1. The UK and the EU have entered into an agreement which will establish a Sanitory and Phytosanitory Zone. The effect will be:
• The removal of Export Health Certificates.
• The removal of Plant Health Certificates.
• The removal of Certificate for Inspection for organic products along with the removal of marketing standards certification requirements.
• The ending of routine border checks on agri-food products such as milk, dairy, eggs, red meat, plants and potatoes.
2. An Economic Prosperity Deal has been agreed between the UK and the USA including:
• The UK will be able to export 13,000 tonnes of beef annually tariff free; the US will be able to export a similar amount to the UK provided it meets UK food standards.
• The current tariff of 19 per cent on ethanol imports into the UK will be removed and replaced with a tariff free quota of 1.4 billion litres.
3. The UK has signed a trade deal with India. The tariff levied by India on lamb will be scrapped while tariffs on whisky and gin will be halved, to 75 per cent, before being reduced to 40 per cent by year 10.
4. AHDB has questioned elements of the Government’s Land Use Framework in response to the consultation it has called for:
• The Land Use Framework to have clear actionable outcomes based on robust data.
• Clear assumptions should be used in the framework due to concerns around the basis of the projected increase in yields and productivity and the use of calories per hectare in land use evaluation;
• Clear prioritisation rules regarding land use change decision-making should accompany the framework outcomes.
• With only a finite amount of land, a multifunctional land use approach is essential.
• Land use decision-making should incorporate climate resilience and take a long-term view.
5. In response to suggestions made by the House of Commons Environment and Rural Affairs Committee to defer the Inheritance Tax changes to 2027, Defra Secretary Steve Reed has ruled out any changes claiming ‘it is a choice between farmers paying tax or the nation facing a drop in community health services.’
6. Senior members of ABF Sugar and Ensus have warned that the zero tariff on US bioethanol, negotiated as part of the UK-US trade agreement, could wipe out UK production as the tariff applies to 1.4 billion litres of ethanol, almost exactly the total UK production.

7. The Government has refused to respond to a Freedom of Information request concerning the suggestion that an Inheritance Tax clawback proposal replace the announced Inheritance Tax changes as ‘not being in the public interest.’

1. Under the threat of litigation by a group of NFU-backed farmers concerning the lack of notice of the withdrawal of the Sustainable Farming Initiative to new applicants, Defra has reopened the scheme to around 3,000 applicants who had started an application within two months of 11 March but who had not submitted their application. However, Defra has stated there will be restrictions on who can apply and what they will be able to claim.
2. As at 1 April, there were 77,000 live Countryside Stewardship , Environmental Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Initiative agreements. There were 32,200 Countryside Stewardship agreements, 5,500 Environmental Stewardship agreements, 25,300 Sustainable Farming Initiative agreements and 14,000 Sustainable Farming Initiative Expanded Offer agreements. The agreements encompassed 49,500 businesses with the highest uptake in Devon, East Anglia and North Yorkshire.
3. Defra has increased payment rates under 157 options under the Higher Level Stewardship scheme by a total of £30 millions.

1. The Office for Environmental Protection has published a report ‘A review of implementation of the duty to have due regard to the Environmental Principles in England.’ The recommendations include:
• Defra should amend the Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS) so that it clearly directs policymakers to consider how their policy can support government in meeting its environmental targets and delivering its plans and strategies for doing so. The EPPS explanatory memorandum should be updated.
• Government should update policymaking guidance, templates and processes to include reference to the EPPS duty and to clarify the relationship between this and other requirements such as natural capital requirements and decarbonisation.
• Government departments should publish their EPPS statements.
2. The National Audit Office Resilience to Flooding report has suggested that over half of England’s top quality agricultural land is at risk of flooding and has identified a continuous shortfall in Environment Agency flood maintenance funding.

3. The Climate Change Committee has reported that, between 1990 and 2022, emissions from agriculture and land use fell by 25 per cent to 48.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents. However, unchanged emissions in the past 10 years have resulted in agriculture’s share of total emissions rising from 7 to 11 per cent. Under the Balanced Pathway approach, agricultural emissions are expected to fall by 39 per cent by 2040 and by 45 per cent by 2050. This will be largely as a result of a fall in cattle and sheep numbers by 27 per cent by 2040, compared to 2023 levels, and by 38 per cent by 2050.
4. A report from Bee: wild and the University of Reading has identified the top 12 emerging threats that could accelerate pollinator losses worldwide within the next 5-15 years. Apart from habitat loss, new threats include wars and conflict, microplastics, artificial lighting and pollution, including by anti-biotics. In developing countries, a dangerous mix of different pesticides are weakening pollinators while more frequent and larger wildfires are destroying habitats.
5. A research programme conducted by the UK Health Security Agency and the Animal and Plant Health Agency has found traces of West Nile virus in UK mosquitos for the first time. The virus is a vector borne disease usually found in birds that circulates through bird-biting mosquitos. The virus can infect humans, there is no vaccine and no cure. One in 5 people will only experience mild symptoms but in one in 150 cases, the virus can invade the brain and central nervous system causing life-threatening inflammation and possibly brain damage.
6. The Eighth Kings Series National Nature Reserve has been created covering the North Kent Woods and North Downs. It is the first reserve to include an organic and carbon-negative vineyard and is home to Man and Lady orchids, the Maidstone mining bee, the Hazel dormouse and sky larks. It includes wildflower meadows, chalk grasslands and ancient woodlands which date back to the Tudor era. It covers 800 hectares.
7. Defra has ‘taken control of the planning process’ to accelerate the building of the Fens Reservoir, between Chatteris and March in Cambridgeshire, and the Lincolnshire Reservoir, south of Sleaford. Neither will be operational before 2036.
8. The Dutch Government has confirmed that the Dutch greenhouse industry will be included in the latest EU Emissions Trading System (ETS-2) whereby a blending requirement for green gas will be mandatory.
9. 17 new research projects will benefit from funding of £4 millions through the Centre for Forest Protection, a collaboration between Forest Research and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Projects include future tree breeding for resilience to ash dieback, a fungal disease affecting Scots pine and new technologies so trees can flower at a younger age to accelerate breeding programmes.

