Agriculture

Cambridgeshire agricultural firm Collings Brothers has confirmed it will close with immediate effect after encountering numerous challenges due to the current 'economic climate'

NFU Cymru president, Aled Jones said whilst he applauded Welsh Government's 'ambitious' time frame, he was resistant to launching an SFS scheme that was 'not ready', adding he felt there was a lack of comprehension on ‘the enormity' of what is still left to be done, including piloting and an up-to-date impact assessment

Leaders from the farming unions said there must be a closer partnership between farmers and politicians

Polling commissioned by the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission found 62 per cent of the British public wanted greater intervention to ensure farmers are treated fairly

Under the changes, new SFI applicants will only be able to put 25 per cent of their land into six SFI actions that take land out of direct food production

CLA senior land use policy adviser Cameron Hughes said: "CLA members I speak to are often surprised at the breadth of options available through the Capital Grants scheme."

Savills senior woodland consultant Luke Hemmings said there were many landowners who were keen to increase their carbon storage and habitat potential of their land, but the ‘approval process' for planting new woodland was an issue

The increase in funding for farm productivity from 40 to 50 per cent, on top of the extra money available for solar panels, means the Improving Productivity Grant is likely to be even more popular among farmers this time around

SRH Agribusiness’ Simon Haley looks at how Government can boost take up of the Sustainable Farming Incentive

The plans will be subjected to a five-week consultation and would look to retain badger culling as an option in targeted parts only of the high-risk area and edge areas including much of southwest and central England