Farming UK reports that Britain must urgently develop drought-tolerant wheat to protect food security as climate change brings hotter, drier conditions, scientists from the University of Hertfordshire warn. Current UK wheat strains are not easily replaced by European varieties and require up to a decade to breed locally. Research in Egypt found that frequent irrigation improved yields by 22%, while some cultivars used water 15–20% more efficiently. However, yields fell once temperatures exceeded 3°C above normal. With British wheat output down 20% last year and erratic weather worsening, experts stress the need for drought-resistant crops and precision irrigation to secure future harvests.

Farming UK reports that England has suffered its second-worst harvest on record, according to new Defra figures, following an exceptionally warm spring and dry early summer. The 2025 provisional data show wheat production up 4.9% to 10.6m tonnes due to a higher area sown, but barley output plunged 14% and oats fell 2.3% amid lower yields. Oilseed rape was the only crop to improve, with yields 29% higher than last year. Analysts warn this reflects escalating climate impacts, with three of the five worst harvests occurring in the past decade, threatening farmers’ incomes and UK food security.

Farming UK reports that a new AI-driven tool, gono.ai, enables Miscanthus farmers to forecast yields months before harvest by analysing drone imagery. Launched under the OMENZ programme and funded by DESNZ, the platform automatically detects and counts plants from high-resolution images, producing establishment maps and density reports. Combining biomass data with drone inputs it can predict yields early, helping growers plan and make informed marketing decisions.

Focus Taiwan reports that Taiwanese scientists have engineered thale cress plants to capture around 50% more CO₂ and produce more than twice as many seeds as unmodified plants, a breakthrough they hope could one day help mitigate global warming and grow more staples such as rice.

Farming UK reports that a new UK-developed device, Pneumonitor, helps dairy farmers prevent calf pneumonia by monitoring shed conditions in real time. Positioned at calf height, it tracks temperature, humidity, pressure, draughts, and VOCs. Unlike traditional checks that detect illness late, it proactively identifies environmental risks before symptoms appear, enabling early intervention.

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.

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.