10. Defra is to release £46.7 millions from the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund and £5 millions from the Investor Partnerships programme. FETF grants will be worth up to £25,000 to invest in day-to-day equipment to boost productivity, manage slurry or improve animal health and welfare. The Investors Programme funds will be blended with private investment to bring new technology to market.
11. The Environment Agency has reported there were 16,773 cases of waste crime across England in the 2 years to December 2024. The highest number of cases were in the West Midlands (2008), Yorkshire (1,791) and East Anglia (1,678).
12. More than 3,000 people have commenced legal action against Cargill UK claiming the company’s ‘industrial-style’ chicken production is to blame for pollution in the Wye, Lugg and Usk rivers.
13. Recent sightings of Asian hornets include Nonington, Broad Oak and Sandwich, all in Kent.
14. Farmers Guardian is running a survey on regenerative agriculture and has invited farmers to participate at farmersguardian.com/regen.

1. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has recommended the Government to delay the Inheritance Tax changes to 2027 and consider alternative schemes that will not harm small family businesses. The Committee has stated that the changes were made without ‘adequate consultation, impact assessment or affordability assessment.’
2. Statistics on balance sheet analysis and farming performance in England in the year to February 2024 have been published.
• The average level of liabilities was £2.4 millions while 23 per cent of farms had a net worth of at least £3 millions.
• The average gearing ratio was 11 per cent.
• The average liquidity ratio was 295 per cent, 21 per cent down on 2022/23.
• Net interest payments averaged 21 per cent of Farm Business Income, up 13 per cent.
• The average Return on Capital Employed was – 0.8 per cent, down 1.4 per cent.
3. A survey conducted by the Tenant Farmers Association of 163 tenant farmers has found that 25 per cent believed their landlord would be less willing to invest in their holding as a result of the Inheritance Tax changes while 63 per cent said that their landlord has invested little prior to the changes and would continue to do so. Further, 55 per cent of tenants would invest less and rethink their investment plants while 26 per cent had plans to join Environmental Management Schemes.

4. Data has been published on Off-Farm Income in England in 2023/24:
• The most common type of off-farm income was pensions and investments, each at 29 per cent.
• The least common was green energy technologies at 2 per cent.
• The average off-farm income was £12,500, up 2 per cent on 2022/23, but equalised to the level of a single adult household it reduced to £8,300.
• Equalised off-farm income was highest in horticultural farms at £8,800, up £1,000.
• Dairy farms had the lowest off-farm income at £600, down 77 per cent on 2021/22.
5. Organic statistics for the UK for 2024 show:
• 503,000 hectares were farmed organically.
• 59 per cent of organic land was in England, 26 per cent in Scotland, 14 per cent in Wales and 1.4 per cent in Northern Ireland.
• 311,000 hectares comprised permanent pasture.
• 50,000 hectares comprised cereal growing land.
• 2.9 per cent of cattle were reared organically.
• 5,133 farms operated organically.
6. During March, the Agricultural Price Index for outputs rose by 5.3 per cent, compared to a year earlier, and by 0.5 per cent compared to February. The index for inputs fell by 1.4 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively.
7. Garden Agritech, which uses optical sensors and AI to track plant photosynthesis, has raised $4.5m from lead investor Navus Ventures alongside Oxford Innovation Finance and other backers. The business has deployed sensors across over 20 crop species in environments ranging from greenhouses in Canada to polytunnels in Spain and Morocco.
8. A new survey by Rathbones has revealed that 96 per cent of farmers consider their farm to be their pension fund while 52 per cent will rely on their farm to finance as much as half their cost of living expenditure once they retire. 16 per cent stated they will be wholly reliant on their farm.
9. The UK Supreme Court has ruled against two Devon farmers who claimed that wild camping on Dartmoor posed a risk to their livestock and the surrounding environment.

A. Market background
1. Sterling improved marginally against the Euro and the US Dollar this month. Having opened the month at 84.9p per Euro, Sterling strengthened for most of the month to a high of 83.5p, however, the final days saw some strength lost and it closed at 84.3p per € (0.6p stronger). Against the US Dollar, Sterling remained more volatile; opening at 74.6p, it fell to 76.1p in the early weeks, and rose to 73.6p thereafter, before falling back in the final days to close the month at 74.3p per $ (0.3p stronger).
2. The gold price levelled out this month, albeit with some volatility. Opening at £2,476 per troy ounce, the price fell back to £2,408 early on, then rose to a peak of £2,561 but, excluding the a ‘micro-peak’ on 11 May where the price jumped £180 to £2,684 and instantly dropped again, the price fell back to a late month average of £2,447 per troy ounce, down £29.
3. Crude oil prices reduced marginally overall, having fallen lower, recovered and fallen again. Brent Crude opened at $65.02 per barrel and dropped to $60.23 in the opening days; a recovery saw it reach $66.63 mid-month before falling back to reach a late month average of $62.78 per barrel, down $2.24.
B. Crops
1. The cereals market closed down again this month. Global pricing was put under further pressure from the relaxation of weather-related concerns in the US and northern Europe, accentuated by investment funds closing out their net short positions. Predictions from MARS, Rosario Grains Exchange and International Grains Council all improved on previous forecasts, whilst USDA reported a small deterioration of the US wheat crop. Feed wheat futures closed lower across the board this month; by late May, deliveries for November 2025 and 2026 were £178/tonne (-7) and £190/tonne (-3) respectively, whilst March 2027 deliveries were £196/tonne (-1). Oilseed rape prices closed down this month, following the soya market, however, the weaker Euro helped reduce the net effect. The market effect of harvest rains in Argentina hampering progress was counteracted by above-forecast Canadian exports. Expectation for the 25/26 oilseed crop in Ukraine is now thought to be marginally better than initially forecast.
Average spot prices in late May (per tonne ex-farm): feed wheat £162 (-4); milling wheat £178 (-3); feed barley £152 (-4); oilseed rape £434 (-14); feed peas £212 (+9); feed beans £222 (+9).

