Know How / Environment Must reads Practical adviceSee all BUSINESSRural housing: Options to decarbonise and improve efficiencyFrom period farmhouses to farmworkers’ cottages, rural housing comes in many shapes and sizes, but they all share similar challenges when it comes to energy. Rural properties off the mains… ARABLEHow 'mega-cluster' project benefits farming and natureA project linking farmers and private investors across a 12,500ha area of Sussex is aiming to support nature recovery and food production on a landscape scale. The Weald to Waves… GRASSLAND MANAGEMENTHow to improve livestock soils with biological approachSoil is a precious resource, but it very quickly becomes a pollutant and a problem once it reaches watercourses. It has to be kept on the farm. This is the… BUSINESSWoodland creation - tax, legal and practical adviceBy 2050, 16.5% of the UK will be covered by trees - that is the government’s aspiration. Tree cover currently sits at 10% in England, so there is some way… 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… Case studiesSee all COVER CROPSCover crop trial reveals impact of grazing on nitratesSince winning the title of Farmers Weekly Environmental Farmers of the Year, Emma and James Loder-Symonds have been busy trialling the impact of grazing cover crops. The cover crop trial… CARBONWorld’s first verified carbon-negative tree nursery foundedThe world’s first verified carbon-negative tree nursery, founded by farmer’s son Renwick Drysdale in Scotland, is seeking to help meet surging demand for tree planting and habitat restoration projects. The… CARBONHow Arable Insights farmers approach carbon opportunitiesFrom selling carbon credits to receiving premiums for commodities grown in a climate-friendly way, the potential upside to farming carbon is becoming clearer. But only one of Farmers Weekly’s Arable… FEED AND NUTRITIONHow high-yielding dairy cut soya and lowered crude proteinRemoving soya feeds and unnecessary additives from the diet, as well as steadily reducing crude protein levels, have been done without increasing farm costs or compromising production in one Dorset… LIVESTOCKHow breeders are using methane test in wool-shedding projectA farming duo has added methane testing to its breeding programme in a quest to develop low-input sheep with low methane emissions. Shropshire sheep and arable farmer Hayden Woolley and… ARABLEFood production remains key on nature-friendly arable farmAll three of the distinct land types at Somerleyton Estate, near Lowestoft, are being put to best use, generating a diversified income for the business and supporting both people and… InsightsSee all CARBONAnalysis: Can Welsh tree cover plans work for farmers?One of the most repeated complaints about the Welsh government’s plans for future rural support is that farmers will be required to plant 10% of their land with trees and… ARABLEHow arable farms can support farmland bird populationsA good, varied arable rotation, along with winter bird food stewardship options and a variety of hedges, will provide most of what farmland birds need to survive and thrive. Adding… DAIRYRevised methane method pegs dairy emissions 20% lowerNet carbon emissions from a sample of livestock farms fell significantly when analysed by a carbon methodology that accounts for biogenic methane. Distinguishing between biogenic (methane from ruminants) and fossil… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow supply chain is meeting UN sustainable development goalsThe UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) are rising up the agenda of businesses that buy from UK farmers and supply them with goods and services. Set out in 2015, they are… ARABLEThe network nature reserve built by farmers on arable landSupporting nature in a productive farmed landscape is the goal for a like-minded group of farmers in East Anglia, having come together to protect and enhance the biodiversity that surrounds… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONHow trading natural capital can help recoup BPS lossesFarmer interest in trading natural capital is in the ascendancy. Legislation has just been passed requiring house builders and commercial developers to deliver at least a 10% improvement in biodiversity… NEWSWould river dredging help prevent flooding on farms?The recent storms Babet and Ciaran unleashed widespread flooding on agricultural land across the UK, costing farmers millions of pounds in crop losses and damage to infrastructure. Climate scientists warn… SLURRY AND MANURE MANAGEMENTHow water treatment technology could cut slurry storageAdapting water treatment technology to a farm setting could reduce slurry storage requirements by 10-15%, make better use of farm nutrients and produce an effluent that is suitable for discharge… Latest environment newsSee all FARM POLICYNFU Scotland seeks funding pledge in landmark billA funding commitment must be added to the upcoming Agriculture Bill to help secure a “sustainable and profitable” future for Scottish farmers and crofters, NFU Scotland has insisted. The Scottish… ENVIRONMENTScots farm leaders question value of new national parksNFU Scotland (NFUS) has reaffirmed its opposition to the creation of new national parks in Scotland, questioning the value they bring to farmers, crofters and local communities. The Scottish government… ENVIRONMENTPlea for more balance in tree planting on Scottish farmsScottish farm leaders have issued a plea for more balance to be struck between tree planting and farmland. NFU Scotland (NFUS) said woodland creation remains a “bone of contention” among… NVZSWelsh NVZ rules 'affecting farmers’ mental health'NFU Cymru has warned that new agricultural pollution control rules in Wales are heightening farmer stress and anxiety levels. The union has started gathering evidence to challenge rules which it… AIR AND WATERFarmer co-op partners with Rothamsted to raise water qualityThe Environmental Farmers Group (EFG), a co-operative setup to help farmers generate and trade their natural capital, has formed a new partnership with Rothamsted Research, to monitor water quality and… AIR AND WATERRiver Action considers appeal in Farming Rules for Water caseEnvironmental campaign group River Action is considering an appeal against a High Court ruling which rejected its claim the Environment Agency has been acting unlawfully in the way it enforces… BIODIVERSITYRail plan a 'threat' to nature-rich farmland, says charityPlans to build a railway line across regeneratively farmed arable land have been described as a “crime against the countryside”. The Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT) has hit out at the… NEWSLancaster student's union votes to remove meat and dairyA small group of students at Lancaster University has voted to ban meat and dairy products from all campus catering outlets, in a move that will see vegan-only catering by… CARBONLevy bodies aim to establish farming's true carbon footprintThe AHDB and Quality Meat Scotland are investing some £2.5m and £375,000 of levy-payers’ money respectively in a major new research project designed to calculate agriculture’s true carbon footprint and… ENVIRONMENTWaitrose to support farmers to transition to regen systemsWaitrose has unveiled ambitious plans to support more than 2,000 of its British farmer-suppliers to move to regenerative farming practices. The retailer has been trialling regen and nature-friendly farming practices… AIR AND WATERWelsh government unveils £20m funding for slurry managementThe Welsh government has unveiled a multimillion-pound funding package to help farmers improve slurry storage infrastructure on farms to comply with air and water regulations. In total, £20m has been… NEWSCautious welcome for government pledge to review NVZ rulesFarm groups have cautiously welcomed a commitment from the Welsh government to consider looking at alternatives to closed periods for spreading in the planned four-year review of its controversial water… VideoSee all AIR AND WATERVideo: FW Investigates - would dredging reduce flooding?The past few months of relentless wet weather have again highlighted the pressing issue of how best to manage rivers and watercourses near farmland. Heavy rainfall events are becoming more… 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…
