A crackdown on fly-tipping aims to target criminals illegally dumping waste – but industry leaders say farmers are often still left picking up the clean-up bill. The NFU said it welcomed renewed efforts from the Environment Agency to target fly-tipping. It will see drones carrying laser mapping technology to... Read more

A revamped Sustainable Farming Incentive will include reduced payments for three key options when it launches this summer. Lower payments will be made for the three most popular actions – herbal leys, winter bird food and legume fallow, Defra secretary Emma Reynolds told last month’s NFU annual conference in... Read more

Sugar beet herbicides from UPL will be packaged compatible with the EasyConnect closed transfer system this spring, marking a shift towards wider adoption of the technology. The crop protection manufacturer will introduce EasyConnect-compatible cans across its metamitron, phenmedipham and ethofumesate products, with further formulations expected to follow, says UPL... Read more

Farmers are being urged to prepare now for the launch of the revamped Sustainable Farming Incentive later this year. It follows Defra confirmation that the SFI scheme will re-open for smaller farms and those without an existing agreement before the end of June. Other farms will be able to... Read more

The High Court has fast-tracked a judicial review of the government’s decision to impose inheritance tax on farming families. It follows claims that the government acted unlawfully by introducing major reforms to long-standing tax reliefs after only a limited technical consultation – despite the wide impact on family farms... Read more

Preparations are under way for Open Farm Sunday – which is celebrating 20 years of connecting people with sustainable farming and food production. This year’s event takes place on 7 June 2026 – with thousands of people expected to visit farmers across the country to learn how their food... Read more

More must be done to ensure farmers have availability to adequate water, the NFU has warned. Much of the country remains in drought following last summer. In fact, some 68% of NFU members say that they’ve seen an increase in drought – and 56% say they’ve seen an increase... Read more