C. Livestock
1. The average live-weight cattle prices for steers and heifers fell back this month. The average steer price, from its opening average of 387p/kg lw, dropped to 372p/kg over the course of the month before a late, minor, recovery to close at 374p/kg lw (down 13p and 113p/kg above the average a year earlier). The average finished heifer price moved similarly but without the late recovery, dropping from its opening position of 397p/kg lw throughout to a closing average of 383p/kg (down 14p and 109p above the average a year earlier). The average dairy cow price returned to volatility this month; first rising from its opening position of £1,837 to £1,891 early on, then dropping to £1,745 and peaking at £2,016 before closing the month at £1,912 per head (up £75 overall to sit £597 above the prior year average).
2. The average finished lamb price (SQQ liveweight, old season) weakened significantly during the first half of the month before the market moved to New Season. Starting from an average of 322p/kg it fell back in the first two weeks to 305p/kg but the switch to New Season animals saw the average price jump to 353p/kg before it settled to a late May average of 348p/kg (up 26p and 55p/kg below the average a year earlier).
3. The average UK standard pig price (SPP deadweight) improved further this month, albeit with a small drop mid-month from which it recovered. From an opening position of 205.6p/kg dw, it rose to a late May average of 206.7p/kg, up 1.1p/kg overall, 4.4p/kg below the previous year.
4. The UK all milk price for March, updated and reported in May, showed a significant fall of 0.99ppl, dropping the March average to 44.87ppl – 5.98p above a year earlier and 6.96p above the 5-year rolling average. At the timing of writing, the most recently published final EU average farmgate milk price is the February average (46.05ppl, down 0.18ppl from January and 5.22ppl above the average a year earlier).

1. The latest AHDB crop development report shows a deterioration from April:
• 36 per cent of winter wheat is rated as good or excellent, down from 60 per cent at the end of April and 55 per cent at the same point in 2024.
• 48 per cent of winter barley is rated as good or excellent, down from 61 per cent in April and 61 per cent at the same point in 2024.
• 52 per cent of oilseed rape is rated as good or excellent compared to 59 per cent in April but is up compared to 2024 when it stood at 49 per cent.
• Winter oats in good or excellent condition has fallen from 72 per cent in April to 52 per cent but the percentage of crops rated poor or very poor is only 9 per cent compared to 21 per cent in 2024.

2. The first US Department for Agriculture World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate for 2025/26 reports that wheat production and consumption are expected to rise by 1 per cent. Maize production is forecast to grown by 4 per cent with consumption only up by 2 per cent. Soyabean production is forecast to grow by 1 per cent but consumption will rise by 3 per cent.
3. Latest estimates of cereal stocks for February show:
• On farm wheat stocks of 3.354Mt, down 20 per cent on a year earlier; barley stocks of 1.11Mt, up 28 per cent; and oats stocks of 196,000 tonnes, up 46 per cent.
• Stocks held by merchants, ports and co-ops of home-grown wheat were 957.200 tonnes, down 13 per cent; imported wheat 336,900 tonnes, up 71 per cent; home-grown barley 761,800 tonnes, up 1 per cent; home- grown oats 156,900 tonnes, up 56 per cent; and maize 236,900 tonnes, up 25 per cent.
4. During March:
• Animal feed usage was wheat 290,800 tonnes, down 2.3 per cent on a year earlier; barley 126,600 tonnes, up 6.5 per cent; oats 5,200 tonnes, up 57.6 per cent; whole and flaked maize 49,500 tonnes, up 39 per cent; oilseed rape cake and meal 76,900 tonnes, down 0.5 per cent; soya cake and meal 122,200 tonnes, up 12.5 per cent; other oilseed cake and meal 36,600 tonnes, up 3.7 per cent; and other 364,700 tonnes, up 6.5 per cent.
• Animal feed production was cattle and calf feed 410,500 tonnes, up 8.6 per cent; pig feed 165,900 tonnes, down 0.9 per cent; poultry feed 334,600 tonnes, down 0.7 per cent; sheep feed 145,500 tonnes, up 11.2 per cent; and other animals 68,800 tonnes, up 18 per cent.
• Usage in integrated poultry units was wheat 115,100 tonnes, down 0.1 per cent; and barley 8,500 tonnes, up 19.7 per cent.
• Poultry feed production totalled 217,700 tonnes, up 3.7 per cent.

5. During March, the Agricultural Price Index recorded increases of 1.8 per cent for wheat, compared to a year earlier and 18.7 per cent for oilseed rape but there were falls of 7.2 per cent for barley, 39.4 per cent for oats, 32.2 per cent for potatoes, 10.5 per cent for forage plants, 14.7 per cent for fresh vegetables and 4 per cent for fresh fruit. Compared to February, there was an increase of 0.6 per cent for oats but falls of 5.7 per cent for wheat, 3 per cent for barley, 3.1 per cent for potatoes, 2.4 per cent for oilseed rape, 3.2 per cent for fresh vegetables and 0.1 per cent for fresh fruit.
6. Associated British Foods has reported it may have to close the bioethanol plant at Saltend, near Hull because of low ethanol prices. 150 jobs would be at risk.

