Our market leading research and articles deliver actionable insights to help our clients make informed business decisions.

Farming & food Drought and climate change relief package for land managers  Following the driest July on record in England (and Wales) and the third drought in five years, the government has announced an aid package to support land managers.  It includes: The government also, rightly, stressed that land managers must also take steps themselves […]

Drought conditions continue to take a serious toll on farmers and landowners across England and Wales, resulting in devastating wildfires, worryingly low spring-fed private water supplies, dwindling fodder supplies and crop failures. In response, the Governments of both countries have announced measures aimed at supporting farmers and landowners through these challenging conditions. Farmers in Wales […]

Farming & food  Early reports are of a very mixed harvest (England)  Reports from a variety of sources are suggesting that:  Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (England)  Expressions of interest can now be submitted for agroforestry and woodland improvement agreements, as well as new single-focus agreements that cover scheduled monument management and species-rich grassland.  Please contact your local farming team if you […]

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 […]