AGP Executive Report

Food Security: The NFU warns Britain is producing less food than 30 years ago as imports have risen 70%. A McCain survey found 42% of farmers had considered quitting, 86% said uncertainty was hurting their businesses and just 5% were optimistic about long-term food security. Farm Pressures: Drought, disease and rising costs are squeezing producers; Yorkshire farmers face a particularly difficult outlook, while NFU Cymru says planning delays are holding back investment and productivity. Farmland Under Pressure: The government approved the 1,200-hectare Green Hill solar farm across Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, prompting MPs and campaigners to warn that versatile arable land will be lost to farming. Scotland’s Farms: Cattle numbers rose 0.7% to 1.67 million, but the agricultural workforce fell by 700 to 66,100; sheep, poultry and soft-fruit production also declined. A first bird-flu case in Scotland has added to livestock-sector concerns.

Harvest Crisis: England has suffered its worst cereal and oilseed harvest in records dating to 1984 after extreme summer heat and drought. UK crop output is forecast at 18.5 million tonnes, £550m below March estimates. Drought and Costs: The Environment Agency has declared drought in Yorkshire, while farmers are demanding government action as fuel costs surge. Farm Support: Northern Ireland farmers are receiving the first £15m in Sustainable Farming Investment Scheme grant offers. Land Pressure: Monmouthshire Council defended earmarking mostly high-grade farmland for up to 770 homes; elsewhere, a huge solar scheme won approval despite concerns over the loss of fertile arable land. Animal Health: Scotland confirmed its first bird flu case, prompting calls for vigilance.

Farm automation: The government is funding eight Robotics Adoption Hubs with £40m, including a £6.3m Lincoln centre to help farms and food businesses adopt robotics. Trials include automated fruit-picking and weed control, as farmers struggle to find workers. Food security: Experts warn Britain lacks a clear plan to feed the country during a crisis. Meanwhile, farmers report that policy uncertainty and rising diesel costs are squeezing their businesses. Farm land and renewables: Eton College plans an agri-solar farm that would allow crops and livestock to remain on site, with native grasses and wildflowers planted beneath the panels. Climate-ready crops: Watermelons have thrived outdoors in Oxfordshire after a hot, dry summer. Growers say diverse, locally adapted seeds could help UK food production withstand extreme weather. Pollution risks: UK water companies made more than £340m last year from industrial wastewater sent to sewage works, many of which cannot remove chemicals that may pass into rivers, seas and farmland.

Farm Pressures: Rising diesel and other input costs are squeezing farm incomes, while 86% of British farmers say policy uncertainty is hurting their operations and ability to plan. Weather and Crops: Hot, dry conditions are shrinking British potatoes and pumpkin yields, adding to warnings that this has been one of the toughest farming summers in generations. Livestock Health: Bluetongue cases have spread across England, Wales and Scotland, with farmers concerned about protection from vaccination; a newly detected livestock virus in Ireland has also prompted alertness. Food Security: Farmers warn that protecting the UK’s food supply is becoming harder, amid calls for better preparation for shortages and emergencies. Land Use: Solar expansion is renewing concern over productive farmland, including a proposed 500MW development on fertile land in Scotland’s Carse of Gowrie.

Crop Stress: A hot, dry summer left North Yorkshire potato grower Tim Rooke harvesting early, with about two tonnes in every 50 too small for customers. His crop received just 35mm of rain against an estimated 200mm need; potatoes stop bulking up above 28°C. Drought is also estimated to have cost UK cereal growers £452m in lost yield. Animal Health: Vets are urging farmers to vaccinate against bluetongue as the outbreak spreads; farmers are also being warned to prepare contingency plans for bird flu after nearly 200,000 hens were culled at one Scottish egg farm. Farm Support: Northern Ireland’s NIAPA is backing the return of Areas of Natural Constraint payments, estimated to cost just over £11m a year, while farmers in Scotland are urged to engage with future support schemes. Rural Innovation: Aberdeenshire firm Ovis Wool Pellets won a national farming innovation award for turning sheep wool into products designed to improve soil and retain water.

