news

In the week where we’ve seen the second reading of the Agricultural Bill, the NFU outlines its top ten amendments it wants to make. As it stands, the government has outlined plans to phase out direct payments to farmers between 2021 and 2027 which will be replaced by a new system of support...

Hi all, Please consider filling in this short online survey; it's really important that we hear from as many farmers as possible as we may use the results to inform policy! We are also doing a prize draw so you could win a voucher of your choice worth £100. It should only take 5-10 minutes so...

The Business Barn has teamed up with NatWest to bring a cohesive offering to users of the rural business advice website. As one of the leading agricultural banks operating within the UK, helping to finance projects of all sizes, the partnership will help cement the bank’s commitment to the...

UK Agricultural Finance (UKAF) has announced that it has secured important funding from one of the UK’s leading institutional investors. The investment will allow UKAF to build on the success of its bridge finance offering, to provide much needed term funding for the rural community. This...

Dairy farmers’ profits recovered in 2017/18 as milk prices returned to more sustainable levels – but the outlook for 2018/19 is far less buoyant. A recent survey by accountants and financial planners Old Mill has revealed that Old Mill and Farm Consultancy Group (FCG) clients made a profit from...

The Fresh Start Loan Fund is available to new entrant and tenant farmers in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly who need additional finance to start and develop their land-based businesses. Applicants must be a limited company. Most reasonable costs associated with the new business or project...

The deadline for Welsh farmers to express interest in the Farm Business Grant (FBG) has been extended. Designed to encourage efficiency among the agricultural industry by covering capital investments in equipment and machinery, the grant application window will now close on 26 October 2018 as...

Eight out of 10 food and drink products at new discount chain Jack’s will be grown, reared or made in Britain. Tesco has launched its new Jack's stores which are set to rival the offering of existing discount supermarkets, Aldi and Lidl. The food retailer opened the first two Jack’s stores in...

Plans to open 130 Aldi stores over the next two years will see the discount supermarket source more British produce. The announcement comes as Aldi revealed that sales grew 16.4% across the UK and Ireland to a record £10.2 billion in 2017. Full-year operating profit rose 26% to £265.9 million...

A new partnership between the NFU, CLA and Openreach could help close the digital divide and speed-up rollout of superfast broadband among rural areas. Access to superfast rural broadband will be generated through a newly negotiated fixed line broadband wayleave agreement and Memorandum of...

The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) has teamed up with NatWest to encourage young farmers across the country to promote their clubs to new members. A cash prize of £350 is up for grabs as the federation launches a video competition open to all young farmer clubs. The aim...

Large-scale solar power projects are set to make a comeback as costs decline – and landowners should act now to secure rental agreements. According to independent power consultant Roadnight Taylor, demand for large-scale solar is set for a revival, with developers returning to the market after...

Defra statistics reveal strong growth in the poultry sector as a record 785 million chick and poult placings were made in the eight months to August 2018. It is the first time the 750 million figure has been broken in an eight-month timeframe and marks a rise of 5% on the same period a year...

A new banking partnership has been established to support farmers who are struggling to obtain funding for urgent or complicated projects. UK Agricultural Finance and NatWest, two suppliers listed on The Business Barn MarketPlace, have joined forces in the first partnership of its kind, to...

Applications for the 2018-19 Future Farmer Foundation are now open, with 50 places available for those looking to develop a career in agriculture or aquaculture. Founded in 2014 the programme was established to support and inspire young people in UK and Irish farming with the fifth programme...

The wages paid to British workers grew at the joint-fastest rate since the summer of 2015 in the three months to July, supporting the Bank of England's contention that a tight labour market is finally pushing up pay. Average regular pay, which excludes bonuses, rose by 2.9% in the three months...

The creators of The Energy Now Expo have launched a new pioneering event – The Energy and Rural Business Show. Taking place next February at the Telford International Centre, the event plans to showcase the latest opportunities for farms in the immediate sense and in the future and will be...

Farmers in England are now able to apply for the Woodland Creation Grant (WCG) all-year-round in a bid to attract more applications. The move ties in with the government’s plans to increase the amount of woodland cover for which its goals include planting 11 million trees by 2020 and having 12%...

Defra's Farm Business Survey results show a 24% increase in total output for horticulture businesses between 2015/16 and 2016/17. The findings come from research conducted by Rural Business Research, a group of specialist Universities and Colleges in England who undertake the Defra-funded Farm...

The NFU is encouraging the agricultural and rural sectors to take part in their annual broadband and mobile survey to help build a true picture of connectivity in the countryside. The NFU continues to engage with the government about the need for fast, affordable and reliable broadband and...