7. An outbreak of Colorado Beetle, which can devastate potato crops, has been confirmed in Kent.
8. A study conducted by the University of Reading and published in the Journal of Agricultural Economics has suggested that planting wild flowers in apple orchards could save farmers up to £3,000 per hectare per year by creating a home for helpful insects which feed on pests such as aphids.
9. The Efficient Orchard 2024 project is a research initiative at Teagasc’s Oak Park in Carlow, Ireland focusing on improving yield efficiency and enhancing fruit quality. The project will evaluate the agronomic performance of 48 apple genotypes, grafting them on to a variety of rootstocks including M9, M200 and the Geneva series.
10. Sugar beet seed manufacturer Deleplanque has been acquired by RAGT Group.
11. A study conducted by Northwest A&F University and Yale University has resequenced a number of apple genomes providing greater insight into their role in fruit firmness and ripening.
12. Beettero, the global leader of data-driven precision pollination, has released Herolink, the solar-powered evolution of its critical gateway infrastructure which aggregates and transmits Beettero’s in-field and in-hive sensor to the cloud for AI-powered analysis.
13. It is reported that this year’s French apple harvest could be reduced by up to 30 per cent due to the impact of rosy apple aphid.
14. The 2025 BIFGA Farm Summer Walk will take place at Gaskains, Selling near Faversham on 26 June.
15. Driscoll’s has opened a UK headquarters at Linton, near Maidstone. The site combines research and innovation, production and packing and is the largest dedicated berry development facility in Europe.
16. A new report ‘The British berry industry in focus’ has been produced for the soft fruit industry by Ernst & Young. The report reveals that 53 per cent of growers are in poor financial health while over a third are considering reducing production or ceasing berry farming altogether. Production costs have risen by 30 per cent but the average return to growers has only increased by 3.5p per punnet despite retailers raising shelf prices by as much as 27p per punnet.
17. With partners Polysolar Ltd and scientists from the University of Greenwich, Hugh Lowe Farms Ltd has conducted an ‘Electric Berry’ project. The project uses flexible solar panels integrated with polytunnels over strawberry and raspberry crops.

18. Following the report in the May MFU, Driscoll’s has appealed against the court ruling which found in favour of California Berry Cultivators.
19. Researchers at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station have discovered the genetic region responsible for producing thorns on blackberries paving the way for plant breeders to speed up development of thornless varieties.
20. The British Tomato Growers’ Association is leading the British Tomato Fortnight which runs from 2 to 15 June. The campaign champions local growers, encourages seasonal eating and highlights the industry’s contribution to food security and net-zero goals.
21. Sponsored by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers, Nuffield Farming has published a report from Angus Fruits managing director John Gray, ‘Fresh produce excellence: Growing out share of the value chain.’
22. Phormium, the Belgian thermal screen manufacturer, has launched Noctis Thermo, a fully aluminized screen for use in greenhouses which can reduce energy costs by up to 72 per cent.
23. Plans have been unveiled by Rivenhall for a 40-hectare series of low-carbon greenhouses at Bradwell, near Braintree, in Essex. The complex will use waste heat and CO2 through a collaboration with the adjacent Indaver Integrated Waste Management Facility which is under construction. The facility will produce 28,194 tonnes of tomatoes each year, representing 7.1 per cent of imports. A vertical farm will also produce 375 tonnes of leafy greens each year.
24. Cambridge HOK, SEC Storage and Agri Data Innovations have combined to produce CropCam, AI-powered technology which can provide the vertical farming industry with a full-facility view of crop health and development. A four-way shuttle robotic system transports sensors and camera arrays throughout the full growing area.
25. LettUs Grow, the designer of Advanced Aeroponics technology, has partnered with Cambridge HOK, experts in high-tech greenhouse design, to deliver the technology into large-scale commercial greenhouse and vertical farm builds across the UK.

1. A member of Dover District Council responsible for health at the Port of Dover has warned it is a matter of time until foot-and-mouth disease or African swine fever arrived in the UK. The councillor states the health authority was ‘barely scratching at the surface’ when it comes to suitable checks at the Kent port.
2. A single case of atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed on a farm in Essex. Atypical BSE is a naturally occurring, non-contagious disease in cattle, distinct from classical BSE which is linked to contaminated feed.