Bluetongue: Cases have been confirmed in more UK counties, and sheep farmers are signalling strong demand for vaccines ahead of 2027. Farm Support: Scottish farmers are being urged to engage with plans for future support, as the first Sustainable Farming Investment Scheme offer letters go out. Wider policy uncertainty is weighing on farm decisions, with 86% of farmers saying it is hurting their operations. Inputs: Farmers are being urged to secure most of their fertiliser before the EU’s carbon border rules take effect in 2027, as rising energy costs keep pressure on prices. Drought: The hot, dry summer is estimated to have cost UK cereal growers £452m in lost yield. Most English reservoirs remain notably or exceptionally low, though some rain-starved farms can refill reservoirs early. Horticulture: British pea consumption has fallen to a 50-year low, raising concern for growers, while heat and dry weather have reduced UK pumpkin yields and fruit size.

Farm Policy Pressure: A new Farmdex report from McCain Foods GB&I says 86% of farmers feel policy uncertainty is harming operations, with the wider picture shaped by record heat, rising costs and unclear direction. Weedkiller Scrutiny: The DWP has updated on glyphosate used in UK school playgrounds and public spaces, as critics cite PAN UK findings of residues and the WHO’s probable carcinogen classification. Regulator Shake-Up Talk: Conservatives propose restructuring Defra and reviewing arm’s-length bodies, with NFU Scotland warning the Environment Agency’s role in areas like water and pollution controls could be a flashpoint for farmers. Hemp for Scotland: A Scottish pilot is pushing industrial hemp as a potential “olive oil” style crop, with farmers touting omega-3 rich seeds and wider uses from textiles to animal feed. Salmon Farming Backlash: Chris Packham’s campaign targets M&S over Scottish farmed salmon, citing sea lice, chemical treatments and welfare concerns. Nature as Security: Green Party delegates backed a motion to treat biodiversity loss like a national security threat, calling for statutory risk assessments and resilience planning. Planning & Wildlife: Natural Resources Wales raised concerns over a proposed Monmouthshire housing site near a protected bat roost, citing scientific uncertainty. Diversification on the Land: A Wiltshire farm has opened a new padel court as part of a wider diversification push, showing how rural businesses are adding new income streams.

Bluetongue Watch: Farmers in Devon and beyond are anxiously testing ram fertility after bluetongue outbreaks, with vets reporting mixed recovery and urging ongoing monitoring as breeding results come in. Food & Farming Insight: A new report argues that higher crop yields may be “hollowing out” nutrient levels, raising fresh questions about whether modern diets need more micronutrients. Livestock & Genetics: More than 6,000 farmers have signed up to a £67m cattle genetics scheme, while Northern Ireland’s Aberdeen Angus and Hereford show results highlight continued focus on fertility and performance. Rural Skills & Youth: YFCU is expanding in Northern Ireland with a new agriculture-focused club at Loreto College, Coleraine, linking pupils to practical learning and wider rural opportunities. Farmgate & Awards: Essex producers picked up major wins at the Great British Food Awards, including gold for potatoes and smoked salmon. Infrastructure Affecting Landowners: In Northern Ireland, the A5 upgrade is cleared to proceed after a Court of Appeal decision, but farmers are pressing for clarity on compensation values for vested land. Energy & Rural Industry: Ørsted marks 20 years of offshore wind generation in the UK, while planning updates include extending the life of a wind farm near Dalmellington.

Animal Welfare Shock: Undercover footage alleges severe abuse at Gloucestershire dairy Two Pools Farm, with claims of hundreds of incidents in days and links to RSPCA Assured and past M&S supply. Livestock & Farming Costs: Agflation hits 7.8% as fertiliser, energy and contractor charges keep squeezing margins, while output prices lag. Crop Protection Update: A drop in temperatures should ease BYDV risk for winter cereals, but growers are still urged to keep drilling and manage costs. Breeding Spotlight: Farmers Guardian podcast episode profiles Boomer and Millie Birch on breeding cattle and balancing phenotype with data. Energy for Farms & Industry: Europa Worldwide and Prologis install a 600kWp rooftop solar system at a Dartford warehouse, highlighting solar potential on existing UK rooftops. Rural Access Consultation (Scotland): Land access rules face a review as drones, e-bikes and changing land management practices reshape countryside use. Policy & Security Spillover: US moves B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford amid Iran-linked threat claims, adding uncertainty around UK base operations.

