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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Alice Andrews
May, 14 2024A Challenging Start to Spring for Winter Wheat Spring has been tough for winter wheat crops. Soil temperatures have taken far longer to warm up because of excess water. Normally, at this time of year, soils would be around 12°C. In early May, they were only 9°C. On top of that, stressed crops have suffered […]
Robert Gazely
May, 03 2024The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) recently announced that they will stop routine farm inspections. They will still carry out investigative inspections triggered by major accidents, but their focus will now shift to occupational health issues. This move is highly concerning. The HSE’s own statistics show that between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024, […]
Tim Isaac
Apr, 19 2024
It is often said that farming is facing the biggest period of change for a generation. There is a complex range of challenges and opportunities, with various interdependencies between them, which can make them difficult to navigate. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer or silver bullet, but doing nothing is clearly not a viable strategy. […]
Robert Gazely
Apr, 10 2024Whilst the rigour of the BPS application has gone, there is still a requirement from the Rural Payments Agency for farmers and landowners to complete annual Countryside Stewardship (CS) revenue claims and Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) declarations. Compatibility with land cover and land use as declared in the land use table is key to ensure […]
Robert Gazely
Apr, 08 2024Each quarter, we update you on industry news, topical issues, and safety alerts with the aim of supporting you in achieving best practice on your farm or estate. The April 2024 edition highlights metalworking fluids safety, display screen equipment in farm and estate offices, and health and safety signage requirements. It comments on the risks […]
Beth Speakman
Apr, 03 2024 Forestry Commission Announces Increased EWCO Payments On 18 March, the Forestry Commission (FC) announced an immediate increase in payments for England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) grant recipients. The uplift applies to all existing and new agreement holders. Higher Payment Rates and New Premium Options The maximum payment per hectare rises from £8,000 to £11,600 or […]
George Catchpole
Mar, 25 2024Key Changes to SFI Actions Under the new rules, SFI applicants can allocate only 25% of their land to six specific actions that remove land from direct food production. These actions include: Flower-rich grass margins Pollen and nectar flower mix Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land Grassy field corners and blocks Improved grassland […]
George Catchpole
Mar, 04 2024 Welcome to the Ceres Rural Farming Update March 2024, 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: Farming Update – March 2024. For a printer-friendly version, click here. Please consider the environment before printing this publication.
Toby Eve
Mar, 01 2024On 20th February 2024, Defra announced further details on the 2024 Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF). With the application window due to open shortly, further information regarding the items due to be funded has been released. This will not be the first time that the FETF has been available, and many features of the grant […]
Edward Hutley
Feb, 22 2024Ceres Rural Partner, Ed Hutley, attended the hugely emotive NFU conference this week. On behalf of all of us here at Ceres Rural, he has posted a letter to Minette, thanking her for her dedicated and incredibly successful service as NFU President. We wanted to share it to publicly express our gratitude to someone who […]