inoculating their herds and flocks this season.
Developed by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, the tool has already been put to good use by sheep farmer and AHDB farming systems director Mike Gooding ahead of warmer spring weather.
Mr Gooding used the calculator to understand the cost-benefit of vacci nating his flock of Romney sheep. He says it led to an extended discussion with his vet to consider the risks of a bluetongue outbreak and when best to vaccinate.
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“Farming in Oxfordshire and now within the bluetongue zone, this has
sharpened my focus, and the calcu lator and discussion with my vet has helped me properly assess the options and the risks.”
This calculator has been added to the armoury of resources for vets and farmers to use in the Battle Blue tongue campaign – developed by the AHDB and Ruminant Health & Wel fare (RH&W) with key veterinary and industry associations.
With BTV-3 continuing to pose a significant threat to UK ruminants, the calculator was developed to help slow infection rates and the spread of the disease, says Mandy Nevel, AHDB head of animal health and welfare.
behind the scenes to make this as robust a tool as possible for all the diverse dairy farming systems we have in the UK.”
“There is no treatment for this disease which continues to play havoc with trade and animal movements,” says Dr Nevel. “Vaccination and restricted movements in affected areas – remain our best defence.”
It is hoped that the simple to use tool will help farmers or vets calculate cost of vaccination for sheep and beef cattle against bluetongue virus – and enable them to make the best decision for their farm.
“A bespoke dairy calculator will also be released as soon as possible,”
Ruminant Health & Welfare was established to co-ordinate and focus the ruminant sector’s drive in tackling endemic cattle, sheep and goat diseases across the UK, working with partners in the four nations.
Experienced vets were involved in testing the calculator. Bluetongue is a notifiable animal disease. Suspected cases must be reported immediately by calling the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301.
The Battle Bluetongue calculator is available on the AHDB website at www.ahdb.org.uk.
Maize silage continues to be affected by low starch levels – a trend that has been developing over the past three years.
Starch levels have been dropping due to a series of poor summers, says ForFarmers product manager Bruce Forshaw (pictured right). “This is obviously a worrying trend when maize is being grown for its high energy and starch content.
Some 30 maize samples from the 2024 season were sent to laboratory tester EuroFins for wet chemistry analysis. Starch levels averaged 27.6% compared to 29% in 2023 and 30.3% in 2022.
A large portion of the low starch silages also had a low dry matter. This can make traditional fresh near-infrared (NIR) test-
ing more difficult because the light refracts off the moisture in the sample. For dry NIR all moisture is removed.
“This maize starch reduc tion is down to a number of factors,” says Mr Forshaw. “We’ve seen reduced sunshine hours in the past few summers meaning cobs haven’t ripened as usual.”
ForFarmers spoke to a number of farmers with low maize silage starch levels.
“They reported taking the crop earlier then they might have previously because of the worry of wet ground conditions and fore casted further rain.”
Lower dry matter results in maize silage
coupled with lower boron during 2024 also suggest cob sizes have been smaller. The again may be due to early harvesting, says Mr Forshaw.
“Leaving maize crops to mature further is a very difficult decision when faced with the wet conditions we had last
“But an early maturing variety can give you an earlier harvest date and allows for a follow-on crop to be sown.
“If maize silage is coming back with low starch levels I would suggest supplementing the diet with a consistent product, which won’t detrimentally affect the health of the rumen, such as caustic wheat.”
UK pork production is expected to remain steady in 2025, sug gests the latest forecast from the Agriculture and Horticulture De velopment Board.
Limited growth in breeding herd numbers and continued pressure on export markets will be offset by de mand from a thriving foodservice sec tor and consumers looking for conven ient, affordable cuts of pork, it says.
AHDB senior livestock analyst Freya Shuttleworth said: “While the pork market faces challenges such as fluctuating export demand and rising geopolitical uncertainties, we are see ing signs of resilience.”
Continued growth of the foodser vice sector and increasing consumer
interest in value-driven cuts of pork were reason for optimism, said Ms Shuttleworth.
“The industry’s focus must remain on meeting the evolving needs of consumers while maintaining high standards of welfare and sustainability.”
UK pork production is forecast to remain stable in 2025, with clean pig slaughter volumes reaching about10.32 million head, a slight decrease of 0.1% compared to 2024.
Average carcase weights are expected to remain at around 90kg, in line with performance from previous years. But productivity improvements are still a driving force in the sector.
