AGP Executive Report

Poultry Pressure: Plans for a 360,000-bird farm near Ripon face local opposition despite revised manure-disposal plans. Meanwhile, bird flu outbreaks and mass culls have raised fears of a Christmas turkey shortage. Weather and Harvest: The UK’s record-hot summer is sharpening calls to prepare Scottish farming for hotter conditions. Drought has hit pumpkin yields, while wheat and barley supplies have tightened after a difficult harvest. Family Farms: Farming leaders are urging the Chancellor to scrap the family farm tax in the Autumn Budget, warning it threatens farms’ long-term future and is causing distress in Northern Ireland. Local Food Chains: The NFU has joined calls to halt the decline of small abattoirs, with farmers reporting difficulty accessing suitable slaughter facilities and selling meat locally.

Bird Flu: An outbreak at a Northumberland egg farm has killed around 2,000 birds, with the remaining 29,000 to be culled. Poultry farmers fear further cases could threaten Christmas turkey supplies, though wider disruption is not yet confirmed. Storms and Flooding: Storm Boelo brought flood alerts across the East Midlands, including for low-lying farmland. In North Yorkshire, a new natural flood-management scheme has restored a beck’s floodplain to slow water and reduce downstream risk. Farm Tax: Farming groups are urging the Chancellor to scrap inheritance tax changes, warning they threaten family farms and the industry’s future. Crops and Grain: UK wheat and barley supplies are tightening after a challenging harvest, while summer drought has hit pumpkin yields across England. Farm Support: Northern Ireland’s farming community is calling for a significant increase in its support budget.

Livestock Markets: Tight supplies and strong Christmas demand are driving UK beef prices higher, while retailers report steady beef sales but pressure on lamb. Farmers say processors must pass stronger market returns back to producers. Harvest and Weather: Summer drought has cut pumpkin yields across England, and a challenging 2026 harvest is tightening UK wheat and barley supplies. Farmers are also reporting entire crops lost to heat. Farm Tax: Farming leaders have renewed calls to scrap the family farm tax ahead of the Budget, warning inheritance-tax fears are weighing on family businesses and investment. Animal Health: Bird flu has led to a cull of 29,000 birds, with the first English farm case of the season raising fears over Christmas turkey supplies. Farmers are also warned bluetongue could hit hard again in 2027. Wildfire Readiness: The Government is preparing military aircraft to help tackle blazes after a record season, but Defra has rejected calls to relax controlled-burning rules sought by land managers.

Farm Tax: Farming leaders are pressing the Chancellor to scrap the “family farm tax” in the autumn Budget, warning that inheritance-tax fears are taking a heavy emotional toll and threatening farm succession. Food Supply: UK wheat and barley supplies are tightening after a challenging 2026 harvest, adding to concerns about food security. British Meat: Aldi has launched an ABP-backed beef scheme aiming to support 1,000 farmers, while M&S is cutting prices on selected British beef, lamb and pork to make home-grown meat more affordable. Animal Health: Bird flu has struck a North East poultry farm, with a surveillance zone introduced; keepers are being urged to strengthen biosecurity as cases emerge. Wildfire Readiness: After a record summer of fires, farmers are being offered a role in Wales’s response plans, while fire leaders say aircraft and AI must be matched by better land management and more firefighters.

Avian Flu: England’s first outbreak of the season has wiped out 32,000 laying hens at a Northumberland free-range farm. The farmer estimates losses could exceed £100,000, and officials warn more cases may follow. Farm Support: Dorset MP Vikki Slade has called the Sustainable Farming Incentive rollout a “shambles” after it closed six hours after opening, leaving many farmers without support. Budget Pressure: Farming leaders are urging the government to scrap inheritance tax changes in next week’s Budget, warning they could burden family farms already facing rising costs. The NFU is also pressing for action on soaring diesel prices. Markets: Aldi has launched a British beef initiative offering premiums for sustainable farming, while an industry group says eight in ten farmers view gene-edited crops positively.