Pea Demand Shock: Britons’ pea consumption has fallen to a 50-year low, with Gen Z far less likely to see peas as a British staple—adding fresh pressure to UK growers already hit by drought and heat. Rural Cost Crunch: Jeremy Clarkson told the Tory conference farmers are being “attacked” from every direction, citing soaring costs, taxes and energy pressures, and calling the year “terrible” for agriculture. Weather Risk Watch: The Met Office warns El Niño could bring major UK disruption later this year, with “polar vortex” fears raising stakes for water and farming planning. Orchard Frost Fix: Prince William highlighted a simple frost strategy—replanting apple trees on north-facing slopes to delay flowering and dodge late frosts. Oilseed Rape Drilling Advice: Growers are urged to wait for moisture before drilling, after a hot, dry summer left soils short of the water needed for successful establishment. Water Levels Alert: The Environment Agency says many reservoirs in England are notably low, underlining ongoing drought stress for farms and food supplies. Northern Ireland Farming: NI farmers are urged to stay alert for Shamonda virus as disease monitoring continues. Cotton Traceability Test: A UK-led Earth Observation trial aims to improve verification of cotton origin and farm conditions before fibre enters textile supply chains.

Food Security Warning: More than 150 experts warn the UK has no plan to feed people in a crisis, calling government “complacent” as “just-in-time” supply leaves the country exposed to shocks from climate, cyber-attacks, energy outages and geopolitics. Energy & Grid Bottlenecks: A failing Harker electrical substation is blamed for a “£1bn bottleneck” that leaves much Scottish renewable power stranded, driving constraint payments that push up household bills. Livestock & Farming Workforce: Young farmers say barriers to land, capital, housing and training are driving the next generation out, with the average farmer age rising sharply. Bluetongue Escalation (Scotland): Scotland extends bluetongue restricted zones across the whole country as cases surge, with farmers urged to vaccinate and comply with movement rules. Marine Conservation: A seabed survey finds a rare pink coral colony off North Cornwall, outside existing designations, raising questions about whether extra protections are needed. Local Planning Pressure: Somerset residents rally against a proposed 7,000-home “garden village” near Taunton, while Walsall councillors back a fight against 355 homes on green belt farmland. Agritech & Crops: Syngenta unveils EXORT, a microRNA-based biological tech it says could boost yields, and Corteva reports precision-bred soybeans maturing faster in UK trials. Rural Life & Community: A Suffolk pub offers free pints for black Labrador owners, sparking a countryside culture row with a local MP.

Livestock Markets: Tight prime cattle supplies helped push UK beef prices higher, with AHDB reporting the GB deadweight all-prime cattle price up 8p week-on-week to 628p/kg as processors competed for finished stock ahead of Christmas demand. Farm Succession & Careers: A young farmers placement is opening doors into poultry, showing how work across breeding, hatcheries and production can broaden career paths beyond traditional livestock roles. Dairy Transition Planning: Dairy farmers are being urged to plan for autumn calving to protect feed intake and rumen health during the transition period, reducing risks like milk fever and ketosis. Animal Health (Northern Ireland): The UFU says bTB eradication must tackle wildlife transmission, arguing farmers have complied with cattle controls but progress is still not fast enough. Rural Communities & Land Use: A couple has become new full-time farmers on off-grid Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island), taking over sheep and cattle conservation grazing and doubling the island’s year-round population. Weather & Food Costs: Rising energy costs and El Niño-linked uncertainty are raising concerns about knock-on pressure on food prices and UK weather impacts.

Bluetongue surge: Britain’s bluetongue outbreak has hit record levels after a hot, midge-friendly summer, with Defra counting 2,579 confirmed cases by early October and Scotland expanding its restricted zone to cover the whole country. Farm funding squeeze: Farmers are warning that vital Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) money was drained in just six hours, leaving plans “up in the air” and raising fears environmental options will be scaled back. Forage pressure: AHDB says forage supplies are tighter heading into winter after a tough growing season, urging farmers to build a forage budget and consider alternatives like wholecrop cereals where nutrition fits. Tillage risk check: A guide weighs whether taking a phosphate and potash “holiday” is worth the gamble, noting yields may hold only if soil reserves are adequate, but long-term declines are likely. Water & biodiversity: Glastonbury’s River Brue has been granted “rights” via a new charter to help secure funding for pollution-cutting and habitat improvements. Red meat export push: QMS is set to showcase Scotch beef, lamb and pork at SIAL Paris, aiming at premium overseas markets. Rural community farming: Bardsey Island in Wales has recruited new farmers to continue conservation grazing for seabirds, doubling the year-round population.