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UK pork production is expected to remain stable in 2025
The size of the UK breeding herd is forecast to rise by 1% to 330,000 head by June 2025 and long-term growth is expected to remain limited, with the herd expected to return to 2023 levels by 2027.
But the AHDB quarterly estimated cost of production has seen a slight decrease over the past year, contributing to positive industry sentiment and net margins of £15 per head during 2024.
That said, producer confidence continues to be impacted by ongoing uncertainty. This includes fluctuating input costs and other economic challenges, with producers continuing to exit the industry.
The outlook for trade in 2025 is mixed, with geopolitical tensions and market volatility continuing to affect UK exports.
The EU remains the UK’s most significant trading partner, with over 99% of UK pig meat imports and over 42% of exports coming from the re-
Food service growth – particularly in dining out and on-the-go meal occasions, are a valuable opportunity for pork producers, says the AHDB.
Consumers are seeking affordable, convenient meals, with pork wellsuited to quick, tasty options, says AHDB consumer insight manager Vanessa Adamson.
“As we continue to face economic pressures, promoting the nutritional benefits and versatility of pork will be key in encouraging consumers to incorporate more pork into their meals.”. Interest in affordable meals means there are significant opportunities to expand pork consumption –particularly through convenient products like sausages, burgers, and
gion. But demand from the EU is expected to decrease as EU consumption weakens.
Despite these challenges, there are brighter prospects in markets like southeast Asia, where African Swine Fever (ASF) has impacted local pork production.
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pre-prepared cuts, adds Ms Adamson.
To enhance the outlook for pork consumption in 2025, the AHDB says industry players should focus on communicating the health benefits of pork, such as its rich vitamin and protein content.
Versatile recipes, batch cooking ideas, and affordable meal options will all help capture consumer interest, it says. Premium pork should be marketed to appeal to those seeking high-quality, cost-effective options.
In response to these challenges and opportunities, AHDB is launching its ‘Love Pork’ campaign and other marketing activities throughout 2025 to encourage increased consumer engagement with pork.
The relisting of two UK processing sites for China and the potential for stronger trade ties with countries like South Korea could help offset weaker demand from traditional markets closer to home, say AHDB analysts. China and South-east Asia continue to be huge consumers of pork.
AStaffordshire poultry producer has ramped up biosecurity in a bid to keep his business safe from bird flu.
Mark Holt houses 40,000 turkeys in four state-of-the-art sheds at Toft Farm Growers, near Stafford. Formerly a dairy farming business, the Holt family diversified into poultry in 2019 to complement their 260ha arable enterprise.
With an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) in place across England and further housing measures in some areas, Mr Holt says tight biosecurity is the first line of defence in protecting his substantial turkey flock.
But he also recognises the need to be prepared for the worst – and the importance of a clear action plan and comprehensive biosecurity protocols in place should an outbreak occur.
Poultry shed manager Freddie Webb works closely with Avara Foods and biosecurity experts Livetec Systems to maintain maximum protection for both their birds and business income.
flu strikes.
Julian Sparrey helped devise a bespoke emergency action plan
“Birds arrive from the hatchery at a day old, with stags grown on until 140 days, while the hens are thinned out,” says Mr Webb. “Being a new site, we’re luckily set up to be as biosecure as possible.”
Measures implemented to minimise the risk of disease transmission include shower facilities, shed-specific clothing and step-over barriers. Annual biosecurity audits provide a further layer of protection.
“One handy thing we’ve installed more recently is a pressure washer permanently rigged up on the yard, so we can easily spray disinfectant all over the yard or onto any incoming vehicles – there’s no skimping on disinfection.”
Despite these measures, Mr Webb acknowledges the farm remains at risk – particularly from third-party visitors such as contractors and catching teams. The risk became all too clear when another farm in their supplier group contracted bird flu, he adds.
“After talking to the farm who had contracted avian flu, they men-
Mr Sparrey works alongside poultry managers to create bespoke action plans, including essential documentation, such as premises maps and key contact lists to be used in the event of a bird flu outbreak.
“When speed is critical in an emergency, being forewarned is forearmed. This plan is incredibly valuable for helping farm businesses reduce the time between suspecting disease and starting the recovery process.”
This helps businesses return to normal faster, says Mr Sparrey.
“Some 40,000 turkeys are housed across four sheds at toft
Inset: Freddie Web: shed manager
on our farm, it would obviously be a highly stressful time. In that situation, when you’re trying to tell lots of officials what they need to know, the easiest thing is to have it all in one place, in an easy-to-access document that we can hand over to APHA.
