Charlie Reeve

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Charlie Reeve

© Joy Walker/Alamy Stock Photo Margins for malting barley have dwindled in recent years and are now roughly £15/t above feed barley prices. This marks a sharp decline from previous seasons, where premiums exceeded £60/t in 2023 and stood at about £26/t during last year’s harvest. Spring barley often attracts a slightly larger premium in the market, fetching a premium of up to £20/t over feed barley, compared with the typical £15/t seen for winter barley.

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Charlie Reeve

Livestock producers in England will be required to use electronic identification (EID) ear tags on cattle from 2027 onwards. Defra will make initial changes next summer to how cattle are registered and reported, with all newborn calves being required to have low-frequency electronic tags from 2027. The changes should make it easier for the industry to respond to potential disease outbreaks and streamline the process of reading tags when moving livestock.

4 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Charlie Reeve

A round of funding has been made available by The Farmers Club Charitable Trust for individuals looking to study or take part in a research project linked to the farming sector. Funding of up to £2,000 is available for each successful recipient in the form of a “Snapshot Study” grant. Previous research projects have included supplying waste crops to food banks, regenerative farming, and attracting younger generations into agriculture.

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Charlie Reeve

Paris rapeseed futures approached €500/t (£419/t) for the November contract on 27 May, the highest level in nearly three months. In the UK, oilseed rape prices stood at £452/t for June delivery to Liverpool, while the average price for August delivery was £418/t. The ongoing risk of dryness in Europe and weather concerns for Australian and Ukrainian crops have provided market support, according to crop marketing platform Hectare Trading.

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Charlie Reeve

Defra has confirmed the bluetongue virus restricted zone will be extended to cover the whole of England from 1 July 2025. The existing zone covers the eastern half of the country as well as the north of England, with restrictions in place on animal movements. Movement restrictions within England will end from 1 July and livestock will no longer require pre-movement tests.