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Most landowners have some form of public right of way running across their farm or estate, providing walkers with the opportunity to explore and enjoy the countryside.  The warm weather may have led to increased use of these routes, making this a useful time for landowners to take stock and check that paths are being used as intended.  Walkers can unintentionally create alternative routes […]

Farming & food Agricultural commodity prices expected to fall over the medium-term (global)  The OECD and FAO produce an annual assessment of the ten-year prospects for global agricultural commodity and fish markets.  It is always interesting as it provides a comprehensive assessment of how supply, demand and prices might change.  The projections are based on […]

As periods of drought become more common, water security is rising up the agenda for UK farmers. We explore how businesses can improve their water resilience. Water has traditionally been viewed by many farmers as a utility that is simply there. However, with the increasing frequency of extreme weather patterns, resulting in prolonged droughts and flash […]

Farming & food SFI26 update – very strong demand with around 50% of window 1 budget allocated after three days (England)   As expected, a lot of applications were submitted as soon as the application window opened.  Defra says that demand has now levelled out but our advice remains to submit an application as soon as possible.  If you would like any assistance in preparing an application, please contact your local […]

It is a rare sight to see a piece of policy that crosses the siloes of different government departments. The Farming Roadmap may be such a unicorn.  Following closely on the heels of the Land Use Framework, the Roadmap endeavours to lay out a vision for English agriculture that crosses boundaries from food production to […]

The Government’s ambitious targets for 1.5 million homes and economic growth have prompted significant planning reforms over the past two years. A new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was introduced by the Government in December 2024, but the policy landscape continues to evolve, and we await publication of more radical NPPF changes shortly. From a […]

Farmers are being encouraged to carry out essential checks on their Rural Payments Agency (RPA) accounts ahead of the launch of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) 2026 scheme – including anyone looking to apply in September 2026. The SFI26 budget is widely expected to come under significant pressure when the scheme opens to all eligible […]

New rules are due to come into force in England on 31 October 2026 with the aim of delivering faster and more consistent local planning decisions.  The National Scheme of Delegation of Planning Functions introduces a list of the types of applications which should be determined by planning officers and another list which details applications which can be referred to planning […]

Rural estates are facing a defining moment that calls for an approach that goes beyond what many may think of as traditional land management. At a time when the UK is focused on strengthening energy and food security, alongside nature recovery and climate mitigation, rural landowners and estate managers find themselves central to some of the nation’s most important policy and investment decisions. The recent Land Use Framework reflects this shift, signalling […]

Farming & food  Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI26) to have £240m funding (England)   The funding will be split £60m for Window 1, which opens on 30 June for farmers without an ELM agreement and farms under 50 ha, and £180m for Window 2, when opens in September for all other farmers.  Defra has also confirmed that its IT systems are […]

SFI26 offers potential in terms of helping farms to reduce risk and deliver a more resilient farming system – but careful analysis is needed to ensure the figures stack up. The scheme is due to open on 18 June for a limited group of farmers and then more widely on 30 June to farmers with […]

Agroforestry is gaining momentum across the UK as farmers and landowners look for resilient, profitable systems that work with natural processes rather than against them. Agroforestry essentially integrates trees with crops or livestock to create a more diverse, productive and climate-resilient farmed landscape. This approach is not new, as trees have been a part of […]