Time to plan ahead for 2026

Graham Ragg, Mole Valley Farmers Senior Agronomist

December is normally a bit more relaxed on farm, with less field work and a few more social activities leading up to Christmas.

But it is a good time to reflect on the past year and set your stall out for the year to come. No matter what plans you have they can always be improved but it’s not always easy to find the time to take an overview.

Farm incomes are often made up of a combination of activities, diversification enterprises and farm stewardship schemes.

But focusing on farming activities to improve and make your business more resilient could lead to considerable benefits.

Making the most of your land

Whether you own or rent your land, it is your biggest investment and must be farmed in a manner which gives the best returns. On marginal ground some of the stewardship schemes under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) may be worth considering. 

While on more productive ground, you need to maximise food production to give the best returns and increase the country’s  food security.

Making sure your soils are in good health

All crop growth is reliant on good soil health, structure and fertility. A good place to start is soil sampling to get a breakdown of soil pH, phosphate, potash, magnesium and soil organic matter levels. 

Once the soil results are received, a Nutrient Management Plan can improve any deficiencies holding back growth, as well as helping you make the most of soil reserves, FYM, slurry, legumes and bagged fertiliser to increase target yields and unlock the potential of your crops.

Crop choice and rotations

With changing weather patterns, is it still worth trying to grow some crops on thin soils in dry areas which are not producing an economic return? Focus on the varieties you know you can grow well with the management skills to get a good crop.

A qualified agronomist is a key member of your team. For 2026, many farmers will be short of forage due to the hot weather and lack of rain in 2025. Decisions taken now can shorten the winter by getting earlier grass growth.

•    Get your fertiliser ordered now so it’s on farm ready for the chance of an early application in spring 2026
•    Apply fertiliser slightly earlier than usual, particularly on Westerwolds, Italian ryegrass and new, longer-term leys. These will respond at least a month earlier than old permanent pasture swards
•    Consider using more fertiliser in spring 2026 on first cut silage land and early grazing fields to boost grass yields. A larger cut from slightly more acres at first cut is key to boosting any forage shortfall

Conduct sward assessments and consider more spring reseeds

After the dry spring and summer, it’s important to assess the  sward composition of your fields. A new grass reseed will often lead to double yields, better quality feed and greater resilience  
to dry conditions.

Calculate your forage reserves

Many farmers will have a considerable shortfall of forage over winter but a calculation of your stocks and turnout date now means future plans can be adjusted to mitigate problems.

•    Do you need to buy more forage?
•    Do you need to buy more supplementary feed?
•    Do you need to reduce stock numbers in the short term?
•    Do you need to rent more ground for 2026 to grow crops?

Whatever problems you may be facing and the solutions you decide, take an hour or two now to consider your options for 2026.

For more information on how our agronomists can help you make the right decisions contact the Grassland & Forage Line on 01769 576232.