Jonathan Riley

United Kingdom

Freelance Writer at Farmers Weekly

Agricultural and rural affairs journalist

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Articles

How a data-led approach can manage sub-field costs

4 days ago | fwi.co.uk | Jonathan Riley

Farm support is being cut back and the replacement environmental schemes require significant management costs to maintain. It means that even a field-by-field approach to cost management may not ensure financial margins can be sustained in the long-term. Instead, farmers and growers are being urged to look at cost and output figures in greater detail from areas within individual fields to make more informed decisions. This so-called sub-field approach means collecting and interpreting more data.
Using Family Investment Companies for efficient succession planning

2 months ago | fladgate.com | Jonathan Riley

Many families incorporate family investment companies (or “FICs”) as part of their estate planning. An FiC is a company whose shares are owned by family members with the sole activity of holding investments.
Succession: A quarter of farmers have not discussed retirement plans

2 months ago | fwi.co.uk | Jonathan Riley

The government’s inheritance tax changes have thrust succession planning into the headlines. But the financial aspect of succession is only one part of a broad and complex transition process that must be addressed by family farms, according to Prof Matt Lobley of Exeter University. Prof Lobley says it is vital for farm businesses to realise that the wider issues of succession were important and needed to be understood and tackled.
COP29: 7 key points for farmers and growers

Jan 24, 2025 | fwi.co.uk | Jonathan Riley

© Sipa US/Alamy Live News The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference – also known as the 29th Conference of the Parties, or COP29 – took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, last November. Professor Michael Lee, deputy vice-chancellor at Harper Adams University, and NFU climate change adviser Dr Ceris Jones were among the very few delegates from UK farming circles who were handed invitations. Here, Dr Jones and Prof Lee set out the key points that could have an impact on the future of UK farming:1.
How to build mental resilience in times of change

Jan 24, 2025 | fwi.co.uk | Jonathan Riley

Although there are opportunities in the Transition process, the requirement to produce food while carrying out work to improve biodiversity, cut pollution and reduce the impact of climate change is a challenge. All that work must be done without the long-term security of Basic Payment Scheme support and concern over government tax plans.
Cost a major barrier to cutting farm GHG emissions

Jan 23, 2025 | fwi.co.uk | Jonathan Riley

Cutting excess nitrogen use and minimum tillage are seen as most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to a farmer survey. The survey, carried out by Agri-food for Net Zero Network+ (AFN+) champion Dr Amy Jackson, shows that many farmers have already adopted a wide range of emissions-reducing measures. There is also a trend among respondents that indicates farmers want to do more to cut emissions.
Transition webinar: How to control the controllables

Jan 21, 2025 | fwi.co.uk | Jonathan Riley

Farmers and growers need to focus on controllable challenges to improve their businesses’ resilience, according to a recent Transition webinar. For farms, challenges come from all directions and in greater number than many other industry sectors. See also: How growers can build resilience on arable farmsFor example, the weather and, for many farms as price takers, market volatility are beyond the control of managers.
Opinion: Why a holiday park should not be built at Hellifield

Jan 19, 2025 | cravenherald.co.uk | Jonathan Riley

4 1/1 PLANS to build a holiday park next to Hellifield 'Flashes' have been re-submitted to North Yorkshire Council and are currently under consideration. The outline application, for up to 73 holiday lodges, a reception cabin, and associated landscaping, is an amended version of a larger application for the site which was refused permission by the former Craven District Council in March, 2019.
Union man faces drug charges

Nov 8, 2024 | emissourian.com | Jonathan Riley

A Union man has been charged with four felonies in connection with an incident in February when he was arrested for possession of more than 100 pills of various narcotics at the Mobil station on Highway 50. On Feb. 28, police were dispatched to the gas station, located at 516 W. Hwy 50 in Union, in response to a report of a suspicious person. Upon arrival, they found Robert Minor, who “was acting strangely by counting tiles on the floor,” according to a probable cause statement.
Scottish agricultural support scheme changes: What we know

Oct 8, 2024 | fwi.co.uk | Jonathan Riley

The Scottish government has provided further detail on its post-Brexit farm support policy. Here consultants and policy experts give an insight into this summer’s update and their views on the changesWhile England has reached the half-way point in the transition from EU farm support to a UK-based policy, the Scottish government has opted for a more cautious, though rapid, approach. The longer release time of information has frustrated farm businesses.