All from last 7 days BUSINESSWhat to check before a permitted development projectWhile permitted development rights (PDRs) in England have benefited many farming businesses, there are important elements to check before going ahead. Among the most common mistakes or misunderstandings is that… POULTRY7 tips for making a profit from farm-scale Christmas turkeysAbout 18% of the Christmas turkeys sold to UK consumers are produced on a small scale by farmers independent of the big players. It can generate a good income, often… CEREAL DRILLSNovag shows 9m, 18t tracked T-ForcePlus 950 drillSome careful manoeuvring was required to get the latest T-ForcePlus drill on Novag’s show stand. With wings that fold out to 9m, a tracked undercarriage, a monster 7,700-litre hopper and… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Flooding creates extreme planting conditionsWhat a year 2023 has turned out to be. Wet spring, wet summer, and an extremely wet autumn. In my lifetime, I’ve never seen flooding as deep and as quick… COMBINES1,100hp Nexat gantry system to harvest 200t/hourNew Holland’s CR11 might have hogged the Agritechnica headlines but neither it nor the John Deere X9 can hold a candle to the Nexat combine in terms of harvesting output.… MOWERSSIP beefs up Disc HD mower-conditioners with 11m modelHigher output is the order of the day for SIP’s Disc HD butterfly mower conditioners, which have a maximum working width of up to 11.08m. Together with a new aerodynamic… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESBeef trade holds strong with support at auction martsTighter supplies of prime cattle and some early festive demand reported among industry from butchers and abattoirs have been supporting both liveweight and deadweight prices. Finished cattle prices in the… NEWSWelsh plans for increased TB testing provoke backlashWelsh rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths is facing a backlash from farmers after announcing additional testing requirements to tackle bovine TB. In a statement to the Senedd on Tuesday (14… NEWSScottish Parliament calls for farmer views on QMS levy risesThe Scottish government’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee is seeking views on the proposed levy increase by Quality Meat Scotland. Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has not requested an increase in… INPUT MARKETS AND PRICESRed diesel drops below 80p/litre with weak demand on farmWet autumn conditions limiting demand and plenty of supply have capped red diesel prices in recent months, according to traders. Oil markets have dropped back from September highs with Brent… ENVIRONMENTWildlife Trusts demand return to N licensing in WalesThe scrapping of a proposed licensing scheme to regulate the spreading of livestock slurry in Wales has been described by a wildlife charity as a “significant backward step” for nature… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONUK needs independent food security committee, AIC saysNew government farm support schemes weighted towards the environment and the countryside risk UK food security, a major new report suggests. The independent report, commissioned by the Agricultural Industries Confederation… NEWSVideo: Farmer defends his actions on River LuggA Herefordshire farmer who was jailed for causing damage to a protected river has defended his actions, insisting they helped prevent flooding to local properties and land. Several homes along… LIVESTOCKHow a Norfolk dairy diversified into tourism and hospitalityConverting a set of Georgian barns into holiday lets 20 years ago involved market research by post for dairy farmers Joanna and David Burroughs. Today, their daughter, Lindsay Miller, is… POTATOESHow a potato supplier aims to improve supply efficiencyThe UK’s largest potato supplier is investigating a farm-scale net-zero project which aims to increase efficiency and long-term sustainability across the entire potato supply chain. Whether it concerns variety choice,… NEWSFW Podcast Ep 182: Natural England on food securityThis week, will government targets to protect 30% of UK land leave enough left to maintain UK food security? We try to find out by asking the head of agriculture… DRILLINGAutumn deluge floods crops and delays drillsFarmers have faced yet another difficult autumn drilling season as continuous rainstorms play havoc with those attempting to get crops in the ground. Some growers who managed to get fields… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: A journey to Ukraine for Pickups for PeaceThis month, I’ve handed over to my wife, Debbie, to share details of a mission to Ukraine she hopes to help with. She intends to be a driver for the… TELEHANDLERS173hp JCB 542-100 Agri Pro joins Loadall rangeStraw contractors have access to some handy extra reach and lift capacity with the launch of JCB’s 542-100 telehandler. The new model can lift 4.2t and is capable of pushing… TELEHANDLERSMerlo goes electric with full-size Turbofarmer telehandlerBuoyed by the success of its compact E-worker, Merlo has introduced a full-size electric agricultural telehandler that has a 7m boom and can lift 4.3t. The TFe 43.7 promises similar… CEREAL DRILLSVaderstad redesigns Seed Hawk no-till drills for EuropeVaderstad is bringing its Seed Hawk no-till tine drill back to Europe, with a frame that folds to road legal proportions of just under 3m wide and 4m tall. The… NEWSFarmers showcase best of British food at Lord Mayor's ShowFarmers and growers took to the streets of London at the weekend in a major celebration of the best of British agriculture. Representatives of the Worshipful Company of Farmers and… 101-200HPStoll develops telescopic boom for tractor loadersStoll reckons it has overcome the one shortcoming of tractor-mounted loaders – a lack of reach. Its novel X-Tra Lift concept comes with telescopic arms attached to swivelling joints that… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Never have I felt so unvalued by British SugarWe’re not a lot further on with drilling than a month ago, but we have at least got some done for others on drier land. A third of our winter… NEWSOpinion: Autumn mornings quiet after road racers curbedThe clocks may have changed, but my body clock takes some time to catch up. For a few lovely days, there’s a drowsy bonus hour before the alarm goes off,… More articles
