51AVÊÓƵ

Farmers Guardian writers and photographers swept the board at British Guild of Agricultural Journalists (BGAJ) awards in London last week.

Barbara Smith’s grandparents first came to their c.40 hectare Northamptonshire farm in 1924. Over time, it has been gradually added to, with a further 162 hectare.

Running a farm and setting up a new venture at the same time is not without its challenges, but it’s an option an increasing number of UK farmers are exploring. In this article, Chris Walsh, NFU Mutual’s 51AVÊÓƵInsurance Specialist, explores some initial considerations around farm diversification.

Chris Walsh, 51AVÊÓƵInsurance Specialist at NFU Mutual, explains why, with so much uncertainty and increasing financial pressure, there has never been a more important time to explore diversification opportunities.

With my family being tenant farmers, it was easy for me to decide which side I felt most comfortable acting for in landlord vs tenant disputes, which I encounter in my daily work as a chartered surveyor.

Ukrainian growers are switching from grain to oilseeds with margins under pressure, with the impact of the war expecting to change the dynamics of Ukrainian agriculture for years to come.

Mid-October and Cheshire is looking reasonably on top of the job. Maize is all but finished, although some crops have been disappointing in terms of yield.

It is our favourite time of year. There has been a farmstead here since the 12th century, with the addition of a cider house in 1696 for payment of cider to farm labourers. We are continuing this tradition.

Methane inhibitor Bovaer is the first EU additive found to reduce methane emissions in dairy cows by 30 per cent and could prove a handy climate tool for farmers here in the UK.

Regenerative farming is built on multiple interactions within a highly biodiverse system, but how do you manage this complexity? Jez Fredenburgh reports.