Each agricultural contractor operates an enterprise in the UK, either through mainstream services or niches in a particular sector

From Defra granting emergency permits for bluetongue vaccines to the topic of succession and planning for the future - these are five farming stories not to miss this week on FG

Kate is a fifth-generation farmer running the 750-hectare (1,853-acre) Hundleshope Farm on the Haystoun Estate, Peebles, where the family have been tenants for 150 years. She runs the hill unit with her husband Ed and their four children. She is also a vet and chair of Quality Meat Scotland

Amy works on her family’s tenanted farm at Halsall, Lancashire. Working mainly with her dad, Amy farms 285 hectares (704 acres) of arable crops and 550 beef cross cattle which are all reared through to finishing. You can follow her on Instagram @amygingewilkinson

Dan Hawes grew up on an arable farm in Suffolk and now produces strawberry and raspberry plants for the UK fruit market with Blaise Plants, sister company to Hugh Lowe Farms, Kent. The business grows outside, under tunnels and in glasshouses and produces more than four million plants a year. The arable side includes environmental schemes, with a mix of wheat, oilseed rape, beans and barley crops

Intake information released as countdown to sugar beet harvest begins

This week's opinion from throughout the world of agriculture: Farmer and former lecturer at Myerscough College - George Parkinson

The widow of farmer Rocky Poulson, who ended his life four days after a farm inspection, reflects on the similarities between what happened to her husband and the tragic case of headteacher Ruth Perry, who took her own life after Ofsted inspectors said they would downgrade the school from outstanding to the lowest grade - inadequate

From the UK's Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss declaring a bluetongue-restricted zone across Norfolk and Suffolk to advice on combatting theft and criminal damage through improving farm security - these are six farming stories not to miss this week on FG