Tom Allen-Stevens

Precision-bred oilseed rape will be put to the test in trials on commercial farms for the first time in Europe, offering fresh hope for a crop under pressure. A new £2.5m, three-year project marks a major step towards rebuilding the UK’s most important break crop.

The much-awaited report from Minette Batters on farm profitability was released by Defra shortly before Christmas. Tom Allen-Stevens summarises what it means for soil pioneers. Building soil health at pace is central to improving the resilience and long-term profitability of English farming, according to the Farming Profitability Review led by Baroness Minette Batters. It calls for a renewed focus on what she describes as a “SOILSHOT” approach.

The British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN) encourages farmers to ‘lead the field’ in agricultural innovation by taking part in Defra-funded projects that are changing the shape of the industry. Here we catch up with the latest updates across its collaborative projects. SLIMERS project advances in the battle against slugs Farmers involved in a major slug project are planning to patch-treat against the pest this autumn, guided by novel risk-prediction maps.