3. The UK prime cattle slaughter forecast for 2025 has been revised upwards to 2.03 million head but still down 4 per cent on a year earlier. Total beef production is also forecast to be down 4 per cent at 897,000 tonnes.
4. Latest forecasts from the US Department of Agriculture show:
• Global beef and veal production in 2025 stable at 61.6 million tonnes. Production is forecast to contract in the US by 1.1 per cent, in Argentina by 3.1 per cent, in the EU by 1.2 per cent and in China by 0.6 per cent. However, Australia is forecast to grow by 2.6 per cent to a record 2.7 million tonnes, South Africa by 2.9 per cent, India by 1.5 per cent, Mexico by 1.1 per cent, Russia by 0.7 per cent and Brazil by 0.4 per cent to a record 11.9 million tonnes.
• Global pork production is expected to be unchanged at 116.7 million tonnes. Production in Vietnam is expected to grow by 3 per cent, Brazil, Russia and Mexico by 2 per cent and the US by 1 per cent. Falls of 2 per cent are forecast in South Korea and 1 per cent in the EU.
5. During April, UK prime cattle slaughterings fell by 5.4 per cent, compared to a year earlier, to 170,000 head; beef and veal production fell by 4.5 per cent to 73,000 tonnes; sheep slaughterings rose by 16 per cent to 960,000 head; mutton and lamb production rose by 15 per cent to 23,000 tonnes; pig slaughterings were unchanged at 851,000 head; and pigmeat production rose by 0.2 per cent to 80,000 tonnes.
6. The Welsh Government has announced that, with effect from this Autumn, TB Inconclusive Reactor cattle will be restricted to their herd with only licenced movements permitted direct to slaughter or into an Approved Finishing Unit. The change has been introduced as evidence has shown that Inconclusive Reactor Cattle are more likely to go on to become bovine TB reactors.
7. With effect from 1 July, the restricted zone for bluetongue will be extended to cover all of England meaning that animals can be moved without a bluetongue licence or test. From 12 June, the current pre-movement testing exemptions will be extended until 30 June.
8. Following the identification of historic cases of bluetongue in Lancashire, on 18 May the restricted zone and infected area in England was extended to include Lancashire and the remainder of North Yorkshire.
9. With effect from 27 May, the length of time that pre-movement bluetongue test samples are valid has changed from 21 days to 10 days.
10. As at 1 April, the GB milking herd was 1.62 million head, down 0.9 per cent on a year earlier. Cattle aged under two fell by 19,000 head, the nineth consecutive quarterly fall, while the 2-4 year old category fell by 16,000 head. The only category to record growth was the 4-6 year olds, up 10,000 head.

11. The Blowfly Watch service, run in conjunction with the National Animal Disease Information Service, has raised its Blowfly Watch Alert in East Anglia and the South of England to red.
12. First Milk has reduced its price for a standard manufacturing litre by 0.5ppl to 44.85ppl.
13. During April:
• 1,340 million litres of milk were made available to processors, up 3.9 per cent on March.
• Liquid milk production rose by 2.2 per cent to 574 million litres.
• Cheese production rose by 16 per cent to 47,100 tonnes.
• Butter production rose by 21 per cent to 22,300 tonnes.
• Milk powder production rose by 30 per cent to 14,100 tonnes.
14. During April, average butterfat fell by 1.7 per cent, compared to March, and by 0.5 per cent, compared to a year earlier, to 4.29 per cent. Average protein was unchanged on March but was 0.4 per cent down on a year earlier at 3.41 per cent.
15. Arla is planning to close its Settle creamery production facility in North Yorkshire by the end of 2026. Production would be relocated to Lockerbie in Scotland.
16. SRUC, the Texel Sheep Society and partners in five other countries have joined forces to provide a platform for a comparison of methane and carbon dioxide emissions for the purpose of selective breeding for lower-emitting animals.
17. The Animal Health and Plant Agency has warned farmers to be on the lookout for signs of Barber’s pole worm which can remove large quantities of blood from an infected sheep. The worm can produce 5,000-15,000 eggs per day. Lambs have little immunity and adult sheep can be overwhelmed by a large number of worms. Signs include:
• Weak animals which are likely to collapse if gathered.
• Ill thrift with no diarrhoea.
• Pale mucus membranes.
• Quick shallow breathing with increased heart rate.
• Sudden death.
• Bottle jaw.
18. Since September 2024, there have been 12 outbreaks of sheep and goat pox in Bulgaria, 381 in Greece and 84 in Turkey.
19. British Wool has reported that the average auction price has reached 100p/kg, the highest level since October 2018, and is up 18p/kg on last year.
20. The Scottish Crofting Federation has reported that farmers have had to move sheep indoors during lambing to reduce the risk of predation from sea eagles.

21. The full economic cost of production of pork in the 3 months to March is estimated to have been 203p/kg/dw with margins per slaughter pig of £1 per head and 1p/kg/dw. The cost of production rose by 6p/kg/dw, compared to the previous quarter, mainly due to increased feed costs.
22. The Red Tractor Pigs Sector Board is seeking views on its proposal to introduce two voluntary tiers of welfare standards, each with its own dedicated logo. Enhanced Welfare would cover outdoor-bred pigs or where outdoor-reared pigs are finished indoors with more space and a solid bedded lying area. Free Range would cover pigs which have continuous outdoor access.
23. The British Veterinary Association has called for a ban on the use of farrowing crates claiming negative impacts on animal welfare.
24. AHDB has partnered with Livetec Systems Ltd to deliver face-to-face hands-on contingency planning workshops for African swine fever.
25. The Animal and Plant Health Agency is conducting a survey to get a better picture of the biosecurity strategies used in the UK and the challenges associated with an outdoor setting.
26. Mandatory housing measures for poultry and captive birds, which applied to numerous counties to prevent the spread of avian influenza, have been lifted.
27. A trial conducted by Innovative Farmers and supported by the Soil Association is taking place on 6 UK farms to explore whether dual-purpose chicken breeds could offer a viable alternative to traditional poultry production which sees separate breeds for egg-laying hens and broiler meat birds. If successful, the trial would remove the need to cull male chicks in egg-laying breeds.
28. Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been confirmed in captive birds at Pokesdown, Dorset.
29. During April, UK commercial layer chick placings rose by 3.2 per cent, compared to a year earlier, to 3.2 million chicks; broiler chick placings rose by 2.3 per cent to 96.7 million chicks; turkey chick placings fell by 12 per cent to 700,000 chicks; turkey slaughterings fell by 25 per cent to 400,000 birds; broiler slaughterings rose by 2.3 per cent to 92.9 million birds; and total poultry meat production fell by 20 per cent to 155,300 tonnes.
30. Harrison and Hetherington has completed a £1m upgrade to its Borderway Mart in Carlisle.
31. Since August 2024, there have been 22 outbreaks of lumpy skin disease in Algeria and 132 outbreaks in Tunisia.