“While we’re insured for an outbreak, it’s still crucial to limit the length of time you’re destocked for to minimise loss of income.
“If we’re ready to go when APHA turn up and get that process rolling quicker, we’d hopefully be back up and running that much sooner.”
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Turkey producer Paul Kelly is inviting people in the sector to join the Worshipful Company of Poulters – and support its charitable work.
Daring back to 1368, the poulters livery company was founded to regulate Lon don’s poultry, swans, pigeons, rabbits and small game. Today, it operates as a charitable institution – and Mr Kelly is its newly elected master.
Charitable activities include sponsorship of three participants in the NFU Poultry Industry Pro gramme on a Cranfield Institute management course and grants for students at Harper Adams University.
“It’s a great honour to become Master of the Worshipful Company of Poulters,” says Mr Kelly, who is manag ing director of Kelly Turkeys.
“The livery companies in the City of London have an amazing history and the lunch-
es we have at Armourers’ Hall in London are very special.
“Becoming a member of the organisation is a perfect way for those who’ve worked in the poultry industry for a number of years to give back something to benefit the next generation.”
prise,” says Mr Cross, who used a de cision-making matrix to help decide his farming future.
“We originally had cattle on a liveweight gain contract but the reliance on high-quality forage to meet the targets – together with the challenge of changing weather patterns and soil quality issues – meant I wanted to review our options.”
To do this, Mr Cross modelled three different scenarios which he considered for his farm. They were contract cattle reared on a liveweight gain contract; a conventional suckler herd; and organic store cattle.
Each system was assessed for its impact on land use, feed resources, livestock productivity and financial outcomes. Key factors measured included pasture growth, forage availability and financial sustainability.
Organic store cattle offered the highest gross margin. But model-
I wanted to review our options switching
ship income – as well as a reliance on an organic market premium.
Contract cattle were lower-risk with a lower labour requirement. But they required higher-quality pasture. Conventional suckler herds offered longer-term security but more labour and variable costs, resulting in lower financial returns.
The analysis also examined animal health implications. Contract and organic store cattle were found to be at risk from movement restrictions in the event of a disease outbreak.
“Modelling the three scenarios and how they would work for our situation was useful to understand the pros and cons of different systems and how they could fit into the overall aims for the business and its future.
“The long-term goals I have set are to improve resilience of the business, especially [to the] extreme weather events we have been facing, increase
The AHDB has since published a report based on Mr Cross’s findings. It walks farmers through the decision-making process – and includes a decision matrix so other livestock producers can undertake the same exercise.
AHDB senior knowledge exchange manager Katie Evans says: “It’s important farmers choose an enterprise model that supports their overall business strategy, taking into account risk tolerance and long-term goals.”
Evaluating the trade-off between financial returns, operational requirements and environmental impacts aims to help other livestock producers reach a well-rounded decision for their own situation
Copies of the report can be downloaded from the AHDB website. “It is also important to consult industry experts to better understand risks, especially when it comes to animal health,” says Ms Evans.
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Staying vigilant for signs of liver fluke and worms is paramount for sheep farmers, as the risk of parasites becomes increasingly variable, say advisers.
Traditional risk periods for parasites are no longer applicable and regular monitoring is the only way to know if – and when – treatment is required, says Matt Colston, ruminant technical consultant at Elanco.
“An example of this variability can be seen with liver fluke,” he explains. “Deaths caused by acute fluke infection were seen well into January this year, and historically we’d expect these to happen in late autumn and early winter.”
Peak periods for parasite infection have varied so much in the past five years that a ‘typical year’ no longer exists, says Mr Colston. Doing tests on your own farm is the only way to know what is going on with parasites.
For liver fluke, Mr Colston says producers should find out if – or when –the infectious stage has appeared on a pasture by using some of this season’s lambs as sentinels and checking blood samples at intervals throughout the season.
“Once the sentinel lambs have shown fluke is active with a positive antibody result, follow-up dung samples can be used to show what stages of the parasite are present.”
A coproantigen test will pick up fluke at the late immature, ‘teenager’ stage, while an egg detection test will show when fluke have reached the adult stage, which is 10-12 weeks after infection.
“Using the right test at the right time in the right animals is necessary to get a true picture of what’s happening on the farm so it’s worthwhile speaking to your vet to get the right testing plan for your farm,” adds Mr Colston.
