Know How / Environment Must reads Practical adviceSee all ARABLEHow to restore 'forgotten' farm ponds for wildlifeAs many as two-thirds of farmland ponds in England and Wales have been lost though drainage and in-filling, while those that remain are often shaded and tree-covered and do very… PIGSBenefits of grass leys for outdoor pig unitsGrass mixes can establish well and withstand grazing by outdoor pigs, helping protect soils and watercourses, a three-year trial has shown. The trial took place in north Norfolk on 16ha… BARLEYWhy spring barley can help growers cut their carbon footprintSpring barley can help growers drive down their carbon footprint by using better varietal genetics and using the benefits of cover crops. Spring crops, in general, are seen as better… FARM POLICYTips to survive and thrive amid falling BPS paymentsThe UK agricultural sector is undergoing the biggest policy shake-up in 60 years, and government support for farmers is facing a radical overhaul. Defra has started its new Environmental Land… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONHarvesting rainwater: Benefits and how to do it on your farmOn paper, collecting rainwater would seem to make sense – water is essential for farming, can be scarce as last summer highlighted, and there’s a cost attached to taking it… POULTRYHow to plant trees to reduce poultry emissions and carbonWith trees featuring widely in new government farm support schemes, and with pressure on the poultry industry to reduce emissions, tree planting has become more important than ever for producers.… Case studiesSee all ARABLEWhy Scots regen grower is first Carbon Farmer of the YearIncremental changes made over more than 20 years to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase soil carbon sequestration have resulted in Doug Christie from Scotland being crowned the first… SOILSHow measured soil carbon credits can replace BPS incomeThe first farm in the UK to sell measured soil carbon from arable land is on track to replace its Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) with carbon sales expected to contribute… CROP MANAGEMENTHow Wold Top Brewery barley grower lowered carbon footprintThe Yorkshire farming family behind the successful Wold Top Brewery and Yorkshire’s first single-malt whisky distillery is using the latest precision mapping technology in its drive towards a low-carbon, sustainable… SHEEPVideo: How a lowland farm is preparing for low-methane sheepResults from the first UK farm to test methane emissions in sheep using portable accumulation chambers have shown they were producing on average about 20g/day of methane and 1.2kg/day of… LIVESTOCKFeed and slurry key to pig producers' emissions reductionLivestock are often seen as key contributors to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) – including methane from ruminants and the carbon footprint of animal feed based on imported products such as… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTHow an upland farm is adapting to unpredictable seasonsFlexible grazing, stores of good-quality silage and better ewe body condition are among measures used to mitigate against increasingly unseasonal weather at a research farm in the Grampian foothills. Glensaugh… InsightsSee all FARM POLICYQ&A: New CLA president sets out her ambitions for farmingThe new president of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), Victoria Vyvyan, has vowed to champion the next generation, celebrate the regions and take its Rural Powerhouse campaign to… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONAgroforestry – moving towards a new normBringing more trees into farmed landscapes will make them more resilient economically and environmentally. The Woodland Trust is working with farmers to make the process of integrating trees into farms… ARABLEHow a coastal group's audit is focusing biodiversity effortThe North Norfolk Coastal Group came together with the aim of collaborating to bring nature back to the farmed environment. The group represents more than 55,000ha of coastal habitat –… ENVIRONMENTAgroforestry: Can it work for farming as well as environment?Agroforestry is attracting a lot of attention from policy makers, environmentalists and farmers seeking new opportunities. Environmentally, the benefits are well recorded. The Woodland Trust’s Farming for the Future report… ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMESHow a Scottish farmer transformed farm biodiversity with treesA Scottish farmer with a passion for nature has created a 100-acre “wildlife corridor” by transforming his land, with new, native broadleaf trees, with preserving farm biodiversity core to his… AIR AND WATERWhat next for Natural England’s protected landscapes plans?Farmers on the Land’s End peninsula, West Penwith, have managed the land without outside interference for millennia. But that is all about to change after the Defra body Natural England… ARABLETips on establishing perennial wildflower strips for beesEstablishing perennial wildflower strips is one way to attract bees into fields, but sometimes it can prove frustrating, with some species failing to establish, limiting the value to pollinators. Bees… COVER CROPSResearch quantifies role of cover crops in carbon captureFive years of trial work in Northamptonshire have shown that cover crops in a direct drilling system removed 27t/ha of carbon dioxide equivalents, highlighting their role in reducing a farm’s… Latest environment newsSee all 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… NEWSGovernment faces legal action over sewage sludge on farmlandAn environmental campaign group is taking legal action against the government, accusing it of axing its pledge to regulate microplastics and chemicals in sewage sludge spread over farmland. Fighting Dirty,… NEWSNatural England spent £18k of taxpayer cash on SSSI hearingNatural England spent more than £18,000 of taxpayers’ money on travel and accommodation to designate an area of Cornwall a heavily protected conservation area, Farmers Weekly can exclusively reveal. Ten… AIR AND WATER£1m pot to tackle ammonia emissions on Welsh farmsTechnology developers are being offered up to £200,000 in government cash to help reduce ammonia emissions from cattle farming in Wales amid a warning that levels are “creeping up”. The… CARBONWelsh farmers warned of more action to reduce emissionsAchieving net zero in Wales by 2050 is going to be “very challenging”, according to a senior adviser on the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC), with some “tricky decisions” to… WEATHEREnvironment Agency blamed for farm flooding devastationThe Environment Agency stands accused of hypocrisy and negligence over its failure to maintain watercourses to prevent farms from devastating flood damage. Farmers say they are constantly being told by… ENVIRONMENTNI farmers told to share carbon data as part of inspectionLivestock farmers in Northern Ireland are being asked to provide detailed information about their carbon footprints as part of their annual Farm Quality Assurance Scheme (FQAS) inspection visits. The new… NEWSEast Sussex estate signs landmark biodiversity net gain dealThirty-one hectares of downland on an East Sussex estate are being taken out of production in favour of a biodiversity net gain (BNG) scheme. The Iford Estate, near Lewes, is… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTNew fund set to bring woodland into active managementMany woodlands that were previously looked after have been left to do their own thing, and with that opportunities to reverse biodiversity decline, mitigate climate change and deliver “public goods”… ENVIRONMENTNatural England denies claims of backdated appointmentsJust weeks after an independent review began looking into its conduct on Dartmoor, Natural England (NE) is facing further scrutiny over its controversial decision to designate almost 12 square miles… VideoSee all 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… SHEEPVideo: How a lowland farm is preparing for low-methane sheepResults from the first UK farm to test methane emissions in sheep using portable accumulation chambers have shown they were producing on average about 20g/day of methane and 1.2kg/day of… CARBONClimate adaptation and resilience within the farm businessOn Thursday 27 April 2023, Farmers Weekly hosted its webinar on climate adaptation and resilience within the farm business with the Woodland Trust. Integrating trees into farming systems provides opportunities… NUTRITION AND FERTILISERNew slurry treatment fixes N from air to create enriched fertA novel slurry treatment unit that boosts the nitrogen content of liquid manures, using only air and electricity, aims to help farmers reduce reliance on artificial fertiliser, improve crop performance…