Farm Costs: Record diesel prices are adding pressure to UK growers, with the NFU urging the Chancellor to act in the Budget. Rising energy costs also threaten food prices and farm margins. Local Meat Supply: The NFU says the UK’s abattoir network has fallen from about 2,500 sites in the 1970s to around 200 today. Sussex’s last abattoir warns the sector is in crisis and needs support. Northern Ireland: A new egg producers’ association aims to strengthen the sector’s voice, while MLA Áine Murphy says planning barriers and the lack of replacement rural-development grants are stalling farm diversification. Farm Growth: Essex potato producer Fairfields Farm marks 20 years with plans to expand its factory and warehouse, while investing in new offices and product development. Climate and Livestock: European arable farmers are seeking ways to protect yields and grain quality as drought and heat intensify; UK farmers are also warned bluetongue could hit hard again in 2027, while bird flu cases prompt calls for tighter poultry biosecurity. Dairy Technology: Automation is helping Northern England dairy farms manage labour pressures and improve herd monitoring, alongside continued demand for reliable machinery and servicing.

Livestock Disease: A new bluetongue case in Dorset and a bird-flu outbreak at a North East poultry farm have put biosecurity back in focus, with surveillance measures and bird culls reported. Weather Risks: Severe drought across parts of England is adding pressure on farmers; Somerset’s MP is urging urgent support, while dry conditions have also hit pumpkin crops. Arable Crops: Agronomists warn warmer, wetter winters are favouring Septoria in wheat, increasing the need to focus on disease-resistant varieties. Farm Policy: Scotland’s proposed land-reform rules could affect about 1,100 large holdings, requiring public management plans and renewed scrutiny of ownership. Family Farms: Farmers are again pressing the Chancellor to scrap the family farm inheritance-tax changes, warning the policy threatens farm succession and long-term viability. Markets and Costs: UK fresh-produce businesses warn new import costs could reach £300 million, while soaring fuel and other input bills continue to squeeze producers.

Animal Health: Bird flu has been confirmed at a commercial poultry farm near Belford, Northumberland. Around 29,000 birds are due to be culled, with protection and surveillance zones in place. Bluetongue cases have risen to 48, while rare-breed farmers warn they still struggle to access vaccines. Farm Technology: Northern Ireland growers can apply for grants to adopt new technology, and a Defra-funded study finds farmers interested in gene-edited crops as options for managing pests and disease narrow. Food Supply: Fresh produce businesses warn new import costs could add £300m to the sector’s burden, renewing concerns about food security and pressure on growers. Farm Finances: Farmers are urging the Chancellor to scrap planned family-farm inheritance tax changes, with industry groups warning the policy threatens the future of family businesses.

Animal Health: Highly pathogenic avian flu has been confirmed in England, including at a 32,000-bird free-range egg farm. Farmers are urged to tighten biosecurity, while bluetongue vigilance remains important this winter. Water and Resilience: Severe drought has been declared across southern England, adding pressure on farms. MPs also warn the UK is poorly prepared for wildfires, with farmers often helping tackle blazes. Food Security: Fresh-produce businesses warn new costs could add £300m to imports, sharpening calls to support domestic production. A UK-developed tomato grading system, meanwhile, uses multispectral imaging and robotics to spot defects with 87% accuracy. Farm Finances: Half of farmers say inheritance-tax fears threaten their businesses’ future, as rising costs and uncertainty continue to weigh on the sector. Trade and Livestock: Sheep leaders warn that proposed UK-EU transport rules must work in practice, while potato growers are urged to hold firm on fair prices. Export demand has also driven a £1.1bn boost for UK red meat.

Farm Workforce: Jersey inspections found 315 hazards across 295 units of farm-worker accommodation since May, including cold, electrical, damp and water-supply issues. The findings renew scrutiny after a farm worker died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Animal Health: Bird flu has been confirmed in England, including at a 32,000-bird free-range egg farm; farmers are being urged to tighten biosecurity. Weather & Food Security: Severe drought has been declared across parts of southern England, adding pressure to crops and food supplies. A proposal for local food hubs aims to cut waste, connect farmers with buyers and improve access to affordable food. Farm Finances: Half of farmers say inheritance-tax fears threaten the industry’s future, while farm machinery auction sales have dropped 34% amid uncertainty. Markets: UK red-meat exports delivered a £1.1bn boost, and Boparan Private Office is investing £100m in British turkey production as demand for leaner protein grows.

Farm finances: UK machinery auction sales fell 34% quarter on quarter to £15.1m, with uncertainty ahead of the Budget and pressure on farm incomes dampening demand. Environmental rules: A High Court ruling says Natural England must take active steps to protect Catfield Fen from pollution linked to neighbouring farmland, setting a significant precedent for protected sites. Labour and exports: The government has launched a “robot revolution” to ease farm labour shortages, while British dairy exports reached £973m as AHDB targets growth in Asia and Mexico. Weather and resilience: Farmers are being urged to prepare for flood risk across 1.12m hectares of farmland, following severe drought that has damaged pumpkin crops. Policy and food security: The government confirmed a plan to bring 10% of England’s farmland into organic production, as Scottish farmers warn soaring food imports are putting UK food security at risk.

