Management training provider MDS has launched a new agri-food apprenticeship programme for college and sixth form leavers aged 18 and over. The Fresh Futures Programme offers a direct route into the agriculture and food industry and a practical alternative to university. It follows 40 years of developing industry talent... Read more

An arable estate has recorded seven endangered bird species and an increase in overall bird numbers during a national survey. The Big Farmland Bird Count offers a snapshot of farmland biodiversity. Taking place each February, the timing of the count coincides with one of the most challenging periods of... Read more

Land agents and farm business advisors Strutt & Parker have appointed Natalie Gaibani as the firm’s new head of farming. Ms Gaibani joins Strutt & Parker from Promar International where she was head of the Farm Business Survey team and interim managing director. She was previously chief operating officer... Read more

Farms and estates generally continue to hold their appeal, despite the challenges facing agriculture and the wider economy over the past 12 months. Buyers of farmland took a measured approach in 2025, suggests an analysis of Strutt & Parker’s Farmland Database. Updated on a rolling basis using sold prices,... Read more

Last year I was asking whether there was ever an ideal time to talk about water for agriculture. After last summer’s drought – and the impact on yields – means that question has been firmly answered. Restrictions in several catchments means water availability is now a central business risk... Read more

Seven students have graduated and received their Certificate of Higher Education in Livestock Operations and Management. The four-year programme aims to equip practising livestock auctioneers with the skills needed to meet the demands of a rapidly changing agricultural landscape – including a strategic approach to their profession. The course... Read more

A new professional body bringing together farm management and consultancy experts aims give the sector a stronger voice at a time of huge economic and policy change. Launched last month, the Society of Agriculture (SocAg) brings together the Institute of Agricultural Management and the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants.... Read more

Farmers and rural business owners are being urged to prepare for changes to inheritance tax – due to come into force this spring. Farm assets worth more than £1m will be subject to 20% inheritance tax from 5 April 2026. It follows the now infamous Budget announcement made by... Read more

Farm profitability will drop by £1.19bn in 2026, according to business consultants Andersons – but all is not doom and gloom. Andersons forecasts that Total Income from Farming (TIFF) will fall to £6.48bn next year as weaker global commodity markets, higher labour costs and rising fertiliser prices converge. But... Read more