OUR THOUGHTS
From time to time, our experienced consultants take a moment to reflect on recent work, policy news or industry trends. Read what they have to say below and don’t forget, if you’d like to receive updates from us, including news and insights, business updates, and Ceres Publications, subscribe to mailing list.
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Chloe Timberlake
Jan, 19 2026The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, delivered an important update at the Oxford Farming Conference, outlining new measures and funding opportunities designed to support farmers and strengthen the agricultural sector. This comes following the recent announcement of increasing the inheritance tax relief for family farms, with the Agricultural and Business Property […]
Toby Eve
Jan, 14 2026HARVEST WORKER RECRUITMENT PROGRAMME – ARABLE FARM PLACEMENT Location: Various UK locations (based on your preference) Duration: Seasonal (typically July–October) Reporting to: Business Owner / Farm Manager Kickstart Your Agricultural Career This Summer Looking for a paid summer role that gives you real, hands-on experience in agriculture? Join the Ceres Harvest Worker Recruitment Programme and spend your summer working on a commercial arable farm […]
Richard Means
Nov, 27 2025The 2025 Budget brings a range of changes – some positive, some challenging – across the rural landscape. The full transferability of the £1 million APR and BPR bands between spouses is welcome and provides more flexibility for succession planning. However, increased minimum wages will put additional strain on farm businesses, especially those relying on seasonal or […]
Sophia Slater
Nov, 11 2025The latest announcement from Defra is exciting: a new national forest will be in the Oxford-Cambridge (Ox-Cam) corridor. This Ox-Cam national forest is the second to be announced, following the Western Forest announced earlier this year. A further location is due to be decided in early 2026, reportedly either in the Midlands or the North […]
Charlie Fairs
Nov, 11 2025We’re pleased to share with you our Contact Farming Survey 2025 report. This is a free publication detailing conclusions and learnings from the last harvest year. We have analysed results across a breadth of agreements, using a significant Ceres Rural dataset. The objective is to provide you with an independent view of CFA performance and […]
Beth Ashley
Nov, 05 2025With applications for the Sustainable Farming Incentive and capital grants currently closed, many farmers are looking for alternative sources of financial support to continue marking improvements. The Thames Water Catchment Fund offers an opportunity to help bridge that gap. The Fund aims to support farmers in reducing agricultural herbicide pollution at its source, protecting local […]
Jock Willmott
Nov, 04 2025We’re pleased to share with you our Yield Summary for 2025. This is a free publication detailing conclusions and learnings from harvest. We have analysed results across a breadth of crops, using a significant Ceres Rural dataset built over the last five years. The objective is to provide you with an independent view of crop […]
Beth Speakman
Nov, 03 2025Viticulture 2025 Harvest For many in the UK, the 2025 harvest was very promising, with extended warm weather helping to reduce disease pressure, improve sugars and increase ripening rates, leading to a speedy and bumper crop, for both sparkling and still wines. Unlike many other crops, vines benefitted from the extreme dry weather, allowing for […]
Jock Willmott
Oct, 29 2025Welcome to the Ceres Rural Farming Update, a publication that provides independent insights on agricultural issues, from policy and grant funding, to administrative updates and key market information. Read the update here. For a printer-friendly version, click here. Please consider the environment before printing this publication. A ‘PLUS‘ version of this publication is now available to […]
Katie Crawford
Oct, 15 2025This morning, following successful lobbying efforts, Defra confirmed that one-year extensions will be offered to 5,000 Mid Tier Countryside Stewardship agreement holders whose schemes are due to end on 31st December 2025. These extensions will provide a crucial bridge for farms that currently have no alternative funding route once their agreements expire, helping farms maintain […]