Finance

The minimum wage has increased, but employers who are paying salaries rather than hourly rates could be unknowingly offering less than the minimum wage, a farm employment consultant warns British farmers.

This spring could see a surge in farms and land for sale after weather held off some launches planned for the start of the year, a farm and estate property expert warns. 

With more than 60% of England’s farmland managed by tenant farmers, industry leaders, experts, institutional landlords and tenant farming members have come together to discuss the future of the sector. 

The volume of farmland available on the market in England has been going up in recent months. The latest study has shown that farmers are trying to sell 6% more of their land compared to the same period in 2023. 

Farmers and horticulture growers are being encouraged to apply for a grant through Defra’s Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) before the final deadline. 

Farm and estate property consultancy Carter Jonas has called for clarity over the tax treatment of land put into environmental schemes.

Country Land and Business Association (CLA) is calling for the flood fund to open as soon as possible following farmers fears for the 2024 harvest after one of the wettest and stormiest winters in decades. 

Farmers in England who are looking to adopt smaXtec’s cutting-edge animal health monitoring system, can now get 50% grant funding, through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2024. 

Farming groups have expressed relief that the government has listened to the sector’s growing fears that environmental schemes could pose a threat to food security.

A rural property expert encourages farmers to carefully consider to what extent they enter new environmental schemes after inheritance tax relief was extended in the Spring Budget. 

Farmers can now apply for FETF funding to help pay for equipment and technology to improve animal health and welfare.

As the government opens up new rounds of FETF funding this spring, we take a look at what farmers can apply for now, as well as future dates to keep in the diary.