The Scottish Farmer reports that a row has erupted over Britain’s farmland birdlife after the Science for Sustainable Agriculture think-tank urged Defra to review its “limited” 19-species indicator. SSA argues the list exaggerates declines, excludes common and recovering birds, and risks skewing policy while empowering anti-farming NGOs.

BBC News reports that the Quadram Institute in Norwich will run the UK’s first human trial of gene-edited food, testing nutrient-enhanced tomatoes. Seventy-six people with low vitamin D will join the ViTaL-D Study, eating soup containing altered tomatoes designed to boost vitamin D production and improve health.

Farming UK reports that Westminster will host the 30:50:50 Agri-Science Summit in November, unveiling plans to boost UK food production by 30% while halving farming’s environmental impact by 2050. Chaired by George Freeman MP, the event concludes a 10-month APPG-led inquiry into science-driven farming innovation.

The Scottish Farmer reports that the closure of ADAS’s Yield Enhancement Network, a 13-year crop productivity initiative for cereals and oilseeds, has shocked UK farming, with some branding it a "national scandal". Citing lost sponsorship, ADAS will end the benchmarking scheme, widely praised for boosting yields.

Farmers Weekly reports that UK poultry producers face warnings amid an expected avian flu surge this autumn and winter. Defra is cautioning against co-grazing cattle and sheep with poultry after rising US dairy cattle infections have raised alarms about cross-species risks to livestock health.

Farmers Weekly reports that a parliamentary agri-science group has been warned that regulatory barriers hinder efforts to boost food output while cutting environmental impact. As part of the APPG on Science & Technology in Agriculture's 30:50:50 initiative, stakeholders said current rules are “not fit for purpose” and risk blocking progress towards more sustainable, higher-yield farming by 2050.

Farming UK reports that a University of Surrey study, published in Food and Energy Security, found that vertical farms, despite high yields and water savings, produce more carbon emissions than conventional lettuce growing.

Farmers Guardian reports that UFU deputy president Glenn Cuddy has stressed the need for trusted, independent science to shape Northern Ireland’s farming future. Speaking at AFBI’s strategy launch, he highlighted soil health, plant and animal disease threats, and called for robust, locally relevant research to guide sustainable agricultural policy and practice.

Farmers Guardian reports that M&S has called on Government to support British farmers through legally binding food security targets. Launching its ‘Plan A for Farming’, the retailer urged action to boost UK-grown and reared produce, aligning with the principle that “food security is national security.”

Farmers Weekly reports that a new study from the think-tank Science for Sustainable Agriculture (SSA) warns that UK food self-sufficiency could decline sharply by 2050, with up to 23% of farmland lost to housing, energy, and environmental uses. Using AI forecasting, it highlights an urgent need to rebalance land, food, and environmental priorities.

Two new 'Dragons Den-style' competitions will channel £12.6m into UK agri-tech, backing ideas to cut costs, reduce labour pressures and improve animal health.

The government funding will be delivered through two new Farming Innovation Programme competitions, described as a “Dragons Den for farming”.

Run in partnership with Innovate UK, the scheme builds on earlier projects that developed robotic strawberry pickers and early-warning health systems for cattle.

Britain’s first genetically-edited (GE) foods will be on supermarket shelves in the new year as a result of Brexit freedoms.

Crops which have been genetically edited to be tastier, longer-lasting and healthier will now be legally sold in England for the first time under the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.

University scientists and private companies have created products such as bread with less cancer-causing chemicals, longer-lasting strawberries and bananas, sweeter tasting lettuce and disease-resistant potatoes.