Arable News

Strawberry season delayed but 'worth the wait', say growers

Cooler spring temperatures have delayed the start of British strawberry season this year, but growers say the wait will be rewarded with berries packed with exceptional flavour

New crop wheat prices break above £200t

Keeping an eye on the latest trends in the grain markets

Uncertainty continues for potato industry as growers look to offload large surplus

A potato season that growers will want to forget is coming to an end, but there is still plenty of uncertainty as they enter the 2026/27 season

Growers must dig deep to find moisture for maize

We chat with two growers and an agronomist to find out how the maize campaign is progressing

Riverford launches petition as campaigns to ban glyphosate ramp up

Horticulture: Autonomous harvesters set for UK farm trials after £3m backing

Developer of selective, adaptive and modular harvesting robots, Fieldwork Robotics, has received £3 million in funding, including a £2.2 million investment round led by Elbow Beach

New feed wheat varieties aim to combine yield and disease resilience

New Group 4 varieties look to combine cleaner disease profiles and flexible drilling opportunities as growers look to reduce risk and input costs

Can agri tech cut fungicide costs without hitting yield?

In an attempt to answer the above question, agronomy firm Agrii has been testing various farm technologies at its host farm based in Lincolnshire

Early crop disease levels set stage for a challenging season ahead

Surveys reveal widespread septoria and early yellow rust across UK wheat, signalling disease pressure and need for robust T1 strategies

Why spring decisions should start with soil biology

Saturated soils following a wet winter pose risks to nutrients, roots and structure, making testing and understanding soil biology increasingly vital for informed spring fertiliser and field management decisions

Spring weed control: Meeting the challenges of sugar beet weed control

With increasing weed pressures, herbicide use challenges and tougher regulations, what lies ahead for sugar beet weed control in GB? A British Beet Research Organisation weeds seminar in Peterborough took a look into the future

Horticultural focus: Increased pest pressures challenge lettuce crops

With significant lettuce crop losses recorded across 2025 due to the nasonovia lettuce aphid, we find out what the keys risks are for crops and what control options are available

Growers are advised to manage disease risk to protect good yield potential

With a complex set of factors influencing disease management this spring, the Bayer Crop Doctors’ second round of visits took them to Oxfordshire ahead of key T2 fungicide decisions

Blending heritage, innovation and sustainability – how Thatchers is defining modern cider production

At Myrtle Farm in Somerset, five generations of the Thatcher family have helped transform a mixed farm into one of the UK's leading cider makers

Why potato growers must be alert to the growing wireworm threat

Potato growers are being urged to not underestimate the rising threat of wireworm, as a combination of changing farming practices, the loss of chemical controls and environmental conditions is creating a ‘perfect storm' for the pest

Landfill farming: Methane-fuelled dome to trial producing fruit and veg year-round

This summer, a revolutionary food growing experiment is about to be trialled on a landfill site in Wiltshire

How Limagrain's new UK demo farms will change crop variety trials

Global seed breeder Limagrain has launched a new variety trial which is putting growers at the heart of research

Why there seems to be plenty of positives for oilseed rape this year

Improved autumn conditions, lower pest pressure and advances in agronomy and breeding are helping rebuild confidence in oilseed rape, with growers cautiously returning to the crop after challenging seasons.

Can electric weeding replace herbicides? Garford and Rootwave show field potential

Now offered as a dedicated inter-row weeding machine for conventional and organic systems, Garford's joint development with UK start-up RootWave shows significant potential

Knight Farm Machinery appoints Chandlers for farmers in the Midlands and Welsh Borders

British manufacturer Knight Farm Machinery has expanded its dealer network with the appointment of Chandlers Farm Equipment, one of the UK’s largest machinery dealers.

OPINION: Translating the value of tech into income is a tougher sell

New machinery technology promises gains in efficiency and performance, but turning those benefits into measurable financial returns remains a key challenge for farmers and contractors, says Toby Whatley

Trial results show beet establishment benefits with strip-tillage

Could strip till be the next step forward for sugar beet? Jane Carley looks at a recent trial

UK tractor registrations show significant uplift for the first quarter of 2026

Recent figures from the AEA reflect a near 50% increase in new tractor registrations for March 2026 compared to 2025

Pottinger updates Plano shallow cultivator with new tillage options

New tine systems, heavy-duty harrow and wheel mark loosening tines expand the claimed versatility of the Plano shallow cultivator for mechanical weed control and seedbed preparation

Horticulture: Autonomous harvesters set for UK farm trials after £3m backing

Developer of selective, adaptive and modular harvesting robots, Fieldwork Robotics, has received £3 million in funding, including a £2.2 million investment round led by Elbow Beach

Co-op first major retailer to switch to 100% British strawberries as season begins

The early move has been made possible by investment by growers in techniques that help protect and advance crops

Landfill farming: Methane-fuelled dome to trial producing fruit and veg year-round

This summer, a revolutionary food growing experiment is about to be trialled on a landfill site in Wiltshire

How new developments are changing the asparagus season

Traditionally the English asparagus season starts on St George' Day, April 23, but it is no longer is the English version is no longer the only home-produced product, as Scotland has entered the market

Berry growers facing 'perfect storm' from Iran war and wage inflation

Peak season is approaching for the berry industry with the war in the Middle East having a ripple effect on domestic producers

Horticultural focus: Increased pest pressures challenge lettuce crops

With significant lettuce crop losses recorded across 2025 due to the nasonovia lettuce aphid, we find out what the keys risks are for crops and what control options are available

The Farmers Guardian podcast: Political change - what does it mean for farmers?

The Farmers Guardian news and business team discusses the latest election results

The Farmers Guardian podcast: Farming careers from the classroom to the cattle shed – Alex Black speaks to staff and students at Myerscough College

What does a career in agriculture look like in 2026?

Inside Hexham Auction Mart with Drew Patrick and Harrison Collingwood | For Flock's Sake Ep2

On the second episode of For Flock's Sake – Farmers Guardian's dedicated young farmer podcast – Ellie Layton and Tom Ryder are joined by Hexham Auction's Drew Patrick and Harrison Collingwood

The Farmers Guardian arable special: Regen learnings from Duchy of Cornwall 'Focus Farmers'

Join us for our second arable special where Farmers Guardian head of arable, Ash Ellwood, visits Duchy of Cornwall's Focus Farmers, Heather and Paul Gorringe

The Farmers Guardian Podcast – British wool: The farm-to-fabric journey

In this week's Farmers Guardian podcast reporter Mia Willemsen is joined by guest Harriet Fletcher-Gilhuys, textiles researcher at Fashion Roundtable, who discusses the Great British Wool Revival and its support for the farm-to-fabric journey

The Farmers Guardian Podcast - Iran war: Are UK farmers ready to hold protests following price surges to fuel, oil and fertiliser?

How is war in the Middle East impacting UK farmers? Is the Government doing enough to support domestic food producers as costs for key farm inputs spiral? And are farmers ready to hold protests across the UK?