solar panel

Dan Hawes produces strawberry and raspberry plants for the UK fruit market with Blaise Plants, Kent. The arable side of the business includes environmental schemes, with a mix of wheat, oilseed rape, beans and barley crops

In today's Farming in Five, chief reporter Rachael Brown reflects on the Senedd debate last night which called on the Welsh Government to encourage the UK Government to pause the family farm tax and conduct an impact assessment. Shadow Conservative Minister Samuel Kurtz criticised the First Minister for her meeting with the Chancellor and failing to raise awareness of the scale of concern from Welsh farmers over the changes to Inheritance Tax, describing it as a 'dereliction of duty'

The TFA has urgently called for answers following a decision earlier this week to allow a major solar development on the Sturdy family's tenanted farm in North Yorkshire

82% of respondents to a recent YouGov poll conducted for CPRE supported rooftop solar on new buildings

The Sturdy family are waiting to hear the outcome of an appeal hearing which could result in around half of their arable farm being taken out of production for a solar farm. The Sturdy family's landlord is the FitzWilliam Trust Corporation. Ms Sturdy has claimed that one of its six trustees, Lady Helena Rees-Mogg, is the wife of Sir Jacob

It follows a decision made by an inspector in relation to a planning appeal from a developer which had been refused consent for a solar farm on land in Somerset

Arla Food's UK agricultural director Paul Dover said with Government backing, 'our farmers who work tirelessly to produce our food, can also help secure the future of our energy'

The Scottish farming Union said the deal could provide farmers and crofters with an additional income stream for farmers and crofters

This week's letters from Farmers Guardian readers

The Sturdy family, who are tenant farmers from Yorkshire said their ‘heart sank' after being told an appeal had been lodged against a decision to block a solar farm being developed on half of their farm