The Fair Dealings Obligations (Milk) Regulations have come into force covering all new contracts for the purchase of milk from producers. A transition period of 12 months will apply but all contracts must be compliant by 9 July 2025.
The Danish Government is to levy a climate tax on agriculture amounting to around £34/t of CO2e in 2030, increasing to £85.11/tonne by 2035.A basic deduction of 60% will be applied to the average emissions from different types of livestock giving an economic advantage to climate-efficient farmers.
As of 1 April, there were 35,100 Countryside Stewardship agreements in force, 6,300 Environmental Stewardship agreements, 13,900 2023 Sustainable Farming Initiative (SFI) actions and 3,200 SFI actions from 2022.
The Welsh government has confirmed that a number of schemes will continue until the Sustainable Farming Scheme is launched in 2026. This includes Farming Connect, the knowledge transfer and innovation support scheme.
In 2023 compared to 2022, Direct Payments to farmers fell by 0.6% to £2.953 billion and Basic Payments fell by 12% to £2.05 billion, whilst payments under agri-environment schemes rose by 81% to £666 million.
In 2022/23, average Farm Business Income in GB rose by 19.4% to £86,000, 41% of farms had Farm Business Incomes of over £50,000 but 17% failed to achieve a positive result.
In 2022/23, the average Off-farm income in England was £12,200, up 41% on a year. Previously Off-farm income was highest on cereal farms and lowest on dairy and pig and poultry units. Pensions were the most common type of Off-farm income, found on 25% of farms, while income from green energy technologies was found on only 2% of farms.
As at 1 June 2023, the agricultural workforce in England totaled 292,000, down 2.9% on 2022. 35% of farmers were over 65 with only 16% under 45.
A survey conducted by Investec Wealth and Management has reported that one in three farmers described their debt as high or very high while two in three have experienced rising costs during the past 2 years averaging 12,9%.
The UK milk price fell in May, albeit from an amended (higher) April figure of 38.41 p/l. The UK average all milk price for May, reported in July, was 37.86 p/l:0.55 p/l below the restated April average and 0.99 p/l above the price a year earlier. The EU average for May fell to 40.48 p/l:017 below the April average and 0.29 p/l below the price a year earlier.
Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner has stated that the eradication of bovine TB by 2038 is his top priority.
Kingshay's latest Dairy Costings Focus report for 2023/24 from 1068 conventional and 83 organic herds shows average milk yields per cow at 8441 litres with a Margin over Purchased Feed at £2210 per cow. Health data shows lameness cases at 37 cases per 100 cows but for mastitis it was 26 cases per 100 cows. 50.2% of cows leave the herd within their first three lactations.
A report entitled Cost of Climate Resilience, published by Kite Consulting, estimates the average price of capital infrastructure investments together with additional land to ensure environmental resilience will amount to £472,539 per dairy farm over the next 10 years. Additional silage storage of 1350 tonnes would be needed to increase capacity to 18 months for cover in case of drought or late grazing turnouts. Data was taken from 850 dairy farms with an average herd size of 236 housed for an average of 30 weeks.
Sainsbury's has partnered with Vet Vision AI to trial new technology which has been designed to spot when cattle are happy and healthy and why, by monitoring through low-cost portable cameras.
Arla has increased its price by 0.81 p/l taking the manufacturing price to 41.7 p/l. The organic milk price has increased by 1.7 to 52,57 p/l. First Milk has increased its price by 0.7 p/l taking a manufacturing standard litre to 41 p/l. Saputo has increased its price by 0.75 p/l taking the negotiated base price for core volume litres to 40.75 p/l.
Trewithen Dairy of Lostwithiel, Cornwall has been acquired by German dairy Ehrmann which intends to invest £20 million in the dairy's processing capacity. 260 new jobs will be created but Arla has ceased production at its Tuxford and Tebbutt Creamery site in Melton Mowbray.
Pembrokeshire Creamery has opened its milk processing facility with the capacity to bottle one million litres of milk per week and will supply Asda and Lidl across Wales. Capacity will rise in due course to 2 million bottles per week.
AHDB has established a hoof-health registry with producers being asked to share their foot trimming and hoof-health records.
The British survey of fertiliser practice for 2024 shows little change on previous years.
In partnership with British Universities and Colleges Sport, AHDB has launched Milk Every Moment, a campaign to provide students with information on milk's role in a healthy, balanced diet. In future, the BUCS Rugby Union National Championships will be known as the Milk Cup.
A survey conducted by the NFU has revealed that farming is the public's second most valued profession after nursing. 74% have a favourable view of farming with 91% feeling that it is important to the UK economy.
The first edition of the newly formed UK Food Security Index, covering the period 2023/24, has been published. All indicators, such as global food supply and agricultural land, are defined as broadly stable, the only changes are for Agricultural total factor productivity and Energy and fertiliser prices, both of which are defined as "some reduction in risks".
Minette Batters, former NFU President, has been awarded a Life Peerage.
An NFU survey has reported that 75% of farmers have some level of unreliable mobile signal on their farms. 6% of members had no access to 4G or 5G on their smart phones although farmers had experienced a 10% increase in 5G access.