For worms, Mr Colston says the cold snap in January is likely to have reduced the number of worm larvae active on pastures, however, it is worth testing mob samples to see if any groups of ewes might benefit from treatment.
“Farmers were previously advised to treat the whole flock at lambing,” says Mr Colston. “We now know we can have the same impact by target-
ing ewes that might be struggling to maintain body condition up to and around lambing.”
“Thin ewes, older ewes, those carrying injuries or any other illness, and those with multiple lambs would fall into this group.”
Stay vigilant for spring parasites
Matt Colston: A typical year no longer exists
Lastly, Mr Colston says ectoparasites – in particular, sheep scab – can cause serious problems for a flock if not identified and dealt with effectively before lambing time.
“If any sheep are even slightly itchy when gathered for scanning, this offers the opportunity to blood test a set number for scab antibodies, to either rule out or confirm the need for further action,” says Mr Colston.
“Plunge dipping in an organophosphate (OP) is the only treatment option likely to be fully effective, and modern dipping waggons mean even pregnant ewes can be effectively treated without causing undue stress.”
Starch content increased from 18% to 22.5%, further supporting milk yield and fertility. Since moving to a 100% soya-free diet the cows have consistently outperformed their previous production levels thanks to a better balance of nutrients.
Forage intake rose by 14%, leading to a boost in milk from homegrown forage. This contributed to more than a 10% reduction in CO2e per kilo of milk, and a decrease in the diet impact per portion from 37kg CO2e to 21kg CO2e.
The trial was undertaken in partnership with Wynnstay and Trouw Nutrition. Feed has a big impact on carbon footprint and the result is seen as a quick win to reduce emissions.
Wynnstay head of dairy David Howard said: “We’ve proven that cows can thrive without soya – a huge step forward in reducing the carbon footprint of dairy farming.”
The Feed Adviser Register (FAR) and the Forage Analysis Assurance (FAA) Group members support farmers to get the best out of feed materials and forage. Understanding nutritional quality and using information to correctly formulate feeds that optimise livestock productivity, while minimising adverse environmental impact is vital.
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The Feed Adviser Register (FAR) and the Forage Analysis Assurance (FAA) Group members support farmers to get the best out of feed materials and forage. Understanding nutritional quality and using it correctly to formulate feeds that optimise livestock productivity while minimising adverse environmental impact is vital.
FAR members provide quality feeding advice for ruminants, pigs, poultry and game. Over 1000 feed advisers are currently registered. To find out more about FAR and to source advice from a FAR professional near you visit www.agindustries.org. uk/feed-adviser-register.html.
The Feed Adviser Register (FAR) and the Forage Analysis Assurance (FAA) Group members support farmers to get the best out of feed materials and forage. Understanding nutritional quality and using it correctly to formulate feeds that optimise livestock productivity while minimising adverse environmental impact is vital
FAR members provide quality feeding advice for ruminants, pigs, poultry and game. Over 1000 feed advisers are currently registered. To find out more about FAR and to source advice from a FAR professional near you visit www.agindustries.org.uk/feedadviser-register.html
FAR members provide quality feeding advice for ruminants, pigs, poultry and game. Over 1000 feed advisers are currently registered. To find out more about FAR and to source advice from a FAR professional near you visit www.agindustries.org.uk/feedadviser-register.html
The FAA Group works to ensure accurate and consistent analysis of silage. Members complete regular proficiency tests ensuring reliable results for customers. For more information visit the FAA group website at www.faagroup.co.uk. A forage analysis report with the FAA group quality mark means you and your feed adviser can have confidence in those results.
The FAA Group works to ensure accurate and consistent analysis of silage. Members complete regular proficiency tests ensuring reliable results for customers. For more information visit the FAA group website at www.faagroup.co.uk. A forage analysis report with the FAA group quality mark means you and your feed adviser can have confidence in those results.
Watch our animations to learn more about these:
Watch our animations to learn more about FAR and FAA:
The FAA Group works to ensure accurate and consistent analysis of silage. Members complete regular proficiency tests ensuring reliable results for customers. For more information visit the FAA group website at www.faagroup.co.uk A forage analysis report with the FAA group quality mark means you and your feed adviser can have confidence in those results. Watch our animations to learn more about
and FAA:
Anew forecast is helping sheep producers accurately predict the timing of the next nematodirus outbreak, writes Nerys Wright.
Significant variations in weather conditions make forecasts difficult from year to year. But when an outbreak does occurs, it can rapidly cause severe harm or even death in a large number of lambs.
