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Loans given to UK farming businesses increased by 22 per cent to £572m during 2019, according to new figures released at the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation’s (AMC) annual agent conferences.

FBT tenants face the prospect of being excluded from post-Brexit support because of a legal loophole in the Agriculture Bill.

Industry bodies have warned of the potential consequences of some of the proposed policies ahead of today’s Budget. Cedric Porter reports.Ìý

Policies around climate change mitigation can bring financial benefits for farm businesses. Olivia Midgley reports from the Energy and Rural Business Show at Peterborough Arena.ÌýÌý

The Chancellor has placated industry fears as he confirmed tax relief on red diesel would be retained for the agricultural sector.Ìý

The SNP has said it is ‘exasperated’ by the UK Government’s failure to commit to having a red meat levy repatriation scheme up and running by April next year.

Rural areas are set to benefit from a £1 billion deal to help tackle poor mobile phone coverage within the next five years, which will see major phone operators share the costs of new masts.

A few years ago, our plan was to mitigate the loss of direct payments through diversification, but poor weather and prices mean that additional cash is being used to keep the farm afloat today, says Cornish lamb and beef farmer Rona Amiss.

The Government’s post-Brexit agriculture reforms provide an opportunity for farms to become more prosperous, but those who resist the push to become ‘park keepers’ risk being the first to go out of business, says independent consultant Derrick Wilkinson.

The Agriculture Bill has potential to deliver for the environment, but the Government’s insistence on penny pinching during the transition period is likely to drive the farmers needed to implement the policy out of business, says Tim Farron MP, Lib Dem farming spokesman.