Week 45 · 29 Oct–4 Nov 2026 · Balanced

The week in balance

Every theme at “A bit”: the edition every reader of Your Field Report starts from, led by “Extreme weather hits yields”.

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Policy & farm business
Extreme weather hits yields
Agriland reports 82% of England still in drought despite rain; Farmers Guide cites AHDB modelling showing extreme weather could cut farm profits up to 61%. Agrispective covered El Niño's impact on Indian farmers; RealAg Radio examined warm-fall wheat growth in Ontario.
Why it matters. Weather swings are already reshaping yields, costs and profit forecasts, forcing growers to rethink crop choice and timing.
Listen: Agriland · Agrispective with Subramani Ra Mancombu · CountryWide · Farmers Guide
Policy & farm business
Soil and pasture profit returns
On the Farmers Guardian Podcast, Dr Paul O'Hora reported an organo-mineral fertiliser trial added about £205/ha revenue. On Talking Dairy (levy-funded), Keely Buckingham said extra pasture harvested yields NZ$350/ha extra operating profit.
“based on average grain prices, that it represents an increase in revenue of about £205 a hectare, just based on changing the fertilizer over to a organo-mineral fertilizer”
Dr Paul O'Hora, The Farmers Guardian Podcast
Why it matters. Concrete figures on fertiliser and pasture management could guide decisions on input spending and grazing targets.
Listen: Talking Dairy · The Farmers Guardian Podcast
Food & nutrition
GLP-1 drugs and diet
On Weight Loss And..., Dr Gary Foster said roughly 11 million people use GLP-1s, a fraction of those who could benefit; Dr Holly Wyatt said reduced appetite doesn't guarantee better food choices. The Nourished Child covered GLP-1 use in children; Nutrition Diva examined natural GLP-1-boosting claims.
“I had hoped, that perhaps when cravings were lower or appetite was lower, then people might start making better choices about their diet or when their knees didn't hurt because they've lost 30 pounds, they might start moving a little bit more. And so far the data, we don't really have great data, but that may not be happening automatically.”
Dr Holly Wyatt, Weight Loss And ...
Why it matters. As GLP-1 use grows, questions about diet quality, paediatric use and food marketing claims affect nutrition guidance and food demand.
Listen: The Food Chain · Weight Loss And ... · Nutrition Diva · Nutrition Science Bites with Professor Clare Collins AO
Policy & farm business
Low-input and grass-based livestock systems
Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast featured Duncan Shell on organic uplands farming; Meet the Farmers profiled BFA Sheep Farmer of the Year 2026 on outdoor lambing; RealAg Radio and Irish Farmers Journal covered mixed livestock management and schemes.
Why it matters. Low-input approaches and scheme changes affect costs, labour and returns for livestock producers.
Listen: RealAg Radio (RealAgriculture) · Irish Farmers Journal podcasts · Meet the Farmers · Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast
Ag commodities
Grain market risk management
Commodity Week covered autumn harvest, price volatility and USDA reports; The Tillage Edge examined global grain markets including Ukraine war impacts, for Irish farmers; GRDC Podcast, funded by grain levies, discussed farm safety risk via a harvest fire survivor's account; RealAg Radio covered farm cybersecurity fraud risks.
Why it matters. Price swings, trade disruption and operational risks all shape margins and safety decisions for grain growers.
Listen: RealAg Radio (RealAgriculture) · Commodity Week · GRDC Podcast · The Tillage Edge
Innovation
Farming's climate and emissions footprint
The Food Programme covered the BBC Food and Farming Awards 2026, including rice cultivation emissions innovation; Farm Gate's episode 'Food industry insiders speak out' addressed reducing on-farm fossil fuel use and systemic food industry risks; AgTech Digest covered agricultural methane reduction.
Why it matters. Emissions reduction and fossil fuel use are under scrutiny, with implications for farm practice and industry accountability.
Listen: AgTech Digest · Farm Gate · The Food Programme

Also in this edition

Earlier weeks

The full Week 45 edition · The podcasts we follow · The weekly data

Extreme weather hits yields

Soil and pasture profit returns

GLP-1 drugs and diet

Low-input and grass-based livestock systems

Grain market risk management

Farming's climate and emissions footprint

Also in this edition

Earlier weeks