Treating too early or too late can result in huge production losses. However, there are some factors that we can use to determine when our risk is higher and when treatment would be beneficial.
These factors are:
• The age of the lambs: Nematodirus tends to affect young lambs 6-12 weeks of age. They are old enough to be grazing and ingesting larvae from the pasture but have not yet acquired immunity.
• The temperature: Eggs present on the pasture typically require a period of cold weather followed by warmer temperatures of 10°C or more to hatch. If these conditions occur in quick succession, a large number of eggs can hatch at the same time, triggering a mass hatch whereby the intake of ingested larvae through grazing is huge and causes damage quickly.
forecast map proves useful. The interactive map, updated daily with data from 140 weather stations, provides a guide to the risk level in your area.
To assess the risk for each group of your lambs, consider the field's history, aspect, and altitude.
South-facing fields typically experience earlier hatching, and for every 100 meters increase in altitude, hatching is delayed by about seven days.
For example, if your nearest weather station is at 200 meters above sea level and your
farm is at 100 meters, hatching could occur around seven days earlier than the forecast on your farm.
Faecal egg counts (FECs), while they are a great tool for other parasites, are not reliable indicators of current risk for Nematodirus because the damage is caused by immature larvae.
Larvae will not be present in faecal samples. Waiting for adult eggs to appear is not advised. The map is available on the SCOPS website at www.scops.org.uk.
Nerys Wright is an independent sheep consultant. For more details, call 07891 187643 or visit sheepconsultancy.co.uk.
• More incidents but fewer fi nes issed
• Criminal gangs leave toxic rubbish tips
• More must be done, say landowners
Fewer people are being fined for fly-tipping – despite an increase in rubbish being illegally dumped in the countryside.
Latest figures show 1.15 million incidents on public land in England in 2023/24, 6% up on the previous year. But the number of court fines and fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping have both decreased.
New statistics highlight 96,000 incidents of fly-tipping in the East Midlands and nearly 87,000 incidents in the East of England. It includes commercial waste dumped by criminal gangs as well as household rubbish.
The figures exclude waste dumped on private land, so the true volume of incidents is far higher than the numbers suggest, said the Country Land and Business Association (CLA).
Meanwhile, landowners risk being prosecuted unless they clear the waste dumped on their land, at personal cost.
Tonnes of household and commercial waste is dumped on public and private land in rural areas on a regular basis, including hazardous chemicals and asbestos. This endangers farmers, wildlife, livestock and the environment.
The CLA has challenged the government to launch its rural crime strategy, which it promised before the election, but is yet to publish..
Nearly 95% of respondents to a CLA survey believe local authorities need better resources to help fight the war on waste. Almost 40% had suffered at least six fly-tipping incidents in the past year, with 75% reporting a significant financial impact.
The CLA has challenged the government to launch its promised rural
CLA regional director Cath Crowther said: “Fly-tipping remains a scourge on the landscape for those who live and work in the countryside and it is a serious concern that incidents of fly-tipping are still increasing.
“
This is not a victimless crime
“At the same time, we are seeing the number of court fines for fly-tipping and fixed penalty notices decreasing in England. All too often we see piles of waste dumped in farmers’ fields and in gateways, posing a risk to people and wildlife.
“This is not a victimless crime. Farmers and landowners face having to clear waste dumped on their land at personal expense or face the risk of
prosecution. Some are having to clear rubbish on a weekly basis and the costs of removing it can soon spiral.
"It is unjust for local authorities to threaten action against private landowners as it criminalises the victims of waste crime.”
The CLA wants the various enforcement agencies to be properly trained and resourced to tackle the crime. It is also important for those caught in the act to face tougher punishments to ensure there is an effective deterrent.
Householders whose waste is fly-tipped can also be prosecuted – and disposal companies should have a waste carriers licence. Otherwise, their fly-tipping could be your responsibility.
Industry leaders have criticised plans to compulsorily purchase farmland at its agricultural value rather than recognising its potential for development.
The government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill was published last month. The NFU said it supported moves to get rid of the regulatory burden and speed up planning processes and applications to enable sustainable on-farm investment.
But it said giving local authorities the power to acquire land through compulsory purchase without paying its ‘hope value’ needed to be considered carefully to “ensure all farmers are compensated fairly”.
NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos said farmers must be consulted in full every step of the way during the process.
