Agriculture

Agriculture

Fine Gael TD says protections are in place to counter any major disruption to beef prices

Future Farm is a modular vertical farming system designed by Qing Duan for integration within urban architecture, proposing a model where buildings function as hydro-ecological systems. Rainwater is collected, filtered, and redistributed to support plant growth and domestic needs, establishing a closed-loop water cycle that combines sustainable agriculture with everyday city life. The project incorporates public greenhouse spaces, shared kitchens, rooftop farms, and educational zones to enable collective care, learning, and interaction with urban farming processes.

If you're cold, your outdoor plants probably are too - and it's time to bring those tender leafy greens indoors. Wintertime container gardening can be a satisfying, cost-effective way to incorporate more leafy green veggies into your daily diet, and few fast-growing veggies are as suited to the task as arugula. These seeds grow happily in your kitchen, thriving in countertop gardens and shallow pots even when the annual chill sets in.

Growing your own vegetables is a fun and rewarding activity. Not only will you ensure they are at their freshest when you eat them, but you will also know how they are grown, especially if you care about pesticides and other harmful chemicals found in commercially grown produce. If you don't have an outdoor garden space, you can still grow some tasty veggies indoors - and some of the simplest (and fastest-growing) are radishes.

The company announced the appointment of industry veteran Mark Munger as their first-ever Vice President of Marketing & Business Development - a role that didn't exist before but clearly needed. This isn't just another corporate reshuffle. When a 23-year-old company creates an entirely new executive position, it means they're ready to play at a different level. Why This Appointment Matters

Tomatoes have a reputation for being a temperamental garden crop. They're thirsty, both fragile and heavy, and can be prone to disease. Cherry tomatoes, on the other hand, are widely considered among the easiest tomato variety to grow because of how efficiently (and abundantly) they go from flower to fruit. They ripen within about two months of planting and replenish themselves constantly.

Steffan MessengerWales environment correspondent BBC Wales' controversial post-Brexit subsidy scheme for farmers has come in, almost a decade after the vote to leave the EU. It will provide payments with a greener focus and see farms agree to a checklist of requirements. Farms have to actively manage at least 10% of their land as habitat to join, and while some have land that qualifies, many dairy farmers say they don't.

There's a particular sound that stays with you once you've lived in the English countryside. Not birdsong, that's too obvious, but the deeper rhythm of things: the tractor coughing into life at dawn, Chameau boots crunching on gravel, the hooves of the horses going out for a hack, the soft murmur of a village pub where everyone knows exactly why you're there even if they've never seen you before.

According to a recent report, the sector is in dire need of an infusion of new blood and must recruit 22,600 younger workers over the coming years as the current generations of growers reach and exceed retirement age. The report, commissioned by the Spanish Wine Interprofessional Organisation (OIVE), found that 38.9% of wine-growers are aged 51-65 and 35% are over 65. Those aged 41-50 make up 16.9% of the sector, while the under-40s comprise only 9.3%.

You think you've made the deal of a lifetime, and it turns out it could have been even better. And at a certain age, those strong emotions can be dangerous, as Mauri Oliveira, a 66-year-old Brazilian coffee producer, can attest to. Owner of the Campestre estate, he speaks with delight about the ritual he shares with other landowners every full moon night. They have dinner at one of the estates before embarking on a horseback ride by the light of the moon along the trails.

American beef plants are under threat as the number of cattle destined for their facilities stays far below historical levels, reflecting the smallest herd in more than half a century. Cattle placed in feedlots, where animals are fed until ready to be slaughtered, are expected to have dropped in November to the lowest levels for the month since 2015, according to a Bloomberg survey of analysts.

Norwich Meadows Farm, an organic farm based in Norwich, New York, reported on Instagram that a major fire destroyed its main barn and packing shed overnight on Thursday, December 11, wiping out its packhouse, refrigeration, machinery, scales, and other essential equipment. No one was hurt. For now, the priority is restoring power to protect winter storage crops; the team says it's not yet clear what the next few days or weeks will look like for markets and orders.

Crop yields have increased enormously over the past few decades. But early warning signs have arrived as crop yield rates flatline, prompting warnings of efficiency hitting its limits and the impacts of climate change taking effect. At first glance trends seem positive. Farming methods have become more and more efficient over the last 80 years. However, multiple projections suggest that climate change will soon have key crops plateauing, then sliding down again.

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

Tractors take to the streets of Brussels amid concerns that agriculture is being used as a bargaining chip in the EU

On Monday, Donald Trump announced that his administration will give farmers a $12 billion bailout-a tacit admission that his trade policies suck. Farmers have spent much of the last year complaining about rising production costs, falling crop prices and the loss of multiple markets due to Trump's tariffs and the trade wars they have launched. All in all, farmers are projected to lose roughly $44 billion in profits this year, in large part because of Trump administration policies.

"Too much milk for the market, combined with strong milk solids growth, has contributed to a sharp decline in commodity prices," Rabobank senior agricultural analyst Emma Higgins said in a report Thursday, describing the output as "stunning." Global production has accelerated across major exporters. New Zealand farmers set new monthly milk solids records from May to September, with October marking the third-highest peak on record, according to the report. The EU, UK, US and South America have also delivered strong growth.

CNH has scored some wins that Schroeder has been able to track. The company is leaning on AI to assist software engineers who are focused on precision agricultural technology and the FieldOps farm management systems, where AI, machine learning, and sensors are applied to digitally enhance farming. Early data has shown that these engineers are reducing the time needed for documentation by 60%, giving them more time to write new code.

Sure, there's Pistol, which feels like something a self-respecting cowboy might name a horse, and Belle, which also taps into my Western fantasy. But my steed for the week is leggy grey Quarter Horse, Goblin. I'm surprised by his mischievous name, given his soft brown eyes and gentle soul, and I'm not the only one: "His last rider didn't think he looked like a Goblin," admits guest lead, Lauren.

We are farming in the west of Ireland and have recently run into difficulties with a new neighbour regarding noise and general farm activity. Many years ago, we sold several sites along the road beside our yard. All the original buyers were local people who understood the nature of farming and rural life, and we never had a moment's bother with any of them.