1. The UK Pesticides National Action Plan 2025 has been published. It has 3 objectives:
• Encourage uptake of Integrated Pest Management. This can include crop rotation; cultivation and tillage practices; growing pest-resistant varieties; hygiene measures; encouraging natural predators; and using precision application technologies for targeted application.
• Set clear targets and measures to monitor use of pesticides. A domestic reduction target for pesticides in the UK is to be set.
• Strengthen compliance to ensure safety and better environmental outcomes.
2. With funding of £10 millions from Defra and UK Research and Innovation, The Genomics for Animal and Plant Disease Consortium project, led by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, will undertake surveillance across animal, plant and aquatic environments using advanced genome sequencing technologies to detect, identify and track pathogens with precision.
3. The Agricultural Price Index for March recorded falls of 2.9 per cent for seeds, compared to a year earlier, 8.3 per cent for energy and lubricants, 13.7 per cent for chemicals, 5.2 per cent for animal feedingstuffs and 1 per cent for buildings maintenance but there were increases of 8.9 per cent for fertilizers, 14 per cent for veterinary services and 5.1 per cent for equipment maintenance. Compared to February, there were falls of 0.9 per cent for energy and lubricants and 8.5 per cent for chemicals but increases of 0.4 per cent for seeds, 1.3 per cent for fertilizers, 0.3 per cent for animal feedingstuffs and 0.4 per cent for equipment maintenance.
4. Algapelago Marine Ltd, along with the James Hutton Institute, Atlantic Mariculture Ltd and the UK Agri-Tech Centre, is leading a project which aims to use kelp extracts to manage nutrients more efficiently.
5. An independent crop protection trial conducted by ProCam at Cawood in Yorkshire has tested 50 herbicide treatments and combinations and has suggested that strong doses of metribuzin, aclonifen and prosulfocarb can be used to maximise weed control in carrots without impairing crop yield.
6. Koppert has transferred the management of its biostimulant and fertilizer portfolio to REKA Group BV.

1. In 2024:
• The total value of UK exports of Food, Feed and Drink was £24.6 billions, up 0.5 per cent on 2023 but down 2 per cent if trade price inflation is taken into account.

Allowing for trade price inflation:
• Meat and meat preparations rose by 3.7 per cent to £2.127 billions.
• Dairy and eggs rose by 2 per cent to £2.124 billions.
• Fish and fish preparations rose by 13 per cent to £1.957 billions.
• Cereals and cereals preparations fell by 12.9 per cent to £2.407 billions.
• Fruit and vegetables rose by 3.6 per cent to £1.017 billions.
• Sugar and sugar preparations rose by 0.8 per cent to £425 millions.
• Coffee and tea rose by 13 per cent to £1.805 billions.
• Animal feed fell by 2.3 per cent to £1.201 billions.
• Beverages fell by 3.4 per cent to £8.196 billions.
• Oilseeds fell by 21.2 per cent to £44 millions.
• Oils and fats rose by 10.7 per cent to £680 millions.
2. During March, UK exports to the EU included 22,011 tonnes of wheat, 80,110 tonnes of barley, 10,722 tonnes of oats and 3,801 tonnes of rapeseed. Non-EU exports only amounted to 203 tonnes of oats. EU imports included 166,812 tonnes of wheat, 13,947 tonnes of barley, 1,339 tonnes of oats, 133,833 tonnes of maize, 1,070 tonnes of linseed, 18,954 tonnes of soyabean meal, 3,955 tonnes of soyabean and 31,217 tonnes of rapeseed. Non-EU imports included 78,041 tonnes of wheat, 36 tonnes of barley, 7 tonnes of oats, 236,124 tonnes of maize, 475 tonnes of linseed, 150,555 tonnes of soyabean meal, 116,705 tonnes of soyabean and 63,906 tonnes of rapeseed. The maize imports are the highest monthly tonnage for 5 years.
3. In 2024, according to Kantar, the out-of-home food and drink market expanded by 7.7 per cent in value terms but only 0.8 per cent in volume terms. Relevant points are:
• Value sales in cafes grew by 16 per cent, 13.5 per cent in baker, sandwich and salad outlets and 10.1 per cent in full-service restaurants, all of which grew their market share. Pubs and bars were static at 7.6 per cent while coffee shops, at 5.7 per cent, workplace and education establishments at 4.1 per cent and quick-service restaurants at 3.9 per cent, all lost market share.
• The areas seeing growth in market share is particularly beneficial for the pork sector as they make up 42.5 per cent of total pork dish volume sales.
• Volume sales in full-service restaurants grew by 3.4 per cent while prices increased by 7.5 per cent. This sector benefits lamb with meat-centred meals and Indian cuisine being the main contributors. While prices fell by 1.5 per cent, volume sales increased by 11.5 per cent. Premium dishes, such as steak, grew by 3.7 per cent but beef burgers declined by 21.7 per cent.

