It was a busy start to the year for agricultural news, with significant policy announcements, a new NFU president in Wales and an emerging disease threat all making headlines. The Oxford Farming Conference demonstrated its continued relevance by bringing together farmers, industry leaders and policymakers to discuss the future of British agriculture. While just up the M40, new technological innovations were showcased at LAMMA 2026. Oh, and it rained and rained and rained…
Government sets out plans to ‘level the playing field’ for smaller farms
One of the most eagerly anticipated speeches at The Oxford Farming Conference was from Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds. She used it to unveil a package of measures designed to reshape the government’s relationship with British agriculture – and usher in a “new era of partnership”. The centrepiece of Reynolds’ speech was the reformed Sustainable Farming Incentive, with two application windows designed to “level the playing field for smaller operators”. The first window, opening in June, will prioritise smaller farms and those without existing agreements, followed by a wider second round in September. However, this announcement was tempered by unwelcome news on Inheritance Tax, with the government making clear that the pre-Christmas adjustment to the threshold represented the end of its concessions on the controversial policy.
All change in Wales
Abi Reader made history in January when she became the NFU Cymru’s first female president. Abi, who runs a dairy, sheep and arable farm near Cardiff, succeeded Aled Jones and had previously served four years as deputy president. Abi is passionate about promoting agriculture to younger generations and co-founded the Cows on Tour movement which engages schoolchildren. Reports suggest her leadership faces immediate challenges: navigating the new Sustainable Farming Scheme launched January 1st and potential policy shifts following May’s Senedd elections, which could bring a new farming minister.
Wheat Dwarf Virus an emerging threat
A survey led by the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) revealed that Wheat Dwarf Virus may be significantly more widespread across UK cereals than previously thought. The virus, transmitted by the leafhopper Psammotettix alienus, has long been acknowledged as a damaging cereal disease in continental Europe but has received limited attention in British agriculture until now. Because the virus’s symptoms can easily be confused with barley yellow dwarf virus, cases may have been overlooked or misdiagnosed for years. Like many of the current challenges facing farmers, climate change appears to be a major reason for the virus’s spread.
Farmers asked to help change outdated assumptions
Farmers are being encouraged to participate in one of the longest-running agricultural research programmes in the world: the 2026 Farm Business Survey. This annual survey collects financial, physical and environmental performance data from over 1,500 farms across England and is used to inform government decision-making on everything from support schemes to rural economic planning. Industry representatives stressed that comprehensive farmer input is essential to ensure government policies reflect the true state of British farming rather than relying on incomplete or outdated assumptions.
Technology big and small takes centre stage at LAMMA
This year’s LAMMA, combined with CropTec and the Low Carbon Agriculture Show, attracted thousands of farmers to the NEC, all eager to examine the latest innovations in farm machinery. Giant new tractors from New Holland, Deutz-Fahr, Fendt and JCB stood out while pocket-sized tech from Yara was also a star of the show. Developed in collaboration with farmers, agronomists and machinery manufacturer John Deere, Yara’s new app, YaraPlus, consolidates Yara’s existing digital tools into a single intuitive interface. It has already been successfully trialled in Germany over the last 18 months and will bring clarity for farmers and agronomists and help them make quicker, smarter decisions about nitrogen use to save time and money.
This Farming Life begins new series
This Farming Life – the documentary that follows a year in the life of six farming families across some of Scotland’s most remote and beautiful locations – returned to our screens in January. The 12-part series will follow the struggles and triumphs of the families over the course of a year. Allowing the cameras onto their farms and into their lives, all the families featured are trying to turn a profit in testing economic times. Life is tough at times but never dull. The first episode of the new series has already taken us to Fife where it’s a critical year for Andy and Jo who have taken out a £2m loan to get into arable farming. However, record-breaking rain means their wheat crop may be failing.
You can catch up with this and all the previous series here
Sources:
Levelling playing field for smaller farms
https://www.farmersguardian.com/news/4523940/defra-secretary-emma-reynolds-iht-changes
All change in Wales
https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/farm-policy/nfu-cymru-elects-new-officeholder-partnership
Wheat dwarf virus
Farmers survey
Technology centre stage at LAMMA
https://www.farmersguardian.com/news/4524128/lamma-2026-wave-tractor-launches
New tech https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/yaraplus-platform-offers-easier-more-precise-crop-nutrition
This Farming Life
