Your Yorkshire West Riding county NFU update

Jennifer Costello

Jennifer Costello

Yorkshire West Riding county adviser

Yorkshire West Riding round-up: Kilnsey success, SFI updates and AGM plans

Kilnsey Show was a fantastic way to round off the county show season, bringing together farmers, local businesses and members of the rural community for another well-supported event.

It was great to catch up with familiar faces and meet plenty of new people throughout the day. There was lots of interest at the stand, leading to valuable conversations about the opportunities and challenges currently facing farming businesses across the area.

As always, Kilnsey highlighted everything that makes Yorkshire agriculture such a strong and vibrant sector. The show provided a great opportunity to strengthen existing relationships, make new connections and promote the support available to farmers and rural businesses. As the final county show of the season, it was a fitting end to a busy summer of events. Thank you to everyone who stopped by for a chat and to all those involved in making the show such a success.

Yorkshire West Riding SFI meeting

Join us for an update on the latest developments in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, with a particular focus on the anticipated SFI 2026 Round 2 application window.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday 23 September 2026 at 7pm at Cedar Court Hotel Huddersfield, Lindley Moor Road, Ainley Top, Huddersfield, HD3 3RH.

Abigail Teward, Environment and Land Use Adviser, will provide an overview of recent policy developments, what these changes could mean for your farming business, and the key points to consider if you are planning to apply when the application window opens in September.

This meeting will be an opportunity to hear the latest information, gain practical insights and ask questions about the future of agri-environment schemes and how they may fit into your business plans.

To book your place, please register via the email invitation or contact the NFU North Office.

Looking ahead to the Yorkshire West Riding AGM

We are also looking forward to the Yorkshire West Riding AGM on Thursday 26 November, with arrival from 12.00pm for a 12.30pm start at Harrogate Cricket Club.

This year's guest speaker will be NFU Vice-president Robyn Munt, who will provide an update on key issues affecting the industry and the work being undertaken on behalf of members.

The AGM is open to all members and provides a great opportunity to reflect on the past year, take part in a Q&A session with the Chair and officeholders, and catch up with fellow members over lunch.

Keep an eye on your inbox for your email invitation and registration details. We look forward to seeing you there.

Surveys and questionnaires

English Uplands Survey

A CALL OUT TO ALL UPLAND FARMERS:

We'd like to hear your views on the challenges and opportunities facing upland farming and so the NFU have put together a survey to help us better understand the current pressures and priorities across the sector.

If your farm business operates in an upland area, we'd appreciate your feedback. Your input is vital in shaping NFU policy and guiding the work we do on your behalf. By taking part, you'll help ensure we're representing your interests and focusing on the issues that matter most to upland farmers.

Start date

14 September 2026 at 9:00am

End date

23 October 2026 at 5:00pm

Complete the survey here

Local news

Farmers Wanted!

On behalf of the AHDB Education Partnership, we would like to share an exciting opportunity for beef, sheep and dairy levy payers interested in welcoming schools onto their farm.

 AHDB is recruiting 80 farmers to take part in its Open Your Gate campaign through the School Farm Visit Support (SFVS) Programme.

 Whether you're completely new to hosting school visits or already have some experience, the programme is designed to help you build the confidence, skills and practical knowledge needed to provide engaging and safe educational farm visits for children.

 Successful applicants could receive a fully funded two-day Countryside Educational Visits Accreditation Scheme (CEVAS) training course, worth £360 + VAT.

 This is an excellent opportunity to:

Gain confidence in hosting school groups.

Learn how to deliver safe and engaging educational visits.

Inspire young people by helping them understand where their food comes from and how farming supports everyday life.

Become part of a growing network of farmers opening their gates to schools.

 For full details, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, please visit: School Farm Visits Support programme for farmers (England) | AHDB

Please contact AHDB directly if you have any further questions.