Bluetongue Update: Scotland has extended bluetongue restrictions nationwide, with farmers urged to vaccinate as cases top 2,000 in 2026 and movement of sheep and cattle now needs licences. Livestock Resilience: Farmers are also being advised to protect forage quality as drought-affected grassland forces more reliance on winter feed reserves. Arable Focus (Northern Ireland): A push is growing to expand arable farming in Northern Ireland, arguing crops’ lower carbon footprint and reduced import dependence make them central to a sustainable future. Rare Breeding Success: Five calves of the Vaynol cattle breed have been born at Temple Newsam’s Home Farm, adding to conservation efforts for one of the UK’s rarest native herds. Farm Diversification: Yester Farm Dairies has been named a finalist for Farmers Weekly Diversification Farmer of the Year for adding value through on-farm processing and a growing dairy range. Local Farming Spotlight: Arable and livestock themes also show up in coverage of farmers’ practical challenges and seasonal planning across the UK.

Bluetongue Crisis: Britain is facing its worst bluetongue season on record, with Defra logging 2,201 cases since 1 July 2026 and Scotland expanding restricted zones to cover the whole country as farmers report constant vigilance and mounting animal welfare pressure. Fuel & Farm Costs: Global food prices rose again in September as tightened supplies and shipping uncertainty pushed up sugar, cereal and vegetable oil costs, adding to pressure on UK grocery bills and farm margins. Drought & Wildfire Risk: Wales’ 2026 wildfire season hit record-breaking conditions, with the Wales Wildfire Board urging landowners and farmers to plan ahead because resilience can’t be delivered by emergency services alone. Policy & Payments Pressure: MPs are pushing a farmers’ Budget wishlist covering longer-term certainty on farming budgets, investment, inheritance and water resilience, after a chaotic Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scramble left some farmers missing out. Local Farming & Community: Cardigan Farmers’ Market marks its first anniversary with October events, while Durham’s Agricultural Discussion Society honoured Hall Hill Farm’s Richard Darlington for decades of open-farm outreach. Farm Innovation & Land Use: An Irish cattle restoration project is bringing Droimeann cattle to Scotland’s west coast to help restore “rainforest” habitat by managing bracken and coarse grasses. Rural Life & Diversification: Apple Day returns at Gressenhall Farm Workhouse, and glamping on Welsh farmland is moving forward after a long planning fight, highlighting how rural businesses keep adapting.

Northern Ireland Tensions: A Protestant group urges the UK government to end the Drumcree standoff, after residents and faith leaders pushed for an “end” to the Orange Order impasse. Fuel Costs for Farms: Diesel hit a record £2 a litre in the UK as G7 leaders agreed to release 100 million barrels of diesel and crude via the IEA, with a front-loaded diesel release in the first 20 days; economists warn a US diesel export ban could lift UK inflation toward 5%. Winter Feed Pressure: AHDB warns drought-hit forage reserves are being stretched into winter, with some southern and central England farms facing tighter supplies despite September rain. Scotland Bluetongue Update: Scotland extends bluetongue restrictions to the whole country from Saturday, easing movement licensing for farmers and hauliers while keeping Northern Ireland separate. Sheep Health Plan: Defra-backed work will refresh the Five Point Plan for sheep lameness, with new focus on CODD and free farmer/vet resources, plus possible AI support. Co-ops Push for Action: Scotland’s agri co-ops body SAOS launches a manifesto calling for government to put co-operation at the heart of food security and rural resilience. Food Security & Soil: A new lecture highlights soil as a finite resource and argues sustainable soil management is key for productivity and water safety. Industry Watch: Moy Park reports a 31% jump in 2025 operating profit amid restructuring and changing production schedules.