“This Bill comes at a time when the UK farming industry is under immense financial pressure due to the loss of direct payments, extreme weather and the impacts of the family farm tax.”
mands being made on land for more housing and for critical national infrastructure. But UK food security and the protection of our environment has rarely been more vital.”
“The housing minister told media that these new powers would be used to access brownfield and urban land, and that must be the case. Anything else further undermines the government’s policy that food security is national security.
“We appreciate there are huge de-
The Country Land and Business Association has criticised the bill, saying it missed an opportunity to improve the relationship between those losing property to compulsory purchase and the authorities acquiring it.
Compulsory purchase powers mustn’t be exploited at farmers' expense, says the NFU
“To those unfamiliar with it, compulsory purchase is complex and intimidating,” said the CLA. “This can lead those affected to feel that powers are being used arbitrarily or maliciously.”
“The removal of hope value from home loss payments is concerning, although is likely to have a more considerable impact on those losing their home to urban regeneration projects.”
The CLA said it would push for the bill to include an enforceable code of practice on compulsory purchase.
Farm consultants Strutt & Parker have appointed Kate Moisson (right) as their new head of rural business.
The strategic leadership change comes at a pivotal time for the rural economy, as landowners and businesses navigate a rapidly evolving landscape shaped by legislative, environmental, and market pressures.
Inheritance tax
Challenges include the phaseout of the Basic Payment Scheme, the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive and the ongoing battle between farm
leaders and the government over inheritance tax.
With a career spanning over 30 years, Ms Moisson’s expertise spans rural property management, strategic estate planning and advising high net worth individuals across diverse asset classes.
Strutt & Parker chief executive Etienne Prongue said the future of rural businesses lay in building resilience and grounding operations in solid fundamentals while embracing new income streams from areas such as renewable energy and natural capital.
“These shifts require bold
decision-making and innovative approaches, areas where Kate and her team will provide invaluable guidance to clients.”
Ms Moisson added: “I’ve seen how the rural sector has evolved and the incredible adaptability of our clients. Today, the pace of change is faster than ever, but so too are the opportunities.
“I am committed to helping our clients not only adapt to these shifts but thrive - building resilient businesses that are sustainable both financially and environmentally. I’m proud to lead a team with such deep expertise and passion.”
The discovery of glyphosate resistance earlier this year on a farm in south-east England was only a matter of time –and perhaps unsurprising given that some formulations of the herbicide sometimes appear to be less effective than others.
But it still came as a shock. Glyphosate resistance has big implications for farmers, however much we were expecting it. Many of us – including regenerative farmers – use the kill-everything method to destroy green cover crops and blackgrass.
That said, no matter how much we rely on glyphosate, confirmation of resistance will be seen by critics as another reason to stop using it altogether. And the glyphosate licence is up for renewal yet again.
The government remains committed to reducing pesticide use on farms – including through its UK National Action Plan for pes-
“ We’re all under scrutiny
ticides – a five-year plan to reduce the risk of agrochemicals on human health and the environment.
Government approval for glyphosate is also up for renewal – something which will also focus attention on any associated human and environmental health risks around the product going forward.
We’re all under scrutiny. It seems to me that the farming world is continually under pressure to reduce its reliance on pesticides – but at the same time expected to produce enough food to feed the nation.
Many farmers believe glyphosate is vital to their systems of farming. Without it, they would have to drastically change the way they produce food. But could it be that this resistance is self-inflicted?
Over the last 30 years, spray programmes have progressively reduced pesticide rates. Rather than hitting weeds and diseases hard, we take a softer approach. As a policy, it sounds laudable – but it also deserves closer examination.
Older metsulfuron products, for example, were wonderful when they first came to the market. But rates were trimmed and wet-
ters added so that over the years we suddenly saw a red carpet of resistant poppies covering parts of the countryside.
I also remember Atlantis. It started off as a great blackgrass killer – but continually lower rates meant it ultimately failed to help farmers.
Different
No doubt glyphosate will continue to be use for many years to come. But we are in a different world these days – one where robot weeders and other autonomous machines are being rapidly developed and touted as chemical alternatives.
But mechanical weeding on a huge scale is a long way off. In the meantime, my advice is to use glyphosate to best effect and avoid skimping on rates while abiding by good practice and stewardship guidance.
Check the growth stage of weeds and adjust rates if necessary. Apply according to the conditions and avoid potential drift. Drive appropriately at the correct boom height with the proper water volume.
Many farmers know this already. But unless we are careful – the glyphosate we know today may not become reliable for much longer. Then what will we do?
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