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Smart business solutions for progressive farmers, landowners, and the rural economy, guided by science, and independent advice.

15/10/2026

If the fire service was called to your farm tonight, would they have the information they need before they arrived?

The lead article in this quarter's Health & Safety Bulletin looks at the fire and explosion at a farm in Essex in July. More than 100 firefighters were involved at the height of the incident. Three fire engines and two officer vehicles were destroyed, and 20 firefighters were taken to hospital, all since discharged.

While the circumstances of the incident remain under investigation, it highlights the importance of ensuring the fire and rescue service has accurate information about dangerous substances stored on site. In an emergency, having that information in advance can be critical to informing the response.

Under NAMOS, storing 25 tonnes or more of dangerous substances means notifying your local fire service and marking the site entrance. There is a separate threshold for ammonium nitrate fertiliser. The 25 tonnes relates to the total quantity of dangerous substances on site, not just one product, which is often where confusion arises.

Also in this issue: welding, electric gates, the CDM Regulations, and vibration and dust.

Read it here: https://ceresrural.co.uk/magazine/health-safety-bulletin-october-2026/

If you're not sure where you stand, Robert Gazely, our Rural Health & Safety Expert, is the one to ask. Call him on 07592 041617 or email [email protected]

14/10/2026

Free on-farm training this winter – open to ALL farmers 🌱

We’re running four practical learning days as part of the Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) Farmer Training Programme.

Led by specialists from LENs and Ceres Rural, each day combines expert insight, host farm experiences, farm walks and peer-to-peer discussion, looking at how soil health, natural capital and ecosystem services can fit into a profitable, resilient farming business.

📍 Wednesday 11th November – Rookery Farm, Diss
📍 Tuesday 17th November – Castle Howard Estate, York
📍 Wednesday 2nd December – Manor Farm, Northamptonshire
📍 Wednesday 9th December – Law Farming, Royston

10am–4pm. Open to any farmer, you don’t need to be part of LENs to come along. Places are free but limited.

Find out more and book your place: https://ceresrural.co.uk/insights/free-on-farm-training-this-winter-lens-farmer-workshops-with-ceres-rural/

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13/10/2026

Got a spare field or an empty barn that isn't earning its keep?

We've put real numbers on eight diversification ideas so you can see what each one costs to set up, what it could bring in, and how long it could take to pay back.

The quickest? A dog walking field (from £8k–£10k to set up) and pop-up camping could both pay back in under a year.

Tap through all eight, then send us a message or call 01223 679 679 to talk through which might suit your farm.

Read the full blog here: https://ceresrural.co.uk/insights/farm-diversification/

Figures are indicative and exclude planning costs. Every site is different.

12/10/2026

Join us this Friday for the next RQ Rivers Trust cluster group meeting.

📅 Friday 16th October, 9:30am for a 10:00am start
📍 New Street Farm, SG11 1PJ

This time we're looking at deer management and developing local food supply chains, a practical and increasingly important opportunity for the region.

Our speakers:
• Chris Rogers, Euston Estate, on first-hand experience of deer management at Euston and the lessons learned
• Bethany Eaton, Affinity Water, on the Herts Food Futuring and Roots to Market projects, connecting farmers and suppliers directly with end users

A practical morning, and a good chance to meet others in farming, land management and the local supply chain.

To come along, email Charles at [email protected] so we know numbers. Please share with anyone who might be interested.

Thank you to everyone who has already RSVP'd. We hope to see you there.

07/10/2026

Three weeks until the Autumn Budget, and most of the detail is still under wraps. 🚜

What we do know: the latest SFI26 window was fully allocated in under six hours last month, Capital Grants has closed, and SFI27 has no opening date yet.

So, before the 28th, here are four things worth a look:

1. Cashflow. Are your budgets built on this year's input costs or last year's?

2. Succession. When did you last check your plan still suits your family and/or your business?

3. Diversified income. Natural capital income such as BNG, carbon credits and nutrient neutrality isn't a like-for-like swap for SFI and CS, but it could take some of the pressure off.