• Quick-service restaurants lost market share and saw the sharpest price increases at 9.4 per cent. This sector is where beef dominates with 51.8 per cent of total beef dish volumes. Although beef burgers represent 70.3 per cent of all quick-service restaurant burger occasions, a 22.7 per cent increase in prices has resulted in a slowdown in growth. Lamb sales have increased particularly through kebabs, up 20.2 per cent by volume. Quick-service restaurants now account for 67.9 per cent of total lamb dish volumes.
4. In the first 3 months of 2025:
• Pig meat exports grew by 4 per cent, compared to a year earlier, to 77,800 tonnes with growth in all categories except bacon.
• Offal exports is the largest contributor at 47 per cent and China the main destination.
• Bacon volumes fell by 5 per cent.
• Imports fell by 1 per cent to 180,500 tonnes.
• Bacon imports grew by 3 per cent to 42,600 tonnes.
5. The latest forecast from the US Department of Agriculture for beef shows increased demand of 2 per cent from China and increased imports of 5 per cent into the US.
6. According to Kantar, in the 12 weeks to 20 April:
• Spend on beef products increased by 5.7 per cent, compared to a year earlier. While prices increased by 6.1 per cent, volume sales fell by 0.3 per cent.
• Primary beef volumes increased by 1 per cent. Mince volumes grew by 0.6 per cent, diced beef by 5 per cent, roasting joints by 5.3 per cent, processed beef by 1.2 per cent, burgers by 0.6 per cent, sausages by 3.1 per cent and sliced cooked meats by 2.2 per cent. However, added value volumes fell by 2.3 per cent with sous vide down 9.3 per cent and ready-to-cook down 4.5 per cent.
7. In the 4 weeks to 23 March, take-home grocery sales grew by 1.8 per cent, compared to a year earlier, the slowest rate since last June. Grocery price inflation in the period grew to 3.5 per cent while promotional sales grew to 28.2 per cent of total sales, the highest March level for 4 years.
8. According to NIQ Panel on demand, cottage cheese has delivered increases of 26.2 per cent in value and 29.4 in volume over the year to 22 March and now accounts for 4.3 per cent of volume sales of cows cheese. The increase is thought to be due to consumers increasing their protein intake with 28 per cent actively boosting intake and a further 29 per cent intending to do so. Kefir has increased volume sales by 34.7 per cent and value sales by 7.9 per cent. Whole milk sales have increased by 2.9 per cent and now make up 31 per cent of volume sales although sales of cow’s milk have declined by 1.9 per cent by volume.

9. In the 12 weeks to 23 March, Ocado’s grocery sales grew by 11.2 per cent, compared to a year earlier, the highest of all multiples. Lidl’s sales grew by 9.1 per cent followed by Aldi at 5.6 per cent and Tesco at 5.4 per cent. Asda was the only multiple to see a fall at 5.6 per cent.
10. In the year to 23 March, sales of greenhouse vegetables, aubergine, tomato, pepper and cucumber, grew by 9 per cent by value and 2 per cent by volume.
11. Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons have suspended supplies of pigmeat from Cranswick’s Northmoor Farm near Market Rasen following allegations of animal abuse including the banned practice of piglet thumping.
12. Latest figures from Kantar show:
• Convenience meals without added carbohydrates grew by 1 per cent in the year to 20 April.
• 20 per cent of consumers eat ready meals on a weekly basis.
• 65 per cent of consumers have purchased a ready meal including red meat in the past year.
• Chicken convenience meals come top in volume sales at 38 per cent followed by beef at 26 per cent.
• By a measure of protein sales, duck came top at 37 per cent followed by chicken at 18 per cent and beef at 16 per cent.
13. AHDB is to partner with the National Interprofessional Association of Livestock and Meat in France to deliver the ‘Let’s Change Lamb’ campaign in Hauts-de-France.
14. Sainsbury’s has announced revised plans to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 68 per cent by 2030.

1. Statistics on machinery in England in 2023/24 show:
• A total of £2.3 billions was spent, down 3 per cent on 2014/15 in real terms.
• Compared to 2022/23, the average net expenditure fell by 1 per cent to £35,500 per farm.
• 74 per cent of farms purchased new machinery.
• Tractors commanded the highest spend, up 14 per cent on 2022/23 to an average of £62,800, with £92,000 on new tractors and £30,600 on used tractors.
• The average spend on new machinery was up 1 per cent at £16,000.
• Of the 7 per cent of farms which claimed grants, the average spend fell by 23 per cent to £5,400.
2. According to the Agricultural Engineers Association, tractor sales in the period January to April show a year-on-year fall of 20.6 per cent compared to a year earlier and were the lowest since 2001.

3. The Global Wildlife Information System has reported that 29,200 hectares of land have been burnt in the UK in the year to date, 1,100 hectares more than in the whole of 2019. The National Sheep Association claimed that livestock destocking was partly to blame.
4. A survey of 250 farmers conducted by Censuswide has revealed 10 per cent of farms have no access to the internet; 60 per cent considered that internet connectivity was critical for day-to-day farming activities; 42 per cent reported issues around reliability and speed proving a barrier to the use of new farming technologies; and, of those who have access to full fibre broadband, 47 per cent claimed the main benefit was the use of precision farming technologies.
5. Since the beginning of May, hydrogen-fuelled agricultural machinery is legally permitted to use the public highway.
6. Data published by Melanoma Focus has revealed that 77 per cent of agricultural workers suffered from sunburn at least once a year. 33 per cent stated they forgot about suncream while 25 per cent did not expect to burn. There are 17,500 cases of skin cancer in the UK every year and melanoma is the fifth most common cancer.
7. A survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and Plant Network, completed by over 700 respondents, has revealed that 12 per cent had been diagnosed with some form of skin cancer, with men twice as likely to be diagnosed than women.
8. Latest statistics on fuel poverty in rural areas reveal:
• Over 500,000 households were in fuel poverty in 2024.
• Fuel poverty is well above average in Cumbria, Yorkshire, northern Derbyshire, northern and eastern Lincolnshire, eastern Nottinghamshire, along the border with Wales, Cornwall and northern and western Devon.
• Fuel poverty is well below average in South East counties, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and western Suffolk.
• On average, rural households would need additional annual income of £407 to remove them from fuel poverty.
• Households in homes built before 1919 are most likely to be in fuel poverty.
• In rural areas, one in four properties are off the gas grid.
9. Latest figures show that 28,000 people are homeless in rural areas of England, up 73 per cent since 2018. Further, social housing completions have fallen by 32 per cent since 2012 with just 2,831 social homes built in rural areas in 2024.
10. The King’s Award for Enterprise has been presented to:
• Shearwell Data of Somerset for the supply of animal identification and livestock management systems resulting in exports totalling nearly £7 millions in the 3 years to September 2023.

