Once dismissed and regulated out of existence, hemp is quietly staging a comeback—this time as a soil health regenerator, carbon sink, and sustainable break crop. But can it overcome regulatory hurdles and market gaps to take root in mainstream UK rotations? To explore the potential of hemp as a break crop, we spoke to Luke Middleton from The Carbon Farm. He shared insights into the history of hemp cultivation in the UK, the agronomic requirements of the crop, and the opportunities for farmers to access end markets.   History of hemp in the UK Hemp was grown historically in the UK from the Middle Ages, primarily for its fibres, with several place names reflecting this legacy. In the early 20th

Water table management, drainage, water capture, planning and strategic thinking are all crucial in reducing emissions from lowland peat soils in order to help agriculture reach net zero.   With more than half of land use emission reductions by 2040 to come from peatlands, it is a critical area for some of the UK’s most productive farmland. Water table depth is the main control for reducing emissions, with experts at a recent RASE webinar discussing practical options to manage this, as well as data underpinning the work.   What you need to know about water tables Speaking in the webinar, Professor Ian Holman from the Integrated Land and Water Management department at Cranfield University told delegates that shared aid that

The UK’s peatlands are some of the most fertile and productive farming areas, The Fens being a prime example. Whether it’s cereals and oilseeds, root crops or horticulture, these soils are prized. However, they are also under close scrutiny as part of the drive to agriculture meeting net zero emissions.   With policy specialists and researchers warning that crops on peatlands can have emissions up to 30 times greater than those grown in other soils, achieving net zero is challenging. At a recent RASE webinar on peatlands, a panel of experts explained why this is the case, the data involved and the challenges. They also discussed research and practical approaches to help tackle the issue.   Why is there a

Enhanced rock weathering could be used to mitigate climate change and meet our national carbon budgets in the UK, while potentially also benefiting soil health and crop yields. Professor David Beering, director of the Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, outlined how enhanced rock weathering works in a recent Farm of the Future webinar.   Why consider enhanced rock weathering? In the last 100 years, CO2 emissions rose from just under 10 gigatonnes to 40 billion tonnes. Professor Beering highlighted that even if humanity successfully slow emissions of CO2 by transitioning to clean energy, there is still a need to take CO2 out of the atmosphere. “We are going to need carbon dioxide renewable technologies, and we can’t wait until

What if the future of farming isn’t bigger, but smaller, slower and powered by solar? As discussed in our exploration of creating a pathway for alternative farm fuels, there are some specific challenges associated with moving away from diesel in agriculture. Electric powertrains face significant challenges in agricultural vehicles due to energy density limitations. Lithium batteries are approximately 25 times less energy-dense than diesel fuel. John Deere had a go at developing an electric version of a typical diesel tractor weighing about 9 tonnes, to find that the electric equivalent weighed 18 tonnes. Furthermore, the electric tractor could only operate for about 10 hours at 80% load, compared to the 12+ hours expected from a conventional diesel tractor. So, if

Farm fuel is at a crossroads. With the UK’s push towards net-zero, diesel-powered machinery—once the backbone of agriculture—is facing mounting costs and potential regulatory pressure. But how can farms realistically transition to cleaner fuels without compromising performance? In a recent Farm of the Future webinar, Neil Tierny, CEO of Hykit, discussed how a partnership with JCB is overcoming one of the biggest barriers to hydrogen adoption—making refuelling as simple as diesel. This case study explores how hydrogen-powered machinery is evolving and what it means for UK farmers.   JCB and hydrogen JCB first explored hydrogen fuel cells for heavy machinery, but real-world tests revealed major drawbacks—cost, weight, and durability. In harsh agricultural conditions, fuel cells proved unreliable. Instead, JCB pivoted

For over a century, diesel has powered the machinery that drives British agriculture. Yet, as the industry faces increasing pressure to decarbonise, the reliance on subsidised red diesel is becoming unsustainable. The RASE Farm of the Future report highlights an urgent need for farmers to transition toward alternative fuels—solutions that are practical, cost-effective, and suited to the unique demands of agriculture. But how can this shift happen in an industry shaped by seasonality, high energy demands, and rural infrastructure challenges? To create a pathway for a transition to alternative fuels for agriculture, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), the vehicle manufacturers, the farming community regulators and the government will need to work together. A recent Farm of the Future webinar began the

The changes to inheritance tax relief for farmers has brought succession planning to front of mind, as post April 2026 it will no longer be possible to pass many farms onto the next generation without any tax consequences.   Speaking in a recent Farm of the Future webinar, Samantha Doherty from the Succession & Tax team at Thrings explained how the changes announced in the 2024 Autumn Budget can impact farms, then delved into some of the options to prepare for the changes.   APR and BPR changes Currently farmers will continue to receive 100% relief on Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) assets, which will remain the case until April 2026. After April 2026 it will

Succession planning for farms is crucially important, can be messy (but not always) and can involve alternative models, such as community buyouts. A recent Farm of the Future webinar, chaired by Professor Lee-Ann Sutherland from the James Hutton Institute’s International Land Use Study Centre, delved into why succession planning is so important for farming families, how to approach it and some alternative models for when there is no successor. This blog explores how succession can lead to transformational change in farm businesses. It includes insights into how to approach a conversation about succession planning with family members, shared by professional facilitator and communicator Heather Wildman from Saviour Associates. It also includes an introduction to alternative models for farm succession, shared