4. Records. Whenever SFI27 opens, having your maps and records straight will make applying far easier.

At Ceres Rural, we give independent, science-led advice to help progressive farm businesses plan ahead. To talk any of it through, call us on 01223 679 679 or email [email protected].

01/10/2026

An exciting milestone for Ceres Group as we officially open the doors to our new Ashford office.

This office marks an important step in strengthening our presence across Kent and the wider South East. Based at Hinxhill Estate, the office creates a fantastic base for our growing team and we're delighted to welcome Sophie Sillence, who joins the Ashford office today as Associate Partner. Sophie brings a wealth of experience and we're excited to have her on board as we continue to grow.

Here's to new opportunities, new connections and an exciting future in Kent. Read our business update here: https://f.mtr.cool/s9ahdl2tmo

30/09/2026

After months of nurturing, watering and a little healthy competition, we're delighted to announce that Edward Rout from Ceres Property has been crowned the winner of the Ceres Group Chilli Growing Competition, producing both the highest number of chillies and the hottest chilli of the bunch! 🏆

All funds raised from the competition are going to our Charity of the Year, YANA (You Are Not Alone), supporting mental health and wellbeing in the agricultural community.

If you'd like to, you can donate here: https://f.mtr.cool/r70zu6q602

A special mention must also go to Peter Cole, who bravely volunteered for the all-important taste test. We're pleased to report he survived... although his taste buds may still be filing a formal complaint. 😅

28/09/2026

Heading to the Cheshire or East Kent Ploughing Match?

Come and find the Ceres Rural team for a chat. We look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones.

🗓️ 30th September 2026

See you in the there! 🌾

24/09/2026

Are your farm records inspection-ready?

Whether you're in Countryside Stewardship, SFI or a Capital Grant agreement, being prepared for an RPA inspection can help avoid unnecessary delays, deductions and compliance issues.

In our latest blog, we share what inspectors may check, the records you should keep, and a straightforward checklist to help you stay prepared year-round.

🔗 Read the full article: https://f.mtr.cool/vj5yad7bix

22/09/2026

What a day for English farming.

The second Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) application window closed after just 5 hours and 48 minutes, with the entire £233 million budget allocation exhausted in less than a working day. That's just under £670,000 every minute, £40.2m every hour.

The extraordinary demand speaks volumes. Farmers across the country continue to face significant challenges, from volatile weather and difficult harvest conditions to fluctuating commodity markets and ongoing pressure on farm incomes. The speed at which this funding was allocated demonstrates just how important schemes such as SFI have become to the future resilience of British farming.

At Ceres Rural, we're incredibly proud of our team. Following weeks of preparation, collaboration and client engagement, colleagues from across our offices and regions came together to submit hundreds of applications today. As the funding window filled at unprecedented speed, teams worked under immense pressure to support one another and secure applications wherever possible. It was a remarkable display of teamwork, dedication and commitment to our clients, with everyone pulling together to help farmers access this vital support.

While many farming businesses will now benefit from the scheme, today's events also highlighted the challenges of the current application process. The window closed far quicker than anyone anticipated, leaving many applications across the country incomplete despite considerable time and resource already having been invested. We know many farmers and advisers will be disappointed by the outcome.

The work doesn't stop here.

Ceres Rural will continue engaging with Defra and industry bodies to make the case for additional funding and for the scheme to reopen where possible. We will also be advocating for improvements to the application process, helping to ensure future schemes provide greater certainty and a fair opportunity for all eligible farming businesses to access support.

For now, we'd like to sincerely thank our team for their incredible efforts, and our clients for the trust they have placed in us throughout the process.

The extraordinary demand for SFI funding sends a clear message: farming businesses across the country continue to rely on environmental support schemes as they navigate increasingly challenging operating conditions. Ensuring farmers can access this support must remain a priority for the long-term resilience, sustainability and productivity of British agriculture.

Address

Cambridge
CB114ER

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5:30pm
Friday	9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+441223679679

Website

http://linktr.ee/ceresrural

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