• The Lakes Free Range Egg Company of Cumbria which is the only egg producer with bespoke action plans for all its ranges leading to more than 30,000 trees and shrubs being planted across 2,430 hectares of farmland.
• The Garlic Farm of the Isle of Wight for sustainable development.
11. The Institute of Agricultural Management (IAgrM) and The Farmers Club Charitable Trust (FCCT) are to work together to highlight the FCCT Windsor Leadership Trust Bursaries, FCCT Snapshot Studies 2025 and the IAgrM Farm Management Skills Programme. The initiatives are designed to develop leadership capabilities and drive impactful research in the agricultural and food industries. Applications for the Windsor Leadership Trust bursaries and Snapshot Studies 2025 are open until 31 July.
12. Milly Fife, a farmer, influencer and social entrepreneur from Northamptonshire, has become the inaugural winner of the John Nix Award.
13. Continental Tyres has withdrawn from the agricultural market.
14. Defra has decided to issue a new GL43 which authorises the release of a specified density of gamebirds on or within 500m of special areas of conservation in England which is valid until February 2027.
15. Emily Norton has been appointed as the new Chair of AHDB.
16. Open Farm Sunday takes place on 8 June.
17. Alistair Mackintosh has been appointed Chair of the Red Tractor body, Assured Food Standards.

1. How do you make a small fortune in farming? Start with a large fortune.
2. A quote from a farmer:
“I don’t have to farm for a living, I just carry on so that I can afford luxuries such as bread, potatoes, some vegetables and a pair of shoes.”
3. Many years ago, an unpopular Prime Minister was being chauffeured in a top of the range Jaguar and he was meant to be going to an important meeting. Sadly, they ran over a pig; it was just outside a farm drive in a country lane. The chauffeur went to the farm to admit what he had done. He left the Prime Minister in the car and knocked on the door of the farm house. He was asked in and the door was shut. The Prime Minister waited patiently at first but then he kept looking at this watch as time ticked by and the chauffeur still did not appear. Finally, almost two hours later, the chauffeur came back to the car.
“Where have you been?” asked the Prime Minister sternly.
“Well it was great; they gave me a wonderful meal and £200.”
“Why?”
“I told the farmer I was the Prime Minister’s chauffeur and I just killed the pig.”
4. Farmers’ wives that are good at dressmaking will sew what they gather and their husbands will gather what they sow.
5. A successful farmer is a man who makes lots more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is someone who can find such a man.
6. A couple were driving down a country lane when the road disappeared under a sea of mud and they got well and truly stuck. A farmer immediately appeared with a tractor and offered to pull them out for £50. They had to agree so the farmer attached a chain to the tractor and pulled their car out of the mud. The farmer remarked that theirs was the twentieth car he had pulled out of the mud that day.
The driver of the car said, “I don’t know where you find the time to do your farm work, you must do it at night.”
“No,” replied the farmer, “that’s when I add more water to the mud!”

7. When I was teaching, I taught a knowledgeable farmer’s son called David. His maths teacher asked him the following question:
“If there are 50 sheep in a field and one gets out through the broken down fence how many sheep are left in the field?”
“None,” replied David.
The teacher said, “You don’t know maths do you?”
“Sorry Sir,” said David, “but you don’t know sheep.”
8. While riding his bike the vicar came across a tractor and trailer but unfortunately the entire load of bales had fallen off the trailer. A young farmer was working frantically loading the bales back on to the trailer with sweat pouring off him.
The vicar looked at him and said, “Have a rest my son, sit down with me and share my lemonade.”
“No,” replied the young man, “my father wouldn’t like it” and he continued throwing the bales onto the trailer.
“Have a rest, you’ll kill yourself,” said the vicar more sternly this time.
“No, my father wouldn’t let me”.
“This father of yours is a slave driver – I’ll tell him when I see him. Where is he?
“He’s under the rest of these bales!”

Don’t shoot yourself in the foot!!

It is commonly understood that the ‘hobby farming’ rule can restrict the ability to offset farming losses against other taxable income if losses are made more than five years in succession. What perhaps is less appreciated is that the offset of losses can be restricted unless the trade is carried on ‘on a commercial basis’ and ‘with a view to the realisation of profits.’ Both criteria must be fulfilled.

This restriction was highlighted in the case of Charlotte Macdonald which was heard by the First-Tier Tribunal in February.

Ms Macdonald owns a 1,500-acre private estate in Derbyshire and incurred losses for a number of years in relation to a woodland shoot. In the period 2017 to 2021, annual turnover ranged from £202K to £352K while losses ranged from £19K to £71K. HM Revenue & Customs sought to largely deny loss relief.

The shoot was established in 1985. The estate is mixed-use with arable, grazing, woodland, stables, gallops and residential properties. The shoot comprises partridges and pheasants and 85 per cent of the estate land is walked. There is usually one shoot per week with 20-28 shoots per season. While Ms Macdonald does not live on the estate, she attends to each shoot and acts as ‘Shoot Captain’. She also manages bookings and arranges catering on shoot days. A head keeper is employed.

The estate also has a biomass boiler and, since 2006, the shoot and the biomass boiler had accumulated losses in excess of £750K.

While the tribunal ruled that the shoot was conducted on a commercial basis, it found that it was not conducted ‘with a view to the realisation of profits’. As one category failed, therefore the case failed and loss relief was denied.

Many shoots are conducted by syndicates which should not involve taxation. However, the principles of this case do not only apply to shoots but to all types of business activity.

It is important to get your ducks in a row before you shoot them!