Find out more

Event

Yorkshire West Riding SFI meeting

Join us for a practical update on the latest developments within the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs), with a focus on the anticipated SFI 2026 Round 2 application window. 

Abigail Teward, Environment and Land Use Adviser, will provide an overview of recent policy changes, what they could mean for your business, and key considerations for those planning to apply in September.

To book please contact our regional office by phone on 02476 939401 or email at [email protected]

Start date

23 September 2026 at 7:00pm

Location

Cedar Court Hotel Huddersfield, Lindley Moor Rd, Ainley Top, Huddersfield, HD3 3RH

Local news

Doncaster Farmers Invited to Join New Communication Network

A Doncaster farmer and also local Cllr, Will Shaw has been appointed Doncaster Council's Farming and Nature Recovery Champion following his election as a ward councillor in 2025. As the borough's only farmer councillor, he has been tasked with strengthening communication between the council and the farming community. 

The appointment follows concerns that farmers have not been sufficiently engaged on major initiatives, including the proposed UNESCO Doncaster Biosphere and emerging Local Nature Recovery plans, both of which could have significant implications for local agriculture. 

To improve information sharing and ensure farmers are kept informed of developments affecting their businesses, Cllr Shaw is establishing a contact database for farmers across the Doncaster borough. 

Local farmers are encouraged to send their name, address and contact details to [email protected] and share this invitation with others in the farming community. 

Local news

2026 Drought and Bluetongue Emergency Grants - Forage Aid Scheme

The Addington Fund are supporting farming families who are experiencing ongoing drought, combined with the impact of the Bluetongue outbreak, which is placing significant pressure on farm businesses and creating additional worries at an already challenging time.

If these issues are affecting your ability to feed your livestock, they may be able to offer short-term assistance through a one-off grant towards essential feed costs.

The Forage Aid Scheme is designed to provide practical support to farmers experiencing unexpected and temporary financial hardship caused by circumstances beyond their control. 

Eligibility
To be eligible for support, you must:

Be a working farmer with a CPH and SBI number, with farming an agricultural holding as your main source of income.

Be experiencing temporary financial hardship as a result of circumstances beyond your control.

Require support due to the impact of the current drought and/or bluetongue outbreak.

Have insufficient feed, fodder or straw available to meet your livestock's needs and prevent an animal welfare concern.

Be unable to generate sufficient funds through the sale or reduction of stock numbers in line with available resources.

Have no accessible reserves, savings or overdraft facilities available to meet the immediate need.

Apply here

Local news

RABI Launch FarmersAid Free App

RABI – the Farmers Charity has launched FarmersAid, a pioneering free app designed to support individuals in the critical moments following a serious on-farm accident. 

The FarmersAid app is built around the "Platinum 10" minutes, a critical window where prompt action directly influences survival outcomes. In scenarios such as severe bleeding, intervention within just 60 to 90 seconds can be the difference between life and death. 

Developed with leading experts in rural emergency medicine, FarmersAid turns complex clinical guidance into simple, step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow in an emergency. 

Click here for more information and to download the app

Local news

Farming help at hand

Stress and depression are common illnesses in the UK. People working in farming dealing with financial pressures, irregular weather patterns, and market and price volatility are as susceptible to stress as anyone else.

Knowing where to find help and support and having someone to talk to is the first step in dealing with stress and other issues. Farming is a hugely rewarding profession but it can be hugely challenging at times. Anyone can reach a point when pressures become too much and if that happens it is important to reach out for help.

Reaching out to friends, family, healthcare professionals, or organisations can be the first step that makes a big difference:

Samaritans – 116 123 (Free, 24/7 listening service for anyone in distress)

Farming Help Helpline – 03000 111 999 (Open 7am-11pm, confidential and free - operated by The Farming Community Network (FCN)

RABI (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution) – 0800 188 4444 (24-hour helpline)

Addington Fund – 01926 620135 (Will discuss individual circumstances and may be able to support businesses in distress)

Yana - [email protected] and 0300 3230400.