The Source

This study tracked GHG emissions arising from croplands and found drained peatlands (35%), rice paddies (35%) and synthetic fertilizer (23%) as the primary contributors. Four crops—rice, maize, oil palm and wheat—accounted for 67% of total emissions.

Animal welfare is the animal’s experience or feelings, on a continuum from poor to good. Measurement of resources describes the risks for poor or the opportunities for good welfare. Animal-based measures provide a greater insight into the animal’s mental state. However, important aspects of animal welfare are not well-captured in existing welfare assessment. Use of sensors may improve our ability to assess some aspects of welfare in the future.

Hearing loss is a pervasive yet often hidden health challenge affecting millions of people across the UK. While 5.8% of GP patients reported deafness or hearing loss in 2024, research indicates that the true figure is significantly higher – affecting up to 18 million adults, or one-in-three, when mild and unilateral loss are included. Prevalence increases sharply with age, meaning rural communities – where 27% of residents are aged 65+ years – are disproportionately affected. Rural workers also face elevated occupational risks, particularly in agriculture, mining, and quarrying, where prolonged exposure to noise increases the likelihood of hearing damage.  What is being done, and what more can be done, to support people with deafness and hearing loss, especially in rural communities? 

Pop ecology promises harmony in farming, but real agricultural decisions demand tradeoffs grounded in ecological reality.

In this post, we explain what to expect from the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer in 2026. We also share the list of the 71 actions available in the new offer, with payment rates.

The application window for the next round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF 2026) will open on 17 March.

Key Messages: The ideal Oilseed Rape (OSR) crop ideotype should have larger, but not just thicker canopies for more efficient and effective light capture. It should also produce a higher-than-average number of seeds per m2 and better than average seed filling. High yielding crops tend to be sown and develop 5-10 days later. They are also associated with higher manuring frequency especially in the autumn. Deep non-inversion establishment most is the common strategy (move soil when needed) (Speaker: Thomas Wilkinson, ADAS)

This paper is an assignment submitted to De Montfort University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of LLM in Environmental Law by Andrew Brown. It shows how the UK system of town and country planning goes some way to protecting the environment but that there is more that could be done to further that aim.

While global wheat supplies remain comfortable on paper, several supportive elements are emerging. Strong exports, constrained Black Sea flows, South American weather, and above all geopolitical tension in the Middle East create a developing risk profile. Downside pressure may continue to be gradual, but any external shocks, particularly through energy markets, could trigger a swift and meaningful rebound, providing new selling opportunities. In that context, UK wheat prices look open to upside potential if global events break in a supportive direction.

A review from researchers at Northwest A&F University outlines a framework for breeding crops that enhance soil carbon storage while maintaining — or even improving — productivity. Crops should be bred to not only bring higher yields, but store more carbon, according to Chinese researchers — who also set the stall out for how it could be done.

Our approach integrates farm operational and production data, remote sensed imagery and data, ecological modelling and state and transition models to generate accounts that contain verifiable information about the extent and condition of natural capital assets, indicators of the ability of these assets to generate a range of intermediate and final ecosystem services (e.g. habitat maintenance for biodiversity, forage for livestock, carbon sequestration, pollination, soil regulation, shade and shelter) and environmental performance at the farm scale.

The Renters’ Right Act 2025 (“the Act”) represents one of the most significant reforms to residential letting law in recent decades. Although much of the public conversation focuses on the urban rental market, the Act will have important implications for farmers, estate owners, advisers and rural businesses who let cottages, farmhouses, or tied accommodation. This article provides an overview of the key changes and explores how they may affect occupancy arrangements within the rural economy.