Research Membership

An easy-to-use summary of the 2026 SFI options, highlighting 25% capped actions, actions with reduced and increased payment rates.

This month's digest includes:
• Crop Watch: the newest element of the Monthly Digest, giving you a snapshot of what's happening in the field.
• NFU Conference 26 announcements, FETF, East Anglia Nozzle Grants, Farmer Collaboration Fund, news on the new nutrient management tool, emerging details on the 2026 SFI offer and the Deer Impacts Policy Statement.
• Latest science on the potential efficacy of olive oil to boost pyrethroid potency, and farmer-led research showing the positive impacts on herbal leys on soil health and milk yield in dairy systems.
• Market Snapshot: providing you with a high-level overview of commodity prices.
• Key reports including the challenges of workforce shortages and the potential impact of the Dynamic Alignment on UK agriculture.

Each month, we update you on fuel prices which relate to our industry in order to help you benchmark and forecast your costs. This information is part of our endeavour to ensure we support you, our members, in the effective day-to-day running of your rural businesses.

The CFA Survey 2025 provides a comprehensive analysis of Contract Farming Agreements across the UK, drawing on data from over 100 farms. The report explores national trends in costs, returns, environmental scheme participation, and farm-level decision‑making, revealing tightening margins, increasing contractor charges and a significant shift toward land being taken out of production. With CFAs growing in complexity and the future of environmental schemes uncertain, the 2025–26 outlook highlights the need for carefully structured agreements and data‑driven planning.

Wheat Dwarf Virus is emerging as a disruptive threat to UK cereals, with recent surveys showing unexpectedly high infection levels in both wheat and barley. As cases spread and the leafhopper vector becomes better understood, growers face a challenge that sits outside the familiar BYDV playbook. This overview highlights the key warning signs, evolving risk factors and practical on‑farm measures that can help growers stay ahead of a virus that may already be more widespread than many realise.

A practical guide to managing winter beans in a high‑pressure season, covering chocolate spot risk, fungicide strategies, crop survival decisions and insights from the latest field observations.

Sugar beet growers are heading into a season where margins are tight, risks are shifting, and every agronomic decision counts. From early nutrition and weed control to managing rising nematode pressure and new pest challenges, the crops that succeed will be those guided by sharp, well‑timed decisions. This overview lifts the lid on the key pressures shaping 2026 and the practical tactics that can help keep crops clean, competitive and profitable.

Choosing a suitable site, preparing soils early, and keeping ahead of weeds all help set up a strong, even maize crop. As soils warm and drilling nears, being aware of how pH, soil condition, past pest issues and early nutrition affect early growth can make the difference between a crop that gets away well and one that lags behind.

This month, we covered maize and sugar beet agronomy, provided an update on wheat dwarf virus, reviewed the current condition of bean crops, and discussed practical management options for chocolate spot. We also briefly outlined what is currently known about the potential implications of EU–UK dynamic alignment.