Farm Costs: The government is pressing ahead with a fertiliser import tax due in 2027, though at a lower-than-expected rate, as farmers warn rising fuel and input costs are already hitting businesses. Farm Support: Defra forecasts flag a risk of Sustainable Farming Incentive applications closing on the same day they open, while a new government “robot revolution” aims to ease labour shortages. Food Security: Scottish farmers warn that food imports, now worth £67.8bn, leave the UK exposed; Andy Burnham’s industrial strategy is also criticised for offering too little help to food producers. Climate Resilience: Farmers face drought impacts and flood risk, with 1.12 million hectares of farmland reportedly exposed to flooding. A four-year trial in a national park will test ways to future-proof farming.

Farm safety: A Fatal Accident Inquiry will examine the 2024 death of Graham’s The Family Dairy worker Alistair Blair, who suffered fatal injuries in a storage shed at Birkenwood Farm near Kippen. Meat markets: Dunbia’s turnover rose 19.6% to £2.012bn as meat prices climbed, despite lower processing volumes; pre-tax profit fell 11.5%. Food security: NFU Scotland warns soaring costs, labour shortages and extreme weather threaten domestic production. Scottish farms averaged just £500 profit from agricultural activity in 2024–25, and the union is calling for emergency energy support and safeguards on imports. Farm resilience: Three farms are joining a four-year Loch Lomond & The Trossachs trial to test ways to cope with drought and wildfire while improving soil, biodiversity and business performance. Supply chains: More than 150 food and farming groups want targeted funding and lighter regulation to protect local abattoirs, with numbers down from about 2,500 in the 1970s to around 200 today. Investment: DSV is spending £3.7m on a seed-processing facility and breeding station in Wardington to develop crop varieties suited to UK farmers. English wine: Rathfinny reports a landmark 2026 harvest, with yields up 30% on last year.

Farm Profitability: NFU Scotland says farms averaged just £500 profit from agricultural activity in 2024–25, despite average overall farm business income of £58,800. It wants emergency energy support and stronger safeguards on food imports, warning that domestic production and food security are at risk. Weather Pressure: Drought-hit pumpkin crops are smaller and scarcer this Halloween, with one Suffolk farm producing just 50 pumpkins against its usual 10,000. Hill farmers are also grappling with falling livestock numbers and pressure on upland businesses. Beef Outlook: AHDB expects little growth in UK beef prices in 2027 as consumer demand stays sluggish; imports are rising, including from Brazil, Australia and New Zealand. Policy and Tax: England plans to expand organic farming to 10% of agricultural land, while family farmers warn inheritance tax changes could force land sales and threaten farm succession.

Farm viability: NFU Scotland says rising costs, labour shortages, extreme weather and volatile markets are squeezing farm businesses. Average profit from agricultural activity was just £500 in 2024–25. The union wants emergency energy support and stronger safeguards on imports, warning that domestic production is vital to food security. Drought-hit harvests: Dry weather has left UK pumpkin crops smaller, while drought and falling cow numbers are expected to weigh on GB milk production. Arable shifts: Scottish field-bean area rose 8.3% as growers moved away from spring barley; trials also suggest beans can cut barley’s carbon footprint. Livestock markets: Tight UK beef supplies are expected to keep prices high in 2026. Farm policy: Farmers warn inheritance-tax changes could force family farms to sell land, while aphid pressure is complicating decisions over spraying and SFI.

Drought and Crops: Severe drought has left water supplies under pressure across parts of England, with farmers facing crop and forage losses. One Suffolk farm harvested just 50 pumpkins against its usual 10,000, prioritising water for its 500 breeding ewes. Farm Finances: Farmers warn inheritance-tax changes could threaten family farms, while uncertainty over extreme weather and support schemes is weighing on confidence. Beef Market: UK beef production is forecast to rise 1% to 904,000 tonnes in 2026, but shrinking herds and tight supplies are expected to support high prices; producer confidence remains fragile. Trade: Scottish red-meat exports reached a record £190m, even as British food and drink exports to the EU remain sharply down since Brexit.