With delinked payments set to be capped at just £600 in 2026 and 2027, a 98% reduction from previous support levels, many farmers are facing a sharp drop in income as direct payments are phased out. At the same time,… Read More »Looking beyond delayed subsidy schemes with Miscanthus
Blackgrass remains one of the most challenging weeds for UK arable farmers, costing yields and resisting control measures. Research shows that blackgrass not only thrives in poorly drained, heavy soils but actually grows bigger under prolonged waterlogging. In contrast, wheat… Read More »Miscanthus solution for fields susceptible to blackgrass and flooding
Harvest 2025 has highlighted the growing challenge of volatility in UK arable farming, with Farmer’s Weekly reporting that wheat yields ranged anywhere between 5.5t/ha and 10.4t/ha depending on region, soil type, and weather conditions. For many farmers, this stark variation… Read More »Miscanthus: A profitable solution to 2025’s harvest variation
A free tool for Miscanthus growers to improve crop establishment, resilience, and yield forecasting using drone imagery and data analysis has launched this summer. Gono.ai automatically detects and counts Miscanthus plants from high-resolution drone images, generating easy-to-read establishment maps and… Read More »Free AI tool for Miscanthus counting and density mapping
The UK is at a turning point in its transition away from oil and gas, and bio-based chemicals and materials could play a major role. A new report from the Building Resilient UK Bio-Based Supply Chains event highlights the opportunities,… Read More »Bio-based supply chains event insights
IBERS scientists have significantly advanced the UK’s capacity to deliver sustainable biomass through their pioneering work in the Miscanspeed project, funded by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). The project has fast-tracked the breeding process by implementing… Read More »Accelerating the Future of Biomass: IBERS Scientists Fast-Track Miscanthus Breeding with Genomic Innovation
The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), once positioned as a cornerstone of England’s post-BPS agricultural policy, has failed to deliver meaningful support for many UK farmers. Intended to reward environmental stewardship while providing a stable income stream, the scheme has instead… Read More »Miscanthus seen as stable option for UK farmers in 2026
Biomass Feedstocks Innovation Programme Project OMENZ was established to address key barriers in the commercial-scale planting of Miscanthus, a perennial biomass crop central to achieving the UK’s net-zero carbon targets by 2050. With only ~9,000 hectares under cultivation in 2023… Read More »Project OMENZ – final report summary (phase 2)
With the 2025 cereal harvest season in full swing, many farmers are reflecting on what has been another volatile year for arable cropping, early-season droughts, increasing input costs, and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding agri-environment payments have all played their part.… Read More »Why 2026 should be the year you plant Miscanthus
At Birchwood Farm in Saxilby, Lincolnshire, father-and-son arable farmers Ian and James Willox are proving that Miscanthus is more than just a biomass crop – it’s a smart solution for awkward land and an increasingly valuable part of their farm… Read More »Making less productive land work: The grower’s perspective
